Today we celebrate summer solstice. Technically it is the moment of 5:43 this afternoon, and I know some folks set it as on the 21st of the month; regardless, the energies of the solsticetides do come as tides. Coastal-dwellers know that they roll in and out fueled by forces beyond our earth and that they …
Unsettled times
The world is in chaos. I get that. But a friend posted a comment today "...our wisdom spans a decent length of a lifetime. And someone needs to hold the threads together, and mind the hearth." Folks may wonder at my posts, all about gardens and trees, birds and beasts, spinning and knitting and sewing …
Two steps back, one in another direction entirely.
Tried to make metaphoric hay today and did indeed get *some* stuff done. But as those of you who farm or homestead know, I am sure, there are days when its two (or more...) steps back for every one that might go forward or at least sideways (which is not backwards! LOL) My intention for …
Continue reading Two steps back, one in another direction entirely.
A tale of two hens
May 31, 2020 The chickens may be playing tricks on me. You probably have read about our black Langshan hen who I declared to be broody on April 24 and who has been attempting, with some success, some help and some failures, to hatch a clutch of her and other hens' eggs since offering up …
And what a week it was!
I am feeling very thankful this morning for the weather gods offering of relief from the oppressive heat which hit us much, much earlier than usual here in the northlands. May, between the recognized Memorial Day holiday and the traditional May 30th date may be the commercially touted "beginning of summer" but it has never, …
What’s up now with the crazy farmer-artist?
I promised pix and observations and here we go! This is our newest baby forest, a grouping of volunteer pine trees of various sizes/ages. We have no idea why, or how they started growing there, in this bit of poor soil to the back of the land. In the background, you can see the mostly …
Continue reading What’s up now with the crazy farmer-artist?
‘Nother damn town day then fun on the farm
Tuesday, May 26 - Chores done, I am biding time until K calls me to help dig Artie's summer tires out of the garage to take to the mechanic for swap with the winter tires. Yes, I am way late, but with the relaxation of rules of late, it was easy to forget. K noticed …
Making use of the last cool day
We have scary numbers for the high temperatures the rest of the week, especially since it is still MAY here in the northlands, so I spent much of the day knocking out a project that has been waiting for some time: weed whacking around the fruit trees to allow me to renew mulch. The project …
No sunburn, productive day!
It was windy and cool enough today that I was able to work in 3/4 sleeves, keeping the worst of my sunburn under wraps. Yay! It is not a bad one, but adding more sun at this point would not be helpful, especially as we have multiple kittens in explorer mode. They are learning to …
Lovely day with appropriate weather!
After getting the stuffing kicked out of us Friday by the temperature high in the high 80s, F, it was a joy to sit and spin in long sleeves, in the sunshine with a handful of fellow spinners Saturday morning! I did not get a picture. Thought about it, but after a rough start to …
Hex Sign Homestead 