Winter’s Retreat

la salle county, illinois

greetings!

i thought i would post one more of my snow pics. what a difference a few days makes! the snow is gone and i’ve been busy happily spreading beautiful horse manure on the garden. this is a busy and exciting time for gardeners. i enjoy preparing the garden in the spring. last fall i read  the gardening memoir grow the good life by michelle owens. i truly enjoyed it and was definitely inspired by her gardening experiences. i’m always so interested in learning from those who have boldly gone feet first into gardening and are not afraid to admit all of the crazy mistakes they’ve made so that the rest of  us may learn. thank you michelle!

A late winter poem courtesy of  www.poertyfoundation.org

Hunger Moon

BY JANE COOPER

The last full moon of February

stalks the fields; barbed wire casts a shadow.

Rising slowly, a beam moved toward the west

stealthily changing position

until now, in the small hours, across the snow

it advances on my pillow

to wake me, not rudely like the sun

but with the cocked gun of silence.

I am alone in a vast room

where a vain woman once slept.

The moon, in pale buckskins, crouches

on guard beside her bed.

Slowly the light wanes, the snow will melt

and all the fences thrum in the spring breeze

but not until that sleeper, trapped

in my body, turns and turns.

peace,

julayne

Less is More

winter light, christmas day 2011

happy wednesday!

so far we have received no snow this winter in north central illinois. in fact the last couple of days have been spring-like!  spending time outdoors yesterday, i remember thinking ‘this is how i feel in the spring’ you know what i mean? spring fever? the last 2 nights, richard and i have taken moonlight hikes. last night, we ventured a little ways into the nature reserve; it was easy to see the path under the moon’s silvery light. thanks mr.moon!

i wonder what it would be like to be able to see at night like a nocturnal creature?

 

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here is a list of items i’ve been living without for a while now:

tv

cell phone

my blog!

i really don’t miss tv, but i tend to get too isolated without some sort of news source. right now my main source of news is public radio and our local newspaper.

i do not miss my cell phone at all. it was too intrusive. not just intrusive for me, i’m sure i’ve been intrusive to others too.

what i have missed is my blog.  also, i lost touch with photography. it’s a new and unusual change for me to me not to want to get out with the camera. i’m hoping to take more photos of people. as for nature, there is a huge opportunity here for some very scenic photos. it will be a big moment for me is when i get my first eagle photo.

 

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living with less plastic:

ok, i know that sometimes a plastic bag comes in handy. instead of buying those horrible zip lock bags packaged in a paper box (recyclable), try reusing plastic bags that other food items have come in. there are produce bags in a variety of different sizes; all the way from 5 or 10 lb. potato bag down to a radish bag. bread bags are great! i’ve managed to collect a nice assortment of bags that can be used multiple times. just wash them out in some soapy water and dry or hang to dry.

look around your kitchen and see what items can be reused or repurposed.

better yet, leave a comment about how you recycle or repurpose or  (best of all) do without.

good luck!

peace,

julayne

 

Radish Harvest

henry county, indiana

hi there,

the radishes are ready! these were quite mild and made  a very nice evening dinner. considering the abundance, we could be eating these for a while :).

please take a few minutes to look up into your night sky and gaze at the full strawberry moon. it’s lovely.

summer evenings are the best.

peace,

julayne

Full Snow Moon

moonrise, henry county, indiana

Wolf Moon

henry county, indiana