It's not easy being green...and pixies in the garden

Just like Kermit the frog sings, try as I might, being green these days is not always easy. I have come along way baby in trying to help take care of Mother Earth. My latest adventure (after reading a list of easy 'green' things to do on Huffington Post) is to order stainless steel (or glass) straws. According to the experts, plastic straws are a major contributor to our landfills and waste. So like a good tenant of Mother Earth and a landfill neighbor, I ordered this handy dandy stainless steel straws complete with a mini cleaner brush. I opted for the stainless steel as I figured it would be a whole lot safer in my purse! You can find these straws on line...for a nominal fee. I think I paid 10 bucks for a package of 4. I am going to give a way 2 of them to friends...

Speaking of good tenants, I have two new (old) pixes in my garden!! I am so lucky to have them come live with me! They have watched over my parents house for over 40 years!

Now they are adjusting to their new home on the farm. At least this excessive heat wave doesn't seem to bother them!

I have always loved these guys, but have never in all these years found 2 that are this cute and durable. I think I need to name them....as I am sure my mother didn't bother.

Any suggestions?

Eager Beaver

This past spring, the farm's back pasture flooded on numerous occasions due to spring rains. For a stretch of 4 or 5 days, we had constant rain. Apparantly this beaver got a little confused as to which way was home. I could have given him directions to head down stream to the Muddy Fork Creek...if he had only asked! (Must have been a male...didn't ask for directions!) This was the first time we had ever seen a beaver in our pond. He swam around for a couple of hours and after a nice swim and a quick snack ....he moved on to Muddy Fork. No worries mate!

We have had the pleasure of seeing several different species of fauna over the years. Several years ago, we spotted a river otter, making his (lost again!) way across our pasture. Besides the normal animals we have such as deer, skunks, rabbits and coyotes, I also saw my first red fox this past May. I wasn't fast enough to catch the fox on camera...and have not seen the vixen since!

A lament....or I was born a century (or 2) too late

While cleaning out my parents (66 years of marriage) home, I came across a letter written in 1931 to my grandfather. It seems that my great-grandfather left Shelby County, Ohio to move in with his son, John, who lived in Miami County. My grandfather apparently was concerned that his father may owe money and had asked the County Recorder to make sure that all debts had been paid. The letter written in response is pictured here.

This letter is an excellent example of late 19th century penmanship. (I'm guessing that is why it was saved and in a box of pictures?) It is also contains a bird flourish. From what I can gather this type of penmanship and flourishing was popular the last half of the 19th century and continued a little into the 20th century.

It has been reported in the news this past week, that schools will no longer be teaching cursive writing. It has been replaced by keyboarding.



back home in Indiana...watching the steam rise from farm pond

I wasn't blogging...but I was busy...

Another hot day here in the Ohio valley...I am amazed at the fact it has now been 3 blogs in 3 days. This after being quiet all winter. I may not have been blogging, but I was busy! Pictured here is my new zen/yoga/meditation room. I took a small TV den, which was used daily when my daughter lived at home, and turned it into my quiet space and yoga room.The room is a 'walk' through room to get to the bedrooms, so it was never really used, except if my daughter had company. We called it the "Barn" room due to the ugly dark blackish/brown cheap paneling that was on the walls. The previous owners were so cheap with this room, that they built the wall you see here...right on top of the existing carpet!

I knew I could not removed the cheap paneling...so I had it painted a soft green with antique white accents. I then decorated the room with bamboo poles that I painted white and placed in large red planters filled with sand. I purchased the bamboo at a local "Hobby Lobby" and then sprayed painted them. Next, I purchased the silk bamboo planter from a craft store and cut some of the silk bamboo to place in with the white poles. The planters really soften the room and let a lot of light come in from the east window. The room has 2 other windows, south facing and west facing so that all times of the day it is full of natural light.
I added a floor water fountain for added measure. I treasure this room. It is very unusual for anyone to have a spare room to set aside entirely for a yoga and meditation practice. I am very very lucky.

along Turkey Run creek...watering the flowers and garden several times a day in this excessive heat~

Hankies

I sometimes wonder why the "hanky" or "hankie" was replaced by paper tissue? I am sure it has a lot to do with sanitation, but in this day when we all try to live 'green' I think one thing we can do is return to using the hanky!
My best friend, Janice, gave me this antique box with hankies for my birthday! I had the most fun, washing them and even ironing them! (I know...ironing??...but it brought back some childhood memories, as my mother first taught me to iron by allowing me to practice on the family's hankies.)
The box was full of fun shapes and colors and I especially loved the one that was on top of the pile...just for my birthday!
Recently while cleaning out my parent's home I came across a large box of my mother's hankies. I even found one that while the material fairly 'stout', it was covered in 'french knots' embroidery. Not sure if it was ever meant for 'use'...but it is pretty.

One of my favorite things to do is to make sure I change my hankie with the seasons. For now there are all sizes, colors and shapes of hankies in full bloom.

from along Turkey Run Creek...on a VERY hot day

Summer musings

Again, it has been a long time between blogs!!! Spring has flown by and my time has been divided between the farm and caring for and cleaning out my parents home in Ohio. Seems I am making as many trips up and down the highway as I did last summer when they still lived in the house! Soon it will be ready for the "For Sale" sign and I am sure I will lament not ever making another trip to the family home....but so it goes....

It is full summer and the garden is doing well....as are the weeds! We have had plenty of rain very nicely spaced so things are really blooming and shining their faces to the sun.

I made an attempt at caring for 2 goldfish...not such a good idea! (at least for the now dear departed fishes...) Cleaned out an old whiskey barrel...for 2 months...changing the water and making sure it held a good water level. In late May I added to 'charmers', Jack Daniels and Capt. Morgan ...who enjoyed their new abode for a short while. Jack held on a lot longer than the Captain! (This reminds me of all the goldfish I have had in my youth!) Anyway....to make a long story short...I now have a plastic liner for the barrel...and I hope my next two will flourish in their new updated home without the influence of whiskey!

Take some time this summer to enjoy this season.....as the next one is coming on fast!

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...