Jack-O-Lanterns

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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