Coming out of hibernation....

Wow, it has been a long time since my last post...hard to believe it was in November! But, having both a turtle and a black bear as my power animals...it goes without saying that I really do hibernate in the winter months! So happy 2011 for everyone.

Animals are starting to come to life! Our friendly vultures returned last week just in time to start cleaning up the spring road kill. Seems the skunks came out a little too early and are having a hard time crossing the road and avoiding the bad drivers in the snow/ice.

Birds are feeding well...have kept up with them all winter. Yellow finches are starting to really brighten up. Saw a pair of Eastern Bluebirds last week. We put up a new bluebird house but have not seen any bluebirds since. I sure hope they come back. First sighting of a red wing blackbird today, so they have returned. Listen in the early morning; the birds are starting to really sing.

Winter was hard here in southern Indiana. Mostly dark, dreary days since it seemed like we had snow/drizzle every other day. I knew it had to be a hard one, as I have never seen such a dark and heavy coat on the local deer. However, it does appear to be an early spring and we have already seen a couple of days in the 70s with more anticipated this week. Of course, that means storms too, but they are welcomed to help spring clean Mother Earth.

Garden plans are coming along. I hope to put in a really good vegetable garden this year. We are going to house it in one of our small paddocks that has a high woven wire fence. This should help keep the 4 leggeds out of it and maybe this year we will get some produce. If all else fails, I hope to make frequent stops at our local farmer markets.

Husband has been busy building me some cold frames so we can get a jump on the growing season. This should be interesting adventure as we don't always agree on what is best!!(In the past I have left the vegetables to him and I planted flowers.) I am slowly getting him to understand the importance of organic farming. So our plan to clean out the paddock is to burn off the weeds...keep your fingers crossed on that!!


Got a new camera for Christmas..so I am anxious to start posting some spring pictures. I have not had a lot of time to work with it..but hope to gear up here soon. My daughter is coming home this week and will be able to help me re-learn everything.

My parents have adjusted well to the move from Ohio and it has been so good to have them here in bad weather, where we can take care of them. Only thing left is to clean out the house in Ohio and sell. That will take up some time this spring/summer I am sure.

Stress - we all have it. It has been a challenge to find ways to deal with winter, assisting my elderly parents, returning to work, farm and house chores and being a daughter, wife and mother. I found that I had to return and rebuild my practice of yoga and meditation. I really started to feel the stress buildup over January and February (mostly due to the fact I suffer from a mild case of SAD)

I have practiced yoga (Hatha) on and off all my life. When I was in junior high my mother and I started to watch yoga on PBS after I would come home from school. This winter it was time to begin again. Due to the cost of gas, a class fee and the time of travel to the best yoga studio in this area, I created my own practice at home. Even Wii has a yoga program...but somehow that modern technology is not a good 'fit' for my idea of a yoga practice.

A simple 30 minute program of basic yoga postures and relaxing in the corpse pose have helped a whole....whole lot.

Incense is also a great relaxer during a yoga practice or for just relaxing after a hard day! [I used a lot of Sandalwood in the past but have switched as Sandalwood has been over harvested and is in danger.) I like to burn Pinon. This scent reminds me of the Southwest and of my trip to Santa Fe with my daughter last May. We burned Pinon in our kiva fireplace every night at bedtime. So when I light some for my practice....I am taken back to our wonderful, relaxing and stress free spa trip to New Mexico.

Remember a scent can reach your brain and affect your mood in less than 20 seconds! Here's to an early and stress free spring for everyone! Breathe deep!


along the rain swollen Turkey Run Creek...

Shorter Days and Indian Summer

Clocks were set back an hour this weekend and I am already feeling the 'lack' of sunshine in the shorter days! I think it must be mental, because today was beautiful and clear with lots of sun! We have had a hard freeze and several frosts, but the temps this week will be in the 70s. This means Indian Summer! What a great week to have our roof replaced! I'm just hoping that the roofers come through and get it finished this week. The main roofer's name is Geronimo. (Strikes me funny for a guy who works up high on roofs.)


Cleaning up the garden annuals and working up the dirt. Horses have been doing their part for the garden by creating manure for the compost, so now it's just a matter of putting it all together. Been tying to really water in my lavender and other herbs. Southern Indiana is still considered to be in an 'extreme' drought. (Farmer's Alamanc is not very encouraging! Predicts winter and summer will be dryer than normal...not good!) Be sure to really water in your perennials for the winter, especially if you are suffering from the drought like Southern Indiana.


Pansies are doing well this fall.(Looking delightful in the late afternoon sun!) However they do take a lot of watering. Hopefully they will stay lively till it is time for Christmas decorating.


My daughter is coming home in 2 weeks for a long visit! (YAY!) So now I need to begin to really think about the holidays and decorating. I stopped by a Christmas open house this past weekend, just didnt seem right...too early! One of the things missing (Open houses do provide sight and sound of the holidays) that I feel really helps with 'getting into the Christmas mood' is the use of aromatherapy. Balsam, pine, fir and cinnamom can really evoke memories of holidays past.(Especially if you mix these scents with a warm kitchen full of gingerbread cookies!) Try some essential oils this season. I think you will be pleasantly surprised at the natural scent and its effectiveness.

Along Turkey Run creek or I should say...what was Turkey Run Creek...

November Days or Christmas Countdown

A quick report on October's weather. October was 4.6 degrees above average and almost 2 inches below precipatation. Calling for flurries tomorrow morning; I'm not betting on it!
Hard to believe it is just 50 days till Christmas and 17 days till my daughter comes home for a visit!!




Busy still putting the garden to sleep for the winter. I miss the flowers already, but planning for next year has begun. What I really miss, is my early morning tea in the garden. With the changing of the months, I am barely ready to have tea by that time in the morning. (My usual time in summer was 9:30am!) This was a boost to finish gardening by noon. Now, I am barely ready to do anything by 9:30am...so I have decided to move tea time back at least till 11:00am. Nice mid morning break and the time of day I call to check on my parents. If it is warm enough, I am on the back porch! (Nothing wrong with taking tea in a heavy sweater for me and a cozy for the pot!)

November begins the yearly "Christmas Open Houses"...enjoy!

The frost is on the pumpkin

Yesterday we had a good frost but today it is a hard freeze. As I looked out over the pasture in first light, a lone deer was slowly making her way home across the frozen grass. Whenever I see a single deer, I always think of my daughter.

Heading to an 18th century fair at historic Locust Grove this morning! I wish I could wear my dress, but it is more of a summer dress and besides, I need my daughter to lace me up in the stays! I need to work on getting some warmer long skirts! I am hoping I will find something for Christmas!

Cleaned up the garden some yesterday in the late afternoon sunshine. I love late afternoons in the fall! The sun plays so differently with the shadows! Removed the old marigolds and other annuals and mulched the lavender beds. I still have a lot to do! My forget-me-nots were still ok..but I imagine when I go out this morning...they will be wrapped in a frosty death.

Busy day today...bringing my parents to my farm for big Ohio State Football game. You can't grow up in Ohio and not be a Buckeye fan. Gives me pleasure to share this again with my Mom and Dad.

from along Turkey Run Creek...where the deer are searching for some acorns......

Odds and Ends...for October

I had fun carving my first pumpkin in years! I don't know why I haven't done one recently; (probably because no one comes trick or treating all the way up to the farmhouse) but I found a kit that we used when my daughter was little, so I decided to make a "Pumpkin Moonshine" as Tasha Tudor called them. Now mine, is not really a Pumpkin Moonshine, as that name reflects the man-in-the-moon face. Ours was a flying witch...! What fun...it took 4 lights to get enough to show up in the picture...but it was entertaining even for my husband!..I hope to do another one this weekend.

Speaking of my daughter, I found our two cats (Gold Nugget and Gussie) getting quite cozy on her chair! They fight mostly when my husband and I are around. As I was heading to bed...they both settled down for a long nap...at least till I took their picture! (I think they were upset that I caught them in a compromising position!!!)




I found this visitor to the farm the other morning! It has been a long time since I have seen a 'stick' bug or as my parents generation called them, "Walking Sticks". These bugs can actually re-grow a leg if it is lost or damaged! And...some varieties can reproduce without a male! This one made it all the way into our kitchen...but was safely escorted outside.



The farm survived the lowest pressure 'perfect' storm (according to all meteorologists) this past week. Lots of limbs and twigs down and some minor damage to the house. We got over an inch of rain...much appreciated, but we need so much more. Our pond is down by at least 4 or 5 feet. It is the dark of the moon, so time to go plant more bulbs. Also had our hardest freeze this morning, so it is time to clean up the annuals and cut back, put the garden to bed. Don't forget to add some color to your garden by adding some pansies.

As the English say "No flowers, no leaves, no bees, no birds - No vember"

Home in Indiana and a farm update!

Hard to believe after all this time, but my parents ( 90 and 87 - born and raised in Ohio) moved last week to Southern Indiana...not 10 minutes from my farm! I am so excited to have them close and so relieved. Talk about stress reduction - I have slept like a baby for the past week.

The move was a very stressful time, but we made it! Their car was so full of their clothes and kitchen pantry items, I had to leave my luggage in Ohio! I figured it was mostly summer clothes...but once I got home, I realized my best pants and skirt were left behind too! Oh well, a trip to Ohio is planned soon, to retrieve more items...this time I will make room for my luggage! We are all adjusting well! I feel like a major weight has been lifted off my shoulders...I'm free to think about my farm again, flowers for the new gardens planned for 2011, lunch with friends and prepare for my daugther's visit in 4 weeks! YAY!

Farm update - I rode my first baby born on the farm on Tuesday! Skye was born 5 years ago to my mare, Cowgirl and Woody, my reining studly dudly! Skye was born mid morning...so of course I missed his birth, but my husband was there...beautiful baby boy, but he is now called "Special Ed" by my daughter due to all his problems! (quick list: blood transfusion at 2 days, knocked out front tooth at 3 months, punctured hoof which required 5 month stall rest, ripped off eye lid, etc...you get the picture!) Anyway..I promised myself that after the move, I would ride him, as I have had a trainer working with him since August! Well, I got on...but I don't think I would call what I did as riding! I felt like a bag of potatoes in the saddle! I need to work on that again...geesz.

First killing frost yesterday...lost just a few things..mostly my husband's favorite sweet potato vine. We are still in a drought and expecting rain this weekend. I need to work on my meadow...lousy year for flowers. I am going back to purchase some fall seeds from American Meadows to see if I can get a start on things for the spring. It just makes sense, flowers drop their seeds in the fall and let nature take its course.

Plans for summer of 2011 are a new flower (cutting) garden by the deck and hopefully a fish pond near the deck. We will see if I can get it all together by summer. I am also planning a new addition to the house. With my parents in town, there is just no room in the living room for the entire family!


One final word for today Lavender Essential Oil!!! I was making some fudge for my father and I burned my two fingers. (stupid on my part...touched the burner on the stove!) I've had a smooth top stove for over 20 years...first time I ever burned myself. Anyway, I soaked my fingers in lavender oil during the rest of the cooking time for the fudge. I also soaked a bandaid in the oil put it on my finger and went to bed. While, I 'killed' some skin from the burn, the pain is gone and there is no blister. Finger works great...except I'm having a little trouble using my laptop's mouse pad.

Hunter's moon is full and bright! Enjoy!

Coming soon - Long Apron Society!

from along Turkey Run Creek...where the vultures have moved on to better hunting grounds and the creek is dry and no turkeys in sight.

Vultures and clotheslines

Autumn is here...kinda caught me 'napping'! I've been on the road between Indiana and Ohio so much lately...that I missed all the signals. One of the new things that has happened at the farm while I was gone, is that the vultures have decided to use my roof as their private tarmac to warm up and dry their wings before their morning hunt. Not exactly something I am real happy about! Their feet make a horrible screeching noise as they try land, hang on or takeoff from our metal roof. Just a little unnerving early in the morning. Yesterday there were 15 perched on the roofline.

I love clotheslines! (I know, I know...dryers are so much more convenient and my mother tells horror stories of drying cloth diapers on a clothesline in the winter and stacking them like boards to bring them in!) But there is just something about the clean crisp feel of clothes dried on a line in the sun. There's a lot to be said about the wonderful smell of 'sunshine' on your clothes. Talk about your aromatherapy! The smell of sunshine lingers for days in your clean clothes. I have forgotten much about using a clothesline. The art of which way to hang your clothes, using clothespins effectively, keeping the lines clean and your clothes off the grass, etc. And in our planned obsolescence society...you really can't find good clothespins that last more than one season. And to add insult to injury...some neighborhoods will not allow residents to have a clothesline. How sad...that you can not use wind and solar power to dry your own clothes. One reason I love living in the country.


from along Turkey Run Creek...where the turkeys are few and far between, vultures plentiful...and the creek is dry!