Sunsaver, Livining Off-Grid In Suburbia- Happy Taconight America!

[sunsaver]

I finished cleaning up the garden! Everything has been weeded, aerated, fertilized with chicken poo, and mulched. The forks and shovels, rakes and hoes have all been cleaned, oiled, and put away for the winter. All trash, junk, and scrap metal has been hauled off and the walkways are clear of sticks and pinecones. My organic forest garden is neat and tidy, like a japonese garden. The grapes have been pruned. The dead stalks of asparagus have been cut back and removed. And the lettuce, broccoli, collards, and turnips are spashing fountains of green against the rust colored pine straw mulch. My garden of eden looks like a photo from a gardening magazine, a private paradise, timeless and tranquil.
It was warm today, and i took a half hour to just lie back on the straw and let the sun caress my face. It was a taste of spring in the middle of winter, and i wanted to make the most of it. But now the winter garden work is done. It's time to hunker down and wait out the next couple of months. The Spring will arrive early here, as it always does, getting warm and wet by the middle of March. I have many organic gardening and alternative energy projects planned. But for now, i must practice the art of patience. A good snow day is order. I love to clean house when the ground outside is blanketed in white. Too many more days like today and i'll be wasting time, sitting in the sun, watching the cloude roll by, doing absolutely nothing self sufficient.

 

[Denim Deb]

Some days, you need to sit back and do nothing. It can be very therapeutic. Between being sick last week and then having pink eye this week, I haven't really gotten much done. And, I got even less done this week because my eyes hurt so much. I couldn't really read. I couldn't do anything that involved bending over. I couldn't do much of anything, so I slept. And, I was more wore out than I realized. I cannot believe the amount of sleeping I did this week, and I'm just starting to really realize how tired I was. I still have a bunch to get done B4 the 20th, but I feel better prepared to do it now. And I KNOW I'll get a lot of down time then.

 

[sunsaver]

Sleep is when the body heals itself. Growth hormones and repairs are produced while you sleep. Hope you get to feeling better soon, DD. Pinkeye can be really miserable.

 

[Denim Deb]

Tell me about it! I hope I never get it again.

 

[dragonlaurel]

Wanna trade gardens? Your's sounds wonderful.

 

[moxies_chickennuggets]

Deb- I am glad to hear your eyes are getting better. Irritated eyes bug the crap out of me. Seems like mine are more sensitive now. Doesn't take much to piss 'em off.


sunsaver-you sound like you are on the road to better health!! You have accomplished alot on the little farm. Alot of good fresh air exercise too.

 

[Marianne]

 

[sunsaver]

Wanna trade gardens? Your's sounds wonderful.

Sorry, DL. I wouldn't trade my little garden of eden for anything. Ive put in too much work and set down too many roots to move now.

Well i thought i was done for the winter, but like an addiction, i found that i just had to do something in the garden today. It was too warm and pretty to do nothing. As i sat under the ancient pinetree, gazing up past the enormous girth of it's trunk and through the upper branches, i was shocked at how deep and dark blue the sky was. It seemed almost navy blue, brand new bluejean blue. 'I don't remember the sky ever being so blue!' I thought. It was always light blue, or a powdery white-blue. For a split second i thought there must be something wrong with the atmosphere, something to do with global warming or the depleted ozone layer. "Hair spray turns sky dark blue: details at eleven!" But then i relaxed. I decided to forget about trying to understand it. I don't have to understand all thing at all times. Sometimes it's nice to just enjoy the mystery of nature. Freakish as it can be, it can also be amazingly beautiful. For several minutes i stared off into the dark blue of outer space, hoping to see a ufo go flashing by or an angel decending from heaven. There wasn't a cloud in sight, nor any sign of movement. Suddenly i heard a screaching call from the sky. Sure enough, there was a lone hawk circling above, riding an updraft of warm air in lazy circles, higher and higher. 'What a nice day!' I thought. And right then, i started making a list of outdoor activities.

 

[Marianne]

That sounds so wonderful!

 

[moxies_chickennuggets]

sunsaver-I discovered many years ago......you can almost guess a location in a picture....on planet earth...by the hues and sharpness of the blue sky...or clouds. Or the time of year. I love looking at the sky...well, weather is fun anyway I look at it. As...the blue sky down on the Gulf Coast...is hazy due to the ocean. But go in country a few miles.....and it changes of course.