Sun & Rain Drops

The morning dawned in full sun, yet as the day wove itself toward noon the clouds moved in to create a perfect garden day. Before my pre-rain garden endeavors I wandered into the wooded patch of my little acre and was well met by my three guardian ferns. Their fertile beauty astounds me, charms me, challenges me and delights me. And it draws me in ...

I planted several onion seedlings and harvested the last of my second year Russian kale.

It cooked down nicely and oh so deliciously. I love how a pot filled to overflow ends up as only an inch-or-so at simmering's end.

The rain drops, light though they were, herded me indoors where I continued fixing up and stocking up my ArtFire Studio. I prepped the links for tomorrow's In the Garden show, Colonial American Kitchen Plants, on Blockhead Radio, and began scripting notes for next week's episode. I planned the few words I would share at Janice's memorial service tomorrow night. I talked to my mom and my friend Sherrie on the phone and then laughed like hell with my friend Krazy Kate when she called. Or did I call her? I took tomato sauce out of the freezer, washed the lettuce and have the water boiling for the pasta as I type.

That's what I made today.

A Toast

As if by magic my yellow Iris bloomed today. A fitting gesture, for these are the iris growing in the same garden bed as the lily plants that were given to me by my friend, Janice, some 8-years ago or so. Not only that, but Janice held a special fondness for the iris. This morning, Janice passed from this life. 

I met Janice in 1999, when we both enrolled in the Transformational Energy Healing class, along with six other brave and foolish, strong and fragile, amazing and beautiful women. Together, we disclosed, shared and learned more than any of us imagined we would about ourselves and one another. We all learned, validated and reinforced much from and for one another. Janice proved no exception.

One thing that Janice reinforced for me, and heightened to fresh definition is ... the nature of gratitude. I used to spend a good deal of time in her shop, visiting, sharing, shopping, and occasionally helping out at the register. Janice knew I was a wine drinker and one day she announced she had a bottle of wine and offered me a glass. I accepted. She poured me a glass of Boone's Farm Strawberry Hill. In a flash my wine snob evaporated and all I could do was laugh, say thank you, and share that I had not sipped this particular vintage since high school. 

So this evening, to celebrate the life of Janice, a bottle of Boone's Farm Strawberry Hill was properly chilled and served in the fine crystal wine glasses that were my Nono's, and glasses were raised to honor the life and spirit of sweet Janice.

Cheers, my friend, my syster. May we forever be as one. Ashe. Ashe.

More Clay Play

After some laundry and cleaning and helping The Boy with a thing or two, I finally got out into Nature and made more clay play ... three plaques, two pendants and one wee pocket goddess.

I'm still sitting on the deck ... daylight is waning ... the air is cooling ... and I may just toss on a sweater and hang a bit more. Peace.

Herbal Food, Herbal Drink

Lemon balm water.

Marinade of green onion, sweet annie, oregano, sage and love.

A nice dinner of chicken, grilled potatoes, salad and mead to tie up a day of odd patterns and intriguing connections ... among other fine things. 

That's what I made today.

Clay Play

Today I managed much, and evening-time, enjoyable though it assuredly would have been, freed up and I am leveraging the gifted time. Today, among other things, I spun a custom spirit cord and got that out in the mail. I recorded, edited and delivered next week's In the Garden show. I marinated chicken and opened a bottle of homemade elderberry wine ... and a bottle of rhubarb mead. Now, I prepare to sip and grill and then I will sand and soften the wee pocket goddess that I started yesterday. Ah, sweet Creation, it is good to love you again.

And hey, did you miss In the Garden on Blockhead Radio this Thursday? Did you know that you can listen to the shows now, as podcasts on demand? I hope you'll check it out, and let me know what you think and offer some input as to what you might enjoy hearing me blather on about in some future show! 

Preparations

The day is young, and I've not yet actually made the preparations on my list, but I have started, for a gift of sharing time with loved ones is a promise I offer myself for these accomplishments that I see before me.

I've already started preparations for my class tomorrow (weather permitting) and in doing so my memory calls on the Latin phrase non-collige virgo rosas  - gather, maiden, the roses - and all that this phrase holds ... I recall my father and in turn the following bit of poetry comes to me ...

To the Virgins  (the empowered) , to Make Much of Time

by Robert Henrick (who I still feel was inspired by Shakespeare)

Gather ye rosebuds while ye may, 
    Old time is still a-flying: 
And this same flower that smiles to-day 
    To-morrow will be dying.

The glorious lamp of heaven, the sun, 
    The higher he's a-getting,
The sooner will his race be run, 
    And nearer he's to setting.

That age is best which is the first, 
    When youth and blood are warmer; 
But being spent, the worse, and worst 
    Times still succeed the former.

Then be not coy, but use your time, 
    And while ye may go marry: 
For having lost but once your prime 
    You may for ever tarry.

So it is now that my roses, such as they are, are gathered and honored, beheld and enjoyed ... effort and all ... thorns and all ... reward and all. Ashe. Ashe.

My Way East Again

It's so nice to be home. In many ways I feel as if I have missed the month of May here on my little acre. In any event, today I wake in my own little bed, in my own little hut, on my own little acre to heavy mists and day heavily filled with promise, renewal, reunion, creativity and loose threads to weave.

Not only that, but I have this Saturday workshop to prepare for ...

May 30

Making Your Own Flower Essences

with the blossoms of May!

$50

12:00 noon to 4:00 PM at Walk in the Woods in Winsted, CT

Join us for the first 2009 presentation of this very special 4-hour "harvest-to-essence" workshop - a workshop intended to de-mystify the process as you create your very own Flower Essence. This hands-on workshop will allow you to choose your flower (or it to choose you) and work through the entire process of making your very own Mother Essence to take home with you to use and share with loved ones for months - or more likely - years to come! This workshop takes place outdoors, in sunshine, at my little acre in Winsted, and so depends on the weather conditions – and they’re looking good!

There’s still time to register!

Call 860.480.3642

And don't forget to join us today at 11:30 In the Garden on Blockhead Radio for Infuse Your Life with Nutritional Herbal Infusions! And guess what? If you missed last week's show you'll be able catch it this week on Podcasts on Demand. Keep an eye out!

My Way West

Today I make my way west, following the trail of the Erie Canal to the home of my mom. There I will invest several days tending this mother-daughter garden. Once again, eAccess will be scanty, at best, but I will be back next Thursday ... and I will be delighted. Upon this return I will arrive to a time and space where I will be able to sink my roots into my little patch of earth, to relax, dig in, garden, create and BE.

Until then, be well and be inspired by Nature!