Day 359

The year 2010 is coming to an end. No bells or whistles just time, a concept far greater than our thoughts comprehend. Dates, years, hours, goals, dreams and achievements are all measurements of time. The beginning of the year usually starts out the same, an art exhibit in January and February followed by a lecture series in March during Women's awareness month. April and May my mother and I sift through pages of seed journals looking for exotics to WOW our farmers market customers in the summer. 26 weekends of baking pound cakes, and cleverly displaying vegetables for faithful customers and sometimes unappreciative lookie loos continues through the annual fall festival in October. Cold weather staggers in like the drunk uncle, everyone hopes, forgets the reunion date, but always arrives, right on time. Cutting wood, raking and burning leaves along with the last lawn cut of the season have become tradition. I've decided that Fall is my favorite space in time with smears of yellow and crimson just below the skyline. Woodpeckers, Blue jays, and our fish thief the Heron hang around foraging through the stuff I've raked up or left behind. November is always a blink, turkeys appear and disappear like eggnog, bringing us to December. Was the year mundane? Hardly! My oldest daughter graduated High School, enrolled in College, landed an office Managers position, got her drivers license and went on a 3 hour trail ride with her 4 year old gelding. My middle daughter turned 16, cut twelve inches of her hair, read 20 books(all romance)enjoyed technical theater, learned to speak Spanish, traveled to Tennessee to the Celebrations Tennessee Walking Extravaganza and faced her fear of honors chemistry and won! My Baby girl grew 3 inches over night, maintained her 98 average in all subjects, turned 14, and still looks forward to competing with 4-H judging teams. My mother announced that if we don't convert the garden to raised beds she's "not Gonna dig another hole!" She's finally learning to be a lady of leisure and enjoying her retirement. Reading Robert Ludlum dictionaries, rug hooking with the Crescent Lane hookers, knitting again after a 30 yr hiatus, naps in the middle of the day, with a little facebook on the side. My year has been filled with a lil art promotion, a lil book promoting, and a whole lot of school. Yes I made the decision to return to school after a "living life" break. I've discovered that after 27 years, my zest for learning has not wavered. I am my harshest critic, and continuously challenge my personal best to be better. Like my mom, I too am a rug hooker, book reader, mommy and daughter, whose every waking minute is filled with something, laughter, anger, disappointment, expectation, mediocre teachers, great educators, memorable lyrics, and trashy radio moments. Severing my 14 year relationship with DISH network and pulling the plug on television in general is not earth shattering news but it has allowed more time for quality conversation amongst 5 giggling girls. That's my year thus far, I definitely plan to keep you all abreast of any new developments.
Until next TIME

Tying Knots

I live in a place where people are of few words, not because they're conversationally challenged but because they're not eager to waste words. Meet-ups at the town post office draw men in overalls with plaid shirts, dusty boots, and cow tales about a time when there were no people, imagine that. I've discovered that one liners have a respected place in Americana and for those who don't get it, they are truly missing out on generations of storytelling. So after logging several hundred hours of gathered information, I've taken bits and pieces to form my own ideas about overalls, dust, cows & planting. There may be an exact science to planting, the local University receives millions of dollars to prove it, but around my neighborhood the education is free if you just listen. Trellising beans is the subject for this blog, in one liner jargon the question is, how'd you tie your beans? I've mentioned previously that our produce business focuses on Naturally Grown vegetables, no pesticides, heirloom seeds, composting and well water, so why not use a natural trellis method. Many experts use wire fencing because the beans get heavy and there is a sense of permanency, but I've discovered that beans have feelings and they prefer natural, organic support to lean on when possible. With the help of our neighbors and my mom we now have a trellis supported with T-post and Jute for our climbers. Its taken some time to hand string a fence but I'm looking forward to the result. The quality time with our friends and my mom are priceless and the rest is Gravy.

I'm no Town Crier

I've recently joined a new facebook group called "I live in Georgia where all four seasons happen within the week." That's an understatement. At the beginning of the week, my neighbor was teaching us how to split our own firewood, toughening up our hands, making us feel self reliant, and dependent on the land. As I walked across the yard while waving my hand, here and there I casually mentioned how I'd like "someone" to Kill all the Privet in Georgia until it's dead beyond recognition. Kill all the Kudzu and wild onions too its useless! He assured me that we had another few weeks before the weather broke and the plants I mentioned, wouldn't begin to thrive until the middle of April. As I strolled up and down the aisles of Lowes I watched people load their carts with dainty little annuals, pricing shrubbery, potting soil and seeds. I thought to myself "they're gonna get hit with that April Frost" I'm gonna wait. Now my garden has been plowed for two weeks ready to go and my dearest neighbor and Spiritual brother gave us several Onion and Garlic plants that he's grown through the winter in his greenhouse. Established, strong and tall they've stood alone for the past two weeks enduring some cold temps. Upon waking this morning I heard the distinct sound of a wasp over head and why did I hear it so clearly,because the air was heavy and still. I immediately made plans to take advantage of the spring day. I surveyed the front yard scanning the flower bed for weeds, then I looked through the kitchen window at the garden plot with 5 perfectly straight rows of Onion and Garlic. It appeared from the window, that there were some grass shoots coming up, which is to be expected, but as I went outside to get a closer view I gasped in disbelief, apostates in MY garden, attempting to invade the territory.Looking just like my precious green house babies, but out of line. I'm no town crier so before I sounded the alarm I did some research on wild onions and garlic. Some people love them, cook with them, boil, blanch and eat raw. Others dislike the scent,and or taste and advise not to eat them because of the toxicity to dogs, horses and children. Well I'm a horse owner,I have 3 children and I'm human, that's enough for me. I probably won't win the battle but I'm sure gonna try!