There is too much in this world right now that is ugly, uncivilized, hate-filled and just plain sad. I get tired of the non-stop onslaught of it all. And when it gets to be far too heavy of a load, I sit in my garden and savor the life that I have been given to live.
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| Stole Dad's chair |
This morning, it's cool and breezy. I'm enjoying the peace and quiet that we were robbed of yesterday. Listening to the birds chirping, watching the swooping around jockeying for the best spot on the feeders. My sweet pups are out here laying around my feet on their travel mats, they are definitely creatures of comfort and prefer to not have to lie on the wood. Its down right tranquil.
This weekend was a blessing. Hubs did some barbecuing, most of our meals were harvested fresh from the garden. We enjoyed most of it out on the back deck under the umbrella. Saturday night we sat out here for literally hours talking, laughing, listening to a mix of beautiful jazz and 90's country while drinking amazing wines that we have collected in our travels. Talking about life, hopes, dreams. Our kiddo's and our plans for this incredible journey we are on.
I did a few chores, a bit of canning (didn't want all that beautiful produce to go bad), finished one of the quilts and simply existed.
Yesterday I thought about getting back into the groove of things. I kind of did. But to be honest, the incredibly rude landscaping crew that decided to start sawing concrete blocks at 7:30 in the morning coating my deck, air conditioner, Hubs truck, my garden and my coffee not to mention the incredible amount of noise pollution literally ALL day... pretty much shot that in the foot. My zen was definitely destroyed.
I'm all about folks doing the things and making their area nice and to their liking. It needs to be wrapped in a blanket of courtesy. Respect for those around you. When one of the couples a few houses down worked on their space they even put letters in everyone's mailboxes apologizing for the disruption, giving warning of what was coming and did everything to prep everyone. So first thing on a Monday morning filling my coffee with cement dust was simply not how I intended to start the day.
So far this whole experience has been less than pleasant. Without a conversation or any warning what's so ever a large branch was cut off my holly tree - I guess it was in the way of the equipment. The grass that we worked so hard to finally grow in the space between homes, at considerable expense of time and money is destroyed and Hubs had to wash cement grim off his truck and the air conditioning unit as it was solidly covered this morning. I'm glad he noticed when he turned on the water for me this morning. Slowed him down getting busy on his day, but an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
Again, is it so hard to simply give a warning?
Seems there is a lot of that going on lately. In every walk of life. I think that is why I felt strongly about shutting down. I am fairly certain that a lot of my friends thought I was joking with the meme I shared concerning being alone. I wasn't.
Being alone, or being in your small tribe of people is an amazing feeling. It heals my soul, when the world gets far too heavy and lately that is often.
I am going to have a very difficult time getting up from this deck and heading inside to do my chores, it's absolutely beautiful out here this morning. It's as cool as a spring day, the sunshine is dancing between the leaves as the wind blows them gently around.
Although the babies and I just got the stuffing scared out of us by a bird disagreement at the feeders which led to us getting dive bombed by a blue-jay. It missed my head by inches, let me tell you when the buzz past that fast it's loud and unsettling. Both babies tried to jump in my lap they were so frightened. Yes they are still babies and they are big scaredy cats.
Okay, well... the kids in the neighborhood are awake and ready to play outside, so it will definitely make it easier to go in and do my chores. The laughter filling the air is sweet and all, but definitely not conducive to concentration and I'm not good enough at blocking things out. Guess it's the good Lord's way of reminding me that I have things to do and need to get on it.
Yesterday I harvested a large batch of pickling cukes, before the pups ate anymore of them, I tried yet another way of making pickles. So far this is my fourth batch, I did not like the first ones at all! I haven't gotten to try the other three yet as I am fermenting them. I want crunchy pickles, I do not like mushy ones at all. I will succeed eventually. I will have that same flavor and crunch that my dear friends mom's did all those years ago. I am on a mission. Might need to plant more pickles next year to achieve it, but I will succeed.
Today, I am going to make up a few batches of corn cob jelly. It is amazing, strange but true. I want to try a couple of batches that are completely sugar free.
I also need to harvest all of the jalapeno's, these little plants put out so many it's unreal. I want to try to save a few of the seeds and hopefully grown them again next year. We'll see how it goes, I do not know if they are gmo seeds or not.
A lot of the gmo seeds cannot be saved. I found that out this year with my marigolds that I seed harvested a couple of years ago. I've never not had marigolds grow like crazy from saved seeds in my life. I was talking to my friend this weekend and she was sharing how the flowers she bought and planted were tiny and never really filled out (same experience I've been having which is why I didn't get any this year), but the ones that she grew from seed are huge and beautiful. I need to remember to ask her to save me some seeds.
I'm actually working on saving seeds from all of my plants that I am getting great harvests from and also the ones that I getting from the Amish market. I have several different colored peppers that we have loved this year drying now. One can never save too many seeds.
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| Okra flowers |
As I was sitting here this morning I noticed a few of my okra plants are starting to get flowers! I love okra for several reasons, it's wonderful seasoned up and popped in the air fryer and the flowers are so incredibly beautiful. I have them growing with my peppers. It's insane the difference in pepper plants that are surrounded by okra, they are filled with beautiful peppers, the ones that are either by themselves or with basil are not producing as well. I'm so glad that I learned to companion plant. What a difference it makes.
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| Blue Borage Flower |
Well, the critters in the trees are chirping away - sounds like it is a large mass of insects throughout the woods carrying on a conversation with each other, the sound swells in one location and as it fades another group starts further into the woods. It's so beautiful. Eighteen months ago, I missed all of this. I wasn't able to be one with nature to this degree, I was also in a very dark place mentally and emotionally. Now, I have moments that wear me down, but a few hours (or days) out here in paradise and my world is upright and ready to go again.
I highly recommend spending some time enjoying nature, letting it soothe your soul and fill your heart.... It's time for me to get with it...
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| I see you... welcome to the garden |
love and peace...
Good one! 381+
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