The Community Gardener

January Garden

2010-01-24T13:46:00.000-08:00

Here it is the third week of January in the Pacific Northwest, and the crocuses are up. Daffodils too, about 6 inches worth. Here's a little garden I passed today. I was thinking, this is the type of garden I would like. One with a little greenhouse I could start the lettuce and radishes and spinach in. I used to have a little greenhouse like that in Spokane. There I started squash and spinach and other plants. There it was hard to plant early. Here, really I can garden year around. Although the plants I choose are limited. I have kale in my garden now that needs to be picked. Carrots too. I grew the carrots in a large pot. They were still small by the end of the summer, but I'm hopeful they'll make nice baby carrots for a pot of hot chicken soup.

What is the weather like in your area? Can you turn the soil yet? Can you amend it?
Happy gardening,
Flower

Carrots in a Pot

2009-09-16T17:37:00.000-07:00

I tried something new this year, growing my carrots in a pot. And it has worked, although they are tiny little things. I want to be a better gardener, and I'm getting a little bit better. I've been gardening since I was a kid, but I get overwhelmed easily, buy lots of things. In the case of the garden, lots of weeds, lots of plants. I have a natural propensity for saving. So if I came across a tomato plants that came up from seed, I'd want to nurture them along and then I'd have these extra tomatoes growing in the garden, smallish plants that never produce. But hey, here I am with carrots in a pot, nicely contained, not worm holes. Very exciting. Next year I'll add some manure so the soil is a little more nutricious. So I wonder how I can contain some of the things in my house, books in bookshelves, plants all in one grouping. Yes, I can get organized, eventually. I know I can.

Well I'm in the middle of getting dinner going. Soon my honey will be here. He's home from the Arctic, so I'm a happy camper. And he is too. He wants to do the entire garden ourselves next year. I like this idea. I've shared it this year, thinking it would help me get a handle on it. And it has. So with Honey's help next year, we'll have lots to eat, and perhaps some winter squash to put by. That would be nice.

Happy gardening,

Flower

Tomatoes Again

2009-08-20T10:41:00.000-07:00

Well yes, I've told you the story of how I grew tomatoes as a kid. I planted them in the little triangle of dirt next to the pool. Mother had her petunias planted there. She grew petunias every year of our life together. Me, tomatoes. These are my neighbors tomatoes. This is the earliest year to have ripe tomatoes from a PNW coastal garden. They have a hard time ripening here and they get blight.

I have a ton of tomatoes this year. We had a slow start on warm weather, then a loong hot spell. It cooled again, but now it's warm again. Hopefully this will last late into fall. I've been swimming in the sound off and on. Yesterday I took a chilly dip. On a recent trip to the Nooksack River, I took a dip. Somehow I feel compelled right now to get into water, everywhere I can. My friend just returned from the Arctic. People do Polar Bear plunges in icy water there. Not me. I have my limits.

I'm d

airy intollerant and have recently discovered that goat cheese is okay for me. So I've been making that delicious dish: sliced suculent tomatoes with a bit of basil and a bit of goat cheese. Dribble with balsamic vinegar. Yum! Don't remember what it is called.

Okay, happy gardening and happy life to you all.

Flower

PS Tomorrow's the new moon. Make your wishes. You get 10 each full moon. Make them count, they come true.

Garden Decoration

2009-08-19T10:22:00.000-07:00

Well, I've had to really admit to myself that I'm not great at follow through. Now we know that Aries has a bad wrap for starting and stopping things--it's the experience Aries wants. But it's hard to get anywhere if you stop things just as they get rolling. So I let half of my garden to Mike--his plot is in the shade--and now he's calling himself my serf. I tell you, having half the garden space has made it easier on me. I've been eating tomatoes like crazy and plenty of peas. I have beans and patty pan.

The other day I ran into Mike and he said you zuchinni isn't what you think. What? Well it wasn't coming up, so I replanted. You'll like it. It's patty pan. And sure enough, there's a little space ship, sort of grey green, hovering beneath the leaves.

The other day I was over there and there where two young bucks wandering through the garden. Most of the plots are fenced now, which makes mine the key dining place. You don't have to have a membership to get in and it doesn't matter if you are wearing shoes and shirt.

Blackberries are on and so are the plums and so are the yellow jackets, squashed fruit everywhere. Ate blackberries for breakfast this morning. They are getting sweet now. And tomatoes in the salad and tonight with the burritos.

My honey is home from the arctic now. He was gone for 9 weeks. It seemed terribly long to me, although I got a ton of work done. I'm working on a book about divorce, as you know, I was divorced last year. It was a grueling year, going through all the name change stuff, and all the pain. Pain with divorce is equal to pain of death, I'm sure of it.

Well, need to get on with my day. Hopefully you are all working hard and enjoying the harvests of your gardens.
Peace,
Flower

Tomato Plants

2009-06-30T07:58:00.001-07:00

For some reason I woke at 3:30 this morning. It was noisy outside, stuff going on in the city and the birds calling. I laid here in bed and thought about the garden, and all the ripe tomatoes I've eaten, fresh from the garden; all the warm tomatoes I've eaten, sun heated, and I thought about myself as a child, standing there outside the hardware tore, you know, back when there were neighborhood hardware stores, with racks of plants on the sidewalk. I wanted a tomato plant and mother let me buy one. I was in gradschool, that was the beginning of my love of gardening.

My tomato plants are doing fairly well this year. Hopefully the deer won't eat them. I scattered coyote scat around the garden, which didn't do a heap of good, they still ate off the peas. And the small shaker of the stuff set me back 11 dollars. I think the hot pepper spray works better. Most of the gardeners are fencing their plots. It looks like a mishmash of net and wire and payer flags now, but it could work, or is, especially where the higheur fences are used. I think I might put fishing line around mine. It works, just three of for strands around corner poles. Can't hardly see it and they can't either, bump into it and move away. Okay then, have a happy day. Hope your garden is growing well.

ROmanesco Broccoli

2009-06-15T08:21:00.001-07:00

I've grown this broccoli and it is so beautiful and tasty. I have a neighbor in the garden who has broccoli ready to eat already. The problem with organic gardens and broccoli is the worms that get between the spears. It's hard to see them to pick them off, since they really blend in. My sister made me a big pot of vegetable soup after my daughter was born. She threw everything in it from the garden and it was pretty tasty. However, there were some worms in it from the broccoli. I lost my appetite and you know how it is, that weird thing with repulsion when you're pregnant and in this case, it lasted after I was pregnant too.

Anyway, if you miss some of the worms, they turn pale green when cooked and the broccoli turns dark green. So they are easy to find.

The weather has been great around here for gardening. My peas are about a foot high. The deer have been through, I've seen the muched pea tops. I bought some coyotee scat sprinkles and hope that will do the trick. They guy at the garden pet store said it would.

Today it is a little cloudy and they said it has almost been 30 days since it rainded. That's hard to believe, but I haven't been keeping track. I water my garden every three days or so. The roots grow deeper with fewer waterings and mulch helps keep the soil moist.

Have fun in the garden and believe in the lushness and goodness of life.
Flower

Sweet Peas

2009-05-31T21:45:00.001-07:00

I was thinking about the vines, peas and beans that grew on the neighbor's fence in the first neighborhood I have clear memories of. It was during that period of my life that I had my tonsils out, my leg dislocated, and I jumped off the neighbor's garage. I was a fearless child and full of rebellion. And yes, I was only 5 or 6 years old. I'd eat the peas off the vines, the raspberries too, while the rest of the kids played in the back yard. I got caught, which wasn't unusally for the pranks I pulled, but there the mother of my firends was leaning out the kitchen window telling me not to pick the peas. It happened with the raspberries and rhubbarb.
Grow your own, I say. Yum.

Flower

Tomatoes

2009-05-22T08:41:00.001-07:00

I've been growing tomatoes since I was in grade school. Then they grew next to the pool where my mother grew petunias. I lived in Spokane and frosts came early, so I pulled my plants and hung them in the garage. We frequently ate tomatoes with our meals, straight from my little plant.

Now I live in the pacific NW. Here, the rain and cooler marine air keeps the tomatoes from thriving in the same way they do in warm climents. You can make little hats for your plants or grown them under a plastic covered roof. Just fool around, remembering to plant in warmer parts of your yard, such as the south side of your house. I keep my under eaves--I have to water oftern, since the rain doesn't hit there--which is the point. Avoid blight!

Happy gardening! Flower

Sugar Snap Pea Flower

2009-05-12T10:10:00.001-07:00

I've grown bush peas and climbing peas, sweet marvels and sugar snap peas. I like them all, but since I don't get to my garden as frequently as some, the sugar peas are better for me. They last longer before getting too starchy or stringy. I love them in salads, steamed with new potatoes, or just raw. The deer like them too, so I put a fence of clear fishing line around my garden. You can't see the line well, so it doesn't interfer with your landscaping. The deer bump against it and back away. Be sure to space the fishing line so the babies can't step under it. I anchor it at the corners onto bamboo poles. Enjoy your garden and the spring weather.
Best, Flower

Carrots

2009-05-06T07:36:00.001-07:00

I could grow good carrots in Spokane. They'd grown long and fat and taste fantastic. And they'd winter over, covered with a pile of maple leaves, they wouldn't freeze. I'd get on my rubber boots and go to the garden in the winter, remove the snow, turn back the leaves and dig a bucket of carrots. Fresh and crisp and cold. Here in the PNW, carrots get a little fly worm in them, so there are these tunnels through the flesh and everything is ruined. This year I'm trying planting in a planter with cloth over the top--it's that cloth that breaths, light as a feather, lifts with the growth of the plant, and doesn't let the flies in. We'll see what happens, You seed rather heavilty, so the plants grow close together. Yeah, I have my peas and tomatoes in too.
Happy Gardening, Flower

Sweet 100s

2009-04-28T09:23:00.001-07:00

There are many varieties of sweet cherry tomatoes fo choose from. Jolly Elf, Sweet Hearts, Flamingo, Sweet Pea, Red Currant to name a few. When my daughter was in grade school her granddad brought her regularly baggies of cherry tomatoes. She loved this ritual and loved to eat the tomatoes. Now I'm thinking about my grandson--perhaps this year I'll plant more cherry tomato plants than I generally do. I usually put in three plants, and because of the climate here in the Pacific NW, I use fast growing varieties--such as the Early Girl and Big Boy. There are others that you can find at farmers markets that are vintage--many people like the heavy fruit of the Brandywine. It's delicious, I must say, but around here, I have little luck with it since the growing season is long and we tend to blight easily from the rain. Have fun choosing your tomato plants, and put in more than you think you need. Even the deer like them.

Keywords: tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, grand children snacks, childhood snacks, Early Girl, Big Boy, Brandywine

Egyptian Walking Onion

2009-04-26T11:09:00.001-07:00

These are very cool. They spread beneath the ground and then at the tops of the stems, many little onions grow. They are a relative of the Catawissa onion. The topsets are a distinctive red color and are spicy in flavor. The bottom onions are hot and delicious in cooked foods. You can buy these specialty onions at www.territorialseed. com. I grew these onions in my garden in Kingston. The person who turned me on to them said, just bend the plant over and step on it, snub it around and it will plant the sets for you. I'd prefer to eat part and replant the other part. They are 250 days to harvest and are planted in the fall.

Keywords: Catawissa onion, Egyptian Walking Onion, Multiplier Onion

Broccoli & Broccoli raab

2009-04-25T14:51:00.001-07:00

Both are easy to grow in your garden. Broccoli Raab takes only 40 days. I like it because you can sow all summer and pick greens when you want to have a little to stir in with a quick dish. I'm a single person, so I don't need to grow much of each plant. The down fall of any of the Brassica plants (broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, collards, kale, kohlrabi, mustard, pac choi, rutabagas and turnips is that they get aphids, cabbage worms, loopers and root maggots. If you are an organic gardener you will spray off these critters with a hard blast of water, you can also cover your plants with netting so the moths fluttering near your plants won't be able to lay their eggs. Also you can spray with Bacilus thuringiensis.

Keywords: broccoli, broccoli raab, brassicas, insect control, stir fry

Children's Garden

2009-04-24T09:28:00.001-07:00

Children love to garden. I remember as a child planting beans at school in Dixie cups. It was always so exciting to see the bean sprout and begin to grow. I also recall growing many sweet potato plants in my bedroom. To do this, take a sweet potato and stick toothpicks around it about midway between top and bottom. Balance it in a canning jar of water and wait for the sprouts to grow beautiful vines. This is a great project. And don't forget the sunflower seed, a child's favorite.

Keywords: children gardening, child gardens, pea patch, my kid loves peas

Lettuce

2009-04-23T15:19:00.001-07:00

Loose leaf lettuce. Plant continuously so you have salads all summer. There are many varieties to choose from. Try red leaf, butter lettuce, a mix of many greens is fun too. Cut them when they are small, this way you will avoid bolting greens. And the more you water the less likely they'll turn bitter. I love a salad of fresh greens mixed with flowers from the garden, pansies, calendula, rose petals. If your kale has wintered over, you might have white or yellow kale flowers. Other flowers work as well. Look them up in an herb book so you don't mistake a poisonous flower for an edible one. Remember to never eat potato flowers, tomato or pepper. They are all of the nightshade family. Happy Gardening, Flower

Spring Snowshoeing

2009-04-23T10:08:00.000-07:00

This was early April, and now in late April we could begin to plant our gardens--and many have. I'll probably wait until May. Someone said the other day that she never plants until Mother's Day. I think that may be a good rule of thumb, since often I get too excited and plant early and seeds rot. I love spring peas, so that will be my first item I'll put in. My friend Mike said he thought he'd go over and start pulling weeds. We did have several days of 60-70 degree weather, but it's colder again and even a prediction of snow. My friend, who's in this picture, said he was in sleet the other day. That was nearer to the Olympics, but there you have it. Late spring coming.

Ciao! Flower

Sunshine at Last

2009-04-21T08:39:00.000-07:00

Yesterday and the day before, nice weather--between 60 and 70 degrees. Now I can get to the garden. I always think I should go earlier, but seeds rot when planted too early. I've had to replant many times and interestly enough, plants that winter over seem to thrive early, but seeds planted early seem to be stunted and grow too slow. So if you can wait, wait. I'll be turning over the soil soon and getting my starts or seeds in. I live in an apartment, so not enough room to start plants inside, but I used to do this--either in the sunny kitchen window or in the little greenhouse. Lots of times I use the cold frame to start early greens, radishes, and other starts that like cool weather.

Once it turns nice, the contrast with cold gray weather is so obvious, I'm always surprised I've survived the winter. Perhaps I'll go to Arizona next winter, get out of the wind and snow.

Have fun, Flower

Tropical Plants on Your Patio

2009-04-17T16:22:00.000-07:00

Well, we're a long way from warm weather plants, weatherwise that is, plants to sit on the porch and enjoy during the summer, and we're a long way from St. Vincent where my friend shot this lovely flower on a winter trip to warm weather and beautiful blue seas. My sister had a nice hibiscus plant she kept on the back porch and all summer it bloomed large orange blooms. Each day she had to pick off the withered flowers, as they come and go just like that.

Add to your vegetable garden with blooming plants.

Ciao, Flower

Romaine Lettuce

2009-04-12T13:01:00.001-07:00

Romaine is easy to grow. And if you plant early and harvest early, it won't be bitter. It needs plenty of water to keep from bolting and if you have a hot spell, it will be good if it is growing in the shade of other plants. You can plant later in the season for a fall crop too.

I love the dish they serve at the Hearthfire here in Bellingham. Whole leaves of romaine drizzled with blue cheese dressing and sprinkled with filberts. For some reason the combination of filberts and blue cheese is fabulous.

The nutrition of romaine is better for us than say, iceberg. Anything really green, such as kale and chard, is full of calcium. More calcium than you can get from milk products. I'm dairy intolerant, so a good source of calcium is important.

Raining hard here in Bellingham on Easter day. Can't wait to eat asparagus later with my daughter, son-in-law, and grandbaby. We'll have some ham and augratin potatoes too. Very good meal, and not one I have on a regular basis. The grandbaby is a little over two now, and has not a clue what the Easter bunny is, and what it has to do with the tradition makes little sense, but it's fun, I guess. And who doesn't like candy. Like my grandbaby says, "Canny, Mema, I love canny."

Best in lilles and Easter eggs, Flower

Time to Plant Potatoes

2009-04-06T09:36:00.000-07:00

The old tradition is to plant potatoes on Good Friday, which is April 10th. April 10th is a big day for me, since I'll be reading poetry at Village Books in Bellingham. But that is neither here nor there when it comes to spuds. Spuds can be planted earlier than this, but this is a good time for us here in the Pacific Northwest as it has finally warmed up. We are expecting 70 degree weather in places. Here in Bellingham, maybe 62--I'm hoping for higher. It'll be a lovely day to cut the spuds so there are a couple of eyes on each piece and mound them in rows.

Some of the varieties you might try, yellow fin, russet, red potatoes. Buy them from you seed and feed store or do like I do and cut up the spuds that are going to seed in the cupboard or the fridge. The sprouts and the plant parts are poisonous, so don't eat them. I once thought the sprouts would be good to eat, so was ready to when I had a inner sense that it wasn't a good idea. I'm good at listening to my intuition, thank goodness.

Right now the grandbaby is banking on the brass bowl that I use for meditation and rituals. Perhaps a ritual in the garden is a good idea and we are close to the full moon. A ritual for the garden so it will grow well and the garden spirits will come and help the garden to thrive.

Spring Spirits,
Flower

Orange/White Narcissus

2009-03-29T20:31:00.001-07:00

Here is a pretty spring flower and aren't we happy the bulbs are coming up, finally. And the flowering cherries are starting to bloom and even the wild cherries. The herons are nesting down by Post Point and everyone is out--because the sun is out. Now it is time to get to work, to turn the soil. I read once that it is better to not till too deep, you don't want to go beyond topsoil. If you have bad soil, like I do, just keep working on it. It will build with layers of leaves and food scraps, newpaper and manure. Be sure to bury the food scraps as the racoons and the rats will get in there and dig stuff up. I had a rat problem in the house I used to live in. And the racoons were out there every night trying to get in to the compost bucket.

Anyway, if you have crocuses and daffodils up, you'll be gardening soon. I have heard it is late for bulbs this year--still are having frost here in Bellingham. I haven't been to the garden lately, but will soon--with rubber boots so my feet dont' get too muddy. The soil is cold and wet still, not good for planting yet--but soon.

Have fun, Flower Power

Seed Starts

2009-03-22T08:19:00.000-07:00

Well, we've had some nice sunny days which makes everyone want to get outside and play and maybe garden. The herons are making their nest down at the heronry at the slough and other birds too, getting ready for a new spring batch.

If you want to get some seeds started with your kids, you can buy these little peat pots that expand with water. A plastic greenhouse like storage pan you set in the window will make for a nice environment that will get the seeds to sprout. Once you have sprouts, you want them to have sun, but not too much heat. The temperature should be cooler so when they move outside, they'll be happy campers. Also if it's too warm they'll get leggy.

So put your peat pots in the flat container and then water them so they puff up. Then plant a couple of seeds in each pot. Your children will like to plant bigger seeds, such as sunflower seeds and beans. You might want to put in carrots and lettuce and onions and later transplant them to your garden. Later when there isn't a hail storm predicted or a new bout of rain showers--which is today. Ahhhh, spring--what a wondrous time of year.

Seed catalogues are a good place to look for new varieties and also just for inspiration.
Ciao! Flower

Spring Gardening

2009-03-18T07:59:00.000-07:00

I suppose some gardeners have their plots ready to plant. They've added the chicken manure and had sifted out the roots clumps missed in the fall. I have done nothing--I admit it, I'm a bad gardener. I've been socializing, working on my writing and art, and learning to tango. But the truth is, when spring comes, the urge to get my hands in the soil becomes too strong to resist.

One of the first things to remember is, plant after the soil has warmed. If you plant too soon the seeds will rot in the cold, damp soil. You can plant indoors or in your cold frame. This will satisfy the early bird gardener. I've always found it interesting that the longer I wait, the faster the seeds sprout and the more quickly they grow.

Two early plants you might want to experiment with are peas and potatoes. Peas will need the soil to be warmed a bit too, as they also can rot. If you have trouble with birds nipping off the sprouts, cover your row with garden cloth, or you can cover the plants with upturned recycled plastic containers. I do this with zucchini so the plants aren't mowed down by slugs. The clear plastic makes like a little greenhouse for the plant to get off to a more flourishing start, too.

Okay, if you want to get out there--do. Have fun.

Ciao! Flower

Green Coral Lettuce

2009-03-14T08:52:00.001-07:00

Section off part of your garden for greens. This might include spinach, mixed greens, lettuce, kale, chard, etc. I was always told not to use etc. in my writing, but hey, I don't recall all the names of greens and it's easy to look in the catalogue and pick out something new to try. Remember some are peppery and some are bitter. You could acquire a taste for bitter if you are a person who loves sweets. It's good to eat the bitter to counter the sweet--good for the body.

Well, my garden friend was heading toward the garden the other day and when I saw him I felt glad that he might do a little work on my plot--which he said he'd help with this year. I also felt the ongoing garden guilt I feel when I don't pay enough attention to my garden. My life is very full, as is yours, I'm sure. So unless gardening is something you spend all your time at, time in the yard may have to be scheduled. This seems ridiculous to say, but the weeks fly by with all the things on the list: groceries, work, kids, friends, husbands, lovers, etc. Oh, there's that etc. now. Yes, staying busy is good, but let's not forget how good it feels to get our hands in the soil. Grounding. And now, it may be even more important to substain ourselves at our own hands.

Order seeds now from seed catalogues and then, when the soil is warm, and/or when your newspaper pots or peat pots are lush with seedlings, go out there and plant. Preparation of the soil is hard if you're having lots of rain and the soil is cold and soggy. So don't get discouraged, just keep at it when you can. Happy spring--almost.

Ciao! Flower

Daylight Savings

2009-03-07T08:42:00.001-08:00

Doesn't that just say spring? And how many of you are out there, probably more than I can imagine. Still cold here, and a prediction of snow--but hey, there are things to do. Clean up for one, stuff that's blown around in the community garden during the winter. Sometimes a neighbor's stakes or netting ends up in my garden. I'm hoping to do a better job this year with the weeding. And the dirt, well my friend Mike says he'll add chicken manure. I think that will be the ticket. Perhaps a little more roughage, leaves or something.

So imagine what you'd like to grow and plot it out on paper. Some folks like to keep a journal of the garden. This can be good later if you can't remember what you've planted. At the Kingston house we put in a lot of fruit trees, and later when we asked each other, now which one is this--we couldn't remember. So there was the journal I'd drawn out and everything in it was clearly marked. Remarkable feeling to be to be organized.

What do you want to grow this year. Try lots of easy things, and then maybe something exotic. Last year I grew a zebra stripped tomato. Interestingly, the strips went away as it grew. I was a little disappointed. The heirloom tomatoes don't grow well here in the PNW--just not a long enough season. They are so heavy with moisture and plump, they just get blight easily.

Well onward to dreaming with the seed catalogues.

Ciao! Flower

Early Garden Tricks

2009-03-06T09:17:00.000-08:00

I like to plant early--in fact, everything I do I'm in a bit of a rush. I'm actually cutting out coffee for just that reason. Perhaps I could slow down a bit, have a little breathing time. Anyway, if you want to get a jump on spring, don't forget the coldframe. Perhaps it should be called a hotframe. What I mean is, you can put a piece of glass, an old window works well, up against a south facing wall and plant some greens or some radishes, or start something, like lettuce plants. If you block the ends with plastic, you'll get a nice little hothouse and you'll be surprised what happens. If it is against a cement foundation, the cement will heat up. You can put brick against the wall too, they will hold extra heat. Have some fun with this idea. And look at these simple instructions: Building a Garden Cold Frame

Ciao! Flower

Kale Seed

2009-03-04T07:25:00.001-08:00

If you left you kale to seed last year you will have plants coming up in the spring. Weed them out except for the number you want to transplant into a row for this year. Kale has the highest calcium content of any green. I eat greens in the morning with my eggs. Lately it has been kale from the coop, organic. Lots of times it's spinach with goat cheese.

Try different types of kale in the garden, there are curlie types, red kales, purple kales. Kale is delicious sauteed with a little tamari and raisins. Very delicious.

Happy Gardening, Flower

Snow Pea Plant

2009-03-03T08:37:00.001-08:00

If you like to eat peas, plant a mess of them in the early spring. I have a special planting method that works well. Dig a trench one inch deep and as long as your garden row and about 8 inches wide. Now broadcast plant a mess of peas, I mean pretty much cover the floor of the trench with pea seed. Now cover it and tamp it down.

Along this row insert the stakes you will string your climbing wire or string along. Sometimes I use sticks from the brush trimming in the yard. Just stick them along the row every six inches or so. The peas will grow up these sticks.

When the peas come up, there will be a lot of them, which you want. You can also stretch mess along the row. The peas can grow tall if supported correctly.

Peas and new potatoes, ahhhh, my favorite. Try it, you'll like the results. Lots of peas in the early spring. Plant again in late summer. I like the sugar peas, snow peas and little marvel.

Flower

Potato Lore

2009-03-02T21:40:00.001-08:00

what came home
Originally uploaded by kingstongal

Growing potatoes in tires is something I've heard about doing, but have never tried. I've heard that you start with one tire--plant the spuds in nice soft soil in the center. The sun heats up the tire and the plants grow well. When the spuds come up, place another tire on top and add more soil. The potato plant has to grow up through the soil and all along the stems potatoes, producing a tremendous crop. I've also heard you can grow a mess of fingerling potatoes in a 5 gallon bucket. I'd be interested to hear if anyone has done either of these two potato growing things.

When I lived in Yakima I experimented with growing potatoes under straw. They didn't do much--although I got the theory. And I tried digging trenches and putting the spuds in and covering them with a mounded dirt. They didn't grow much differently than the usual method: spread the spuds across the area you want to plant, remember to have at least one eye per plant, and mound the dirt over each tuber. There should be a foot between each plant. Then just keep weeding and mounding the soil over the spuds as they grow.

It's important it is to rotate your crops, because they'll get stuff if you don't, like potato beetles. It's no fun having potato beetles, believe you me. You can pick them off, but they are nasty and who wants to deal with that. You can throw them to the chickens, if you have chickens. If not put them in a sack and throw them away.

Okay, more potato lore forthcoming.

Flower Power

Potatoes

2009-02-27T07:17:00.001-08:00

So Many Potatoes
Originally uploaded by Alexander Yates

Well, it's almost time to plant the potatoes. Every spring I've gone out and cut the potatoes sprouting in my cupboard and set them a foot apart on the newly warming soil. I was 19 when I first asked a woman who'd grown up on a farm, how do you grow potatoes. She said, cut the spud in pieces. Make sure there are one or two eyes per piece. Plant them and watch them grow. And be sure to continue to mound the dirt around the plants, as the ones exposed to the light will turn green. That green stuff is toxic you know, as is the plant itself. But the spud, oh my, so delicious. And when the plant gets it's pretty flowers, either white or purple, you can reach into the soil and feel around at the base of the plant for a sizable new potato. I like to cook these with the new peas that are on--so springy and wonderful.

If you want to follow tradition, plant your potatoes on Good Friday. It's a blessing.

Sweet Flower

Square Foot Gardening

2009-02-24T08:37:00.000-08:00

My friend just built some boxes in her new back yard to do square foot gardening. The box is divided into 9 square feet and in each you plant something different. It is convenient to weed, since you can reach everything, you don't walk on the soil, so it never compresses, and you can manage it anywhere. The soil is a combination of peat and organic material and topsoil, so it is good and light and ready for healthy plants to grow. So much different than trying to improve hardpan or clayish soil. Look up the book, Square Foot Gardening All for now, running as usual.

Flower Power

PS Time to get out there--unless you plot is covered with snow and ice.

Tiny Vegetables

2009-02-05T07:24:00.001-08:00

Do you need to grow tiny vegetables in a small plot? Or can you do your garden like you do your interiors. A large piece of furniture can act as a anchor in a living room. Could a large squash plant or giant cabbage be the anchor and around it tiny vegetables. Those little carrots, the tiny pumpkins, the baby cukes. Some things your pick little but grow more bushy or trailing, such as patty pan squash. Now that is a decent size plant. And the cherry tomatoes, 100 or 100000, aren't little plants, so how to get the most out of small gardens is my question this frosty morning in February.

Once the only garden I had in a yard was a three foot wide stretch along a fence next to the driveway. Along the chain link I planted a tomato plant and green beans that grew up the fence. I put in lettuce and carrots, basil, onions and zucchini. Really, my daughter and I had all the vegetables we needed in a very small sunny space. Of course, we didn't have extras to give away, we didn't have extras to can—just the stuff for our own table, the ingredients to make the sauce for the spaghetti we so frequently ate. The carrots for her to munch with her friends in the back yard. And we gardened together, so it was a bonding experience.

Since here in the PNW it isn't time to plant, it is time to plan. Perhaps draw out the shape of your space and grid it off in one foot squares. Try doing a little arranging with the things you'd like to grow. Get a Territorial Seed Company catalogue and plan ahead, order something new to grow. A new carrot, perhaps the multi-colored ones—or if you've never grown parsnips, try them. They are easy to grow and so delicious in parsnip potato soup.

Keep growing,

Flower

What's In Your Greenhouse?

2009-02-03T08:30:00.000-08:00

I have been thinking about living in a house again. I've been in a condo since the fall of 2005. There have been a lot of good things about living in a condo--like outside doors locked at 5 pm. This has given me a feeling of safety as a newly single woman. And there are more conveniences: garbage pickup, recycling, ground maintenance, covered parking, cheap to heat, no yard care. The last one is a plus and a minus. Right now, if I still lived on the mini farm, I'd be checking out the green house on a sunny winter day. Here, a greenhouse would be pretty warm on a 50 degree day. If one had heated beds in the greenhouse, tomatoes could be growing, ready for a head start in the garden. I've also would start broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage in my green house. These plants all transplant fine. With the coldframe, I've started greens, radishes, onions. Even in Spokane when the temps are pretty low at night, I had early vegetables. It was an amazing thing to see, these little plants in a neighbors coldframe. I got excited and built my own. It's easy, just build a box with the back side taller than the front. Get a used window from the salvage store and hinge it to the top. Set it up next to the house on the south side. You'll be pleasantly surprised how much heat it generates. But a few bricks in there to hold the heat and night. Radishes in no time. Ciao, Flower

Terry Tempest Willimas

2009-01-27T08:01:00.000-08:00

Last night Terry spoke in our little town of Bellingham and she had a fabulous turnout and was lovingly received. I had never heard her speak and was more than impressed. So much so that I was inspired to take my work in the direction I've been thinking about for some time. For a long time I've believed that doing your own thing, such as tending a garden or doing healing work, was enough to make change in the world. Changing oneself allows a space in everyone to change. And I still believe this is true. I've seen it work. Change my own behavior and my child changes, my grandchild changes.

Now I'm wondering what it would be like to notch it up a step. What if it's not just a pea patch garden but a place where extra food is donated, where native plants are grown, where somehow an awareness comes from the efforts put toward tending dirt and seed and root and weed? Well, I have no answers here, since mission is personal, and may or may not be able to be decided. Perhaps it is given, like Terry's mosaic mission. The word mosaic became meaningful in a way that she had no idea it would, and it touched us all, 100s of folks sniffling in the audience. Excerpts from her new book where fabulous: Finding Beauty in a Broken World I'll be reading it, that is for sure. Perhaps you'd like to too.

So my suggestion: ask for a guiding word. See what comes.
Ciao, Flower

New Times

2009-01-21T08:00:00.001-08:00

Well, here we are with a new president and the balls last night were fabulous for all. We'll be riding the high for awhile, then back to work, right? I went to a ball with my friend Brenda. We had our picture taken with the cardboard cutout of Barack. Very cute indeed. Folks dressed up in a blue velvet gown, Brenda in black. We both wore rhinestones and looked fabulous. The music was Cajun, the food home made, red, white and blue balloons and just so many smiles. Hope really has come with this election.

Today, although still giddy, I must get back to work. I have writing to do--as a novelist and memoir writer, I find scheduling time the most difficult. Since the divorce, all I've wanted to do is play. I guess all the pain needed to transform--play seems to be the answer. I also have a sweet man in my life now. This is new so don't have much to say about it yet.

Gardening is not far off. It's a given that we'll get the spuds in on Good Friday and peas are early too. You might do some planning now, drawings of where you will rotate your crops. Remember rotation is good for keeping pest invasions. And new plants add different things to the soil. So think about where you can add nitrogen by planting the pea crop this year. I had a lot of trouble with deer eating my peas. So I put a fence around the garden of fishing line. THey can't see it, and it isn't too obvious to you either, and when they bump into it, they feel it and back away. Works well. If you have the strands too far apart, the babies can step through.

Okay then, have a grand day--high from all our happiness right now. Hope and hard work. That's the answer. See Barak's book The Audacity of Hope

Ciao
Flower

New Thoughts

2009-01-15T19:14:00.000-08:00

Here is what I've been pondering. What if we could let go of all our grievances. Perhaps this is called forgiveness, or maybe it's is something else, like the power of now. I've been pondering how my reactions made things worse in my last marriage. If had no reaction, or at least attached nothing to the things that came at me, perhaps I at least could have been calmer. Now I have a new friend, and for this friend I feel love. I'm wondering if I will be the same person I was before, or if I could muster myself to a place of peace. Perhaps just being an observer of what is happening. No judgment.

For many years I've been practicing no judgment in my writing and art. If one judges ones work, it is harder to be experimental and let things come as they will. But in relationship, if there is trust, and nonjudgment, perhaps things could be good that before were hostile. Or at least caused bickering.

Just a thought while the garden lies fallow. Some may be over there gardening still. But it has been raining hard and today cold again. I imagine even the grow boxes are doing little. I will go over and check to see if I have any chard left. The deer were getting pretty frisky when I last did any work over at the pea patch.

Okay, so check out the book The Power of Now for more thoughts on being with what is in the moment, rather than calling up all of tarnation for any little transaction.

Ciao,
Flower

Inner Gardens

2009-01-13T08:09:00.001-08:00

During the dark winter months it is nice to have narcissus and paper whites, fragrant flowers blooming in your home. My daughter said she'd buy flowers all the time if she could afford them. I'm proposing flowers all the time, because really, they are no more expensive than the daily latte—perhaps less. I passed a little garden store on Harris yesterday and she had a bench outside her front door loaded with pots of paper whites and cyclamen. Cyclamen are known for their romantic nature and if purchased for the bride and groom they will bring good luck for a long marriage.

Speaking of marriage, I've been single now for three months. Seems longer, actually. And now I'm facing with a new set of dilemmas. Dating comes with mixed feelings, multiple courters, chemistry or no, jealousies, etc. Ah, what's a girl to do? Perhaps stay centered with nature and the garden, always coming back to check on the water level in the soil, the weeds, possible animal and insect infestations. All could be metaphors for life.

Here is a suggestions for winter reading: The Care and Feeding of the Soul
Peace, Flower

Flooding and Other Winter Troubles

2009-01-11T08:01:00.001-08:00

You may know about the flooding here in the PNW. The stream that runs past the community garden has left it's banks. Fortunately, here in Fairhaven it isn't doing any damage. Other streams have gone from two feet wide to more than a football field wide. It truly is amazing all the water. Down on the Skagit flats, it looks like one continuous lake. The trumpeter swans are in the fields that are dry. This happens every year, these big white birds fly into the farmer's fields and create a little havoc.

The gardens right now are soggy and gardening seems so far off. What to do until potatoes and peas? Well, shop at your local garden stores. Plan what you will grow. Try doing a garden journal. I kept one for awhile, sketching the shapes of my beds and what perennials I'd planted. It was a new yard back then, so keeping track of the trees was a good idea--I couldn't remember all the apples trees I planted, let alone the unusual perennials I found at Heronswood Nursery.

So now, since the winter is keeping us all in a bit--so much rain--I was thinking of getting the inside work done. Cleaning out cupboards, discarding unneeded items. It won't be long before we'll all be back outside. Also being the beginning of the year, refining goals is important. I seem to have a goal of socializing. Hard to get much work done this way, but lots of fun. Especially after the nasty divorce and all the downer time I had. Well it's good for the soul.

Keep dreaming, Flower

Garden Goals

2009-01-09T09:14:00.000-08:00

I was reading this morning from a little book called Gratitude: Affirming the GOod THings in Life about setting goals. Anything we want in life can be had by setting a goal toward reaching it. If we aren't supposed to have it, it won't come, but if we are, it gives us focus and clearity. It is exciting and life-affirming to make the steps toward something.

Now that I'm divorced, I have a new goal. It is to find a satisfying and healthy relationship. I beleive I've stepped into this territory a tiny bit and yikes, it's is very exciting surf. Anyway, I'll tell you more as I know more. For now I'll just say, I'm having some fun.

Now for the garden goal. My garden goal is to make the soil better. I have a friend who will help and I have some leaves to add--which you already know. I think blood meal might be good addition too. Perhaps chicken manure. As I've gotten to know the local neigbors around the pea patch, I've realized that chickens are also my neighbors. Since I now have a male gardener friend who can push a wheelbarrel better than me, I can get this work done.

So gardening as a single woman--this wouldn't be so hard if it were more of a social act. I really like to have someone working beside me.

Peace,
Flower

PS The snow is gone now! Oops, the floods are here.

Vegan Mix Fertilizer

2009-01-05T07:17:00.001-08:00

Okay, now this makes sense. If you're not a meat or dairy eater, then why put something on your garden that comes from critters. So you can get it from Territorial Seed Company. It's not cheap, however, 12.95 per bag. 1 lb covers 20 sq. ft. and the bag is 6 lbs. Also I'm thinking that with no animal by-products there would be no potential source of something strange—like mad cow disease germs. Although I haven't a clue if disease would be transferrable in this manner. Anyone know the facts on this?

And Territorial Seed also sells a neat stackable turbo steamer for your vegetables. So grow them in your vegan fertilizer, bring them inside and steam away. The unit sits separate on the counter and has three tiers. Nice for getting the dinner down quickly. I have always steamed my vegetables in a pan with one of those little collapsible steamers. Or I put a tiny bit of water in the pan and when the veggies are done, eat the vegetables and drink the water--yum!

Speaking of vegetables, getting lots of greens this time of year is important for your health. I know it is easy to go for more of the starchy foods, but I feel better pretending it is spring and I'm exercising daily and eating my veggies. I was reading in the book The Right Questions by Debbie Ford, that if you want to do something, say eat more great vegetables, but you still go for the candy and cookies as snacks, look at your real thought. Perhaps you think you want to do a better job taking care of your health, but underlying that, your thought is you are always a little over weight and not feeling great about yourself. This is your actual motivating thought. I'm going through my thought wardrobe and clearing out. It is after all, a new year.

Love and light, Flower

Make Love, Not War in the New Year

2009-01-03T10:11:00.001-08:00

I probably already wished you this, but happy, happy again. 2009 is a new beginning for all of us. I believe we will all be spending more time in our hearts. What else is there to do at this point? Fighting is just not the way to go—look how we've hurt each other through the years and still we continue. One of my main resolutions is to be less combative. I think the old hippy saying is a good one: Make Love, Not War. And with all the good that is available to us, this should be an easy choice. Although it has to be a conscious choice. In each moment there is the choice to react or to agree. This is the simplest way to not fight. A generous couple counselor in Seattle says to always make your partner right. There is a little truth in everything—right? Thich Nhat Hanh says to always clear things up on Fridays—so the weekend will go smoothly. Have a little chat with your lover—say what is bother you and be sure to own it—it isn't easy, but it is possible.

Okay, another snowy day and I'm going out for a walk. Time for the exercise routine to get in gear. Get off these extra pounds and get things cleaned up in the house, the greenhouse, the garden shed, the basement, the attic. You name it. All new.

Peace, Flower

Happiness

2008-12-30T07:17:00.001-08:00

Happiness is warm sun—ha, ha! Well, happiness is a lush garden, a beautiful sunset, a wonderful smell of rain in the air, a laughing child. I'm thinking this morning that now at the end of the year, happiness is a goal. You all know I've been through hell this last year with the divorce and move, etc. And I've had lower than low points emotionally. And now, I'm free. In my freedom I at first thought I might go wild. Be like a teen again, but now, I'm feeling different energy. Perhaps like a growing plant, reaching for sun and water. Or perhaps like a child, discovering new each day, or each moment even. So now as I experience happiness, I want this to be my way of life. Even if it isn't every moment that I feel happy, I can aspire to more strung together.

AMAG, the chaneled Masters. say that this brilliant state of joy is our natural state. I know I experience joy or bliss from time to time, but not all the time. What would that be like? Something to taste, maybe slowly, taste every day, more and more. Ways to taste this bliss, think of the grandbaby running his fingers through my hair when he turns shy meeting new friends, or discovering a bloom on a orchid, or having my cat curl on my lap, laughing with a friend, hiking in the snow, listening to the birds, sitting with a crying friend. Yes, even that last one has an element of joy in it. Whenever we feel our hearts connect and it is beautiful.

Now I know this is a contrast to what I was writing back in August. I was just hanging in there. I've done multiple things to heal: Vit D, writing, sitting with friends, therapy, acupuncture, exercise, art. You name it, because it takes everything to get over loss. And it is still here inside of me, like a bulb underground, and it could grow, if I gave it something to grow on. But right now, here at the new year, I'm into happiness and I'm inviting you to try it out too.

Hugs, Flower

Winter Walk

2008-12-29T07:25:00.001-08:00

Yesterday I walked around Lake Padden with a friend. The snow was still a foot deep near the top of the trail and very wet, puddles beneath it in places, but it was a sunny day and the air smelled so good and the company was good. The maples were dripping tannin-like substance, staining the snow beneath then. Winter wrens were chirping. The moss and the ferns were bright green against the white. Nature in winter, ah so good to get out. It isn't always possible if you live in a place where it's blowing and very cold. But here, we get those springier days, even in winter. And when the sun comes out so do the people. And people were out on the trail with their dogs, walking around the lake on the icy trail, passing by the lake with its skim of ice close to shore. We took the high road, which was snowier and easier to walk. Stopped once to listen to the wrens. My friend is an ornithologist, so I got some instruction on the birds in the woods at winter.

And when we dropped around to the lake, a number of ducks were feeding near shore. He pointed out the canvas back, the ringed neck duck, the grebe, merganser, and of course the one I know, the mallard. Ducks aren't my forte, although I know many birds. I guess we're more familiar with the birds we grow up around: crow, robin, sparrow, swallow, owl.

I've heard that ducks and geese make good weeders for fields of mint. Have you ever driven past a field of mint? Ah, the aroma. When I had ducks and geese, I didn't find them good for the garden. Their feet were too big and they waddled through the seedlings, mashing them. The chickens were okay, although sometimes they got too exuberant in the newly sprouting garden. I'm sure you've seen them really going at it, scratching the soil to find the bugs. They loved the tomato worms, those big worms that look like they have huge eyes. Very disgusting creatures that eat your tomatoes like crazy. Fortunately, they are easy to see and pick off.

Must go now, as I have the grandbaby today. Happy all most New Year.

Flower

Chinook Winds

2008-12-27T08:49:00.000-08:00

When I was growing up in Spokane we, even as children, would speak of the Chinook winds. The winds that would come from the south, warm winds that smelled like spring, blew through the night and when we awakened in the morning, all, or mostly all of our lovely snow was gone. So now, we are having a Chinook. I looked out there this morning and mostly all of the snow is gone. I'm close to sea level, so up hill it will remain, I'm sure. But here we are back to our usual weather, which is both a good thing and a sad thing--I didn't get out on my skis like I'd planned. But the sledding was satisfying in a way that nothing has been in a very long time. There will still be ski opportunities, this winter.

As we come up on the end of the year, some reflection on the past year usually happens and then some goals are usually set. What I like to do is keep an on-going journal for New Year's Eve celebrations. Usually I spend some time writing down what I did during the year--significant things. Of course, 2008 was my divorce year. And then I make some intentions for the following year--for instance this year I want to find a new place to live. A place that I can really move into and feel comfortable. This place of 525 square feet is like living in a hotel room. And I pay for monthly storage fee as well--which seems to be a waste of money. To have all my belongings here would feel more settling.

Now that the snow is going I can make a plan to get the leaves on the garden. Mike has a truck, which is a good thing to have when you need to move leaves or top soil or manure. I'm glad I'll have his help with my plot. Plot sounds like underground real estate. Funny--that's what my mortician friend used to call it. I'll say pea patch from now one.

Okay, have a good day and begin thinking about the positive qualities you'd like to bring to life this next year.

Peace, Flower

Back At It

2008-12-26T07:37:00.000-08:00

Gosh, there is so much work and emotional stuff leading to Christmas day, and then it's over. Perhaps you overspent, or overate, or maybe you didn't pick up the phone and call a loved one, but there is always time for making the moves you didn't make. Today you could call. Today you could eat less. Today balance your checkbook--make a plan to save some money.

Sometimes I get in a funk thinking life isn't worth living, but really, I have so much good in my life. Just take my sweet grandbaby. I wonder sometimes why I can't stay focused on my good. I read the other day that if you list a range of feelings, say from ecstasy all the way to deep depression, and you locate yourself on that list, you can raise yourself up a notch at a time and begin to settle where you would like to be emotionally. One way to do this is to think of an time that was happy, so that you can focus yourself on the scene when you're down. For instance, the laughter of a child, or a particularly hilarious moment with friends. Jeep thinking of the situation, and you'll see. You'll bring yourself up.

Yesterday we sledded at my daughter's house. They have a new home and their yard is steep and so is the cul-de-sac. We started at the side yard and ended in the street down below. It was some fast and windy run. Very fun. After we tired of this, and were getting a little sore too, we built a snowman who's head looked more like a wolf than the traditional round-faced guy. It was completely fun.

Okay then, happy happy--and if you find nothing to do today, look at seed catalogues. Perhaps plan some gardening that you can start early. Peas and potatoes, not far off. Imagine turning over the dirt, working up a sweat. Imagine all the flowers in bloom.

Peace, Flower

PS In the picutre, the grandbaby is eating the raisins we used for the eyes and buttons on the snowman.

Merry Christmas

2008-12-24T08:54:00.000-08:00

This is Fairhaven in Bellingham. This is an unusual amount of snow for us. See how much is on top of the cars. Unbelievable. Now it sounds like it's raining. It will be a sloppy mess for awhile.

Today I'm baking cookies, listening to Christmas music and cleaning house. At the end of the year, I like to sum things up. Clean up and put away--make a fresh start. I wish I'd down a little better job with getting to the leaves at the garden, but alas, I'm easy on myself for a change. The new soil I turned over in my life--to be gentle and happy, we all must be, really. Why be a Scrooge? What is so important?

Okay, happy happy. And if you are in snow, have some fun. If you are with family, love them fiercely.

Merry Christmas.

Flower

Solstice

2008-12-22T09:00:00.000-08:00

A group of us celebrated Hanukkah and the solstice last night and it was good. Lots of laughs and good food. A fire in the fireplace and champagne. We made some affirmations for what we want to explore during the darkness and other wishes we'd like to manifest. Later I drove home through the falling snow, dropped my friend at her place and came home and watched a movie.

We have more than a foot of snow here. Amazing, and so close to Christmas. Definitely a white Christmas this year. There will be no leaves blanketing the garden for awhile-since now the leaves are buried under all the white stuff. But that's okay, this weather will pass. Generally there isn't snow on the ground all winter in here.

I'm thinking of fetching my skis. They are in Ferndale in the storage unit. Wish I'd planned ahead. There have been lots of skiers and snowshoers out and it looks like fun. And I hear cars on the road--how the roads are today, I'm not sure. Last night it was slippery. Probably the same today.

My plan is to go to the studio and work. Perhaps get so sketches going for a series I want to work on. Something about the heart and all the objects (objections?) it holds.

More later. Flower

Plenty of Snow

2008-12-21T08:44:00.001-08:00

Well, I don't know how much it snowed last night, but there is plenty of white stuff out there. I think I'll get up and going and step outside, take some pictures, wander around a bit. This is unusual weather for us, this much snow may be record. When we were kids we were thrilled when it snowed. We had the sleds out right away and the ice skates and headed for the park across the street. Here, down at the slough there is ice, which is interesting because salt water comes into the estuary and salt water doesn't freeze. There is an open stream still, running through the ice covered mud. I walked down there yesterday, cold, cold cold. Today, as well as my jaunt outside, I'm going to do some inside things, then dinner with friends. My cold seems a little better today. I will lie low with one more movie to watch, lots of tea, and more chicken soup. It's the garlic that heals.

Speaking of garlic, Growing Great Garlic will tell you how to prepare the beds for all the varieties you might plant. Try out a bunch of them. I didn't have luck with garlic, I already told you that. But some elephant garlic grew. I'd say try that to start, if you want to venture into the garlic business. Elephant garlic tastes different, greener is how I'd describe it. It's the easiest to grow.

So yesterday I learned how closed off my heart has been. This makes me sad, because I was thinking that my grandson had helped me open it. But then this gentleman joined me for a Sufi concert and the combination of his attention and the devotion of the whirlers, popped my heart open. Then this interesting thing happened, my heart had some grouchiness in it. Can you imagine that? I thought that when the heart opened, then I'd be spewing forth warmth and good feelings. Not entirely. I felt the snarl, I felt the tears, I felt the joy. It was all there in one cracked open heart. Could be garlic will help with this condition. And I'm thinking heart breathing, that's when you breath in and out of the heart; it's partially imaginary. Anyway, plenty of time to do such things on snowy days. Plenty of time to open the heart.

That's all for now. Enjoy.

Flower

Weather

2008-12-20T07:27:00.001-08:00

Another storm is coming in. I heard at four this afternoon and I'm thinking movie and tea and garlic chicken soup will be for me, since I now have a full blown cold. Which I thought was only a little tickle, as I thought I'd had a little cold for awhile. When the grandbaby gets colds, so do I. So staying in and working on the Christmas cards, the class proposal for spring, and perhaps a little work on my book. And also, I'm thinking now, what do I want in life? Since we are coming up on the new year, knowing what I want in life will be good. Since life should be interesting, not drudgery. I am still doing some things that I'd consider drudgery. Even the art becomes that at times.

At the end of the year I like to take time to review what I've done all year and see what new things I want. There is the divorce, that is what is old and done now. And there are new possibilities for love. That is what I'd like this year to encompass. A love interest. Speaking of which, I met an interesting man last night. We went to a sufi concert in the neighborhood. It was interesting to be in a building covered on all the interior walls with rugs. These are imported from Iraq and Iran and Persia: different places. It is a huge space and once inside with the music etc, I just felt transported. And then I wanted to continue to be transported. That makes me happy, moving in my mind to someplace else, trying out all the good feelings.

So today, I can transport myself with art and music and movie, good food. And I can figure out what will happen for the new year. Gardening, friends (love) and good writing. Of course there will be more loss too. I feel something coming. Aged parents, friends, other things. I hope not too much more loss. It is hard on everyone. We could make a pact to envision good for the planet and thus ourselves. To imagine what we could each do for each other and the earth, a commitment for the coming year. I'm going to ride my bike and take the bus. And I'm going to follow through with my art projects, believing in my creativity as the source of my happiness.

Ciao! Flower

More Snow

2008-12-18T08:36:00.000-08:00

Well it's coming down, still. I went out last night to the Allied Arts Membership Soiree--which was fun, but the setting wasn't as intimate as the time before when we met at the Chuckanut Winery. This was at the Allied Arts Holiday Show. Which was sparkling and smelled good. Lots of jewelry, pottery, stained glass, baskets, paintings, etc. And good music, a one man band with banjo, harmonica, and foot drums. I like the one man band, so much music coming out of one fella.

So getting there was a risk, since it had snowed all day. Many folks took the bus. It's pretty easy getting from Fairhaven to downtown, on the bus. I may start doing this very thing, given winter is upon us with a vengence. I'm curious if the schools are closed this a.m.

I woke this a.m. with a slightly sore throat. I have an event tonight, one tomorrow night, the following night and the solstice. A busy social girl, which is the only way I'd have it. Sometime I feel a little guilty to be so busy, but hey, what's a single girl to do? I say, have some fun.

Well there will be no gardening today, but sharpening tools is a good idea. And if you have broken tools, such as shovel handles, replacing them is a good idea. A neat winter job, start up the grinder and fix those dented edges on the hoe and shovel, and on the broken tools, remove the pin and pull out the wedged in wood. I hear you can burn it out if you can't pry it out. Then put the new handle in and nail in the pin. Simple. And cheaper than buying a new shovel. Clippers can be taken to a sharpener and things with moveable parts, oil or use WD40. Clean the garden shed, make sure all your seed is put away so the mice don't get it.

Happy snow day,
Flower

Snow Again

2008-12-17T08:16:00.000-08:00

In the PNW, when it snows, even if it is as little as an inch, it can turn to a sheet of ice in a minute. There's just so much humidity, so that is what has happened now. A little snow, more than an inch, with ice beneath here in Bellingham. Driving on the main roads is fine but if you're off on the side roads, you can plow into something easily, slip sliding away. The road outside my place is steep and solid ice. I came down it last night after a tango lesson and slipped all the way to the bottom of the hill. Even the brake-tapping thing didn't work well. Fortunately there were bare places, pavement near the bottom of the hill.

Now, let me tell you about tango. I was the only student in the beginning class--because of the snow--and it was a thrill. At first I thought, oh my gosh, what am I doing. He's going to be teaching just me--but then it turned out beautifully. The tango step, the tiny turns, the chest to chest connection. The lead, the man, subtly shifts your weight so to guide you where he wants you to go. I got it, the feel of waiting until I knew precisely what his intention was for me. He said, in tango, the woman is the queen. If she doesn't look good, the shame is on the man. He's made her look that way. This will be a good experience for me.

Okay, I'll now clunk off in my rubber boots through the snow, huddled in my down coat--which is so not tango beautiful, but I will work on letting my feminine beauty show itself despite the weather.

Stay warm, Flower

Feed the Birds

2008-12-16T08:45:00.001-08:00

There are many tiny birds that scrounge for seed in the garden in the winter. Even when there is a skiff of snow, they are out there scratching like chickens looking for a meal. Tossing them some millet is nice, so they don't have to work so hard. A feeder with black sunflower seeds for the tiny birds, like the gold finches, the purple finch and the chickadee. And then there is the mix of grain, millet, sunflower seeds, etc. Suet will put a little fat on their bones. In Kingston, we had two bird feeders: black sunflower seed, and a millet mix. We also hung suet. Now we had a problem with raccoons climbing the tree and pulling down the feeders, so we tried those poles, and wires to hang feeders from the eves. The crows where a stitch, landing on the suet feeder, hanging upside down, getting a few pecks in then falling and flying off. Even the flickers would try this acrobatic feeding pose. If you have cats, put bells on their necks. You always loose a few birds, which is sad.

Now having piliated woodpeckers and downy woodpeckers around is great. Only the small wood peckers would ate at the suet, but the big ones seemed to come around when there was lots of activity. I didn't like it when the starlings came in—always such big flocks eating everything.

Now, I don't have a bird feeder, but planting sunflowers in the garden provides food for the birds. Just leave the stalks there and let the heads dry. The seed will dry and the birds will come. It's so sweet to see a chickadee on a big sunflower head picking out the seed. Other seed that's good in the garden is weed seed. Now you know I'm the bad gardener, although Mike is going to help me get the plot together, then there won't be so much seed for the birds. It will be pristine. Now the snow and ice is on the garden, but that's okay—it won't be here long. And very cold weather is supposed to kill certain bugs that can become pests. So a little good cold is fine for the garden. And you can sit inside and drink tea and watch the birds.

Okay, happy gardening and be sure to remember the birds. See A Guide to Pacific Northwest Birds for identification.

Flower

Snow, where are you?

2008-12-13T08:12:00.000-08:00

A big storm was predicted yesterday, and the news folks went wild, like some big wreck or other disaster had just happened. So everything got canceled, and here we are the morning after, no snow, at least not here in Bellingham--and it was supposed to come in during the night--3 inches--and more than that to the south.

I'm wondering if this kind of broadcasting could be toned down a bit. Perhaps if when the weather folks get excited about something, they could just say, you might want to stay home tonight, but we really don't know what this storm will do. Unless it's a hurricane or something. I mean, it so excites everyone.

It's like what has happened with the stock market these last few months. The news folks shouted fire and we all started running. I don't know about you, but I'd rather not be a lemming. I don't have any desire to be like everyone else. I do know that being individual takes a lot of courage. One has to be willing to let go--yes, that's it, just let go of the collective mentality.

So if we hadn't all canceled--Eileen would have gone to her lovely singing class, I would have gone to my lovely party, so-and-so else would have... But then again, what happened is just what was supposed to happen, right? That's what the new age thinkers say anyway. Or maybe not new age, but the thinkers that believe in the "now." Everything is happening in the now, and that's just what it is. So experience it and be happy.

I was awake until at least 1:30 in the morning. I had many adventures of the mind during that time. This morning I've vowed to get a practice going that will settle my mind down. I'm such a worrier. I worried about the garden, about what I'll do later this evening, about gaining a pound from all the cookies I've been eating, about love, about loss; I wrote a essay in my head and almost got up and turned on my computer, once I got up and ate cookies and watched TV. This really isn't necessary, is it? All this unsettled energy? Was it the full moon? Was it the gentleman I met at the neighborhood potluck? Was it the art show I'm having today? Was it the snow? I don't know, but I think I'll refer to a well known sage for some good advice: The Miracle of Mindfulness: Thich Nhat Hanh

Okay, so today, I'm having an art show in my studio in Fairhaven. Come by if you get a chance. Love to chat.

Peace, Flower

Full Sun All Day

2008-12-12T07:17:00.000-08:00

When I was married I had to stake my claim on my garden space, if I didn't, my favorite space would be hoed up when I wasn't looking, or turned under while I was waiting for some pretty plant to dry so I could use it for a bouquet on the kitchen table.

It was an ongoing quarrel we had. You garden there; I'll garden here. Don't cross this line! Remeber as kids digging our toes in the dirt, making the line. I didn't realize that everything was going this way--I mean, work, house things, friends, etc. Always my line was ignored.

Now I know that what he really wanted was to do everything himself, and at the same time, complain that he had to do everything himself. I'm throwing my hands in the air thinking about it. But what does this have to do with the garden?

Well, now that I have a garden space all my own, I'd be happy to share, since I can't do it all myself. Last night at a Christmas party a fellow gardener asked to share my space. That makes two now that would like to share it. He would be a good one, since his plot is so much in the shade. I have full sun all day. Which is nice. But I don't need to be the full sun all day--another words, we can all be in the limelight part of the time, or maybe just being humble is good. Just being a little garden growing quietly.

What can you do with a person that has to be the shining sun all day, every day? Nothing. There is no relating to that person. There's just no way around it, you stand in there light, and that's it. I wonder if there can be two suns on my planet? I think so, but how to convince someone that you are a sun as well. This has been my question, as a woman, as an artist, as a soul trying to make a difference on this planet. How can I shine brightly, being in my fullness, without trying to outshine someone else. Is it just competition? Or is it control?

I think the answer is to be alone long enough to really take root. Something that is well rooted can't be taken over, like mint. It's usually there for keeps. You've heard of the batchelor who's been alone so long that everything has to go his way. Maybe women should be that way too.

Okay, I've gone on long enough. Today, instead of the grandbaby, I get to celebrate with writing friends from the Kitsap Peninsula. We like to periodically do an art project together. We'll be making masks this time. And we'll eat, always, we eat well and have a lot of good laughs. We are all working on being our own suns.

Happy Day, Flower

Endings

2008-12-10T07:42:00.001-08:00

Everything comes to an end. This is a painful process for me and I've had my share of it this last year with the divorce and all. Leaving my home on the water. Leaving old friends behind. Even my cat Scooter stayed with my ex. But I have a new home, which is the amazing thing about life. Things wind down, and then they come back again. Perennial. And in the garden the same is true. Letting soil rest is important. Restoring it essential. We all know this. And letting ourselves rest is valid too. I'm thinking now of how I expect myself to be on all the time. Now I know I need to rest. At least enough to recoup my energy and gather my thoughts. So as we approach the solstice, rest is something to give our attention too. Settling into the ending before we go puffing off on the next race. And with the economy the way it is now, perhaps everything is coming back to some point of quiet, some reforming place, so communing place with nature and each other.

In the creative process, it happens like this also. The energy is used, then it needs to gather again. A friend once told me that there is ingathering and outpouring. You need both. And if you don't give yourself the time to gather, there will be nothing to out pour. I'm thinking that the darkness is the time to do this. It is the time to rest more, to drink tea, to let the garden rest, to hibernate. Perhaps read or paint a little or enjoy friends and watch the weather, eat well. It is a resting time that will heal us. It's a natural thing to do.

Well, now that I've said that, I have an incredibly busy rest of the week and must get to it. After this week, my goal is to settle in and do less. To consciously mark off time on my calendar to rest. Let's see if it works.

Happy holidays,

Flower

Party

2008-12-09T08:33:00.001-08:00

My grandbaby calls candles parties. And this is a party time of year, right? and it can go overboard, or rather I can, with too much sugar. The Redbor kale plant is like a party in the garden. And it isn't full of sugar, highest in calcium of all the veges you eat, and when surrounded by snow, so pretty, just looking out the window thinking about it is like a lovely wrapped gift at a party. Don't even have to eat it--which is another gift.

The Rebor the Ripbor and the Red Chidori are fairly expensive kales. All upward of $10/gram. Red kale in the garden however, is astounding and hardy to below freezing, so it may be worth it. I've never grown the expensive ones. I've grown the Russian Kale, that has such a pretty purple tinge to the stems.

When I first started growing kale in Indianola, we had a hard freeze and I thought, well that's the end of that. The leaves looked frozen. But it warmed up and the leaves looked normal and on it went, growing through the winter. If you pick off leaves along the stem and pinch out the top occasionally, you'll have kale until spring.

Today I'll enjoy my writer friends, a party with a toast and a little food. I won't be serving kale, although I could. I am serving green beans and sliced beef—a little bubbly and cookies. So that's all for now. Got to get finished up here. Oh, for orders of kale, see territorialseed.com
Ciao!

Winter Veges

2008-12-08T06:56:00.001-08:00

I've told you about wintering over your carrots and chard and kale, now cabbage and bok choy and chinese cabbage also will last in the fall for awhile, but it will get eaten by slugs. I love the way a tattered cabbage looks, but if you want to eat it, you may want to keep those baby slugs away. How to do this? Especially in a rainy climate? And if you have pets and don't want to pollute the watershed, perhaps give up the idea of chemical slug bait entirely. Iron, well it is a chemical too, but not the kind that hurts the birds and fish and cats and dogs, is good to use. And it works. I have found that when it rains, you have to reapply--which means in our area, that's lots of iron. I don't know if there are long term studies about iron in the garden. You could look it up on the internet

A lovely dish in the fall is chard and lentil soup. It's warming and flavorful and great with hunks of winter bread, that hard crusty bread you have to work for. Last night I ate dinner with my daughter and son-in-law and grandbaby. We didn't have winter soup, we had meatloaf and chicken--both store made. Once I wouldn't have eaten something store boughten--all my food had to come from my garden, or something I made. Yesterday I talked to a woman who makes all her own food and grows all her own vegetables. She said her guy buys vegetables at the store--she was appalled. She grows her own and eats her kale from the garden.

There's a good book about winter gardening that can be had for a not much coin. Try it, winter gardening that is, you'll be surprised at how much you can grow, easily. Be sure to cover the carrots with leaves's if you haven't already. Four Season Harvest
Ciao! Flower

Potatoes

2008-12-06T09:21:00.000-08:00

Those little fingerlings are good to eat about now, with the cold weather here, and the desire for more carbs. It's December and the ground isn't frozen yet, so this means go out and dig the rest of the spuds. I love how crispy root vegetables are in the fall. We always ate sliced potatoes with a bit of salt. Dad would do the peeling for dinner and that's when we got the treat. We thought it was a treat, anyway. I'm thinking that any carrots and potatoes that you eat this time of year have more moisture in them, that's what makes them so crunchy and delish.

When I lived in North Carolina for a couple of months in the early 70s, the potatoes the neighbors grew where as big as bakers you buy at the grocers. I grew disappointing potatoes this year. They are small and gnarly, but it's so rewarding digging them anyway. I've heard from many folks that the gardens did the worst ever this year, so no worries, right? There's always next year.

And now I must tell you about the fabulous sunrises and sunsets we've been having lately. And great walking days. Huh, did someone push the scramble button on the weather, or something. Yes, 50 degree days and sun. Lovely weather to sit on a hunk of sandstone by the bay. If we can get our vitamin D in the winter, this is good. I take it daily, but getting out in the rays is even better.

So back to potatoes, they come in many varieties. I like the yellow fin. Very sweet and good baked or mashed. Also the regular russet is good. And red potatoes are nice in the spring. You can plant peas early, early and cook them with potatoes. I even think you can plant peas in the fall for a spring crop. They could rot, though. Experiment.

And one of my favorite cookbooks Yummy Potatoes: 65 Downright Delicious Recipes has a great potato, onion, and tomato dish. Try it.

Ciao! Flower

Applebutter

2008-12-04T07:32:00.001-08:00

In the fall when all the great apples are ready I make applesauce and applebutter. When I was young I'd make soup pots full of applebutter, a beautiful sweet condiment to spread on toast and bread. The sugar in the apples and the brown sugar I added cooked and cooked until smooth and thick. We adored it--we being my first husband and I. I peeled the apples, usually wild that we found on land where we rode the motorcycle. Wild apples were tart and worm ridden, but we cut away anything bad and then cooked it all in a big pot. The house filled with fine smells of cinnamon and sweet sugar. And the tart apple smell, sort of roselike in ways. At the end of the day when it was done, we turned it through the food mill, removing cores and peel and stems and then the thick butter went into jars. We poured paraffin on top to seal them up and set them on the shelf.

Later I learned a simpler way to make apple butter. Peel and core the apples and put them in a baking dish in the oven. Of course the sugar and cinnamon are mixed in and the heat is low so it cooks slowly. Every so often the mess of butter is stirred. Not so romantic, but after a few hours, one has nice thick apple butter—just as good, I believe.

If you have orchards and store your apples in a cool place, you may be having some varities that are getting soft. These are the ones to cook. For more apple recipes see Apple Recipes

Peace, Flower

Indoor Gardening

2008-12-02T08:13:00.001-08:00

If you have a nice sunny window, a box of herbs for you meals is a good thing. Also, I've grown lettuce in a little greenhouse in the winter. If you have a way to keep a sun room warm enough in the night for your little plants, you could keep yourself in greens all winter. I think greens are the best vege for me. It's so easy to throw spinach in with my eggs in the morning, or for a salad at lunch and dinner. They are great in soup or just steamed. Kale is great with raisins for winter, and in the spring with garlic and green onions. Growing green onions or chives indoors is realistic. Keep your little thyme plant for seasoning, and perhaps a little oregano. Of course rosemary will usually winter over--although I've had a few plants die during colder winters. I'm thinking about cilantro as an easy indoor grow, and how about mustard. You can also just do the sprouts and have lots of nutrition easily. Sunflower sprouts, mung bean sprouts, lentil sprouts, etc. Just get a sprouting jar. I'm onto this now--can't stop me. Sprouting Made Easy

Holy moly,
Flower

Long Division

2008-12-01T06:53:00.000-08:00

You can still divide carrots. I was talking to someone on Friday who'd been lying in her garden, thinning carrots. She gardens like me: toss out the seed, let the beasties grow until they're pressing in on each other, then thin, transplant, eat, etc. This way you get a lot of plants to work with. See Victory Garden

Yesterday it was lovely again. I thinned my carrots in my dreams and then sat by the water for about a half-hour and watched some kind of duck swim about. My friend said they were buffleheads. I don't know ducks--but I loved how they lifted off them landed again. Their little feet were so cute, sticking them forward like a cartoon character coming in for landing. On the way, we walk the rails to Post Point, trees were full of singing birds. It was lovely. And there were many kayakers out; the water so calm and the kayakers gliding along. Ahhhh, hopefully more sunshine will return today. So nice compared to all that drizzle we had last week.

So back to transplanting. I always transplant the minitures. It works well for me. Although I'm sure there are the planters who dish out the seed along rows in units. These folks have their ways too. Giving garden gifts for Christmas is a good idea. Once a got a little cart that I could pull around on wheels. I could sit on it in the garden and inside were my tools: trowel, pronged thingy, digging thingy, seed, string, knife, iron slug bait.

Always in love with life,
Flower

Hone the Vision

2008-11-30T07:41:00.000-08:00

At one point in my life I thought I could live off the land. I thought I could grow and put by enough fruit and vegetables to have food all winter. I could buy the grain I needed and grind my own flour, bake my own bread. I could buy meat from farmers and freeze it, or raise my own meat.

Only one problem with this scenario--although I'm glad I worked as hard at it as I did--I couldn't kill animals and it was exhausting to do a large scale garden with only a shovel and a pitchfork. Oh, and husband. So, I'm grateful for the farmers. For the truckers who bring the food. I'm grateful for all those who work hard to make our food safe, to support organic gardening. I'm grateful for the folks who work harder than me to keep organic food on their tables, to use and reuse, to buy locally.

It seems like I'm very far away from the vision I had back in my early twenties. I even tried to garden on the lookout tower outside of Grangeville. I dug up some land down by the weather station, and planted who knows what. Nothing came up--we where at 6000 ft., which may have been one reason. And I had to haul the water on my back in a black bladder. But I had other successes. I baked my own bread--there was a propane tank; the forest service road made it possible for our tower to have gas--so we had a tiny stove and refrigerator. And did I saw we hauled our water from the stream. Can you imagine drinking from streams now? That was back in the early 70s, when gas cost less than a dollar per gallon.

Yes, things have changed, and I think we were right, the hippy vision back then. Live off the land, depend on community, love everyone. It was a little skewed, but vision takes work to hone. So lets continue to hone the vision. Let's make it a prioity--to live well and to love well.

Peace,

Flower

"Australia"

2008-11-28T22:10:00.001-08:00

I went to the movies today with my friend, Eileen. It was an excellent movie, a real tear-jerker, and a saga, which was nice for a change. You know how the movies these days kind of follow a theme or a format. This movie had good twists and lots of excitement. Love and loss. Fights and mystery. Just all around great. I cried off and on throughout the entire movie. So did everyone else.

Then we came back here and had turkey soup and pumpkin pie and chatted about finding true love. We both decided to sing for our mate to come to us. You'll see why when you watch the movie.

Speaking of Thanksgiving, have you every grown a yam vine or a sweet potato vine? When I was a kid we would poke toothpicks around the middle of a yam or sweet potato and then sit it in a jar of water. The jar would fill with roots and the potato would grow a lovely trail of vines. I adored those plants.

Hope you got out and shopped today. And if you didn't, hope you had a leisurely down day. For me, the movie completed the holiday.
Ciao, Flower

Happy Thanksgiving

2008-11-27T08:12:00.000-08:00

Well Happy Turkey Day. Yesterday I had acupuncture and when I asked my Chineses Accupuncturist if she had a family meal on Thanksgiving, she said there is no Thanksgiving in Canada and there is no turkey in Chinese food. Ah, yes, I said, thinking about the noodles and the bean sprouts, eggs and vegetables. Very good food, with pork and chicken. But no turkey.

On Chinese New Years, she said, they eat dumplings. I said, Stuffed with pork? Yes, and boiled. I was getting hungry. And on birthdays, lots of noodles; noodles for a long life. Very interesting. And then she stuck a needle between my eyes and I went to sleep.

I don't eat dairy or wheat--so I make a rice stuffing--so to speak. I cook a rice that has mulitple grains in it--because it's pretty. Then I add sauteed celery and onion and a teaspoon of poultry seasoning. It's very good.

As for desert--I'll share my pumpkin pie invention with you. Make a cookie dough with rice flour--any sugar cookie recipe will work, but I use Fanny Farmer's Butterscotch Brownies--see Fanny Farmers Cookbook and substitute rice flour for wheat flour. And margerine for butter--if the milk in butter bothers you. Spread the dough into a pie dish (it doesn't roll). Now mix your organic canned pumpkin with coconut milk--and all the spices and sugar, etc. Pour in and bake the same way you would a pumpkin pie. It's better than the regular pie, trust me.

Okay then, love everyone and have a great day. Flower

Fearless, Wake Up!

2008-11-26T08:13:00.000-08:00

This is my advice for the days we are in: be fearless. Everywhere I turn I'm hearing things like, Not in this economic climate, things are bad right now, You know, the downturn, and yes, there is the market settling out, and the folks who bought the ARM loans losing there houses. This could have happened in the 70s or the early 80s, when we had other downturns.

But things aren't the same now. There is a spiritual flux at work now that is more powerful than before. Yes, now we must work on other levels, that is, because we're waking up. What happens when you wake up? Do you look around and say, My house is a mess. I better clean up. Or do you say, My, the house is a mess, I think I'll panic and abandon ship...

I got frightened at the beginning of this financial settling out, partially because I was in a divorce and was already frightened for my survival. I was worried about how my life might turn out--was I destined to live on the street? Well, no, I don't think so, but the fear was there. Fear is a bad thing. Fear makes more fear. Better to think about what you want than what you don't want. This is a universal truth.

What would happen if we all go shopping Black Friday--make things better. It's statistics that is running the market and the media. If we do most of our holiday shopping Black Friday, then we can help the climate say, "It's a sunny day. We're not afraid." Then, after the holidays, get in there a work hard for truth, happiness, for health, for equality, and for love. Yes, for love. Gratitude and generosity, too!

Yes, all you fearless ones, Wake up! And stand tall!

With Love, Flower (and little helper)

Christmas Tree

2008-11-24T22:26:00.000-08:00

O Tannenbaum, o tannenbaum--across the street in the apartment building I can see a Christmas tree all lit up. It's too early, right? Well, who knows these things. Lots of folks are holiday shopping at the book store. Tonight I read at the open mic at Village Books. The funny thing was I couldn't find anything to read because it's all to sexy. So I read from my novel--which is also sexy. SO I decided I'm a sexpot--what can I do. Anyway, sexpots garden, right?

Yes, and I have many plants in my condo too. Now I have a palm, and my cat is already chewing on it. I have many African violets, some I've been carrying around for twenty years, not literally, but I've carted them from one place of residence to another. They grow well for me, flower regularly. Do you know that you can root a leave easily. Just make a couple of slices perpendicular through the stem and lay it on some potting oil. Kind of cover the leaf, but not entirely. Then water it regularly. You can even cover it with a bit of saran wrap to make a little greenhouse. It won't be long before it send out new little leaves, turns into a new plant. You can have as many violets as you want--viola, more violets. See Growing African Violets for help with these plants.

This year I'm going to decorate for Christmas. I've been a Scrooge for many years. Just got tired of the mess--or just tired, or depressed. Probably that later. Depressed, then you don't do anything and the excuse is you're tired. But now I'm wired--the opposite of tired. And happy--well mostly. And divorce--completely.

That's all. Ciao!

Tiger Milk

2008-11-24T06:58:00.000-08:00

Remember Tiger Milk and having a Tiger in your Tank, and Tony the Tiger? I have a saying, Take a Tiger for a Walk--which means, go with your wildness. I'm open to my wildness, to let it be free and spontaneous, although sometimes I embarrass myself. I like my wild side and being in nature enhances it.

Next to me right now on the bed, my cat is curled, sleeping. I was in Carolyn Wright's poetry class all day yesterday, so he was wild when I got home. He doesn't like me leaving him for long periods of time. And he's addicted to kitty treats, and I ran out. He kept going to the corner that he likes to scratch, which he knows drives me crazy. He'd scratch it, then run away. Over and over as I tried to watch a movie. Still no treats. I did capture him a few times and brushed him and held him. Anyway, he finally settled down and now he's here beside me.

Tiger in the garden. I don't think so, but perhaps roaming nature spirits. Have you ever read that book All Good Things, or something like that. I'll look it up. She talks about talking to the nature spirits to help your garden. Say if you have too many moles, just talk to them, ask them to stay over in the common area, or on the paths. It worked for her. There's also The Findhorn Story to check out.

Well, all for now-happy day, Flower

Chameleon Tulips

2008-11-22T07:51:00.001-08:00

You can still plant tulips, you know! And when you go to the tulip store or to the catalogue, say Territorial Seed Company, you'll find some lovelies you can order. I like Antoinette tulip, also known as a chameleon tulip. Get this, it blooms yellow and then begins to blush like a maiden—that's what the catalogue says—and eventually it turns salmon-colored. Very pretty both in the garden and on your table.

At my ex-house I planted the darkest purple tulips I could find--almost black. Next to them I planted yellow tulips. Ahhh, breathtaking. I have never grown the chameleon tulip, but my ex said (when I met him) that he was a chameleon—what I didn't realize at the time was that he meant it. He would be what someone wanted him to be at the drop of a hat. In my case, I wanted a loving husband that would be there, stand beside me, be playful, good cook, hard worker, smelled good, etc. What I didn't realize is all those years he was too busy for me was because it is hard to hold the form--you know, like the lizard people they say run the government.

Remember how on Star Trek the shape-shifter eventually lets go and returns to the slithering mass he really is. Well, the slithering mass of my ex is refreshing now. Why? You might ask. Because I couldn't ever get it why he was so testy and the look he always gave me—sort of a not-on-your-life look. But now, I'm divorced—free at last. And I have a legal name, got the drivers license changed and new checks are on their way. I'm good to go. And I don't have to interpret what is going on.

What is love really? I think I've been asking this question for a very long time. When I have my hands in the dirt and I'm focused on weeding around my vegetables, I don't think much about love. I just have this wonderful feeling of wholeness and goodness inside. Other times I'm wondering, can I love, have I loved, am I lovable? It's a tough one for me, and perhaps for others. I think the answer is yes to all of these questions, and the right guy will come along, eventually. I also have asked myself if I'm a chameleon. Maybe a little. But faking it doesn't last long for me—I'm not a good actress nor a good liar. Nor do I return to a shivering mass. I do blush like a maiden on occasion.

How about some tulip shopping or daffodil shopping for the holidays. Spring flowers are just so enlivening. Happy to see them push through the ground because it says spring is not far off. Here's a book to help you grow them-- Gardening with Tulips

Happy, happy,

Flower

Plot Next Door

2008-11-21T07:25:00.001-08:00

I overheard the woman in the plot next to me saying her husband was good for nothing. Those might not have been her exact words, but she was complaining about how much there was to do, to garden and to keep house and to sell the dahlias she grew. Her sister was there with her and she was commiserating, also having a ner-do-well husband. And I'm hoeing away, recalling my ex saying that he wasn't going to have a honey-do list and me saying, what's that? And he has a scrunched up forehead as he blurts, you know, me doing this list of things that the wife says to do. You and all the others are all the same. I laughed. Because I was the mechanic and plumber and electrician of the family. It was the way I was raised, wiring panel boards at my dad's office, fixing my sink drain when I lost a contact, rebuilding the duel carbonators on my Volkswagen hatchback.

But if I had a honey-do list, it would read like this: Hold me, feed me, tell me I'm beautiful. Make me feel safe. Bring me breakfast in bed. Oh and turn over the garden. Please add the right mulch, and those leaves at Brenda's, haul them please. Ha, that's not much though compared to what I do, feed and feed and feed. But that's my work, to love unconditionally. The psychic told me, unconditional love is a good goal for a soul. Just spread it around like sweet jam.

Well, I had acupuncture yesterday and still my head hurts. But I slept deeply and dreamed of this large open boat going down these waters; there were lots of us aboard and we were standing up, admiring things. Other boats where they grew great bunches of oysters and the walls of the river, if it was a river, where rock and covered with plants. The guide told us to sit down and then there was a crack and the boat started to sink. I started to swim and the guide said not to swim. And I imagined crocks. So then this ugly guy was climbing the rock wall. I was climbing after him. I just didn't know what we were going to do next. And the alarm went off.

Okay, gotta go. The grandbaby is coming today.

LOL, Flower

Swiss Chard

2008-11-20T08:02:00.000-08:00

There are many varieties of Swiss Chard. Some, like Bright Lights are so colorful in the garden. They light it up all winter long--in milder climates, that is. I've grown Golden Chard and Rhubarb chard, too. And the common chard of course. (Sorry, this is kale, didn't have a picture of chard.)

One of my favorite dishes is French Lentil Soup with Chard. I took a recipe, it might have been Martha Stewart's originally, and I changed it, as I do. Here is one of my favorite dishes. Saute onions and carrots until tender, add a cup of french lentils and a can of stewed tomatoes. I like the Italian seasoned. Then add some water and simmer until the lentils are tender. Then add chopped chard or kale. Ah, this soup is so flavorful. I like to drizzle olive oil on top. You can dunk crusty bread in it and serve with a salad. Good for cold winter days. 400 Best Soups Ever

Today it looks like rain. Yesterday everything was way frosty. Now that I have a handle on this dark early thing, I think I'll be doing more garden reading.

Ciao! Flower

Down Coats and Warm Blankets

2008-11-19T08:05:00.001-08:00

Well, now it is so cold I'm wearing my down coat to take my walks. But I can't complain, because we're having sunshine. Shine on! And last night I couldn't sleep as the trains kept whistling all through the night, and now again this morning--train whistles. It is interesting how the conductors blow their whistles. Some, it seems, play with the echo across the bay. I'm betting this, as it really is a sort of music as they push and back off on the whistle. And then there are the conductors who lay on the horn straight away. Like I do my car horn when someone has turned in front of me. Yes, you know the drill.

If it hasn't started snowing where you live, you may have leaves to rake yet. These leaves are one of the best mulches and aerators for your garden. Pile them on in big heaps instead of bagging them and putting them out for the garbage men. This is my job still--are I pathetic or what? No, just too busy. Last night I laid awake, groaning from too much dinner. I picked up my grandson and then drove through rush-hour traffic--it's nothing in Bellingham compared to other places, but it was busy--even in Fairhaven. We headed to my daughter and son-in-law's new home. They just moved in yesterday--I was surprised at how organized everything was. They had lots of help--which is good in a move. And we ate some dinner and looked around. All those warm blankets on the beds, a good thing. I heard on the news on the way there that the Obama girls--Milia and Sasha --have been invited to star on Mili Cyrus's show. I was thinking that these girls will be interesting to watch. Perhaps more public than most White House kids. Is there a vegetable garden at the White House? A pea patch close by? Fall leaves to rake? There's a good book about fall that all kids will like Fall Leaves Fall! A good gift for Thanksgiving. Ahhhh! Turkey and stuffing.

Well, I'm off to editing and to see my naturopath. Happy day. Smile, the sun is shining. Flower

Getting it Done

2008-11-18T08:01:00.000-08:00

All gardeners really want is for things to be beautiful, for plants to grow, to sit at the table with a plate of steaming vegetables after a hard days work. I’ve been thinking about how easy it is to put food by, how easy it is to dry fruit—pears?—with a food dryer, to steam and freeze vegetables—if there are any left. Sour kraut from your cabbage—you could still have some cabbage left in the garden. I made sour kraut once. It was the best thing I’d ever tasted. Not like this stuff you buy in a can or in a jar. It was just salty enough and just tart enough. I made it in a crock. I don’t know where I got a crock, but I had one.

It was the first house that Jack and I owned—my first husband—and my kitchen was awful—a stove, a bit of counter, and a farm sink. All this on one wall, on the opposite wall, the refrigerator, the door to the basement, the door to the back porch. The other two walls, door to the dining room and window to the yard. So that was it. My kitchen in the condo has more counter space. I think I had a rolling table, that’s where I kept the kraut, by the window.

So all you do is chop the cabbage and salt it, put it in the crock. I think it makes it’s own juice—cabbage is juicy you know. You weight it down with a plate and wait. Everything has to be super clean. If not, you could grow mold and nothing else. Well it worked, and then I baked rye bread and made corned beef. Jack and I ate this meal more than once, as I grew lots of cabbage. I also made pickles this way. I wanted to farm, but it didn’t work out so well this lifetime. It's just too exhausting.

A psychic once told me that Jack and I had been together for four lifetimes. Once I left him, once he left me, once we stayed for the whole shabang. We were farmers. And here we were in this life, living on mini-farms, making pottery and selling it at craft stores. Up there where the council sits and observes us humans (theoretically) they’re nodding, yes, they did it again.
This sounds weird, but it’s early still, what can I say? I’m tired. Yes, and it’s about time for my spinach and egg omelet. Today is a writing day, tomorrow a garden day. And the weather, still holding.
Ciao! Flower

Fall Sky, a Delight!

2008-11-17T22:49:00.001-08:00

I started to write this morning, but then my internet was being a pill, remember when everyone was a pill, or was that just in my family? Anyway, I couldn't get it to save anything, then I couldn't get the blog to come back up. Then I lost what I wrote. Now I don't recall what I was thinking, but I can tell you the light now is fabulous, during the morning and evening that is, that pink and blue sky we get around here. It is particularly pretty when the color lights up the peaks, I guess they call that Alpine Glow. I just learned that recently. When I lived on the water I fixed the spyglass on the Cascades, where the peaks were covered with the most snow and then when the sky turned pink as the sun went down, wowsa, it was fabulous. That same color colored the garden, the big maple, the yellow flowers on the kale, ahhhhh! I'm a sucker for color.

Last night I went for a long walk on the boardwalk that scoots out over the bay where it touches into shore in Fairhaven.It was cold but oh so beautiful--perhaps prettier than I've seen the sky in a long time. And it was so cosmopolitan--german, russian, american, french, you name it, the language was floating on the boyant air. Good moods everywhere, sunny and warm on a fall day. Fab.

Okay, so I'm including pictures of Taylor Dock and shots toward the ferry terminal where the Alaskan Ferry comes in. In the distance you can see Lummi Island and beyond, Orcas.

Ciao! Flower

Garlic

2008-11-16T07:36:00.001-08:00

If you live in the Pacific NW you could probably still plant garlic. It's is a fall planted crop, which gives it lots of time to grow. Territorial Seed Company has many varieties. I had a friend once who grew and sold many different varieties. It's amazing how the flavor from one to the other is so different. Some are easier to peel than others, and the elephant garlic, a gem.

If you buy local garlic, peel it and keep it in a jar in your fridge—rather than buy big jars from China, you will be doing local economy a favor—and with all the poisoning coming out of China these day, perhaps doing yourself a favor too. Try Chet's Garlic, Fireball, or Purple Glazer. There is Elephant garlic and Northern White. Garlic is high in good antibiotic-like qualities. It will keep you well. When I get a cold I make chicken soup with a 20 cloves of garlic. This is a healing remedy that works. I even have heard that sticking a clove of garlic in your ear when you have an earache, it will do the job. I'm not going that afar, but garlic is good. Last night for dinner I had sautéed leeks with garlic. Yum! Don't forget keeping the vampires away.

All is well if the garden is well, Flower

Unagi Don

2008-11-15T08:32:00.001-08:00

Seasoned eel on a bed of sushi rice. Strips of julienned Daikon radish. Wasabi & pickled ginger. Yummy! No not the babies dinner, the mean Eileen and I had last night in Canada. We drove to Canada, about a 1/2 hour drive from here, to listen to another friend, Elke, talk about spiritual discernment. This was in regards to following spiritual teachers—like Eckhart Tolle--or new ones that will be coming out of the woodwork. She was advising us as to how to know if a teacher is right for you. She talked a bit about cults and those who wish to have power over others. And those of us who wish to give up our power.

Discernment is mainly a function of trusting the inner messages—hearing "walk away " and following the message is one way to listen to the self. Feeling ill may be another message to walk away or finding yourself checking out. I know both of these well but didn't link them to my situation—which wasn't a situation with a spiritual leader—but was a situation with someone who wanted power over. So eventually, after getting very sick, I walked away. Perhaps it's easier to listen and act--no big deal.

Now back to the meal. It was a Japanese place next door to a metaphysical store in White Rock. The food was excellent. We drove up, crossed the border without too much trouble. I still have junk in my car from moving, and the guard questioned it. He was a bit imposing, but then said, "Goodbye" like the woman says on that show, The Weakest Link. Is that still on? Well, that's beside the point. Anyway, it was a nice evening and the food was great.

Today I'm cleaning out—yes, I told you about Peter Walsh. Cleaning out is the way to get free in life. Okay—I'm willing to try it. First the closet. Yes, then the dresser. Yes, then…. So get Peter's book and see how getting rid of stuff (gurus and husbands too) will set you free. It's All Too Much: An Easy Plan for Living a Richer Life with Less Stuff And if you go to Oprah.com you can sign up to get assignments from Peter. We can clean up together.

All for now—LOL, Flower

Raccoons, Rats, and Bears

2008-11-14T07:21:00.001-08:00

Cats and squirrels, chipmunks and starlings. Dogs. Sea otters. Opossums. Bear. Yes, I've had all of these in my garden. And as far as I know, it's only the raccoons and deer that cause real problems. Raccoons will dig up table scraps, so if you are the type of composter who digs your bucket of scraps into the soil everyday, and then you find it dug up the following morning, you may do better with one of those black bins with a closing lid. Animals of all sorts are drawn to compost. Once I opened the bin and there was a rat sleeping on top of the compost. It's warm in there, right? Once I headed to the garden and a blind raccoon was digging through the compost. When I hollered at him, he stood on his hide legs and squinted, weaving back and forth like a drunk. Once I came to the garden and saw that I'd lost all my peas to the deer, and once I came to check on my new seedlings and the cats had dug them all up—ah, new kitty box.

Well, some of this just can't be prevented. The most important thing to prevent is rats nesting under your house. That also happened to me. If you have this problem, get an exterminator. Rat poo causes a disease that is deadly. They got into our crawl space, and then nested in the furnace. Eek! The stink!

Okay then, the grandbaby is coming today and hopefully it will be sunny.

LOL , Flower

Too Late?

2008-11-13T08:16:00.001-08:00

In the case of November 12^th, I stayed up too late. Was it the full moon? Anyone know when it is? Today? Tomorrow? I generally hear from my favorite astrologer, Stephanie Austin, but I didn't. Let's see, are we in Scorpio? Is it a Taurus full moon? The full moon is opposite the sun. And the sky last night, fabulous with a big old moon.

So what was I doing up so late? I was listening to Peter Walsh on Oprah yesterday, who is challenging us all to clean up and organize our houses. He says to put your kids and grandkid's art into photo books. So I was making on on line.

He says that people who have messy homes also have problems with their weight. This is interesting to me, because I've gained a little since I've lived in this crowded little condo. Things are messy here. I have years of stuff loaded on my shoulders and in the closets and under the bed and couch. I'm making it a plan to clean out. It's not too late for that.

I have a lot on my plate today, so won't stay long. So clean up your garden, the yard, the back porch. Then start on the hall closet and the bedroom closet. Get rid of stuff you don't use or want. I think Peter gave it six months—if you haven't used it, get rid of it. Go to Oprah.com and sign up for his challenge. He'll give you assignments. I'm doing it. I'm getting free of stuff.

Over and out, Flower PS That's the grandbaby on Halloween.

Blanket Mulch and More!

2008-11-12T07:47:00.001-08:00

Save your old blankets—the holy ones and cut them up to lay down between the rows—or build a raised garden bed and put gravel between the rows. My ex loved to put cardboard everywhere. If it is on a path with bark over it, it will become majorly slippery—I know this from experience.

If you want to use burlap, that will give you an old-timey feeling—which may be nice. If you are old-timey, you may have that feeling without hunting down burlap. You could use garden cloth—it is black and is made from some weird fiber you wouldn't want to wear. My mother once wore a burlap bag as a dress, she was poking fun at the shift, the straight dress that came out in the 50s. What happened to the waistline she wondered?

You can use newspaper between the rows and read snippets of headlines while you pull the pigweed. You can use black plastic—this one I abhor because it cracks and breaks and eventually you have a lot of shredded black plastic in your garden. You could use old beach towels, or leftover placemats, you could use rug remnants, this one is a very good idea, especially if it is indoor-outdoor and looks like grass. Astroturf. For more ideas see A Way to Garden.

Invention is fun! Flower , aka, Nancy

Acrostic

2008-11-11T07:44:00.001-08:00

Yesterday I wrote that I'd made up an acronym, but I had the wrong word. Although GLAD is an acronym, but not like USA. An anagram for divorce might be Cover ID, so to get into Singledom you have to have all the signed and sealed papers. Now an acrostic is when the first letter of a word represents something: GLAD = Giving, Loving, Acting on Intuition, Devotion. Now this pretty much covers what I'm after. Except I could also use Doing Art, Eating Well and Resting Well, which would be GLADDER—Nancy Pagh suggested this--which could be my word for the year. The dictionary describes it this way: feeling joy or pleasure; delighted; pleased: glad about the good news; glad that you are here. Which I like, so I could be glad to be here and feeling the joy while giving, loving, acting on my intuition, devotional practice, doing art, eating well, and resting well. This seems to be a good singledom decree. I'm on board with my Cover ID: Single

Well, I feel celebrated. Nancy Pagh, Brenda Miller, Katie Humes, Barb Crowley, and me, Nancy Canyon—yes this is my legal name now, all had great food and wine at the Hearth Fire last night. (The picture was taken at North Cascade Institute--That's me on the left, Katie above, Brenda on the right) Katie gave me a bag with singledom items including a three minute timer for pining over my lost marriage, a blue bird of happiness, and a post card of a mean looking owl to scare off everything bad. Brenda gave me chocolate. I gave myself a silver necklace, an open circle connected by a silver chain to a solid circle with the word PEACE stamped on it. One slips through the other to connect it around the neck. It is my singledom gift to myself. The circle representing wholeness.

Okay, did I tell you about AMAG, the ascended masters who said I'm here to learn about unconditional love. I knew this when I met B, only I was young then, so I only called it love. Now I know about conditional love, and it feels bad, let me tell you. They said I could continue to love unconditionally, since trying not to love is what hurts so badly. So here I am open hearted, loving him despite everything that has gone down. I told him that so many times as we came apart.

Okay, it is blowing like gangbusters out there, whistling around the condo. There will be no mulching and winterizing today—I'm such a baby. I'm doing my writing instead.

Gladder,

FLower

Piano Mover Needed

2008-11-10T06:53:00.001-08:00

I have this piano, see, and it needs to be moved from Kingston to Bellingham. It is the last detail of my divorce, which is final today. I can't believe how long it has taken. If you think it is a quick process, think again. Well, maybe it isn't too bad if you have an annulment or if you've been married a short time and have not assets together or children, and not many memories. Memories are big things to haul around, as are pianos. If you know a piano mover, send them my way.

So this morning I was thinking of a acronym that would remind me of my focus these new days of single life. It is GLAD--which means Giving, Loving, Acting on my heart's desires, and Devotion. These are the things that will change my life--gosh, in a bad marriage, one just contracts, hurts, becomes bitter and withholding. Bad news. Now, things feel open, I have all possibility available to me. And rest, which isn't in the acronym, but can be one of my heart's desires, is very much needed.

Okay, today, blustery, the leaves are blowing around. If I were you, I'd stay in. Make tea, read a good gardening book. I like the ones on gardening ideas, I'm always ready for more ideas. Or how about read about new plants you'd like to try. Surf the web for gardening sites. Have some down time. Watch a movie. Meditate.

Okay, grandbaby is coming.
Love you all to pieces, Flower

Tide Turning

2008-11-09T21:22:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is my first day of singledom--that is, it is the final day of the divorce. The light at the end of the tunnel. When you get divorced in Washington, there is a 90 day waiting period after one files. There are many things that can happen in 90 days. Some folks decide to stay married. Nothing happened for me, well one little thing that could have become a bigger thing--he didn't like the agreement--but that quickly went by the wayside. Why? Because a contested divorce is way more expensive than an non-contested divorce.

Now is a time for rest and recovery. And gardening. Bring in the cold sensitive plants. A lovely row of plants by a sunny window, what could be better. And be sure to mulch cold-sensitive plants that stay out doors. Roses for one, and the rhody plant. If you have root vegetables you want to winter over, cover the rows with leaves. If you are planting a cover crop, it would be a good time to do that.

Oh, and put in your garlic now. There are so many varieties. Try some new ones. I really love elephant garlic.

Well, wish me a good night sleep. It's hard to sleep during highly charged times--divorce being one of them. Now it should return to me.

Happy happy! Flower

Brocolli

2008-11-07T07:20:00.001-08:00

Brocolli head
Originally uploaded by kschwink

Did you know that a serving of brocolli has more calcium in it than a serving of milk? As do other greens, such as kale, the leafy vegetables are very high in calcium. If you are like me, dairy intollerant, than greens are a good bet to keep your bones strong.

Brocolli is easy to grow for the organic gardener, but can get aphids. To take care of the problem, be sure to water well, keep your plants healthy with lots of organic fertilizer and if the plants get attacked, hose them off. Often, only one or two plants will have a problem. I keep the problem planst separate, by using the plants around them first. I was told a long time ago to plant for myself, to plant for the bugs, and around here, to plant for the deer. That way everyone stays happy.

The grandbaby will be here shortly, so if I have time today, I'll say a little more about brocolli. Aren't you just on pins and needles? If not, I'll see you tomorrow.

Happy Gardening

Fiddling With Life

2008-11-06T07:16:00.001-08:00

I'm wondering if we can fiddle with things and then life will go a little more smoothly. Like a recipe, every time you make it you decide what you can tweak that will enhance the flavor. A little more salt or a little less—a little more spice. I could use a little more spice in my life and better sleep. Those are the two things that I could do to improve my existence. Today I will listen to AMAG; a woman who channels the Ascended Masters. They have a lot to say about owning our lives, knowing that what we think is what we are and what we see. It is true, this think therefore I am thing. I've had experience with synchronicity, I guess it's the same thing. You see things play out like you expect. Like the election. Now I'm working on a good job so I can rest easy about my income. And I'm working on a true love. Has this not happened to me yet? I guess not. Obviously these relationships are not the end all. I'm getting old, so the end all better come soon.

Yesterday I had a fabulous acupuncture appointment. Ping Rice in Bellingham is a great Chinese Acupuncturist. I slept through the whole appointment. That's why I went—I haven't been sleeping well. She put about five needles in the top of my head and one between my eyebrows. There were a couple in my belly and ones on my legs and feet and hands. The most painful ones—the one on the top of my head, my hands, and legs. I could feel the pain in these points before I went. Now it is gone.

I went to the movie "Changling" last night. It was very good and intense. I enjoyed it and was worn out afterwards. The protagonist lost something precious to her. What could be more devastating? Sheez.

Well on to the garden. I saw my new garden partner yesterday and I have leaves waiting to take to the plot! I'll get it together next week, as this weekend I'll be in Kingston with some buddies from Crab Creek Review.

Ciao!

Whoo-hoo!!!!

2008-11-05T08:02:00.001-08:00

I love it that we're here on earth while history is being made. I'm proud to live in a country where people are growing and changing and accepting new things. That people are willing to work hard, to embrace diversity, and to grow spiritually. I was listening to the news this morning; it wasn't so long ago when African-Americans couldn't vote. Women couldn't vote. We are changing for the good. And last night, at an election party, we watched skyp, folks checking in from around the world, congratulating President-elect Obama. Is this fabulous or what? This is stuff I dreamed about when I was a kid. I'm completely giddy with a feeling of hope, that the changes we are experiencing in our lives are leading to good. And it is always best to focus on the good.

As you all know, I'm in my own changes. I will be officially single on the 10th--I thought it was the 11th, but papers came yesterday naming the official date as the 10th--which in numerology is a 1 or new beginning. Perfect. Somehow, last night seemed to be a turning point for me as well. Maybe because we are all at a juncture; maybe there is truth in something larger at work. It seems that way to me, that the universe is alive with possibility and change. That anything is possible. That we can effect change based on our own desire. So what are your desires? What is it that you want the most? What do you not let yourself do or be?

For me, it's art. I've wanted to be a productive and known artist since I was a child. Now, I'm writing like crazy and facing the push/pull relationship I have with my visual art. Really, all creativity comes from one place. This block I have around painting is not a block, it is a fear of failing. I know from gardening, that if you don't plant the plot, only weeds will grow, and plants that reseed themselves, of course. Kale, for instance.

So it is better to choose, than to have a whole plot of kale. Millions and millions of kale plants. One can only come up with so many kale recipes, right? Well here is one of my favorites from http://www.glutenfreemamma.com/

BRAISED KALE WITH SESAME SEEDS
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup yellow onion, chopped
1 bunch of kale
squeeze of lemon juice
1/2 cup vegetable stock or broth
1 Tablespoon of gluten-free Tamari Sauce (not sure how much for reg. soy sauce)
2 Tablespoons sesame seeds
DIRECTIONS:
In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until almost translucent. Add the garlic and cook for about a minute more. Stir in the kale and the vegetable broth. Cover and cook until the kale is tender - about 10 minutes. Squeeze with lemon juice. Stir in the sesame seeds.
Serve about 4.

Have a great day!

Ciao! Flower

Rain, Rain, Go Away On Election Day

2008-11-04T08:14:00.001-08:00

Well, now we're back to our regular time and I'm surprised by how dark it is—seems like all the time now—dark, dark, dark. Of course the last few days have been so rainy—which makes it even darker. I have a full-spectrum light that I sit by when I write. This is during the low light season, so it is time to start. That and Vit D for mental health.

So today is the big day. I'm sure you don't need to be reminded to vote—it is everywhere you turn. And the TV ads have upped their intensity. I know one thing for sure, being a political candidate would be impossible for me. Too highly stressed of a job. I think the attack ads should be banned.

Plenty of sleep is the answer to stress, and exercise and fresh air. And eating right and doing the work (art, writing, etc). I've been putting together a book on marriage and divorce and if I rattle on about it, it is because I'm constantly trying to figure out how I really feel about the whole thing. I recorded the deed to the condo in my name yesterday. The 11^th is supposed to be the final recorded date of the divorce (if he signs the divorce decree, that is). All these transitions bring up new levels of pain. This one, the completing one, means I'm alone completely now—of course I was before too. At least it looked like I wasn't. Alone is not something I like. Therefore, community garden, community writing classes, etc. etc. Community. I believe this is something we need more of--community. If we all had to stick around our villages and towns, that would happen. We've sprawled and that has disconnected us. I love the town I live in because it is relatively small.

In the picture above, my friend has mulched much of her garden with burlap bags. This is something I need to start doing, keeping the rows between the plants weed-free with burlap or cardboard. It works, except the slugs congregate beneath all that covering. I'll try it next year. I think the beautifully weeded gardens attract more deer. Mine, with it's weeds, hides the plants from their munching. Okay, I'm short on words today. So much going on in the collective.

Best in life, Flower

Get it Down, or Getting Down

2008-11-03T07:21:00.001-08:00

As an artist and writer, I need to get it down on the page or on the canvas. As a gardener, I need to get it down on the earth. Getting down to work is the foremost part of the creative process. Getting down is also cool. So gardening is cool, writing is cool, painting is cool. Which is a contrary thought to what my father used to say. Yes, he used to say the bohemian life was dangerous, full of drugs and sex and ner-do-wells. Which is something I'm addressing now: how do all these things that keep one from getting down, and remain a good girl. This is funny. ,

But the point I'm making is that creatives can find many ways to not do their work. I find ways to stay away from my studio; just going there is overwhelming to me. Not that my condo doesn't overwhelm me; it does too. So much work to do. And the garden also overwhelms me. I'm overwhelmed most of the time, I'd say.

Meditation comes to mind. When I took a writing class in the late 90s, the teachers had us meditate first. Just a few minutes, feel ourselves there in the room, feel our bodies on the chair, clear away the day and what had happened prior to getting to the page. And then write. Interesting, I never do this now. I just jump in. It would be interesting to try it again.

Well, looks like another rainy day. It won't be long and the leaves will be gone. Hopefully I'll get some for my garden and get down.

Sunny day to you,

Flower

It's Raining, It's Pouring...

2008-11-02T13:35:00.000-08:00

The old man did snore, and now I don't have to listen to him any more. The divorce will be final on the 11th, Veteran's day. All the dates have ended up being on holidays--why is this? So I can celebrate, perhaps. I am a veteran of marriage. I earned the purple heart, wounded in the line of duty.

So now what, shop for Christmas? I think I'll be lying low this year and my daughter and son-in-law are moving, so we'll have Christmas at their new place. Probably low key, since we're all needing to tighten our purse strings.

I bought new shoes today. I walk daily--although today it was back and forth in the mall. Usually I put in an hour a day--which is good for the waist and the legs and the heart, etc., and wears out the shoes rather quickly. Kohl's had a nice sale. But boy oh boy, does shopping wear me out.

I was going to rake leaves at Brenda's today, but the rain came down so hard that there's standing water on the roads. I had a rooster tail on the highway. So I'm staying in, cleaning the house, doing some catching up.

Here 's a nice shot of me and the grandbaby. Halloween was fun.

Best,
Flower

Trouble in Paradise

2008-11-01T09:14:00.000-07:00

Where do I get these titles? Can there be trouble in paradise? Pair of dice? When we were kids we shot craps, is that how you say it? I tell you, I'm from a strange era, naughty secretaries, bourbon drinks I mixed for my parents, playing poker with the other kids while the parents drank and smoke. Well, there are worse things I suppose to grow up with. Some folks grow up in hideous conditions; I grew up fairly well off. It was the abuse and alcoholism that rocked my world.

Anyway, today I will gather leaves and heap them on my garden. It rained yesterday and cleared right about time for the little ones went out to trick or treat. I went with my daughter and son-in-law around to the Fairhaven merchants. The grandson wore a dinosaur costume. I thought he looked more like an alligator. He didn't get it at first, asking for candy, but after awhile he was digging into the bowls of goodies just like all the rest of the kids. Very cute. There was no trouble in paradise last night. Just laughter and cute little fairies and pirates and chickens and witches.

I went to dinner at my friends house and on the way home it was surreal. I guess it was around ten and there were marauding young adults dressed as everything from scarecrows to fairies. They marauded in groups down Bellingham's streets. It was bazaar, but of course, I was looking at it all from beneath my naughty secretary outfit: black wig, black short skirt, heels, and white shirt. Of course there were pearls too.

Well, must carry on with my day. I've lingered in bed until 9:30--that's the luxury of Saturday, right.

Happy November and be sure to vote. Flower

PS The picture was from earlier in the day--we were just playing around with the camera.

Jack-O-Lanterns

2008-10-31T07:03:00.001-07:00

Jack-O-Lanterns
Originally uploaded by Klingon65

Happy Halloween!

I wonder how many folks will dress up as political candidates, or as elephants or donkeys this year. I'm completely fried with all the he did this, she did that. It's like an ongoing bad marriage.

Speaking of marriage, my divorce will be final in about two weeks, I'm saying about because if he signs the final paper and sends it back to the attorney as expected, then it will be filed and I'll be an official single woman. The thing I am looking forward to the most, is having my name be legal. I changed my name years ago, perhaps it's been eight years now—everyone knows me by that name, but legally I have to sign my checks and documents with his name. So, that will be good, although it means the details of going to the drivers place, going to the banks, informing the IRS, etc. I'm making a list.

I was reading in the Artist's Way this morning about abundance. Now this is something we are all thinking about to some degree with all the changes we're in now. In the chapter, Julia Cameron is discussing how we think of God, or a higher power, the creator, etc. the name doesn't matter, it can always be changed, right? but she was asking the question: do we know who our source is. I do know and then I forget. I think I'm it, or perhaps before, my husband—and this wasn't a real knowing, it was just a situation. I mean, I depended on him in so many ways. I depended on him to bring home the bacon, to be my fiend and confidant. But God could also be all these things. In fact, if Julia is right, then if I trusted God as my source, then things would unfold as I desire—perhaps not look the way I think they should, but really I would have all that I need. Was it the Stones, "If you don't get what you want, you'll get what you need." Something like that.

Well, it's raining and it's dark and it's Halloween. My grandbaby is coming today- little late because Dad is bringing him. He has a sore toe, and is on antibiotics. Weird, no one knows how he got strep on his toe. So we soak and we but bandages on it. He is not a happy camper. He will be an alligator--alligators like rain, right?

Have some fun with those you love and eat candy.

Ciao!

New Moon

2008-10-30T07:47:00.001-07:00

I forgot to tell you that we had a new moon. It was Tuesday, later in the day, 6 degrees Scorpio. It fell very close to an opposition with my sun, so I looked at my chart, and I'm having an event. That's astrologer talk, event. Okay Uranus and Saturn are close to exact opposites in the sky right now. And these opposites are falling on my north and south node. You know they're called the dragon's head and the dragon's tail—they're noting where you've come from and where you are going. So where I'm coming from in a strong authority figure in the home—the men in my life, the latest being my soon-to-be ex—and where I'm going to, the head, or the north node in Pisces in the house of career—where Uranus is transiting right now. So I'm thinking it is right, all that is happening for me. I know they say there are no mistakes, but sometimes in the midst of change, everything seems like a mistake. Perhaps when we walk toward our destiny, our feet dig in—but can we turn back? I don't think so.

Everything I ask for I receive—that is how the universe works. This is baffling to me in some ways, because that means I also get what I don't want. So I want a new man, or I want some help in the garden, how about a new art form. All these things show up. What about money? I guess it is showing up too. So maybe it is just the viewer we look through. Maybe it's there like Columbus's ships on the horizon, but we can't see it, because we haven't gotten it in our brains that it's possible or actual. I want it to be possible to thrive in my life. I wasn't taught this growing up. I was taught to do what I was told, and to be silent about the abuse. Now I have a lot to say about abuse, but you'll have to read more about that in my book. Or books. But anyway, switching to a new mind frame takes some work. I'm working on it, are you?

Okay the garden, I have a plan. Leaves—yeah, yeah, I know I'm repeating myself. So how about tilling? I've read it is better to just turn over the soil with a shovel, to not till it. It goes too deeply into the ground when you use a tiller. I like those tiny rototillers, but I don't have access to one. I'm still an outsider in the community garden—the weedy girl outsider—better change my thought here. We'll see what happens next year if I do.

Got to get showered and to the office/coffee shop where I write.

Ciao! Flower

Bright Orange Leaves

2008-10-28T22:20:00.001-07:00

Bright orange leaves
Originally uploaded by Jaime Walsh

Well, the colors are really fabulous and the leaves, once they fall, will help your garden. Today I saw a lady select a few prime leaves from the sidewalk and decorate the trash can in Fairhaven with them. It was funny in a way. I passed her and pointed out one that she might enjoy. She picked it up.

Rake your leaves and heap them on the garden. You don't have to dig them in, just pile up with cardboard and table scraps and manure and grass clippings and more leaves. By spring, the soil will be teaming with worms, or so Deb says from Rainyside Gardener. And I've had good results myself.

Today I got two offers of help for my garden. I think we could divide it in half, or just do the whole thing together. We'll look at it next week. She's one of the other artist in the coop art building where I rent a room. Fairhaven is full of artist and gardeners and writers, etc. A fun place to live. And the other offer was from Brenda. She has a tree in her yard that is dropping the most beautiful rusty brown leaves. I've offered to rake them so I can take them home to my plot. Huh, sounds a little morbid.

Well, my cat is biting my toes, so it's time for me to call it a night. Have a good sunny day, and hopefully you're ready for Halloween.

Ciao! Flower

Warm Blankets

2008-10-28T07:58:00.001-07:00

Okay, it's time to get out the warm blankets. Have you ever seen blankets spread over plants? If it gets really cold here, which is infrequent, blankets come out to cover the rhododendrons. It's just too much for their delicate nature, the terrible cold. Once we had a winter storm that sank the I-90 bridge and froze all the rhodys in our yard. The power was down for a couple of weeks and the roads were a sheet of ice. I cooked on the woodstove the entire week, and with no baths, we all got a little ripe. We had 5 trees down in our yard. Big cedars. One landed on the roof. It was frightening.

This winter, who knows? High winds are common here, especially so close to the bay. I think I'll start taking the train if I have to go south. I have friends still in Kingston; the train stops right at the Edmond/Kingston ferry crossing. The storms are worst there, off the shipping lane. You can hear the wind coming, a roar heading up the coastline.

Well, instead of putting blankets on your garden, you can use a cover crop. (although that won't help the rhodys). The thing you have to be careful with is letting the crop go to seed. See Secrets to Great Soil for more ideas. I once had a lot of millet in my garden—no wait--that was millet from the birds—we were feeding them, that's right. It's important to feed the birds.

Okay, it's my day to write—too writing groups, one I participate in, the other I facilitate. Writing is my mainstay, I love it more than I can say. This is good, as it's taken me a long time to figure out what I love in life the most, besides nature and growing things, growing essays—yes, words are my seeds.

Ciao! Flower

Cold Frame, Hot House

2008-10-27T07:11:00.000-07:00

Well this could mean a tent you use for a wedding in the garden, and a wedding right now if you could depend on sunshine would be lovely. All the yellow and orange trees, I’m being repetitive I know, but I’m so fond of them. Yesterday I took a drive down Chuckanut Drive with my friend Peter and had a lovely dinner at The Oyster Bar. I actually had oysters, which I love and don’t eat often. On the side came a lovely potato and vegetable serving. The potatoes where mixed with hunks of parsnips, which brings me to the garden and growing parsnips. They’re big and robust and delicious in soup. They look like carrots only yellow. They have the flavor of carrot and celery mixed. Delicious in soup with leeks, parsnip leek soup, oh, sweet on a cold fall day.

As the sun went down over the water and we talked about politics, religion, and …. No we never got to the third thing folks usually argue about, we just chatted away, which seems to be easy between us. The sun going down, a fine wine, great food, and good friend, what could be better?

So my neighbor at the pea patch is putting in rows of tenting for her little lettuce plants and parsley. Which made me think I might do the same. Or at least butild a little lean-to. A little greenhouse thing. I’ve built many cold frames, a rectangle of 2x8s with a window over the top. This could actually work as well for winter as spring. I have kale up and chard growing, it could perk it enough to keep it going all winter—depending on how cold it gets. My cat is getting shaggy already, and he’s an inside cat. What the heck, he’s doing something in the kitchen—I better check.

Okay, he disappeared, which he’s good at. He hears me going and is like a shape-shifter gone from licking the butter, or getting into something on the counter. I hear him again, but guess I’ll let it rest. So, cold frames of bent stacks and plastic, or wood and windows, or even plastic tacked to a house and then draped down over the bed. There was more discussion about deer, and the prints were going through all the newly put-top-bed plots, and then there’s the cover crop: buckwheat will freeze, red clover spreads, seems like winter rye is a favorite. I may try that this year.

Okay, got the grandbaby to do, so I’m off.
Ta ta--Flower

Fall Leaves

2008-10-24T22:25:00.001-07:00

FALLEN LEAVES
Originally uploaded by Rich Eye

The leaves along the boulevard are beautiful yellow and orange where the cop was holding up the radar speed detector the cars where going the exact speed limit, why? Because the cars coming the other way where flashing their lights. It was a trap and I was glad for the warning. I was going 35 and slowed to 24 and there was my speed on this big computer board. The cop seemed serious about his task and I wonder how long he sat there before someone flubbed up.

The trees along the railroad are reddish leaning toward pink. The leaves have turned this year in a lovely way, not too much rain and not too much wind, which does them in quickly. A gorgeous fall.

I went on a date tonight and had some good Mexican food. We talked about the stock market and conspiracy theory, UFOs and reincarnation. I ate too much and drank a rather large Margarita. Now it is time for me to crash. I'll be doing an expressive arts class in the morning. If you are interested, look up Dr. Jane Goldberg. She teaches a year long expressive arts practitioner class. Looks good.

Ciao!

Dividing Yellow Hammer

2008-10-24T06:52:00.001-07:00

I didn't grow dahlias in my Kingston garden, except for one. And I didn't dig it up and divide the tuber, so I lost the plant. It was a Yellow Hammer. I've seen it growing down in the dahlia garden beside Taylor Dock. Very pretty. I did grow lots of Japanese Iris and those I divided and gave away and moved around. They grew well on the Glendon, the septic system, as it was always slightly moist there. Iris grow wild in swampy areas, so the water is a plus. There are so many varieties—yellow, white, purple. Beautiful.

We've been having some good gardening days here, chilly air and sunshine and the trees. The most I've done lately around my garden is think about how I will get the next things done. I used to have a truck and that worked well, to haul the bark or the manure or the leaves. Once when I was young I went from house to house and took the bags of leaves they put out for the trash and put them in my garden. This worked well, except for when they'd included bits of wood and jun

I've not much to say right now. Trying to recover still from divorce. Trying to get more sleep and to consider where I'm at is where I'm at for the time being. I'll move into a bigger place someday or not. The stock market has thrown me (and many others) as most all my money is there. And my ex, not so sure if he'll stay afloat, which would mean I won't have money to live off of. When push come to shove, the tough get going. Well, I'm tough, but right now a little worn out. I know it will get better, when I'm not sure. After the election. I can see the market coming back up. It's dropped so low though, taking us clear back to the 90s. Eek! Positive thinking, I do believe in manifestation. So think good thoughts; we can do an experiment. Are you thinking?

That's enough about that. So, dig up those dahlias and divide the tubers. Give them away or sell them. And be sure to store them in sawdust. They need to stay dry and not freeze. And bring in potted plants that need to winter over in a little warmer temperature. I think I already said this, but bring them in so you'll have them next year. Around the water things don't freeze as easily, but still, in a cold winter, they will.

Okay, have a happy day. Flower.

Fall, Such Beauty

2008-10-22T22:53:00.000-07:00

It's so beautiful right now, the landscape with all the yellow and orange trees. The maples are glowing and when the sun sets, it adds an extra tinge of peach to the leaves and really lights them up. I know this is a hard time for many people, folks loosing all their savings and weird stuff happening. But nature is giving us a lovely show, and to be happy with that is all we can ask for. And to be happy with each other.

And I know that we are not alone in these times, that we are facing all these changes together. I've had so many changes in my life these last three years, that really I think I just can't take any more, yet there is more to come to be sure. What I'm thinking now is that I must love everything and everyone, including or especially myself. That way I will make the right choices in my life. I will live my life fully.

The garden is a good place to live, and learn. Everything comes and goes and when it is least expected, lushness happens. Love may be really what it is all about. I love to teach letting go and letting things come as they will. This is the way of the world, just being. It will all work out in the end, just think positive. Right? Right!

Happy Happy

Breaking Open

2008-10-21T07:33:00.000-07:00

When I was a kid one of my favorite things to do in the fall was to collect the most beautiful leaves and take them home, heat paraffin on the stove in a tin can and dip the leaves--lay them out on newspaper to dry. Then I had this collection of orange and yellow and red leaves that I could keep for some time. It amazes me today that my mother let me do that. All that paraffin, a tin can sitting on the burner, newspaper on the counter right next to the hot stove. It was a good thing we had a fire alarm in the house, sensing eyes for flickering light, a large red bell, like a school bell by the back door.

Anyway, it was the oaks that I loved the best. I'd bring home the horse chestnuts, the acorns, and of course, tiny cones, too. I think now that really if it wasn't for Audubon Park I'd been a real mess. Nature was my safe haven. I was in that park after school, during the summer, fall afternoons, on the weekends when I wasn't baking bread with Mary Ellen. I rode my bike there, swung, played ping pong and tether ball. There were crafts in the summer, there were benches and tables pushed into tunnels that we crawled through in the fall and in the winter we sledded the hill and skated on the flooded and frozen parking lot. All in a park.

And the rest of the time, I was hard at it at home, doing homework I didn't understand, practicing the organ, cooking, cleaning and warding off my step-father. Yes, this is the issue I realize now that impacted my marriage. There is a place in me that never stops being vigilant. That never completely lets go. That's why I'm so good at what I do. With the CranioSacral work, I can stay there present for the entire time, with the grandbaby, the same thing, with my writing the same thing. I'm good at watching continuously, because I had to.

But what about the garden--it's a place I can let go of, let it be, let it go wild, let it reseed. The cosmos took over much of the garden this year. It's very pretty and I liked it the year before, using it as a shade for the beans so the deer wouldn't see them and gobble them down, but this year, it didn't work. Of course we had a cold rainy summer and everyone complained about not getting good tomatoes and not getting this or that, but there is plenty of produce at the markets. Plenty of squash anyway. Someone did a good job.

As for life and love and things that go bump in the night, stay present I say. Listen to your heart and make sure your life is there for you in all the ways you need it to be. I'm taking my own advice.
Ciao!

Tool Care & Mushrooms

2008-10-20T22:32:00.000-07:00

Fall is a good time to fix broken tools, toss out rakes that have rusted apart, fix broken handles if the metal part is worth it. If you have clippers to sharpen, do so before the next pruning job. There is nothing worse than dull tools. If you have a good sharpening in the area take the tools there. I have sharpened tools with a wet stone, although not too effectively. If you have a grinder, you can do a good job at tuning up old equipment. See Garden Tools and Equipment

Now old equipment can be toned up too. So get to the gym during the winter months. Or if you can, walk in the rain, do your Pilates, and work in the garden. My friend from Rainyside goes out every day. She says she never gets the winter blues. I think it might be a good practice to get out on warmer days, but probably not rainy days. I'm a wimp, what can I say. Getting out lets you the wonders of nature, like this Amanita Mescaria.

Anyway, get to the gym on the rainy days--and the library were there are plenty of gardening books.

All for now. Happy gardening, Flower

Gardening Paradise: Requisites of the Home Vegetable Garden

2008-10-19T22:16:00.000-07:00

Gardening Paradise: REQUISITES OF THE HOME VEGETABLE GARDEN Very nice site with lots of good tips for where to put your garden, how to improve soil, etc. Cheers! Flower

Farmer's Market

2008-10-19T21:42:00.000-07:00

Ahhhh, let me tell you, the farmer's market in Port Townsend was fabulous, dozens of yellow jackets enjoying the sweets, apple cobbler, lovely little pasties, brownies and bread. Mounds of squash, beautiful acorn and delicata flashing bright colors. Many tables full of apples, varieties I've never heard of. Brenda and I bought leeks and rose finn potatoes, greens, chantrelles and mini cakes, not much bigger than a thimble with a crunchy outer glaze, sweet and moist. What a fabulous dinner we had, salmon with caramelized leeks, roasted rose finn potatoes, greens, corn on the cob, goat cheese, sauteed chantrelles and Spanish wine. Ahhh, what glutens and what fun. It's the time of year, yes? The time to indulge in the abundance of the gardens.

It all began with my trip down from Bellingham to the ferry on Whidbey Island, foggy, with sun filtering through low clouds. Fabulous and chilly and a rocky ferry ride. Brisk air and sunshine. And then Brenda and Abbe greeting me on the other side. That's what it's called around here when you cross the water: the other side.

I was thinking on the drive home that really life is pretty good in this post-divorce state of mine. Not that it won't improve, I mean the heart is still mending, but like the author of Eat, Pray, Love says, there has to be some recovery time that is just for you. You have to have some fun, and the body being feed fabulous food is one good way to do that. No complaints about what the body is putting on, just indulge to make it feel better. Later you can do those extra miles to walk it off, right now just give to yourself.

Okay, so take that sugar pumpkin and carve out the lid and then stuff it with rice and sausage and vegetables, seasoned well and bake. When you scoop out the goodies, you scoop a little pumpkin too. Very nice and satisfying for fall. Here is a good book where you can find many recipes for fall soups New England Soup Factory Cookbook

See you shortly,
Flower Power