I'm looking forward to today. I've decided to set several small goals for each day, so that I get more done. Today I gt to go and finish picking the spinach that has bolted and preserve it in some way. Last night I managed to fill a quart baggie with dried spinach. I brought up my food dehydrator and got it in working order and started drying. I also got some catnip done for tea.
Ed got called to DC for an emergency meeting, so he'll be gone all day and into the night. As well as my gardening stuff, I'm looking for clip art to use on our tags for our crafts. I'm thinking since the name we are using is "Mountain Mamas'" I should find a mountain scape or something. ...it's fun and a pain at the same time. lol
The weather is still pretty odd...lots o f dampness, muggy. Some of my flowers are getting black spot, but I got a recipe to treat them from Steph, so I'll probably make up a batch of that too. So, life goes on...not bad, not good, just normal! I can handle that.
So this morning, we got up bright and early...went out and planted the new plants and Ed had a brain storm.
Keep in mind that this is the guy who had two goals for the year...build his workshop and prevent me from over doing with the garden.
So, he's decided that he won't build his workshop, rather he will put it in the basement, and build cupboard with window seats over them in the sun room for my craft stuff. He said he kind of likes sitting on the deck and looking out at the gardens and we could put another garden in the spot where the old cabin was (where his workshop was going to go)....so, he has completely changed his mind.
It's all cool to me. At least with him in the basement I'll be able to holler down and see if he's alive instead of trudging out across the yard! lol
So, we've decided to add onto the wood shed a shed for the tractor and yard tools, build a bin for the wood chips and the yard compost, and make a fireplace in the new "garden space". I have no clue if it will get done this year, but knowing my husband, as soon as he comes out of his "I feel lazy" funk, he'll get started on it.
I went to town today to pick up a few things. I didn't need much...just the same old bread, creamer , dog food stuff. But I thought I would look around at some things, I went to a local nursery that also has a nifty deli/bakery to pick up a treat for Ed. ..ok, I also wanted to find a thistle plant too. I keep saying "I have enough plants".... but then I remembered that I have another spot I'm trying to fill in, and Ed wanted an asiatic lily...so, I ended up with another half dozen plants. I figure that by next year, all I'll need is annuals and I'm going to try and start all of them myself.
Ed got to taste the first strawberry from our own garden this morning! The poor guy doesn't understand that plants like that need to grow a year before you should let them fruit...so I sacrificed some of the strength of my strawberries and let them set fruit so he could have some, and boy have they set fruit ! It was worth it.
We're trying to have a slow paced, mellow weekend this week...don't know how it's going to work ! We have friends coming both Saturday and Sunday, so at least there won't be any big projects this week.
There will be a Harvest Gathering on the last weekend of September. Heather will lead the ritual this time. We'd also like to find a drummer that would like to share the time with us.
There is hope that we will have two gatherings per year; one for Solstice and one for Harvest. I hope that all of you will consider joining us. We are also open to ideas for more "talks" or "classes". Nothing too formal, but just something to add to the Gatherings. So, I'd be happy to hear some ideas!
As I settle down from the incredible energy of this past weekend, my thoughts turn to more mundane issues. I'll be hiding down in the basement as much as possible until I have it in better shape. I can't find my craft stuff, I trip each time I go down...it's the worst place on the whole homestead and I'm not putting it to good use. I'll have to do sections I guess...we are using the basement as storage for seasonal items, storage for our extra food stockpile, a craft spaace, a bit of space for my grow lights that I use to start my plants....it's just so over whelming, but I've been told that "one step at a time" is the best way to approach it...so, armed with trash bags and my label maker, it's down to the bowels of hell I go! blah....
What a great get-together! Steph and Pixie came down on Friday to help me get things ready, and we had a blast making food and talking, had a wee fire that night and were up bright and early waiting for people to start coming aand continueing our preps.
Heather and her fella Will, Jody and her daughter Jenn, and Merle came right on time. We had plenty of time to chat and munch....seems like we ate a LOT! My husband Ed almost gratefully welcomed Will, and they did "guy chat" stuff, while we did our thing.
We got stuff together for the ritual...everyone brought something for the alter that was important to them. Steph led the ritual making the energy sing for us. It was clean, simple and just so right ! We had a clump of birch to the south, a pond complete with croaking frogs to the west, the homestead and cottage garden to the north, the veggie garden and a forest beyond to the east. I thought it was interesting that though the dogs were around and interested, they didn't cross into the circle, but waited just outside it.
After the ritual and our "cakes and ale" we went in and had a lunch of egg salad sandwiches and potatoe salad. A short while later, Ed took the majority of the group for a hike to his favorite spot, a lovely brook in the woods. They got lost...lol It was a LONG hike, but a lovely one from all accounts.
When the poor exhausted hikers got back, we had a "divination" session and we all broke out the cards, pendulums and magic boards, as well as any books we had and chatted and played a bit . Jody brought her crafts, so we had a mini craft show...I'm happy, as I got two necklaces an smudge fan and a rattle...I love them all, but the rattle talks to me!
We had a community supper, with everyone helping in some way. Jody and Jenn manned the grill, Heather, Pixie and Merle gathered greens from the garden for a wonderful salad, and Steph and I had made a giant fruit salad and some more of the potato salad.
Since our hikers were feeling the affects of the walk, Will and Ed made a bonfire...lots of guy toys used to chop and haul wood to the site! I wwanted a "girlie fire" so that we could jump the bonfire for luck. They ended up making a "wicker man" fire. Heather and I reminded them about what the wicker man fire was used for! (hey- it was a very mellow and friendly group! lol) Of course, there were regulation s'mores and toasted marshmellows too!
The owls were out hooting in the woods and it was beautiful weather!
Sunday morning, it was bagels and coffee or tea...lots and lots of it, with more chatting and lots of fun. We then had a yoga session. I never did yoga before, but it was so much fun and so relaxing, that it's something I definetely want to do again. While we were out doing the yoga, the guys surprised us by cleaning the kitchen, doing the dishes and making more coffee! That was so sweet and nice of them! Pretty soon, it was time for many to head off to their homes, and lots of hugs and promises to come back for our Harvest Gathering at the end of September. Before Heather and Steph left, we noticed that the bonfire hadn't gone out and was up and going again...so I finally got to jump the bonfire for luck!
There was no awkwardness, no bad energy, just lots of love and lots of fun. I am not a super social person, but I have made some great friends on c-space, so I decided "why not" and took a chance in invitingstrangers into my sanctuary. I was so glad that I did! I feel like I have sisters more than just mere friends! I love them all and hope they come back again, and each and everyone of them made me feel like I was fun, special and a good hostess. Thank you ladies for comng, helping and sharing yourselves with me!
