Pathways
April 10, 2012
hello!
last week, richard and i went to southern indiana to visit his sister who lives near evansville. along the way we stopped and stayed at the old rooming house in new harmony, indiana. new harmony was a site used first by george rapp and then robert owens as a social ‘utopian’ experiment; an early attempt at an intentional community i guess you could say. it’s a beautiful town and many of the buildings and structures used by the rappites and owenites have been preserved.
during our trip, the temperatures were summer-like (mid 80′s!) and we actually went swimming in the lake at lincoln state park after a hike. the water was a little chilly, but to me it seemed like the first time you go in in early june; a little chilly at first, but after you get in it feels great.
now that we are back home, the weather is more seasonal, with a freeze warning just last night. no worries in the garden as everything we have growing there is cool weather hardy. in fact, our veggies seem to thrive when we have a dip in the temperature. we did cover the grape vine and peony however. one thing that is noticeably absent this spring is rainfall. we have actually watered our gardens several times so far, and i can’t say that i remember ever having to do that this early in the year. richard mentioned that we are 2 inches behind in rainfall, so i’m a bit concerned about what’s in store for the gardens this summer.
so far we have been enjoying fresh greens; i have been harvesting ruby red lettuce that i started early in our cold frame and to that i add emerging lettuce thinnings, early radish thinnings, volunteer kale and cilantro. every now and then i pull a small carrot that has overwintered and add that too. just in the last week our asparagus has popped up. it all adds up to some yummy meals!
happy spring!
peace,
julayne
Spring Garden
March 20, 2012
spring greens garden 2012
happy first day of spring!
richard and i have been hard at work in the spring greens garden. even though the photo might not look like it, there is a lot going on: i have planted a variety of heirloom lettuces, arugala, and spinach. we also have planted radishes, beets, carrots, and oh, i mustn’t forget peas! we have planted sweet peas, which are grown for their flowers. sweet peas are one of my favorite flowers, and i grow them in honor of helen and scott nearing. the other pea is the sugar snap pea which is a favorite of richard’s. along with the pea plants we have built a trellis for them to climb on to. richard did a really nice job on the fence post/ tree limb supports, but i’m not so sure of my twine grid job. after the peas are done we hope to put summer squash and cucumbers that we will trellis too, so i hope my twine job will also hold the weight of the squash and cucumber. keep your fingers crossed for me.
in other garden news:
the garlic is very happy and loving the fertilizer that we applied a month ago.
the newly established compost is heap is coming a long very well. we are turning it to keep it aerated and letting the rain keep it moist. it’s starting to cook ; when we turn it we can feel some heat and also see steam ! this is a good indication that we are on the right track.
i have successfully started lettuce and spinach early in our homemade cold frame (see straw bales and windows at south of garden).
we have started the arduous task of eradicating invasive brush and richard has cleared out a ditch full of it, with the earliest work started in december. this is a very big, long term project and one we will work on as time allows. you have to start somewhere, right?
the turkey vultures have returned and i’m afraid that the eagles have gone. we have 3 species of woodpecker that we enjoy at the feeders. we bought a vinyl record album of bird calls from cornell university, and it’s very enjoyable to listen to.
please note: we are about 1 to 2 weeks earlier on planting this year. this is due to a very mild winter and an extremely warm spring. this past week we have experienced high temps in the upper 70′s lows in the 50′s and 60′s, and have record highs predicted for the next couple of days. we have a weather radio that we keep in the kitchen and listen to in the morning, it’s a great way to know how to plan your workday. we have lots of windows open airing out the stuffy wintriness. also, i fall into fits of sporadic spring cleaning jobs.
never a dull moment.
peace,
julayne
Love & Winter
March 6, 2011
la salle county, illinois
greetings!
i took this photo janurary 1 while wandering around richard’s property.
weather-wise, when this photo was taken, we had just had a warm up; it was a balmy news year eve and several inches of snow had just melted. winter and relationships are similar in that way; they warm up and then cool down. i like to say that mother nature likes to let us know who’s in charge.
what i like about this barn is that even though it’s slowly falling down due to neglect, the frame still looks quite sturdy and it’s possible that with a little tlc the barn could come to life again and have many more years of use.
it’s this that stands out to me even on a cold, bleak winter day; tender loving care can cause positive change, all we have to do is be brave, trust our intuition and believe in the healing powers of love.
stay warm.
peace,
julayne
Happy New Year
January 1, 2011
la salle county, illinois
happy new year!
as i was helping richard with outdoor chores today, i noticed the pink sunset through the slats of the old barn at the back of his property. curious, i walked into the barn and snapped the sunset through one of the knot holes in the barn wood. i thought it was a nice frame for the sunset.
my hope for the new year is a simple yet abundant year full of good health, happiness, peace and love.
what is your wish for the new year?
peace,
julayne
Rain Rain Go Away
May 19, 2010
martin farm, prairie township, henry county, indiana
hello!
i know it’s been ages since i’ve posted, so please accept my apologies.
this photo was taken june 2009 (i think). i’ve posted it before, i’m certain. it was taken at a fun party that some good friends and neighbors invited me to (well, 3 miles to the east, but in a rural area that’s still considered a neighbor). i like the way the tree reflects in the water, it’s so realistic. it makes me wonder; when i see my reflection, do i truly see myself? something to ponder.
so.
if i haven’t been posting on the blog, just what have i been doing?
i’ve been watching it rain. a lot. the garden is mud. i can’t even step foot into it. i’ve been a bit anxious about getting the garden put out, but considering how many years i’ve planted a vegetable garden, i should realize that this is spring and sometimes you just have to wait. i always like to say mother nature likes to let us know who’s in charge.
i’ve also been reading. while my recent choice in books are not books i would highly recommend, they have kept me grounded in my voluntary simplicity/ anti-consumerism approach to life. something i would highly recommend is the norwegian film kitchen stories. charming, funny, and poigant all in one.
as far as local news goes, the abandoned grain elevator right across the road from me is no more. they are hauling off the rubble as i write this; so long, north windbreak! also, only 7 days of school left! weeeeeeeeeeeee! i found out that the dnr has finally admitted that there are wild cats in the area. the local farmers are not amused.
i hope that once school is out and the garden is planted, i’ll be back to posting on a regular basis.
hurry summer, i need you!
peace,
julayne
Earth Day 2010
April 22, 2010
delaware county, indiana
happy earth day!
‘if you want a revolution baby, there is nothing like your own’ ~ private revolution~ world party | 1986
peace,
julayne
Thursday Morning
March 25, 2010
henry county, indiana
greetings.
this is a photo from last winter (09). this approaching storm was very strong and knocked out our power for 16 hours. there i was out in it.
don’t you love the barn roof? it’s practically luminous!
it’s been a quiet week around here with the kids gone. for spring break their dad has taken them with him on a trip to california. ah, to be young again. can you imagine what california must look like to 2 kids from oakville, indiana? my parents liked to travel so i was able to see a lot of the US as a child. then when i was married, i got to travel some more. even as a child, i knew that i could only feel at home in a rural, open setting.
home: a place of personal solitude.
what is your definition of home?
peace,
julayne
Favorite View
February 15, 2010
delaware county, indiana
i have photographed this view many times. i pass by here often as i head out for work, the hill, the library, and various other destinations. for me, it’s one of those idyllic scenes i wrote about in an earlier post. i took this on a foggy morning and i just love how the tree’s branches are highlighted. also, it’s always nice to visit my cow friends, who on this morning, were quite vocal. i think they were complaining to me about the cold and the snow.
i wonder, how many more days until spring?
peace,
julayne
p.s. a few more inches of snow on the prairie. i’m so grateful i have a friend who can plow me out when the snow gets deep.
Early Dismissal
February 5, 2010
oakville, indiana
i remember how fun and exciting it was when i was a kid to have school dismiss early because of a winter storm. even though i’m no longer the student, the feeling is still the same. teachers stop in the hall and discuss in hushed tones their hopes for an early dismissal. during one of those conversations today, i learned how to say ‘it’s snowing’ in french.
this storm may bring quite a bit of accumulation, so i’m glad i was able to stock up on snacks, veggie soup fixins, and books from the library. i’m keeping my fingers crossed that the mail will make it out here to oakville tomorrow for my netflix delivery.
it should be fun to get out and about post storm and see what mother nature has created for my camera to capture.
Blizzard
by William Carlos Williams
peace,
julayne
Pastoral View
February 2, 2010
henry county, indiana
i’m always on the lookout for idyllic scenes like this. whenever i get caught up in a scene, it gives me great pleasure and a simple, peaceful feeling. another favorite scene for me is spotting a red-tailed hawk sitting majestically on his perch surveying the land around him. to enjoy moments like this, i can’t be zooming down the road or talking on the phone or going through my to-do list. i have to be in the present; taking it all in with great observation.
nowness.
peace,
julayne
ps it actually felt warm on the prairie today!
