Wolfdancer Creek

Part Time Cook?

2012-01-22T16:40:00.000-08:00

OH I hope so! A part time job might save my bacon. So far, 2012 is only better because I have Faith. Still short on the mortgage, but all the other bills are caught up.

I got a call back after about an hour after the interview! Even tho they said it would be 2-3 days before they would let me know for the *second round* of interviews! I'm pretty excited! I would be a good fit there IF my dumb leg will let me do the work that's needful. They serve whole foods, and use the local Farmer's Market and their own grown herbs and produce, plus canning! They only cook from scratch, not pre-packaged stuff. I have an appointment this Saturday as "Kitchen Assistant" which is basically cleaning up, prepping, and pulling stuff out of the various ovens to cool and finish. I'm really hoping my leg will allow me to function!

We had about 8" stuck in snow for about a week, pleasant actually, had enough wood pellets to have the heater on, had enough dog food to not have to go anywhere, and found enough stuff to make a nice turkey and rice casserole. Now it is raining, sometimes furiously so, sometimes just a pitter patter.

>^,,^<

WELCOME 2012!

2012-01-13T12:22:00.000-08:00

Here's hoping that 2012 gets better than the past 3 years. Today, I filed for SSDI and SSI. I have an appointment on Feb 7th. SAIF Workman's Comp Insurance has "received evidence that my injury is disabling", yet denied paying my doctor's visit, and is *non-responsive* to my lawyer's requests for information.

It's Friday the 13th, and I am counting on some LUCK to get my life and bills back on track. The wonderfully refreshing job at the Deli ended the day after Thanksgiving, because *sadness* "I couldn't do the job they hired me for" since I have real trouble with stair steps, any thing over 20 pounds lifting, walking, sitting, and of course, the constant intake of narcotics which keep me on my feet.

HOW FRUSTRATING!!!

I still have Faith, however, as long as we can keep the GOP out of office.

>^,,^<

A New Job!

2011-11-05T20:40:00.000-07:00

Well, I got laid off from "my" Garden Center after 7 & a half years. I had 1 hours' notice. I moped about for a couple of weeks, dragging myself around the house trying to unpack some old boxes, and clean up stuff and do stuff that I should have done years ago, but hadn't. Basically, I was heart broken, and trying not to spiral into the blackness of depression.

Well, my good friend Phyllis Brinkley and her nephew Aaron bought the old Currinsville Store and I went and got my alcohol handler's license, and I waited, and prayed that maybe the economy would pick up just enough so they could hire me. Well, YAY! They did ! Not full time, only part time, but if I am very frugal, I should be able to get the bills paid, and keep the animals fed and cared for in the manner of which they have become accustomed.

Since we are moving into the cold season, I must admit that it is nice to not have to trek around all day in boots with 3 pairs of socks, on cold gravel, in a drafty building without heat in sub-freezing temperatures. Working in a Deli, and getting the restaurant bar up and running does not depend on weather. As a matter of fact, unlike gardening, customers generally come into a Restaurant when the weather is poor! This is a GOOD thing!

So I have begun dragging my cookbooks out, and visiting Foodie Blogs. I used to be a manager of an antiquarian bookstore, so when any of the vendors brought in books, I was often able to get first dibs. So I have a pretty good selection of "specialty" cookbooks: Soups, Salads & Starters; Spice Island Cookbook; Regional Recipes from Famous Restaurants of the 60's; Seafood; Cheese; Friends of the Wolf; Around the World Regional Recipes; Native American; Irish; Crock Pot Cookery; 365 recipes each for Pasta/Chicken/Woks; even a sushi/sashimi cookbook! I'm going to go get my food handler's license as well. This is pretty exciting! All four of us who work here are great cooks on their own, I really think we can offer a fun Foodie experience!!

Here's to new experiences!!

>^,,^<

49 Dead in Ohio

2011-10-21T16:49:00.000-07:00

If you are tender souled, avert your eyes. This is a tragic story, and this picture is heartbreaking. On October 20th, 2011 a gentleman in Ohio, and ex-Vietnam helicopter gunner under extreme distress, severely depressed, with no one to turn to (in his eyes) released 50 of his exotic animals and then shot himself in the head. Ohio, pressured by the Dear Friend of Michael Vick, that animal loving football hero, yes you guessed it, Wayne Pacelle the self-admitted Hero of Animals is being pushed to legislate in emergency session a total ban on private ownership of all exotics.

Ohio, Just Don't
49 Dead in Ohio
All I can see is this picture in my mind with clashing music looping over and over. Through the rage, and the tears, I keep seeing the pictures in my mind of the people I know who live in Ohio and other states who own exotic animals. Responsible private owners who will be punitively affected by a ban law, even tho their animals have never escaped, never caused any problems, were not stolen from the wild, are well kept, well loved, healthy members of the Family. Sure, they may be considered an oddball Family, but aren't all of our Families a little different? a little oddball? A little maladjusted? A little dysfunctional? I know mine is, and really... I wouldn't want it any other way ...

These are the things I know for certain:

Terry Thompson was a Vietnam Vet who was still struggling with his experience there.
He lived a relatively solitary life. He and his recently-divorced wife considered the animals as part of the family, as their "furry children."
He got in over his head, and had too many animals, and was having troubles caring for them all appropriately.
He recently was released from prison on a weapons charge, for ownership of unregistered weapons.
He was cited on neglect charges in April of 2005
in January of 2011 Joe A Schreibvogel of GW Exotic Animal Memorial Park offered to help Terry and the County by taking the animals and was refused his assistance by Sheriff Matt Lutz.
Feline Conservation Federation also offered to assist when Mr. Thompson was incarcerated, but was refused by the authorities.
The authorities on the scene were not properly trained in management of frightened large exotics and were self-admittedly "nervous" as reported by on-the-scene reporters.
Most of the animals were still on Mr. Thompson's private property.

49 animals were shot and killed, and at least one monkey was eaten by other predators. People are calling for a ban on all private ownership of exotics. But what people don't seem to realize is this: Just how far do you want to legislate? Will owning a pet lizard be OK? An African Grey parrot? A friend of mine is upset about the fact that big cats are privately owned, stating that "they should never have been taken from the wild", but she owns African Greys, which, according to one source, some 21% of the global population is from the wild. Why is this acceptable but owning big cats is not? So, will exotic birds be a part of this ban? Is it the size of the animal? Without private owners and private breeding facilities, the global population of the Bengal Tiger would be effectively extinct as a result of the small number of Bengals in the wild. Non sustainable populations = extinction. I'm not saying that everybody should have one or three, nor am I saying that this is a problem we, as a society, don't need to address. What I am saying is that if you push for a ban on private ownership, are you thinking about ALL the ramifications? Will snakes be legal to own? If you have a big cat and you've never ever gotten into any trouble, and your "really big kitty" never goes walk-about in the neighborhood sampling Eau de Poodle, and your kitty is healthy and happy and part of your Family, does anybody have the right to rip that animal away from its' loving home as a result of another person's mistakes? And all those legally kept animals whose owners don't have enough money to pony up brand new bells and whistles, and lawyers, what will we do with their animals? Will you put their animals in a cage? Animals who have never known that kind of hand's-off husbandry, who have only known sleeping on couches across Mommy's lap, or laying in bed with Daddy, wouldn't that be cruel? OR will we simply kill them all because there's "no room at the Inn" all across America at the Zoos and Sanctuaries? Most small towns -or states for that matter in today's economy- don't have the resources necessary to enforce new laws with new training of employees and all that is necessary legally to enact these kinds of "emergency ban laws", nor do they have the resources to fight legislative battles in court for these untrained employees and the mistakes they will undoubtably make. In today's economy, can we afford the tax dollars all these new legislative issues will cost?

Repeatedly people have shown the truth of HSUS' real agenda. (This article is a very good one by a member of the AVMA) HSUS is a radical animal rights organization with close ties to terrorist groups like PETA, ALF and ELF. But when it comes to animal welfare laws, it seems as if we just go knee jerk, and forget all we ever learned of critical thinking. We hear good ol' Wayne Pacelle decry the horror ! the tragedy! We need to ban all animal ownership (ooops! sorry, he means EXOTIC animal ownership, ALL animal ownership, that'll come later) to prevent this from ever happening again! But will it? After all, the ban that's being suggested is only against PRIVATE ownership. Zoos and Sanctuaries will be exempted. Even though over 80% of all the incidents of bites occur in Zoos or Sanctuaries. Private owners, as a general rule, know their animals' tolerances, and don't allow them to be pushed. Don't get me wrong, most Zoos and Sanctuaries are well run animal care facilities with passionate people who truly care for the welfare of their charges. Of course, these facilities also aren't the usual recipients of bite incidents.

So I suggest that we all grab tight hold of our common sense and THINK first before any of us-and any of our representatives- run off to pass new laws "to protect the animals". And furthermore, I offer the radical idea of enforcing the laws we currently have on the books regarding animal welfare, and the "laws of the land" such as "roaming at large". Make it across the board. Make it simple. All animals will be given adequate food, water, space to excersize, and size of containment according to their species' needs. Yes, factory farms will set up a hue and cry to this kind of radical simplistic common sense, and yes, this will probably affect the price of some animal food products, like meat and dairy. But isn't this really past due anyway? (Please click here for a very short explanation of "battery hens")

If our Country had had one solid piece of a law regarding animal welfare, this incident would have been taken care of last year and January before it got to this tipping point. What if all the Vietnam Vets had been offered intense help to readjust and re-assimilate into our society rather than ostracized? I wonder if Mr Thompson would have felt so alone if he had some kind of support group when he got home. What was Sheriff Lutz' reasoning to reject the two offers of help from reputable rescue organizations? If he had accepted their help, those animals wouldn't be dead today. Why are we listening to Wayne Pacelle? Tax the heck out of those scoundrels, and get them out of the lobbying business. Those 49 animals didn't have to die. But in the interest of justice, I pray that America doesn't wind up banning all responsible private owners from living their lives in the manner which they please, in the pursuit of life, liberty and happiness all because one man, lost, lonely, sick at heart, made a terrible terrible choice.

>^,,^<

Untitled As Yet?

2011-10-18T09:16:00.000-07:00

I saw this book available through Amazon the other day:
Part Wild The author came to our home and met with my friend Dianne, and spoke with her at length about living with wolfdogs. She met one of my mentors, Sue Cranston, who runs Indigo Mountain Nature Center She met with many other extraordinary wolfdog owners and she met honest-to-God high content "mostly wolf" pet wolfdogs, with owners who have proper containment, who train their pets to behave, and not act like heathens, who interact with them with loving care. This lady met, face to face, the "real deal", but even the Truth sticking right in her face could not dislodge the preconceived notions she has of the "poor lost wolfdog, always caught between two worlds", and "the cruel lot of the wolfdog, forced to live in confinement and always yearning to be free", etc etc ad naseum.

It made me want to scream. It made me want to shake her till her pigtails popped. And after a few days, it made me pick up one of my journals that I hadn't gotten around to writing in yet, and start to write. I mean, I figure if I bend me to it, if I write every day, and fill this book with my experiences since MY first wolfdog way back in 1987 to date, well if a pack of misinformation and preconceived ill-considered thoughts of a woman with a low content, poorly trained and socialized malamute mix would sell, I wonder if the thoughts and experiences of an animal welfare advocate and responsible wolfdog owner and the trials and errors I've lived through with my babies would sell.

My experiences are far different from this woman's. I started out with a wolfdog of the same approximate content as she did, but I actually LISTENED when I was first told that my "pet wolf" was "mostly dog". I listened, and I researched, and I went around the country and met other people's pets, from low content wolfdogs to pure wolves. There are places I still wish to go, (Indigo Mountain, for one!) but I don't do much traveling anymore, except back to my Home town for Christmases to see my Mom and my Tribe... I have my babies to consider.

I've seen a lot of books out about why wolfdogs make lousy pets, but very few about the good side of sharing your life with a wolfdog. Well, maybe it's time that changed.

I started last night. All part of my re-invention scheme!
>^,,^<

Seven and a Half Years #BAD11

2011-10-15T13:56:00.000-07:00

Seven and a Half Years #BAD11 (which is some kind of Tweet-speak about Blog Action Day)

Having just been let go from my Dream Job –oh wait, let me redefine that , of all the jobs I’ve done, all the work I’ve fallen into, everything I’ve been paid to do, the job I have loved the best was working at the Garden Center. It’s been leased now, and the new owners don’t have room for me… “Well, maybe next March or April” which is a soothing salve for my now-downtrodden ego, but doesn’t put chicken in the mouths of the woofers, or litter in the cat boxes, not to mention food on the table for this Winter- I find myself having to redefine myself all over again. (the shade of Yogi Beara sits on my shoulder for that sentence)

One of the things I was most passionate about with this job, and my new life of 7 & a half years in Oregon was food crops and organic methods of gardening. The town I wound up in, (a pin stick in a map from long long ago) is a very small rural town with old farmers and old hippies and young people yearning for a more natural life away from the sick smelly rat race. Or trapped here, there are those who say that too. It’s a slice of Rural America here. And as small as this town is, it has the pulse of “what’s important”. Because the stuff that’s really important gets steamed off into a thicker, more pungent gravy in a small town. A small town has less room to maneuver, less of a bumper, small decreases of economy hit harder in rural small towns. One business that goes under is one BIG domino.

So when the economy started showing signs of shivering and weakly pneumonia, I saw people who hadn’t planted gardens in years or never start coming down to the garden center to ask me about how to plant their gardens.. What to grow? Where to grow it? Why do my tomatoes have spots? Why does my peach tree have red blotches on the leaves? What’s this grey green fuzzy stuff? I didn’t get any onions last year, can you tell me what to do? And I did, I researched, and I read. My library of gardening, and gardening techniques, and organic methods is fairly hefty. Lots of old books with some outdated information, and some lost gems of wisdom.. And I took seminars, and pounced on every event that any supplier put on… Seed trials, soil improvement and elements of healthy soil, pest integration systems, anything everything that had anything to do with gardening naturally. I have learned a great deal about living, about growing, about what works, and why, and why not.

I discovered a lot of things, mostly through that age-old Task Master, “trial and error” . Gardening naturally is harder work –especially in a commercial business- than traditional chemical methods. This past year that has really sunk in, when we realized that white flies had taken root in a BIG way in the third greenhouse- the propagation house. The past ownership wasn’t much into doing anything beyond taking money for plants. CARE of plants, or greenhouse upkeep just wasn’t in their business plan. I sprayed daily, using Neem, pepper wax spray and Pyrythrin alternately, and we cleaned the house of all weeds, sterilized the benches, segregated the plants, and once Winter hit, I was going to drop the sides and bomb the greenhouses with a pyrythrin bug bomb. That didn’t happen, because the place got leased, and the new owners are chemical people. He’s registered as a pesticide sprayer. First day there, all the weeds were given their last rites with Round Up. The last 3 weeks I had purchased some white fly predators, and I gave them the last strip. So the white flies will not be given them any grief, I am sure. What pests escape the predators, the new owners will kill with pesticides.

So why did I make more work for myself? Because I was the one who had to do the spraying, and I do not have a HazMat suit to do this, and I don’t want to have chemicals around me. They are nasty, poisonous, deadly, and the garden center borders a drainage ditch of significance which drains straight into the Clackamas River. The water table is so high there, that you can’t even sink a toilet, you have to have a port-a-potty. All that poison drift, all the pesticides, herbicides, chemical fertilizers, all that goes straight into the river, and I didn’t want that on my conscience. And because we sell FOOD items, plants that make food for people, plants that will be living with us for a while until they find their new owners, and I don’t want to ingest poisons, and I sure don’t want to sell a food plant that’s been soaked or sprayed with poisons to my neighbors, because well, dang it, I sure wouldn’t want to grow a plant that I plan to eat off of that’s been loaded with toxic chemicals…

There’s enough of that around. We have seen way too much of the results of GMOs (genetically modified organisms) as we have grown in this Country. We were given milk from cows who were saturated with bovine growth hormones, and fed grain which included the crushed up bones and meals of companion pets. And we wonder why little girls of 8 are going through menses, and why cows go mad with bovine encephalitis. We try to eat better, and get e-coli from our spinach because AgriBusiness doesn’t have enough port-a-potties in their fields, so their workers use “the bushes”, which leaches into the fields of “garden fresh” vegetables trucked direct to your table. And then the attacks on small organic farms by Monsanto, and the push to use GMOs as a food source for ANY living creature (don’t eat the popcorn at the movies, *dang!* cheap GMO corn) even tho in Europe, the studies have proven time and again to be linked to very bad mojo long term diseases…. Glyphosate Birth Defects ) I’m well past child-bearing years, (long story) but why would I chance ingesting a product which has been proven time after time after time to be poisonous? WHY would anyone trust a company who repeatedly settles out-of-court so they don’t have to state how many times they have been taken to court and LOST?? I’m just afraid now to eat stuff not locally produced by people who use organic methods of farming.

Consumers need to know this: We need to be actively aware of what we choose to purchase at our stores, we NEED to be proactive about our food choices.
Monsanto & Glyphosate Toxicity studies
GMO corn study reveals health damage and cover up
We are being fed a crock of unuseable compost regarding GMOs. Mad Cow disease is a result of using meat & meats meals rendered from all sources (pets, other animal stock, downed farm animals) and fed to HERBIVORES along with bovine growth hormones in order to produce more milk, more meat, bigger better more more more than we can sustainably ask of any farm animal or food source. And why, when there is a ban on feeding ruminants any mammalian byproducts, why hasn’t the USDA actually implemented and enforced the bans, the proposed laws and consumer protection? Instead, we get to have GMO corn pushed on us by the very people who are supposed to be protecting us. Is our USDA bought and paid for? WTH??? and the bee decline has been linked substantially to 1) re-sizing combs bigger to produce more honey -mites get in over the bodies of the bees who aren't big enough to block the re-sized combs- and 2) from wide-spread use of systemic pesticides where the bees gather the pollen off flowers which have been treated with this systemic, and the bees die as well as the bad bugs which feed off the plants.

I can see, actually, why someone who believes in the status quo, who believes that chemical pesticides and herbicides are the way to go, why someone like that would not necessarily be interested in hiring a person like myself. After all, chemical methods of plant care ARE more effective, short term. It’s the LONG TERM where their shortcomings and the dangers come from, and many people in the plant industry are not concerned about the long term. They are concerned with the short term, the plants and products they can sell TODAY, this week, and to hell with the cost over the long term. I can see it, because I know myself pretty well, and I’m a big mouth, especially when it comes to something I am passionate about. I won’t be silent, I will not comply, I am recalcitrant beyond measure, and stubborn beyond reasoning. And actually, in this economy, who can blame anybody for thinking about how they can survive TODAY??

I dunno. That’s why I’m redefining myself. That’s why I’m writing this, to raise my own level of awareness. I was a professional gardener. Now I’m just another natural gardening advocate. I wonder where this road will lead me.

>^,,^<

So Fare Well to McGregor's Nursery

2011-10-08T17:28:00.000-07:00

I got laid off a couple weeks back, to working just one day per week... The McGregors' were having a heck of a tough time pulling the Garden Center out of the financial spiral that the past ownership and the economy spilled it into..

So I went to work today, and at 3 -ish pm, I got told that they had leased the Garden Center, and the new owners were taking over TOMORROW. The new owners wanted me to delete the website (blogspot) and the FaceBook pages, which I did. I am sorry that I couldn't say good bye properly, didn't have much notice.

Gave up my keys, but I get to keep my cell phone until I can get all the pictures and contacts out of it.. Tried to talk my way into keeping it, but no go.

I'm glad I had made out a list of my stuff, so that I won't be TOO lost as I try to get everything out... The fridge, the microwave, all the fans in the greenhouses, the heat mats.. The big wagons, the tools, shovels, hand tools, etc... the vacuum cleaner, step ladder, all the office supplies (well, most of them.) the oak desk.. and there's a whole page of other stuff...The easel for *specials*.. I took my computers today, as I thought it might be wise to make sure that no-one would accidentally damage my files... It wasn't ALWAYS the "work computer". It started out as my website computer, with all my photo and drawing programs in it..

Man, I feel lost.. I have been working there since 2 months after I moved to this state... It was like another home.. I put my heart and soul into it.

Maybe the new owners will decide I'm worth keeping on, I don't know. Maybe they won't. The McGregors' gave them my name and number, anyway.

I just don't know what the Universe is preparing me for, or pushing at me. My friends Dave & Bobbie came over just after I found out, and later, after the shock wore off a little (a VERY little) I threw invisible me up in the air, and told God, "Here ya go! Do with me as You will"... Seven and a half years. (minus one Spring after MGC laid me off/fired me because I got hurt at work, and *couldn't do the job I had been hired for*. I still need surgery for that) So wow, just wow. Life moves on.

>^,,^<

World Blog Day

2011-10-04T20:26:00.000-07:00

Once again, it's time for Blog Action Day. This year's topic is FOOD, and BOY do I have alot to say about THAT! I invite you to tune in to my Blog (you are here) on or after October 16th.

I'm in, are you ?

>^,,^<

Meow Like a Pirate Day

2011-09-20T10:09:00.000-07:00

Meow Like a Pirate Day
In celebration of International Talk Like a Pirate Day
and off I go for another adventure... Day One of Job #2 at the Currinsville Deli! Friend them up! It's a nice place, GREAT food (Sarah is a baker par excellance) The sandwiches and soups are always fresh made with fresh local produce, and new stuff will be added as we grow! Come on down and see us ! It's an historic building as well, with a rich local history.

AS one door closes, another opens.

>^,,^<

Life Lessons

2011-09-06T11:00:00.000-07:00

Lately, if you've been reading my Blog, you will have read posts on loss.. And how I am trying to deal with the terrible losses I am dealing with, dancing with, crying with, smiling through.

And sooner than I know, it will be the tenth annual *anniversary* of the 9/11 Tragedy, a date of infamy, a date in American History where we, as Americans, reached a pinnacle of sublime connection, and then plummeted to a depth of racism not seen since the sixties. I found this Gentleman:
Don't Forget to Hug Your Children, and your Parents

Sadly I hear some element of that phrase over and over again from mourners reflecting on words left unsaid, gestures not made. And even though we all understand in our heads that tomorrow is not guaranteed, it is so hard to live a life that illustrates that understanding in our hearts.

I think I shall tune in to his commentaries more often. LZ GrandersonI get this a lot: this cynicism regarding my intent to live life with heart wide open.

To the cynic, this kind of talk is considered light and fluffy. But as someone who knows what it's like to hear the sobs of a father who had lost his only child the day before, there is nothing light or fluffy about a grieving heart.

I am still processing the loss of my Dear Friends Sam Goldstein and Kevin Manion. Every day, I still look for my Teeghkii, positive that TODAY, this will be revealed as one big Candid Camera Joke. So far, it has not.

But today, in preparation for the Rememberance of 9/11, I want to just simply tell you all one small little thing: I Love You. You are, each and every one of you, part of my Chosen Family, and I am incredibly Blessed with your presence in my life. I do not want to remember that "I should have told you I Loved You." I want to remember that I DID remember to tell you.

>^,,^<

Teeghkii

2011-09-03T14:37:00.000-07:00

I created a video in Memorium. I'm very new at this video-making thing. I hope you enjoy.
To Teeghkii, my Beloved.

>^,,^<

Little Miracles

2011-08-30T19:26:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a true Gift. I've been blue for a while now, as my pals the Kitteh Klan would say, I Haz a Sad.

But yesterday, I saw a bit of the Little Miracle.

Do you remember the very first time you met a wolf? (or HC wolfdog?) Do you remember that moment when you met eyes, and the world just ... stopped, and there was just you and that wolf? I do...

I was in 9th grade, a freshman at El Capitan High School. There was a *Wildlife Presentation* so, of course, I had to go. I finagled my way up to the front of the crowd, sitting down on the basketball court, that wood slick and shiny with the bottoms of many a young school chum. The bleachers were full, the auditorium was packed.

And in they came. I don't remember a darned thing about the handler except that he was a man, and he was kind. He let me follow the entourage like a puppy all the rest of the day. And my Teachers were very understanding, and gave me *excused absences* for the rest of the afternoon, knowing it would be useless to insist upon my presence, I wouldn't *be there* anyway...

There was an old lion, with a lovely dark brown mane, and a severely broken canine. He was so handsome! And very sweet.

There was a Golden Eagle, SOOO majestic! his eyes so bright and sharp and keen.

And there was a wolf. My heart just stopped.. My breath just disappeared somewhere in my chest, somewhere between my little lizard brain and my heart, my breath just vanished. I couldn't take my eyes off him. My eyes must have been the size of saucers and I bet my mouth never did find the hinge to close... I knew in that moment that I would forever and always be totally in love with this magnificent being.

The man talked about each animal, about their preferred habitat, about the dangers they were facing by unplanned developments. About how wolves were very nearly extinct. Then he walked all the animals one by one all around the diameter of the auditorium, walking slowly so we all could get a good look at them. I was in the front row, as you will remember. When it came to walking the wolf around, he got halfway through the semi-circular walk, until he got to where I was sitting. He stopped in front of me, stared at me with those so-intense yellow eyes with his head slightly lowered so he and I were eye to eye, face to mask... And then he sat in my lap.

And there he stayed. The handler tried to get him to continue his walk, but he would have none of it. He laughed a wolfy laugh, and made himself comfortable in my lap. I was in seventh heaven. I just floated away in sheer and utter delight, I could feel my heart pounding away in my chest, racing about like a bevy of meercats. And my cheeks ached from the big wide smile plastered across my face. After an eternity and a day which might have lasted 20 minutes, he decided it was OK to finish the Grand Tour and thrill the other side of his adoring fans. My life would never be the same.

I followed them around the rest of the day, as the man took the three Ambassadors from classroom to classroom. The wolf hung back and walked beside me for a while.

Fast forward 40 years.

So yesterday one of my regular customers at work came over to pick up some trees she'd purchased with her daughter, and her daughter's GodMother, who is from Germany. The GodMother (I can't believe I forgot to ask for her name!) noticed my necklaces, and said "OH! You must like wolves!" and I smiled, chuckled a bit, and said, yes, I share my life with wolfdogs. She said "What do you mean?" so I told her my Kidz were wolfdogs, part wolf, part dog. Her eyes flew open wide, and you could see the luminosity around her eyes, like a halo of the face... She said she'd always loved wolves! And she'd never met one, and had always wanted to... I asked her how long was she in town, and she told me she was leaving for Germany tomorrow morning. I felt urged to offer, so I asked her if she would like to come over and meet my Kidz. :~)

Mariam, her daughter, and the GodMom just left after a nice visit.

Since Dianne's Kidz are the first that everyone sees when they drive up, we talked about them first.. How Thunder was one of the tallest Woofers I'd ever seen, and how *we didn't mention Stormy's weight around him out loud* shhhhhhhh (they laughed :~) and how Shawnee collects boys, and how she is the Queen of all she surveys... They thought Dianne's Kidz were extraordinary. (which they are)

Then we went in to visit with with Spirit, who schmoozled all over them, many photos were taken. NIhki took treats from me, and was VERY interested! But was still a bit hesitant to approach. They loved it ! NihkiRoxie is quite the looker!!

Then I took them over to meet America. America just LOVES visitors! He schmooozled them all! He adored the GodMom, and kissed her and licked her arms, and tried to lick her face, but that was a tad bit too much for her... :~) I can certainly see the point, them's mighty long and sharp pearly whites nibbling on my nose. But you could see the light in her eyes! She just BEAMED!!! She looked like she could just float away .... I halfway expected her to start crying! I have seen that happen before. I'VE done it before...

I just made someone's year. :~) It really feels so good to know that all that hard work and dedication about socialization is paying off with such wonderful dividends... It still astounds me how amazing he is. And America just LOVES the attention, he is such a schmoooze.. :~) I love my Kidz....

I really am quite fortunate with all my Kidz...And one other thing this incident brought to mind... When you live with miracles every day, miracles become common place. Watching this lady's face as she interacted with her first wolfdog made me remember what a truly extraordinary Gift I live with every day... It brought the miracle of it all right home in my lap, so to speak :~)

>^,,^<

In The Arms of the Angels

2011-08-24T10:20:00.000-07:00

I have music rolling around in the back of my head, I am almost grounded...somewhat rested..
In The Arms of the Angels

My heart is mangled with unresolved sorrow
Mourning for so many all at one time,
Denied a sufficient grieving for the Lost Beloveds
Now they all bear the same face in facets…
One side furry, one side winged sweetness.
I still hear the music they both made.
One side a husband, the other my red-headed friend
Good friends, Tribe. Chosen Family.
Childhood friends saving one anothers' lives repeatedly throughout the years
in one form or the other.
To lose so many so young.. When did we get that old?
And now every song holds a special meaning,
Every wing beat holds a special lesson,
I cannot help but internalize the pain, the loss, the sorrow.
And when I try to sing it out, my voice curls up inside me
Like some small wounded beast fluttering within my heart.
Its' small sharp teeth gnawing away
with only a small squeak of tears emerging from the darkness of my heart
And that’s where the music has always come from.
I miss them.
I don’t believe it.
It cannot be that they are gone. It cannot be.
They are still here with me.

>^,,^< 8-25-2011

Because I love you always..
It's been 52 days since my Dear Friend Sam Goldstein died. I think I am almost ALMOST ready to write about it.. To allow the depths of my despair, my sorrow, my loneliness, my heartsickness to trickle through the *cyber ink* of the words I shall choose to release. And also to finally FINALLY attempt to reach out to the Joy, the Flight, the deep and abiding Love I have and will always have for my Friend.

It's amazing, Sam. The love inside, you take it with you. See ya.

Sam Wheat's quote about love ... From Sam Goldstein to Sam Malstead... and back again...

Red Tail Hawk above us

In August, my Dear One Kevin lost his battle with cancer. He died two days before I got down to San Diego for Sam's Memorial.. I had planned to visit with him wile I was down there.

Kevin & Francie on Cookie Day

But as another friend told me, Here Comes The Sun

>^,,^<

Just Signed Up for the Green Challenge

2011-08-17T12:36:00.001-07:00

Just Signed Up for the Green Challenge at the Business website: McGregor's Nursery. As it's a business website, I decided to bring the Challenge HERE, cuz it's MY website, and I can write what I wish. I'm welcomed to my own opinion here ! *laughs*

So it IS a Challenge I believe in, and the Business does many many things the "green way". We don't use many chemical fertilizers, we use a great deal of organic soil supplements such as liquid fish, liquid kelp, and the organic meals for fertilizing our veggies. We don't use chemical herbacides, but rely on hand picking those pesky weeds, spraying with vinegar and ammoniated soaps of fatty acids, and corn gluten meal as a pre-emergent. We try to be very very careful of what we let run out into the water table because we care about our Community, and we care about our Customers, our neighbors, and we care about the land and our environment.

So, I challenge you all to try to be aware of what we put into Life, and what we ask of it. Let's all try to be aware, and to make good choices! If you're interested, look up these folks. I found a lot of interesting ideas here! One Green Generation Although I have to add a little musing here: This isn't for just one generation. My Great GramPops was an environmentalist before the term was coined. Every place we ever went, it was the Family Rule that what you packed in, you packed out... PLUS ONE ITEM. We all had to pick up at least ONE piece of garbage/trash/junk/weirdness which was not left behind by us, but someone before us. Pops was awesome that way. That's where it started for me. Where did it start for you? I'd love to hear your stories!

>^,,^<

People in Spirit

2011-08-01T10:31:00.001-07:00

And I mean "people" as in fur people, skin people, feather people... This past month of July has been a very tough one for Wolfdancer Creek. My baby boy, Teeghkii, died very suddenly ... On July 5th. The day after one of my best friends and Ray of Light, Sam Goldstein died. 4th of July. The Family didn't find his body until the 10th, I think it was...
I laid me down next to his body and let the tears flow freely .. Here it is August now, and still I cry at the drop of a hat. I miss him so much.. and I miss Sam more than tongue can tell..

He loved Lil Roxie Nihki La Rue, but she pestered him unto distraction...

I put him in with Rhi when Bear died, because Rhi was inconsolable. Teeghkii was so very gentle and good with everybody, I knew he would be company, if not a "True Love" candidate.. Now Rhi is grieving again... We put her on CalmEase for 3 weeks to get her past the immediate grief. I wish it were as easy for me.

I am going back to San Diego for Sam's Memorial, where those of us who loved him dearly will be singing him Home to God. I leave on the 11th. It's going to be a tough week. But it'll be a healing one.

Go To God, My Dearly Beloveds. And for those still here, let me not forget to tell you how very Blessed I feel that you are in my life. Sometimes I am lonely, deeply lonely ... But I know I have Loved, and that deeply too. Hug the ones you love. Don't let another day pass by without telling them you love them.

>^,,^<

The Great Quiche Experiment. Fun with Chickens!

2011-06-18T10:34:00.000-07:00

Last year I boarded a couple of Bloodhounds for a friend. He also had five chickens which I took care of. When he found his new home, he asked me if I wanted the chickens. I said *SURE!* So I named four of them after the Golden Girls, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer... Buffy is a bit of a snob, you see. But the Golden Girls are REALLY sociable! There's Sofia, a light red Rhode Island Red hen, Dorothy, who is MUCH darker red, and also a Rhode Island Red. Buffy is an Ameraucauna, she lays blue-ish green eggs that are really pretty! Easter Eggers, they call these hens..and Blanche and Rose are black hens of extraordinary beauty. I believe they are Australorps. So after I lived with these five, Greig came home "with a new beak for Wolfdancer Creek" a Black Star pullet we named Belinda, the Chicken Who Saved Oz. Then I bought two more Black Stars, Grace and Faith, because Buffy -who was low hen in the pecking order - decided she just moved up a rank, and she really gave Belinda what-for... So I thought having 2 more pullet hens would make life a little easier for Belinda.
A bit about Belinda. Her name came from the Wizard of Oz series. L. Frank Baum wrote several books about Oz. In "The Road to Oz" we are introduced to "Billina the Yellow Hen". I didn't remember her name right, I remembered her as "Belinda". Billina saves Oz from the Goblin King. Turns out the Goblin King is deathly afraid of eggs, so Billina pelts him with eggs, and saves everybody. So Belinda is the Chicken Who Saved Oz at Wolfdancer Creek.

So, then I had all these eggs.. EVERYbody was laying! I was getting a dozen a day! Luckily, I am a member of Certified Naturally Grown, a grass roots organic certification program, so I can sell them as free ranging spoiled rotten "better than organic" eggs... But still... What to do with this many eggs? Enter the world of quiche!
My first quiche

preparatory to being popped into the oven.
OK, well, my first TWO quiches

They were delicious! And despite what they say about real men and quiche, Greig gave them the "Two Forks Up" award for Nummyness.

Sadly, a coyote came in and killed Dorothy and Grace. Rose got broody, so a friend of mine gave me six little mixed eggs (Rhode Island Red/Delaware/Red Star) that Rose has been a'settin' with great glee. She is a GOOD Mommy, and every day I go and sit with her and rub her neck behind her head while she "cooos" at me... It is a strange sound, not a *bawk* but more of a murmur. I think she will be a very good Mommy when the babies hatch. We're trying to figure out where the 'yotes came in from, and will be fencing off yet another parcel. Greig mowed so the 'yote can't hide in the tall grasses anymore. So far, so good... But 'yotes are smart, and this one has my number... So I might have to shoot a coyote, something I am SOOOOO not looking forward to doing... But I have to protect my little Ladies!

In Memory of Dorothy, a chicken of rare beauty and strong personality . A True Golden Girl! Her namesake would have been proud of her. Depending on how many hens I get out of my six eggs, I think I shall name them Grace, Hope, and maybe, if there's a really strong personality in this clutch, I shall name her Dorothy. I look forward to my new babies!

>^,,^<

Living Goes On Spring Is Springing

2011-03-20T12:39:00.000-07:00

Yesterday at 7:30 ish am, my MauMau Gramma Tiger went to see her Sailor Man, PowPow Mac, my Mama's Daddy. My Maternal Grampa. MauMau was PowPow's True Love, and his second wife. My Grammy's first husband. They divorced when it just wasn't "done". They were very very bad for each other, my Grammy and PowPow. They really brought out the worst in each other. There is a great deal of alienation, hurt, abandonment that I am feeling. Jealousy, even. Alot of it. If I allowed myself to wallow in the dark, I could easily feel the loss, the abandonment feelings.. But I do not allow those feelings to live. They are like cockroaches, those bad ol' feelings, and they must be drug out kicking and screaming into the Light where they have NO POWER to hurt. I shall stomp them into cockroach jelly, these bad ol' feelings! and make 'em into compost.

MauMau & PowPow they were DYNAMITE together! They laughed together, played together, loved together. It was wonderful to watch. MauMau had Alzeimers, towards the end of her life, and Cousin Alicia, Buggy as we called her back then, *wry chuckle* The Golden Child, and her Family has been looking after her since PowPow died last year. Alicia is an incredibly sweet soul. MauMau's with PowPow now. She was missing him terribly. I am glad he went first, tho, to make sure the way was clear. I can see them now, playing and laughing her head on his shoulder, the sparkle in both of their eyes. These two grown-ups GIGGLED ! Giggled, I say, it was just adorably cute to watch them together! I know that some people believe that when you die, you die.. and when animals die, they die. Period, end of story, let in the worms. I do not believe that a God of Love would make it so. It is a huge comfort to me to believe that when our pets die, they await us beyond the Rainbow Bridge. It is a huge comfort to me to believe that I have *angels* on my shoulders looking after me, that the people I have loved, I shall see again. I do not believe that God would begrudge this small comfort to a grieving soul. Therefore, I will Believe.

The baby Ancona ducks got here a week early, this past Friday, but hey, why not? They are in a crate in the living room until such time as it gets a bit warmer, and we can build an escape-proof amoeba-proof duckling pen where the owls and rats can't get to our wee feathered fowl friends... I would have liked to have resized the pics, but this ol' computer is batsh*t crazy and has decided that it doesn't wanna open up my editing program. "Open, please", "NOPE, Not gonna wouldn't be prudent." *bah* The ducklings are waaaay beyond cute.

Box o' ducklings

We are One With the Water

AND I got my Walla Walla onions in! along with the Sugar Ann bush peas. The derned birds I saw in the garden had BEST not have been pecking up my pea seeds, or it's SQUAB for dinner tonight, Honey!

The first day of Spring. One door closes, one door opens. So Be It.

>^,,^<

Paws for Japan

2011-03-17T10:14:00.000-07:00

I keep seeing the man's face and that's me, I see it now, we are all one.

World Vets is putting on a Blog-A-Thon in order to drum up help for their relief plans for Japan, and for the animal survivors there. If you should be able to donate, please click the link just above here. They are doing a very good job.

I, like most of you, have been watching the terrible stream of tragedies which has devastated Japan over these past weeks... Losing sleep over the faces I have seen on the web, worrying about the nuclear fallout... Will it come here? It's "just across the pond"... Weeping along with the people of Japan, both in terror, and in joy as they find pieces of their old lives, in particular, as they find their loved ones...

I just got word that my dearest Heart Friend Larry and his wife Yan have evacuated safely for weeks? months? they are unsure but safe. Holding them close in my prayers!

And there's this cat who lives with his Family named Maru whom I have been watching for some time now on YouTube, and one night I awoke in my traditional "middle of the night wakie wakies" thinking OMG! I wonder if Maru and his Family is OK? I asked on FaceBook, and sure enough, someone had heard from them! Maru was afraid, they said, and continues to be nervous about all the shaking about that the Earth is doing, but they are doing fine, and are safe.

And then there is Cat Island, or Tashirojima, which is a "paw pad" shaped island off of the Japanese mainland. This Island's population is almost entirely elderly with cats. LOTS of cats. They are in pretty dire need of the basics, but they survived the tsunami by being on the "right" side of the island. Here's another post from Love Meow

This woman refused to evacuate because the authorities wouldn't allow her to take her dog. She and her wee sheltie friend, Yosuke, shivered and huddled together for three days before rescuers came for her. I know there are some folks who would say that was silly, but that's me, there... There is NO WAY I'd leave my Kidz behind, NO WAY. They are all the "Children"-type Family I have. I'm with you, M'am, save me, save my pets.

I don't have television, so I have not seen the images of water and fire enveloping Japan, nor have I seen the explosions at the nuclear power plants. I suppose I could hunt up videos on YouTube, if I needed to see the damage, but I won't... The pictures in my mind are terrible enough.. The hurt I suffer empathically is vivid enough to do me without watching it unreel before me. I just can't watch it. But I can write, and hopefully, someone will read, and be moved to donate some needed monies to the huge undertaking of helping our neighbors.

When I was in 6th grade, I did a report on Japan. I immersed myself in the learning of the culture. My Daddy had gone there while he served in the Navy, and while I was in the 6th grade, he was in Korea, fighting. It made me feel closer to him, doing this report. I still have the geisha dolls he sent us. The world seemed so gigantic, so very impossible to conceive of its' hugeness, its' expanses back then. Daddy seemed so very far away, a galaxy, a universe. When I need serenity, I think about the Zen of living. How so many people people crammed together in such a small space, yet ... Freedom is in the Heart, they say without a sound spoken. Now I find myself doing another report on Japan, a mere 42 years later and the World is tiny, accessible, "just around the corner", "We Are All One", thee and I .... This one is just from the heart. If you can help, will you? Dozo and Domo Arigato.
The Rescuers

>^,,^<

Bloom Day !

2011-02-15T12:58:00.000-08:00

My Sweet Honey bought me the most romantic Valentine's Day Gift! A Nikon CoolPix 12 megapixel digital camera! OMG *bounce* It is AWESOME! Has macro, zoom, and VIDEO !

In celebration, I went wild at the Garden Center. So thanks again to May Dreams Gardens and Bloom Day Feb 2011, here goes:

Sea Thrift

Donkeytail Euphorbia

Zebrina Mallow

Pansy

Winter Honeysuckle

Kerria - Japanese Rose.. (sorry the image is sideways, my computer is giving me fits! I'll try to correct it later as the 'puter allows)

Vinca Minor

English Daisy

Snow Cap Rock Cress

Erisymum en masse Again, sorry for the sideways image *grrrrrrrrr*

Erisymum

White Flowering Currant

Knautia Macedonica

MYSTERY PLANT! Help me identify this beauty, will ya? VERY VERY hugely loverly fragrant! A light sweet "White Shoulders" kind of fragrance.. Could this be my missing Witch Hazel?

Primrose double orange

All these delightful beauties are at McGregor's Nursery! Sure would love to see you!
http://mcgregorsnursery.blogspot.com

Happy Gardening!

>^,,^<

I feel it ! I feel it !

2011-02-08T19:54:00.000-08:00

But I know it's not here yet.. Spring is peeking around the door, tho...

>^,,^<

An Adventure!

2010-12-23T09:54:00.000-08:00

Greig took me on an adventure yesterday! He called around Noon to tell me he was "turning left instead of right". I asked what he had in mind? He said he was going to go find the snowline. *pause on my part* "With me?" "Well, I can't think of anybody else I'd go driving around for...."

AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!! He's sooooo romantic!

So he came to pick me up, and we turned left instead of right at the bottom of "my" hill. We drove about an hour or so from my house, into 1 foot stuck beautiful snow. he got to polish up his "snow skidding" skills ("Don't worry, Creampuff, I'll get us home safe.") We almost made it to Bagby Hot Springs, but it was getting quite dark, so we put chains on and he got to practice snow chain installation, un-entanglement, and removal skills.

I even got some new pictures. I'll put them p as soon as I get 'em back from the developers. I even discovered that my camera has a "timer" setting and I HOPE I got a rare picture of us together!

He's not a "Cat Man", but the cats adore him. And when he thinks I'm not looking, he gives them kitty loves. And, of course, doesn't mind being a couch when it suits cold kitteh feets to be so.

Even the Song Dogs love him.

I had such a loverly adventure! It was so wonderful to explore a wider part of my Community, I hadn't even gone that far yet. It's so beautiful ! It was so wonderful of Greig to take me away...

>^,,^<

Howls

2010-12-12T21:46:00.000-08:00

Time for bed, me. The storm(s) have been pulsing through in waves, a land-locked estuary..this latest with lots of wet and wind... The wind is howling through whichever screens it can wrap its' gnarled and whispery fingers into.. It moans into the very air I breathe.

The Song Dogs join in, adding an amoebic element to the night's kareoke. Their songs rely only upon their personal ranges Alto, soprano, baritone, tenor, and their own style. Song Dogs, like Humans, have preferences. Some are jazz singers, their voices scatting and free. Some are Country, with a deep throaty "whiskey whisper" tone, and some are Classical, with their formality and power.

The songs of the Song Dogs are always filled with passion, and with a tender sorrow tinged with unutterably joy. The song of a Song Dog is like a verbal description of a sunset on a clear, yet snow-bedazzled day to a blind woman. It is like a kenetic
energy translated into the verbalization of the pumping of heart's blood.

Keeping the Season in my Heart

2010-12-05T10:42:00.000-08:00

The older I get, the more I understand why people can begin to feel depressed during the HolyDaze. I call them that on purpose: Holy Daze. This is the time, from the end of October till the following year, where we gather our Families together, where we Honor our Dead, our Elders, our Ancestors. This is a Holy Time, when the plants and Mother Earth nestle deep within the Dream, when those who can, hibernate. When those who cannot, struggle to find Rest.

And consequently, during all this gathering up, there are holes. Some are still gaping, some are healing, but all are missed. Having *Angels* on my shoulder is comforting in many ways, but OH these are times when I wish I could laugh with my Grammy again, when I could bake her favorite cake, sit down with the Family all whole and healed. And not just the human holes in my heart. I miss my Tundra, I miss Mr. Bear Britches. I still miss my Puck.

The longer you live, the more holes in your heart you wind up with. These are holes which will never be filled, will always be "just that particular shape" of the Missed. And I wouldn't WANT them to be filled. The band-aids my heart is filled with keep me connected to the World.

And this is the Season where we forgive. When we forgive ourselves, first... That's been my toughest lesson, learning to forgive myself... And then forgive the important people in our lives whom we have disconnected from for one reason or another. Because after all, I don't want the holes in my heart to crust over from the things I wish I'd said, from the things I wish I'd forgiven while I had the chance. I don't want to remember that the last thing I said to an Important person in my life was negative, or hurtful, or neglectful.

So, for today, JUST today, JUST for RIGHT NOW, I forgive myself. I invite you all to forgive yourselves. I invite us all to cast forgiveness like the fallen leaves of Autumn which make for the compost of Spring. Have you seen the way the sunlight dapples across the faces of the leaves as they flutter in the wind? I cast forgiveness like those leaves, to flutter in my heart until they find a nice warm place to make compost.

I met and spoke at length with Wallace Black Elk once, who told me to ask myself, when confronted with adversity, "Does It Grow Corn?" Is what you are struggling with going to generate a positive outcome? If not, throw it in the compost pile. ("The question “Does It Grow Corn?” – is a Native American [sic] standard by which to scrutinize new models and approaches")

So May the Spirit of the Season find a warm place to grow in our hearts. For today, I am going to smile, even if it starts with me taking my fingers and forcing the edges of my lips up.

>^,,^<

An Amazing YES Life! Little Miracles

2010-11-28T11:43:00.000-08:00

And may I never hear the *skreee* of a raptor and not stop whatever I am doing to say "YES! Thank You!"

Yes is a pleasant country

And may I never drive down my steep hill when the moisture clings to the river's way and the spines of the pines pierce the cat fur blanket of fog, when their sweet heads are bathed in honey sunlight and not *gasp* in astonishment as that panorama unfolds before me...

YES!

Daily miracles, we but need to open our hearts to see....

>^,,^<

Memorial Trees: Fall is for Planting

2010-10-07T07:18:00.000-07:00

Autumn is a melancholy joy, such deep and abiding beauty, and behind the gauzy veils of Fall's Bright Tresses, sits Lady Death, She Who Weaves, She who takes in this thread, and cuts another. I see Her rocking at my pond side, counting the leaves, and as Dr. Clarissa says, tapping her foot and folding and unfolding her gloves.

When I was around eight years old, we moved out to the Country, to a big house with a scorched earth policy. They had scraped the top of the High Chaparral acre clean and clear of every shubbery and plopped a square white house on it. But it was "in the Country", and I loved it. My Grammy took me for a walk one day, with a shovel and a small bag and walked us down to the property line and unveiled a small Brazilian Pepper tree sapling. She told me to start digging a hole. When it was big enough to her satisfaction, she showed me how to tickle the wee tree's roots, and nest it into it's bed securely and safely, tamping the soil over the top. When we were done, she stepped back, looked at me, and said words that will follow me forever: "This is the Kathy Tree."

That tree is still there, Lo! These 40+ years ago, huge, magnificent, healthy. I moved from that house long and long ago, but the tree still calls my name in the breeze, if only I listen carefully.

When Grammy bought the house next door, we proceeded to plant the Unca Richie Tree, (an eastern redbud) the Auntie Lorrie Tree, (a Parlour Palm which was supposed to only grow to 8' tall, but when we planted it, beneath the patio at the corner, loved the site so much, that it pushed the roof. We eventually cut a hole in the roof, and the tree grew to a grandiose height of 25' tall. I moved from that house, where I took care of my Grammy, six years hence, but those trees are also still there, and also call my name on nights when the warm winds comes up from the South.

For Chrsitmases, I always bought a live tree, and planted them wherever I was living. San Diego is dotted with evergreens from my many residences, before I came home to take care of Grammy.

And now, the leaves are turning and Fall is brushing her long luscious locks, shaking her hair out. Fall is for planting. I bought a pink dogwood for Jerry Lipetzky, and I have his hole all dug out and ready next to the pond. The Jerry Tree. I think he'll like it there, listening to the ducks and the Great Blue Heron. I bought an Eastern Redbud tree, and I shall plant that next to the aspen tree, to shed dappled dancing light and shade into my living room during the hot hot spells of Summer. She shall be the Grammy Tree.

It will be like coming Home.

>^,,^<

To Jerry Lipetzky

2010-10-02T09:55:00.000-07:00

The World lost an Advocate of Laughter last month, and today, everyone who knew him will either be at El Monte Park, or will be there in spirit to remember him, to laugh with him again, and to share what the man meant to so very many.

Jerry's Celebration of Life

Legacy Page

Jerry's Art (Besides the obvious!)

I hear Teachers say "I took this job because I wanted to make a difference", and Jerry truly did. He took a 9th grade required class, and unscrewed our parched mind and hydrated us with thinking, with vicarious living, with safety, with Nature, with the simple joy of breathing and laughing. He was Gallagher before Gallagher was Gallagher, smashing watermelons to demonstrate the audacity of maps, peeling oranges to show how they got that weird round blue marble onto a flat surface, squishing a sow bug to show what Europe looks like. He was most of our first glimpse into haute culture, preparing escargot, loving the smell, but unable to get past the fact that Johnny kept telling me he'd seen an antenna frantically squirming from between my lips "Help Me!" nibbling on small pieces of limberger cheese and crackers, pinkie extended, don' ya know..

And the extracurricular classes like the Bike Club where I joined the elite of Alpine at the Peugeot Plunge, adding my Subhuman monster to the collection of twisted limbs and spokes in the Malstead Mash, and later in the Season of the Vaqueros, the Lake Henshaw trip, where I was clipped by a trucker, and proved my ability to bounce bodily like a big rubber ball, and where that night, I caught a volkswagon bug on its' way into the gas pumps by jumping through the open driver's window and steering it -just barely- to the left where it hit the curb, but missed the gas pump. Picture it if you will, it is dark, and I see a volkswagon trundling straight at me, no lights on. "OH aren't you funny!" Wait, I can't see who is driving.. Goodness! They are shorter than I am ! Odd.. Maybe the dog is driving.. No wait.. No REALLY, wait now.. NO DRIVER??? uh oh .. What do I do? OK, do something to make car 1 not hit gas pump 2 and go boom. Yes, that's right. Go ahead OW!! I hit my noggin!

And the Summer of Archeology with Jeff Abshear at the Bancroft House where I suspect they still have our journal on display, Jeff with his outrageously delightful illustrations and me with the gift of gab and goofiness. We discovered three extraordinary finds! A proj point obviously used for brontasauri, an incredibly rare leaverite, and grape stakes from the orchard. Finding the joy in dirt, sweeping each dusting of the past away to reveal the puzzle pieces of that past. In this case, a rather interesting juxtaposition of Native peoples, Spaniash peoples, and Western European peoples.

Yes, Jerry was pivitol in our lives, in all our lives. He gave us a safe place to think and ponder, a safe place to question authority, an exciting and safe place to explore. He also gave many of us our first glimpse into living sustainably. Some of us needed this safety. Some of us needed the space to open our wings. Some of us went along for the ride, and what a ride it is! Thank you Jerry, for every smile, for every brush stroke, for every laugh at the absurd, for every Gift of yourself you gave us. Thank you, Jerry for being such a wonderful Teacher, Mentor, Delight and Inspiration. Thank you, Jerry, for your time.

With All My Love and Undying Admiration,

Kat Malstead
Class of '75

Heat Advisory on SOOO many levels !!

2010-08-15T08:00:00.000-07:00

Man it's a hot one and it's gonna get hotter ! Trying to keep all the plants and animals and peoples hydrated will be the Challenge de Jour.

I need more pictures ! I need more words! I want more life !

Off to prepare my watery sword 'gainst the dragons of heat

>^,,^<

The Book of Changes

2010-08-13T12:28:00.000-07:00

By the look of the date of my last Blog post, I shouldn't wonder if all believe that I have disappeared into a puff of blue smoke. Au Contraire, Mon Amis ! I am still quite lively and still making terrible landscaping mistakes in the Pacific Northwest.

At this moment, I am drenched with a goodly or Godly, depending upon your viewpoint, amount of good ol' fashioned PNW clay, and Teufel, about evenly mixed and measured with weeds and grasses stuck between my toes. I have been working vigorously upon the "New Do" of the Perennial Winged Garden. Greig moved one of the "lost bath tubs" into the garden, and in a group effort, the Good Folks of Wolfdancer Creek hoisted it up on blocks with a slight incline towards the drain hole, stuffed several buckets of river rock and then 4 squished peat pots covered with bags of Teufel and Black Gold. Then I stuffed it with plants! The vholes and the crack grass took over my last attempt, so this time 'round, I thought I'd mix it up with big containers. I planted Zagreb Coreopsis, one white double Crazy Daisy, and then some Firebird Penstemon along one side to help hide the exposed cast iron innards, and planted a deep purple cup and saucer Campanula Canterbury Bells, a cluster of three Delphiniums, a line of different types of Rudbeckia - Irish Eyes and the standard Black-Eyed Susans- then along the back, Echinacea, Liatris, Queen Victoria Lobelia, Cosmos, and a Joe Pye Weed(Eupatorium maculatum) a striking bee attractant along with Monarda, Joseph Kline and Blue Stockings. The front of the bath tub will have a curry plant, a silver Artesmia, and a bunch of pansies and violas. I figured I'd hope for a naturalization thing. :~)

Along the side of that planting, along the next blank space after a butterfly bush which will REQUIRE! heavy pruning this year! I stuffed a bunch of petunias in a Radio Flyer red wagon, and in a broken fountain. The fountain also has dwarf trailing snap dragons in it. First time I've purposefully planted annuals.

I'll take pictures. I have a new camera, and am trying to learn how to use it.

:~) We're Sanctuary here. :~) Life is Good. Bright Blessings!

>^,,^<

Spay Neuter and Free Pregnant Cats?????

2010-06-16T11:00:00.000-07:00

In response to a post I read on a wonderful Blog:
/free kittens free older kittens free cats free pregnant cats???

Thank you so much for this Blog post! I have 16 cats now. I came to this state with 5 cats -all spayed and neutered- 2 of my Grammy's very elderly cats, and three ferals I had rescued as wee small tinies whom I bottle fed (and spayed and neutered) Then I found Puddles starving -literally- in my orchard. And while I was unable to catch her and get her spayed before the coyotes got her, I DID manage to trap her three litters and have THEM all spay/neutered and vetted. Then came Mimi -a pregnant non-feral dumpee- and her three kittens. The last is Velcro, yet another cared-for dumpee, who has yet to be neutered, but he's quite young yet (I figure only 2 & a half months old yet) Merp is spayed and an outside kitty who sleeps in the motorhome at night for protection. That leaves one wily ol' Tom who has thus far eluded the live trap.

14 cats inside, and 2 outside cats. I had so many promises of homes, but surprisingly, nary a one was interested in the kittens when they discovered that my demands included spay/neutering.

WHY??? If you love your sweet kitties, why in the hell's half acre of demented thinking don't we teach our people to value their lives by spaying & neutering?

hmmm /vent off. But thanks again for this thought provoking Blog post. Adding your link to my Blog now.

For those of us in Oregon, I highly suggest this FABULOUS organization to be book marked. They have helped me tremendously in my efforts to get the ferals in my area spayed and neutered. The Oregon Spay and Neuter Fund

>^,,^<

Painting 101

2010-02-22T11:47:00.000-08:00

OK< here's the first installment of my very first Painting. I am using the layering techniqu, since it is more forgiving for the steep learning curve I have ahead of me.

The first underlayer of white

The second underlayer of burnt umber

Got some greens in for the background

Added in some yellows for shadings

Here's my first layer of the fur, in burnt umber mixed with black

That's it until I get the next roll developed. I am actually delighted, it seems like some REAL artist is channeling through me, because it's turning out pretty nice ! Obviously, as I go along, I have to change where I photograph this painting, AND subsequently, where I paint, as the light hits the paint and just vanishes it in glare.

>^,,^<

Painting 101

2010-02-14T18:55:00.000-08:00

REALLY steep learning curve, I had to start a journal as well to write down my successes and failures IE: my lessons... Still have so many to go! so much to learn..

For instance, what are the benefits and weaknesses of going from light-to-dark paint, VS dark-to-light paints?

I find that the InterNets often don't have the information I require, OR I don't have the questions phrased correctly enough for Google to Google.

Sketching in my second canvas. The first one is coming along well. Since the subject is mostly dark, I have been painting dark-to-light. If I tried light-to-dark, I'd have these eyes staring out from deep within the recesses of dark fur, quite over whelming them, methinks. I want the eyes to dominate the picture.

Obviously a SHORT blog post, I get to go to dinner with my Sweetie. For Valentine's Day. *beam* Happy Chocolate Dreams !

>^,,^<

The Paintbox of my Mind !

2010-01-27T09:43:00.000-08:00

Well, I did it ! I scrimped and saved, and I sent away for some new oil painting brushes. The rat bastadge Movers Paul Arpin Van Lines (now Arpin Van Lines) the most HORRIBLE unethical bunch of ratbastadge nincompoop idiots I EVER had the misfortune of dealing with, lost one (of many) of my belongings, this one was a box of art supplies, which included couple hundred dollars worth of nice brushes.

PS~ If you ever want to have your furniture destroyed, (broken hardwood table legs, scratches a quarter of an inch deep on your hardwood dressers) your belongings lost, (boxes, my Hammond organ for three months, and when they found it, it no longer works, so I have to hire a tube specialist to repair it) with the added bonus of having your contract doubled upon arriving and having the rest of your belongings held hostage until you can pony up twice as much CASH as you had agreed upon, PLUS having the delightful experience of being told by the district attorney's office that there ain't ONE damned thing they are willing to do about it, regardless of how many pictures you have supplied of ravaged belongings.. I tell you, it's like a rape. So, if you want to just rape yourself with no vaseline, hire Paul Arpin Van Lines to do your moving for you ! They will gladly lie to you and take your money for inferior service and superior destruction.

But I digress.

I wanted to get a lovely set of laminated wooden rainbow-colored brushes by Papillon but I can no longer find them online, and the gal who said she'd order them for me has been just too busy to keep her promise, darn it... She's juggling lots of plates! So I had to settle. But I got a nice deal, good sturdy wooden handles, came with a nice wooden case, natural bristle brushes... And I picked up some turpentine to clean my brushes when I'm done for the day, and a couple of palettes.

I had taken a beautiful picture of Nihki Roxie, she's looking straight at me, and it's nice and sharp. So I gathered all my materials, my easel and canvasses that Dian & Mary Claire bought me, my paint box full of paints, my new brushes, an old sheet, and I am beginning a new project!

I have successfully translated what I see on the photograph onto the canvas, using a pencil, and I called my friend Jane who is an artist and we talked for about an hour on my next step. I didn't want to lose the detail and I've never oil painted before ! *laughs* I can't take a photo of the canvass at THIS point, pencil does not photograph well at all.. But I will take some pictures of the progress as I go along.

I realized I have to get a few more tubes of paint, and I must get some linseed oil before I can start putting brush to canvas, but I've been studying, and learning, and getting my fingers dirty exploring the colors I do have.... OOOOOOO rainbow fingers!

I'm quite excited, and I hope that I can translate what I "see" in my head with what I put on the canvas!

>^,,^<

Goodbye, Granny

2010-01-16T13:23:00.000-08:00

About three and a half years ago, I adopted/rescued 2 Oberhausli goats. My good friend Dorrie, an elderly Gentlewoman who lives alone, asked me if I could take them, because she had fallen, spent some time in the hospital, and was now finding it very difficult to take care of them. Their names were Granny, and her son, Joey, a wether. Granny had spent most of her life tethered, but not Joey, because he wouldn't go anywhere without his Mama.

This put my goat count to five. I had the two Nubian Princesses, Corazon and Tattoo, Granny & Joey, and Chevy, a white Pygora wether who came to Wolfdancer Creek last year. I call them the Royal Goat Court.

With the help of my friend Greig, (who is a Blessing!) we (read that HE, because I didn't do much except hold one end of the fencing) fixed most of the old perimeter fencing, and fenced some areas off limits. I have a rather long row of beautiful large leafed Rhododendrons lining the west side of my pond, and rhodies are very poisonous to goats, plus, I have my gardens, and my fruit trees, and goats are notorious tree killers, and garden vegetable pillagers.

So they have about 3 acres to browze in, plus the neighbors' wild piece of property which they are quickly denuding of blackberries.

Now, when I adopted Granny and Joey, they weren't in the best of shape. They were both VERY thin, Granny's tummy was huge, but all her hip bones and spine bones were easily counted from afar.... Joey was rail thin. Their fur was very rough, dull and coarse. I wormed them several times, put them on minerals and grain, and good hay, and let them freely wander the 3 acres to browze at their heart's content. Within about a year, their fur was shiny and glossy and soft to touch, they both had put on 30-50 pounds, and they looked very nice and healthy!

Dottie told me she thought Granny was about 11 years old. So she was real close to around 14 plus years old. That's quite elderly for a goat!

On Wednesday, the other goats jostled her around while I was passing out treats and hay, and she went down, back legs splayed behind her. I shooed the other goats off, and helped her up, and gave her some extra treats and skritches, which is my wont. Granny is a VERY sweet friendly goat, and actively solicits attention. On Thursday, I gave them all treats, and she was doing well. I THOUGHT she was ok yesterday, but I didn't go treat them. I could've sworn I saw her up and around, but now, I don't think so. This morning, when Greig went up to refill the hay barrel with a lovely orchard-alfalfa mix, he found her dead. :~(

We spent most of the afternoon digging a very deep hole in the hard, damp clay. (At least it was not in the summer months, when it's baked hard!) We got a big bag of lime, because BooBoo the Bear has been around again, I saw his scat about. We placed Granny in her grave, limed her, then I covered her with a blanket of autumn leaves, and we buried her. I told her to Go to God, and that I'd be seeing her over the Bridge. I told her that I genuinely was honored to know her, and I felt as if we hadn't had as much time together as I would have wished.

So for the last 3 years of her life, she got to wander free of tethers, got to eat her fill, and I got to know a very sweet goat. I shall miss her a great deal.

>^,,^<

My Tribe

2010-01-11T11:35:00.001-08:00

People ask me often what I mean by "My Tribe". They wonder if I am Native American (I am part Iroquoix, and part Apache biologically, and definitely NA for my Spirit.)
A long long while ago, in a universe far far away, in a (then) small town in San Diego (Yes, Virginia, there used to be a close-knit small town aura in SoCal) there was a group of people who went to the same High School, called El Capitan.

"Sycamores and Mighty Mountains, Colors, Black and Gold! These will be our inspirations as our lives unfold ! Guide us to the understanding of our fellow man, lead us all to new horizons, Hail El Capitan!" Thirty-something years later, in 2010, I will be in a group of people in the Golden Dragon, watching the Cameltones, when the drummer will slip next to us during break, and we will, all eight of us, burst into our alma mater song. How many folks remember your High School Alma Mater song? I graduated in 1975, and I still remembered it! *laughs*

I lost many of my photographs from high school, when an idiot I was engaged to, Van Meers, burned them in a fit of weird inappropriate jealousy. But my friend Cathy has several! I am going to try to see if I have some more in photo books .. This is one of Cathy's of our Choir group. Everyone was supposed to dress up in flapper gear, but as I recall, 1) I was NOT "grrrly" or flapper-ish, and 2) we were pretty broke, and unless it was Theatre clothing, there wasn't any extra money for costumes. So I wore my street clothes. Somewhere, I still have these jeans, and their "partner" set, owned by Jeff, and still around with him, as well! Heavily embroidered and stitched with love, they are vintage cloth art! :~D
So guess which one I am.

This past New Years, I visited with my Mom, my Family and my Tribe, where I spent not-enough time with way too much laughter. My friends threw me a party which was inventive and very fun! Here are some more pictures from that party. These are my Tribe.
The culprits and Master Minds of the concept, soon to be an annual event

My Dear Friends Chris and Larry

Tim, myself, Jeff & Robert watching the Music makers

Jeff gives good hugs !

MarBaby, Randy, Robert & Tim around the campfire.. Hey what's a great party without fire?

Steve & Sam jamming.. I was struggling with the creeping crud and was terribly hoarse with a sore throat, else I'd've been singing with them! That was my only sorrow !

Sam Steve and John

I was in my element! Friends and music *happy sigh*

Larry, Ralphie, Chris & Jani

Cathy and my Baby Boy, Teeghkii, whom she baby sat for me whilst I was rehearsing at the theatre or working. Teeghkii still remembers her very fondly!

So there's part of my Tribe. An Elder once told me that Family can be born into or chosen, and they are both to be Honored as Special. As I have gotten older, I have realized just how special this bond has been! Hardly anyone I know has had this kind of still-close bond, despite time, despite distance, despite changes, despite all the living we have had between then and now. Most of met each other in High School, or in our early twenties. We have saved eachother's lives, we have held eachother's hearts in ours. These are people I am Honored to call friends. They are my Tribe.

>^,,^<

First Annual All Howl-i-Daze Party

2010-01-10T11:50:00.000-08:00

When I went to visit my Mom & Tribe, Cathy and Jani threw a GREAT party for me, the First Annual All Howl-i-Daze Party, where we celebrated all the holidays that I missed, such as
Easter,

St. Paddy's Day,

Fourth of July (there were even fireworks!),

Fat Tuesday,

We did THAT one up!

and Cinco de Mayo.

In no particular order. I just got to go to the Designated Table, and call out a Howliday to celebrate ! So many folks showed up, folks I hadn't seen in FAR too long ...
Like Sam,

and Mar Baby

and Jeff .. Here he is with the OTHER tallest man in my world, Chris !

OMG! it was so good to see him and Larry !

and well, everybody. Cathy even stayed till the very end, and she NEVER stays out late anymore ! I'm still awaiting another set of pics from Jani. My cheeks and belly ached for days from the grinnin and the laughin and the singin and the *happy*happy*joy*joy* It was just the best party I've been to since .. well, since a long long long time. Since the last great Tribal gathering!

It appears as if I have reached an unspoken limit for pictures in this post --go figure!- So I shall write another one ! With pictures of the music makers...and more...

>^,,^<

Tales of Terrorist Toothpaste Transgressions!

2010-01-08T19:28:00.000-08:00

Now, I know (now) that some idiot terrorist nincompoop tried to blow up an airplane on Christmas Day but I grow weary of common sense being so... well, uncommon. On Dec 28th, I tried to fly to San Diego to see my Mom, and visit my Tribe. It took me 13 hours to fly a 2 & a half hour flight. I certainly made two large mistakes:
#1 I told the truth
and #2 I don't watch television, so I knew nothing about the idiot with a bomb.

Because I just HAVE to find the sunny side of every shadow, I figured I'd write about it. There's plenty of laughter in the tale, much of it in a keystone cops kind of way :~D Much of it at my own expense.

Picture it, if you will. Our heroine blithely approaches the airport, little knowing that she is about to step into: The Twilight Zone.

Since 9/11, I have flown five times with the same "personals" bag in my luggage. It's a three-fold bag which hangs on the back of a door. VERY handy for traveling! It's filled with clear, see-through plastic pockets where you put ungents and potions, lotions and whatnots, toothpaste, shampoos, & conditioners. You know, Grrrrl stuff. So why on Earth would I even think that any of these ungents and potions and toothpaste might NOW be considered dangerous weapons of mass destruction?

The Security Cop fellow is hollarin' about everyone having to place their ungents and potions and whatnots in a plastic Ziploc baggies. I think this is retarded, since there's all these clear plastic windows in my well-traveled personals bag, but I've learned to shrug and follow instructions, so I do this thing.

When I am checked through with my boarding pass, I get told my toothpaste is too big. I have, you guessed it, Terrorist Toothpaste. Right alongside the Terrorist Toothpaste is my Biosilk & Pantene hair conditioner. Those of you who know me, know I have fairly long -middle of my back- quite curly fine hair, and if I don't use superior hair products it gets brittle. And man, there is little in this world more embarrassing than to go around town looking like a frayed Q-tip. The folks say "Just throw it away", but who the heck has about $50.00 bucks extra to spend to replace this kind of stuff in this economy?? They say bag checks cost $15.00 bucks, go back and check your bag.

OK, fine. I hobble off to the baggage check in, and as I hobble, I call my ride, who has walked away a mere THREE MINUTES earlier, dagnabbit, but he does not answer. I wonder still, just what he thought about those 5 frantic phone calls (and a partridge in a pear tree!) The ga at the baggage check-in recognizes me, but tells me it's too late for her counter, hurry inside. I hurry inside, stand in a hurried line, hobble hurriedly, and get told "Well, you should have come here first." riiiiiiiiiiiiiight. It's too late to check my bags, I'm told, the line didn't hurry hurriedly enough. I ask them to call the gate, cuz I'm a'comin', and she says she will. So I hurriedly hobble to the post office right next to the gate, and mail my Terrorist Toothpaste and Companion Potions back to myself, and re-enter the boarding line. I go through security for the second time, hobble to the gate, and I MADE IT! with 7 minutes to spare!

But Lo! & Behold! The lady at the baggage claim did NOT call the gate, and they will not allow me to board. *sigh* I get told that there's no flights out until tomorrow ! I actually grabbed my lips and squeezed them together in order that they not drop copious and illegal F-bombs about. I suppose I looked as if my head were going to pop off, because after about 20 minutes, they found me another flight... with three connectors.. Puddle jumper. From Portland, Oregon PDX to San Jose, from San Jose to Los Angeles, and from Los Angeles to San Diego, arriving at 11:30 pm. It is 10:30 am, and I have been at the airport now for an hour and 45 minutes.

I am NOT a good flyer, I'm a white-knuckled take-off-and-land OMG I hate this kind of flyer. This is NOT a roller coaster, this is NOT a Disney ride, we are all thousands of feet up in the air and even the elephants look like ants ... if I had a magnifying glass that big .....

But the silver lining was, at least I was in Portland. Because those OTHER three airports are, well, not as nice as PDX. On PDX, they have live music. Every time I've been there, there's someone plugged into an amp, playing music. Steel drums, pan pipes, acoustic guitar, violin, it's all beautiful. So if you ever have to spend 7 hours stuck in an airport, I hope you wind up stuck in Portland, because at least they're civilized.

In San Jose, you have to go to an entirely different airport to change planes, consequently ensuring you get to go through customs, errrr security, errrr jail... or whatever they call it now yet another time. You get to go OUT of one airport, catch a bus, and go IN through more security, strip ... and hurry and wait. In L.A., well, what can you say about L.A. except their airplanes all look like great white sharks in a feeding frenzy with brightly colored fiesta fins.

The puddle jumpers did make for lovely lights. Since most folks still had their Christmas lights up, it looked like someone had spilled chests filled with jewels across the dark velvet landscape, jewels lit from within by luminous fireflies of loveliness. The skyscrapers and office buildings were festooned with garlands of rubies, diamonds, sapphires and emeralds cascading down their sides. It was quite beautiful. So beautiful, in fact, that I almost forgot to be scared! In San Diego, I get all sorts of excited when I land in San Diego, because I know I'll get to see my Family and my Tribe. That makes it all sweet.

When I finally got into San Diego, picked up by my little sister Laurie, may angels sleep on her shoulder, I learned why #1 was so incredibly foolish of me. (You remember reason #1, don't you??) There, in that personals bag, was a 6 oz. brown glass bottle, unmarked, unlabeled, with about an inch of clear oil in it. My friend Greig makes this WONDERFULLY scented oil which I use at the ends of my hair, and on my arms and legs. It mixes well with lotions, and has a lasting and lovely fragrance of herbs and essential oils. In my purse, I also had a small nail knife, you know those Swiss Army knives for nail care? about 2" long. Can you imagine the mischief I could have caused with that dangerous weapon? Stewardesses threatened by pedicures at knife point! Film at eleven! So if I had just left my toothpaste and ungents and such in my personals bag, I'll betcha I would have had NO problems at all.

Teach ME to be honest and forthcoming ! *bah*

Till the next great adventure ! Onward to the next star and to the right !

>^,,^<

The Golden Book of Possibilities Chapter One

2009-12-25T09:24:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas, first of all, and a Happy Glorious Rich and Juicy New Year!

I have this problem. Sometimes when I read, I read things cockeyed. It's not quite dexlysia, because it's not backwards, it's just... different. For example, "Sycuan Bingo Palace" easily becomes "Szechuan Bingo Police", and leads one to wonder, what will they do? "M'am, You didn't finish your Kung Pao Chicken. I'm afraid we'll going to have to fine you 30 chips."

So I find this note that I have written reminding me of something or other, and it says "The Golden Book of Possibilities". And I think, wow ! that's cool... It's like the Little Golden Book series we had as kids, filled with POSSIBILITIES! No wait, it's really the "Garden Book of Perennials", but man I am running with it.

So this then, is Chapter One of "The Little Golden Book of Possibilities."

The hoar frost sits crunchy and heavily on the grass crispy and white as a fine dusting of snow, but not. It is crystalline, it is magic, it's a tweener thing, hoar frost, not snow, not ice, not water, not quite solid. And it makes the most mundane things glorious. A piece of garden netting becomes lace left behind by the garden faes hurried dawn flight.

The guinea hens patrol the backyard, in an amoeba movement ,three for all, and all for three.

I got some pictures back of my puppy Grrrrl. Here is one particularly lovely one. I think she is a stunningly beautiful grrrrl.

Off to Seattle for Christmas dinner!

Chapter Two will be forthcoming.

>^,,^<

Morning Jewels, Dangerous Dreaming

2009-12-13T10:43:00.000-08:00

This past week has been a difficult one for plants, animals and people. Each morning, I would heat up a 2 gallon pot of water on my trusty propane stove, and defreeze all the animals' water buckets. This was repeated each evening. For a week, we never got above freezing at our daytime highs. For the Yards up top, for Teeghkii & Chance, and the Goat Royal Court, I used my wee wagon. I found a 5 gallon bucket I saved from earlier which has a rubber seal inside the lid, so it will seal, and stay sealed even if I accidentally tip the wagon over. Which I did every time, for some reason. Clumsy I guess :~)

It was a dry cold, with no moisture. I am hoping I will not lose too many plants. Plants don't much care to get frozen solid with dry roots. So we scrambled this past week.

Yesterday, the rains came. It was freezing rain, a constant drizzley very "wet" rain which soaked every thirsty thing. This morning when I went outside to hie me off to work, leaving a half an hour early just in case -which didn't help much- the sun poured golden over the landscape filtering through the diamond-festooned trees in beams of syrupy light. Each leaf, each branch, the seed heads I leave for the birds, all were bedazzled by frozen pieces of moonlight captured for the dawn.

The ground was slick with an invisable layer of treachery. I scraped and scraped to chip the ice off the windshield, resisting the urge to dump a pot of hot water all over the windshield. I know where that will lead, and it's not pretty. Started the truck up and reached the end of driveway. I got out and took a couple of steps into the street, and watched a truck pass on by with no troubles. My halting steps were quite like skiing with no skis, so I pulled the chains out and attached them to my back tires. Pulling out of the driveway, I noticed my wee truck skittering like a spooky colt. Fishtailing and bucking, I slowly made my way in first gear down the middle of the street praying no-one would be coming up the hill, or pull out from a driveway.

As I crept down my quite steep hill, I noticed the sunlight stroking the frozen leaves with tender ministrations. The beams prismed through each diamond drop casting tiny rainbows hither and yon. As I passed beneath the trees as they lean across the road, they dropped a mist of hail, of frozen solid raindrops losing their grip on their perches pummeling passers-beneath. The sunlight bathed the larger trees with silver light, illuminating each tiny drop as they fell.

I had to pay close attention to my squirrely truck as she wiggled and giggled down the hill, but the sight of all those crystalline raindrops clinging to their leafy boughs was glorious! It was beautiful. It was treacherous. It was dangerous dreaming filled with morning jewels.

>^,,^<

Love Song to a Small Town

2009-12-05T11:17:00.001-08:00

Love Song to a Small Town
****************************

Solitude

34*
Snow alights treacherously down upon the railings of the deck overlooking the pond disguised as fat innocent puffy soft flakes
where the ducks sleep restlessly
one eye open for the black bear in the orchard
one eye open for the coyotes trash talking behind the dog yards.
Our wolfdogs trash talk them right back
the hillside rings with the singing of the Brethren
Wolf & Coyote.

The guinea hens spook at every shadow which passes overhead, hawk or sparrow, it is all the same to them, all is danger, all is sorrow
They have short memories, however, and as soon as the shadow is gone, they go back to their chuckling and hunting.

I wonder if the bugs they hunt do the same shrieking and hiding as they spy the dangerous shadows of the guineas.

I wanted solitude, I wanted to touch the wild within me
the wild which was being smothered in the smog of Southern California,
crushed beneath the developers’ mitigating circumstances
as they bulldoze yet another riparian area unto insignificance.
I hungered for the solitude and quiet
and that, I got, in spades.
Now widowed, I have all the solitude I can stand.

This past week, I missed a bill, and have been disconnected
from the internet.
Like Joni sings, you don’t know what you’ve lost ‘till it’s gone
and like an ache, like a shadow limb severed unbeknownst to the brain which thinks it still controls it,
I miss the connection.
I miss the daily chat and the silly games.
I miss hearing the voice of the man I am seeing before I sleep.

And I wonder about that
as I watch the crackling of the ice which covers the pond
like traceries and veins of the Mother
a milky slip of crenalated silk overlaying the deep violet blue of the pond
with the stumps arising from the depths like loons in the mist
No matter how many times I pass them knowing what they are, I still give them a second glance to make sure they have not shape-shifted into the Earth Birds that I know they really are.
Grounded frozen into the pond, dreaming of flight.

Love is for the young they say, and if that is so,
I am still so very young,
Because I love
I love
I love
Strong and different this time ‘round, more direct
patient yet urgent
patient yet passionate
patient yet wild like the howls of the wolves.

Time does that to a person.
I always thought I would disappear into a puff of blue smoke
when I hit 30.
I did not.
Instead, I moved to Oregon and started a new life
where I watch the snow drift silent down upon this land
where I love
where I live
where I have found the solitude I wanted
and the love that I needed
and the life I never knew I could have.

12-4-09

Garden Blogger's Bloom Day

2009-11-15T11:04:00.000-08:00

Drat drat and double drat. Having had one of "those months", I was unable to get my pictures developed. The derned mortgage company asked for a check, cashed my check, and then did a direct withdrawal on top of that, thus double charging me. So I have had to be very frugal, and limit my spending to canned cat food and medicines for Sunny the ailing kitty --Fatty Liver Syndrome due to stress. I spent two months solid giving her 100-150 ml of subQ injections of saline and normal saline with electrolytes twice per day, and tempting her pallet with canned tuna mixed with gourmet canned cat food. She has now OFFICIALLY turned the corner, and gained TWO POUNDS! YAY! - and my monthly 300 pounds of raw chicken quarters for the Song Dogs. For myself, I have been gleening treasures from the freezer. :~) And once per week when I get to see my friend Greig, he brings dinner makin's, and I cook them.

But there has not been that silly little millimeter extra to pay for the development of film. So my Garden Blogger's Bloom Day pictures are all at the developers awaiting my tender checkbook ministrations!

Got some nice shots of last call roses, a couple of erysimum varigatas who shall NOT give up the ghost! some moss phlox, some tarrying black-eyed susans, and a few berries. So my pictures shall be late! You will have to take my word that there are still some hardy lovelies up here in the nippy Pacific Northwest.

Yesterday, I startled four swallows or swifts -deeply "V"d tails, stark black and white color, smallish birds - who had been busily de-bugging our third greenhouse. How delightful! They flitted along the roof line of the filmed roof, and then made a beeline for the open door.. One I had to help a bit, he got confused. All got out safely! And I hope they know they are well and truly welcomed to come eat bugs in our greenhouses any ol' time they wish!

Happy Blooming!!!

>^,,^<

On Mothers and Daughters

2009-11-15T09:46:00.000-08:00

Right about this time of year, regular as clockwork, dependable as the setting of the sun, I find myself getting melancholey and thinking of stuff. Now, as we all know, I AM a Problem Thinker so it shouldn't be surprising, this deep contemplation of mine.

I waver between sorrow and gratitude. Sorrow for the losses and loneliness, gratitude for the many Blessings I have. I miss my Family, I miss my childhood, I miss my Tribe. I miss the familiar places of my youth. I am grateful for my new Tribe, I am incredibly grateful for the paradise and cornucopia of richness of my home.

I have much to be grateful for this Thanksgiving. Even if I wind up spending it alone (I might just cook a turkey for leftovers) it'll all be well.

And one of my deepest Blessings is my Mommy. My Mama and I are as two peas in seperate pods. Grown of different types of peas. She's a Pole pea, I'm a Bush pea. :~) This has caused us no lack of consternation and frustration throughout my life, for both of us. Our differences are enough to make us butt heads, and our similarities are enough to make us butt heads.

As you might guess, we have spent much of our lives butting heads.

But my Mama is a wonderful, strong woman with a heart as big as Texas. I remember once, I was sent home from school and kicked off the bus for causing trouble. But I WASN'T. The kids behind me were. The bus driver was just fed up with their ofttimes violent shenanigans, and blew up. She wasn't feeling inclined to listen to another kid. The School was not inclined to listen to another kid, either. So I was sent home, with now, no way to get to school for the rest of the month for something I hadn't done. When Mama got home from work and I told her what happened, she took the next morning off, and drove me to school. She marched up to the bus driver, told her to get her hiney into the office NOW! and then proceeded to march into the office. With my hand held firmly in hers, she was every bit as intimidating as any drill sargeant. She read them all the riot act. I was back on the bus that afternoon.

Once we had a van big enough to transport the Irish and kids and accoutrement of dog shows hither and yon. It blew some part- transmission part, as I recall- and Mama took it to Car Doc (I THINK that was the name. They are no longer in business) for an estimate and repairs. They gave my Mom an estimate. Two days later, when we went to go pick it up, that estimate had tripled, and they refused to give the van back, or to honor the estimate. OR to produce what work had been done! My Amazon Princess Mom went down their entire counter with an armsweep and cleared it all to the floor. Then went home and hired a lawyer. Car Doc released our van at the estimate price the next week.

Once, I was feeding the horses, and Mom had gone into the shed to fetch more hay, when I heard ear-splitting terrifying shrieks of sheer horror. I came rushing into the shed, to find my Mama, the Amazon Princess, standing on a small chair screaming. I got her calmed down enough to divulge the nature of the beast who had so frightened her. My Mama, the bravest woman in the world besides my Grammy, had been treed by a mouse. I have to admit that I lost it. I just started to laugh so hard that I couldn't stand, and fell into the hay rolling in peels of laughter, later to be pummeled by flakes of hay by my brave and treed mama.

Another time, as we were riding our horses down the River bottom, Mama all dolled up in her new saddle, new boots, new fancy Western riding gear, new tooled leather bridle, me with my recalcitrant shetland pony Star (who in their right mind EVER gives a child a shetland? They are as mean as junkyard dogs! Get a Welch. Taller, yes, but EVER so much more companionable) with my well-oiled hand-me-down gear. I tried to tell Mama not to take the path she was aimed at, because there was a deep spot there, but Mama didn't listen to me. She was a VERY good rider, but I have always been in tune with horses. The horse Mama was riding LOVED water! LOVED it. Would drop and wallow in the shallowest bit of a mud puddle jut slike a pig. She whickered softly, I saw her ears prick deeply forward and an excited gleam flash in her eyes. I started to say "Mama! Watch ou...." and that horse bunny hopped into the deep spot and rolled. With Mama still attached. When the horse was done, Mama looked a wee tad bedraggled. All her beautiful clothes and all her new gear was caked and dripping with black eluvial river bottom silty sticky mud.

Oh and that was not the END of my poor mama's humiliation at the hooves of that rascally horse! Nay! Later, Mama was talking about something, and she turned just as a HUGE grasshopper flew straight into her open mouth! I heard a *crunch* and then a splutter more splutters, gagging and spitting as Mama tried to get that nasty grasshopper out of her mouth, along with that nasty brown "tobacco" stuff that squished grasshoppers emit. It was not a pretty sight. It was, however, a very FUNNY sight.

Mama has two birthdays. One is tomorrow, November 16th, which is the day she was born. The other one is the one she is most proud of, as that is her AA Birthday, the day she quit drinking. It's in April. I am so very proud of her! Our Family is all so very proud of her. It was a terrible struggle, and she deserves to be proud of this accomplishment.

For years, round about this time of year, Mama would disinherit me for one dumb reason or another, a threat to which I would shrug and tell her I was never in it for the money anyway. Round about this time of year, Mama and I would almost inevitably get into some kind of silly row. I wound up dreading this time of year. But we have both grown up, my Mommy and me.

Mama had me when she was still very young, and my Grammy kind of took over the job of raising me. When Mama had my sister Lynell, she was much better prepared to have a child. There were many times when I felt so sad that "Mama didn't love me like she loved Lynell", that "Lynell was always Mama's favorite", and all the typical sibling sorrow and Maternal angst. Now I know that Mama did the best she could. We all make mistakes that we wish we could take back. Sometimes we are not afforded the time to make it up. Sometimes we are not given the time to ask forgiveness, nor to give it.

I am Blessed. I get to see my Mommy for New Years', and spend some time with her, and I get to spend some time with my Tribe. We shall sing in the New Year, this shiney new bauble of 2010. I have the opportunity to have the time to be with my Mommy. It feels so incredibly blessed to find my True Friend in my Mother. I love you, Mommy!

>^,,^<

All Souls Day

2009-11-01T10:52:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was tricksy. It was the first anniversary in which Vinnie has been dead. It took me a while to write that sentence, I wanted to say "Vinnie was with the Angels", but that is a euphemism meant to make the fact of Vince's death less painful to see in writing. Yet, it's true, he's one of my Guardian Angels now.

Now I know there are those who do not believe in that. And there is the distinct possibility that I believe because I WANT to believe, because it is comforting to believe that he is with me still, is with all of us who loved him. In the same way I believe in the Rainbow Bridge, I believe I shall see him again.

I guess that proves that I count our Animal friends as important as our human friends. I shall see them all again, in the great by and by. It's taken me a bit of a while to write this. There is much sorrow, still much anger, and now I find that there are regrets.

As often as we say to ourselves --nay, as often as I have told myself that I shall not make the same mistakes, I find -in hindsight- that I did. I made the same mistake, and I have made this painful one thrice.

And as I am want, I find a smidge of dark humor in my grief, and in my exploration of it. I am now -in some Churches- a blasphemer! In the same umbrella of Christianity, I would be stoned, or burned at the stake as a witch, or tossed in the pond with stones clutched to my breast knowing the proof of my non-witchiness was my death by drowning. How droll! I believe that Animals and Trees and Plants and even Rocks have Souls, have personaility, have intelligence, and were created by the same Source as I. Are thus deserving of the same basic respect. HA! Ah well, so be it.

But Halloween was my Anniversary (see above, I am STILL irreverant!) and my first Anniversary as a widow. And November First was All Saint's Day, when the Catholic Church Honors all the Saints of History. But November 2nd is the day I get confused with. This is All Souls Day, when we hold our Ancestors and Those Who Have Passed close to our hearts, the day when we Remember. In Mexico, and in many of the Catholic countries of South America, All Souls Day is a time of Gifting, of sharing memories, of Celebrations of Life. In Cancun, we all danced in the streets, like Carnivale, a festival time, irreverant, smiling and joyous of memory of those people who look over our shoulders from beyond the veil. (Another interesting euphemism) I baked sweets for the children, and helped prepare the evening meal for my roomies. And then I partied like it was 1983. (which it was)

When I moved to Oregon, I lost Grammy's ashes for some months before I could find the box her box was in. So I have her ashes in my breakfront, her very favorite piece of furniture. It's in my dining room, where she can be with me.

So as I remember these two very important people in my life, I also have to face the mistakes I made. The times when I was frustrated and not kind. The times when I was neglectful. The times when I was distant. The things I could have done better. I am trying hard to forgive myself for the unkind moments I allowed myself with both of these people. Despite my excuses and my reasons, the fact remains, that if I am ever in the position again, I hope I remember writing this. I hope I remember the sleepless nights I have tossed and turned through berating myself for my times of frustration and my unkindness.

I'm reading a very interesting book called "The Bitch, The Crone, and the Harlot" I resisted for a few months, because I found those terms oddly offensive. But I went ahead, and I am reading it, and I have found -besides Ms Schachterle's use of those three terms, chosen on purpose- much to learn within its pages. I will try to remember. I will hold my memories close to my heart. I will learn from my mistakes, and embrace the lessons.

And here, on this windy November morning, the sharp wind picks up the fountain's small geyser and casts it sideways. The water resumes its' carressing of the concrete figure in its' path, the form of a maiden water bearer. I wonder if there's a lesson there?

May all your Blessings not have to wait until Thanksgiving to be present in your life.

>^,,^<

That's IT! The Winged Garden is having a face lift

2009-10-17T11:14:00.000-07:00

I'll bet you thought I was kidding when I said I was "busy making terrible landscaping mistakes", well, dang me, dang me, it's all true.

One of my biggest mistakes, and one I shall never repeat, let me assure you! was mulching for the Winter with straw. bright, fresh, bedding straw. Which, as the Spring came creeping along, germinated into lush, rooty, tall and pugnacious grasses. They have completely over run all my perennials. Plus, they have harboured the shrews and vholes, the bane of my Winged Garden's existance. Those evil rodentia ate the roots off all of my phormiums, and my EverGold Sedge. I don't even know what else they got their grubby little mitts on!

So this Winter, as the weather permits, I am going to pull, yank, cut and pummel the grasses into submission. Once they are properly submissive, I plan to use the newspapers that I have been collecting for 2 years, and lay them down to smother what's left. I shall cut out holes and spaces for the remaining perennials who are still fighting the good fight.. Such as a wonderful Geranium sanguineum 'Elke'.(or cranesbill) that I propogated at Clackamas Community College with jenny Ward 9the greatest propogation teacher in the whole wide world!); 2 beautiful Firepower Nandinas ; a Common Upright Rosemary Officianalis which is not listening to the naysayers about its' tenderness in my Zone; the Buddleias - a Royal Red , a couple of Black Knights ; and a couple of the standard Common lavender with the orange centers .. And most of the Lavenders made it. The Scarlet Monardo made it, as well as the Salvia Officianalis 'Purpurascens'. Mine's a much darker purple, tho, and it always sings as I pass by it. (You know the tune! and lookie what I found!) I think the golden sage made it as well. The Lucifer Crocosmia made it, but I do not know whether the Emily McKenzie made it, (I have another pot of that in the greenhouse, tho.. Yay!) and I don't know if the Solfaterre made it... I shall have to find another, and protect it from the ravages of the root scourges. I LOVE the foliage of this crocosmia!

Everything else is either smothered, yet to be re-discovered, or sacrificed to the dining pleasure of the shrews and vholes. Whom, as you remember, I loathe.

So, I think I shall do my best to remove all the grasses, lay down newspaper mulch, cover that with a thick layer of bark mulch, clean around the surrounding plants, and mulch heavily with the back chips.

Then I shall drag my ceramic bathtub up from the blackberry prison that it has been trapped in, and fill it with soil. I shall plant my phormiums and some trailing plants in the bathtub, something which will hide the back of the tub. Then I'm going to collect all my wine barrels, and cedar boxes, and place them around inside the Winged Garden, and plant them up with the plants which the vholes and shrews showed such interest in. I'm going to pull out a big stump, and put my solar-powered fountain on top of it, and my two sun chasers around.

A new look! A new plan! Perhaps a little ambitious, but I'll bet it'll look pretty cool! Well, this is exactly what Winter is for. To plan how to correct terrible landscaping mistakes!

>^,,^<

Where The Wild Things Should Be

2009-10-16T21:02:00.000-07:00

Earlier, I wrote about the loss of one of Denali's greatest advocates, the Champion of the Toklat wolves. As I was researching his death, I came across some very disturbing posts.

This One Is Defective

I could go on and on, and post all the hateful, painful, evil posts from these people. On another introductory page, they state "NO Flaming", however this website proceeds to vent i a most un-Christian-like manner.

I fully realize that I am a tree-hugger. I am so green, I glow in the dark. I am not an animal rights nut, but I AM an advocate for animal welfare. I just don't understand how someone can claim themselves a "human" and state:

"Looks like the lowlife POS mercenary (or whore, whichever you prefer) for the likes of PETA, HSUS and FoA, could get crossed off the list." and "this is the POS that lead the campaign against aerial wolf control counter to the recommendations of evey other wildlife biologist that did a study on the impact of wolf predation on the ungulate population.

He's an independent "biologist" because he is in the pocket of radical animal rights groups who need his credentials to give them an illusion of credibility."

I am sad for these people. I truly am saddened that they are so disconnected, so defective, so sparse of heart that they could believe this was acceptable posting.

So I find myself having to forgive them, having to Bless them, because they are defective God, take 'em on back and recycle 'em.

Me? I'm with you, Gordon. Thanks for your dedication. Thanks for your mentorship. Thanks for your passion.

and for the hate-mongers? Well, just Bless Your Heart.

>^,,^<

The Denali Wolves have lost their biggest Advocate

2009-10-16T10:05:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, biologist and noted wolf advocate Gordon Haber was killed in a plane crash doing what he loved best: following the Toklat wolves in Denali National Park.

The Backpacker in their Daily Dirt Blog ran the story. The pilot survived with burns, and after a harrowing 20 mile walk, is now being treated at a Seattle burn center. BACKPACKER Senior Editor Tracy Ross, who spent a significant amount of time in the field with Haber, had this to say:

"This is a sad day in AK history. I never met anyone with so much passion or such singularity of focus. As eccentric as Haber could be, he was a devoted wolf advocate and Alaskan icon. He'll be missed by many."

Ralph Maughn's Blog has some wonderful thoughts from readers.

Tracy Ross was also working with with Dr. Gordon Haber on a wonderful piece called "The Dogs of War: Hunting Denali Wolves" It is a beautiful and sad piece of writing.

He'll be missed by more than the people who knew him. The world of wild wolves will miss his advocacy. Haber's website, Alaska Wolves is filled with wonderful research about the real lives of wolves, and strips away so many of the old cobwebby myths.

I know you'll be met at the Rainbow Bridge by many of the wolves you championed. I'll light a candle to help you light your way. I will miss you in the world, miss knowing you were on the job, miss you just being there, fighting the good fight, fighting for those much maligned wolves who can't speak out for themselves. Go with God, Gordon. We'll see yas on the flip side.

>^,,^<

Blog Action Day: Global Warming? Why, It's COLD out there!

2009-10-14T14:17:00.000-07:00

Post Script

Ever since I moved from San Diego up to this rural Paradise where I now call Home, I've been teased about worrying about Global Warming. It still snows here. It still rains here. Folks haven't noticed such a big difference.

But where I came from, there is a HUGE difference. I was raised in a very rural part of east county San Diego, at the foothills of the Cleveland National Forest. It used to snow there every other year. There hasn't been snow there for upwards of 20 + years. The summers now range in the triple digits for weeks into months now, not a couple of errant days. As long as you can bring water to the plants, there is no "out-of-season".. BUT "bringing water to the plants" is now problematical, as the Colorado River is being sucked dry, as is the Sacramento River. Summers are now filled with brown-outs and water rationing as the status quo. I go to visit my Mom every Winter, and walking down the streets of my old hometown is a jarring, jangley experience. It's dry, it's rustley, it's dusty and thirsty and parched. And the places where water still roams wild, those places are still brown along the edges, crispy, sad, with cracked mud like aged ancient sun stroked skin.

There is no more "non fire season" in San Diego. San Diego now has a twelve-month long fire season. Winters are brown and dusty, and what little rain that comes gets sucked away, or washes away the top soil in gullies from the previous burns.

The land is parched, the people disconnected from the land. The land is being cut up, chopped up, burnt and fenced off, the forests burn unchecked. Is it any wonder that SoCal people feel disconnected from the land? I can only imagine how it feels to be a real City person... I know I couldn't do it.

So from my vantage point, busy making terrible landscaping mistakes up here in the Great Pacific Northwest where rain is free falling right from the sky with nary an impediment, Global Warming is a fact of life. It affected me deeply. It chased me from my birth home. It still affects me.

I shut the water off when I brush my teeth. I worry when the water takes a bit to warm up in my shower, worry that I'm wasting water, but I just cannot brace myself to take cold showers up here. I resist allowing the hose to trickle in that NW trick of fooling the freeze. I wrap the faucets up in bubble wrap, instead. I'm piecing together rain barrels. I should have them up and ready next year. I worry about watering my gardens, and I figure that I need to divert that run-off into a source where I can tap it.

My other project is to see if I can tap the washing machine grey water for watering the landscape plants. That shouldn't be TOO hard, but I will need help in accomplishing it...

I have pictures of it snowing in Flinn Springs. I have memories -- not pictures, mind you, because we got into too much trouble skidding down the snowy hill in our new white britches --which got quite ruined-- on our butts as kids! This was in 1962.
I shall find the pictures of our wee home nestled in a blanket of snow. San Diego in a Norman Rockwell dream sequence.

So when my neighbors and room-mate tease me about being so water-conscience (or paranoid as it is also called), or when they laugh at me about my belief that Global Warming is not a myth, I shall nod, and go about the business of trying to prepare for the time when the PNW is under water rationing.

Since my career is now in horticulture, I watch articles about climate and how it affects insects and fungus. The nursery business is particularly susceptable to infestations of both of these pests.

I notice that White Pines in the PNW have been hit very hard by overwintering beetles. I notice that quarantines have affected the Nursery industry, in particular regarding transportation of plants. Oregon State put out an excellent and frightening article about the affects and unknown qualities of
Phytophthora ramorum

I found these articles to be quite disturbing:
Assessing the consequences of global change for forest disturbance from herbivores and pathogens

Mountain Pine Beetle

Doesn't this look familiar?

And what about my home town? Estacada is "The Christmas Tree Capital of the World"... How does global warming affect this beautiful rural heaven? When Winters don't have hard freezes, when Winters are mild, these bark beetles can overwinter in the forests and in the tree lots.

IPM (Integrated Pest Management) can only do so much. Look at this article about the Christmas Tree industry and all the things they must do to grow the trees we routinely throw away come New Years' :
Integrated Pest Management in Christmas Tree Production
What can we do when the Winters remain mild, and the bettles come to eat? We NEED the cold -- the hard cold, the hard freezes-- that kill these invasive and devasting pests. Not to mention the ability to ship non-infected trees and shrubs to other nurseries across the state. Oregon economy is dependant on the Nursery industry. There's been a 17% decrease in Nursery sales and I don't believe that that fact is wholely reliant upon the economy. Much of the decline is due to crop failures and damage.

I dunno. I just think it's pretty odd that there are so many folks who don't believe in this thing called Global Warming when, to me, it's all around me. In my short 50+ years, it's wrapped me 'round with it's tentacles of fear and worry. So I'll just frown and keep my worry to myself, and keep watching the weather, and keep saving water, and keep on being as sustainable as possible.

>^,,^<

Blog Action Day! I'm In, are you?

Addendum: In beautiful and relatively unknown Maldive, the political party there is taking Global Warming pretty darned seriously. It's been hypothesized that their island will be underwater by the end of the century. I wonder if our American naysayers, if THEY lived in Maldive, would they be so certain that climate change was a hoax put on by the radical tree-hugging Left? I think not.

Off to muse with my muse....

>^,,^<

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day!

2009-10-14T10:51:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the Wonderful Garden Faes at Carole's place, I am at long-last able to get some bloom pics up for Garden Bloggers Bloom Day and a tad early, since tomorrow's post will be about the Blog Action Day on Global Warming. (I hope you shall join me there! Or at least read my post :~)

So! Once again, I had to borrow blossoms from the Garden Center which one day, in a Universe Far Far Away, will have its' website up. Yay Verily. So withot further ado, here goes....

Irish Eyes Black-Eyed Susans. These green-eyes beauties are just lovely in a mass planting! I'm going to add some to my kniphifia along the frontage road..

Everyone at the Garden Center helped with this display. We hosted the Good Morning Estacada breakfast meet & greet, and held it in our display area, full of fountains, and flowers. I baked cookies for three days!

The baby Crepe Myrtles! After getting lost in shipment during a heat spell, they decided they liked us, and started blooming. I simply MUST have one for Wolfdancer Creek! Where's that darn shoehorn???

The habeneros are finally fruiting. Yes, I know, not blooms, but YUMMY hot! I ain't eatin' 'em, tho! My Mama dinna raise no fool!

I sure like this display.. Mums and Weigela.

I caught the rain drops on the penstamon. I love penstamon. Such a happy little shrub.. All gypsy wild and freely giving of its' richness of blossom.

Raindrops on roses, and whiskers on kittens...

Last but definitely not least, roses.

Thanks for coming along! on my magical mystery tour...

>^,,^<

Wake Me When It's Warm Out There

2009-10-13T14:53:00.000-07:00

We have now had our first "official" frost. October 4th, o'dark hundred. It was a light frost, but it heralds something I had much prefered not to deal with yet. I am still lodged firmly in Summer, and the rest of the world has glided into Winter. How did that happen? I still have to put my garlics to bed for the Winter! EEEK! I shall endeavor to do that as soon as I get A day off from work.

I have managed to give the Sundance Kitty her 150 ml of saline subQ. *happy*happy*joy*joy* She seconds that emotion. She hates it, and her poor skin about the top of her shoulders is all prickly with needle holes. She looks like a closet junkie who's trying to go straight, hiding the tracks between her toes. She just hates it. She feels so much better when I give her her injection, but she doesn't connect the prick and discomfort of the cold saline squishy beneath her skin, and the immediate increase in appetite and perkiness.

I am saddened greatly that I can't take her to the Vet's. I know what she needs, and obviously I can do the daily-to-twice-daily administrations of saline, but I can't afford the office visit and the meds I know she needs. Vets are charging $50.oo just to open the door and say hello now-a-days. So I worry and feed her tuna, and give her injections. So if you have time, send a prayer for her to rally and get well.

It's been a crazy week, heck, in all honesty, it's been a crazy YEAR.. It seems to have just flown by so quickly. I find myself very resistant to that idea. I have grown accustomed to the gentle caress of sun and breeze. Winter can come, and I will embrace it, but I'm NOT DONE with my tomatoes ! :~( People keep telling me that this how you know you're getting old, is when time begins to fly by.. But I will NOT go gentle into that good night! I will, by God, shake my fist and rave! rave! to the dying of the light.

I am wearing my thermals now at work, with gloves, and 2 pairs of socks, thermal socks with wool socks over them in my heavy duty water-proof & insulated work boots. (Yer Gardener wears army boots!) We don't have our wood stove installed, it was pulled out around February when Marcos & Tim finished the display room. Turns out that wood stoves, when pumped up good and hot, turn drywall into a flammable, compustable fire fodder. You couldn't touch the handrail wall without getting uncomfortably toasted. So they removed the stove so we could insulate the walls with stone, and install a stone flooring for the stove to safely rest upon. And there it sits, still nekkid, still un-insulated, stove-less. And now it is getting downright nippy inside! My customers miss the cheery warmth and flicker of the stove.

I got my referral to the orthropedic specialist, it comes at Thursday Nov. 5th. Now we shall see what my options will be for my poor beleaguered hip.

And speaking of tomatoes, which we were, but much earlier, I have tried a new method of preserving my tomatoes. I gathered and cleaned and sliced up several pounds (close to six pounds) and I dried them in my dehydrator. When they were done, I placed them in a tall capped jar, and layered them with fresh basil. Then I poured extra virgin olive oil up to the top, capped the jar, and placed it in the fridge. Hopefully, they will turn out yummy. Next time, I think I shall call them done out of the dehydrator a couple hours earlier, and make them not quite as dried. That will be the only thing different. It looks beautiful, like garden jewels. And I like sun-dried tomatoes in omelettes and other dishes which call for tomatoes. I didn't use Romas, as everyone said I should, because I don't much care for the TASTE of Romas. I used the big juicy heirlooms that I grew. They are REALLY tasty, and this drying process is SUPPOSED to intensify the tomato taste. We shall see.

>^,,^<

Autumn Maple Helicopter Dragonflies

2009-10-11T15:47:00.000-07:00

The leaves are beginning to turn their Summer tresses in for showier fare. My Coral Bark maple is a shade of orange which is so vibrant it shimmers, it hurts the eyes, it hurts the brain to gaze too long at it, and yet I cannot tear my eyes away. It is beginning to acquire the pagoda-look I love so much about these delicate dainty Japanese maples, and although it is still quite small, not even three feet tall yet, it is every bit as lovely as I had hoped it would be when I planted it.

It's partner in crime, the Fern-Leafed Maple, while taller and wider, is also doing its' job displaying color in an area which had been devoid of any color besides grey and green. The Fern-Leafed Maple is dressed in deep burgundies and bright reds, her skirts flirt and skirl with every errant breeze, her leaves the size of my hands.

In between the two maples is my Rainbow Leucothoe, which I think I need to transplant. It is too far into the shade, and is not picking up the rich violet hues this evergreen shrub is noted for. Its' leaves swirl with chartreuse and creams, held erect with red stems. But it needs those violets and reds in the leaves to shine as it should.

These three are doing just exactly what I wanted them to, tho. Fall color, and Winter interest along the pond ridge.

At work today, the wind picked up and it has been quite cold. We're due for a bit of a freeze tonight, and I have some plants to protect in my garden. I have my paw-print beanie on, and chamois gloves. I've not been warm all day. I forgot my thermal socks. As I was walking out to show a customer a soil mix, the wind snatched up a load of maple seeds and tossed them hither and yon. They floated down on helicopter wings like whirlygigs, hundreds of them. They filled the air with silent flitting spinning dragonfly wings.

I let my Inner Child -never very far from the surface- out to play, to wonder, but none of the grown-ups around noticed the wee miracles spinning from the heavens like little post-it notes from God, and they were all too busy to wonder with me.

I'm sorry they missed it. I am glad I was watching.

>^,,^<

I've Been Tagged!

2009-10-04T11:15:00.000-07:00

I've Been Tagged!

Now this is REALLY cool, because I don't really know what a meme is. HOWEVER, Since Happy was gracious enough to include the basic tenet within her post, I caught the ghist of it. How cool!

SO! Here goes the Rules?
whereby I have to reveal seven interesting facts about myself. That's difficult! Especially since there's so many weird and unusual things I could write about ...

The Seven Stupidest Things I've Ever Done comes to mind.. But I shall endeavor to spare you, Gentle Reader, such an ordeal.

To participate in the Meme Award, you need to:

- link back to the person who gave you the award;
- reveal seven things about yourself;
- choose seven other blogs to nominate and post a link to them
- let each of your choices know that they have been tagged by posting a comment on their blog;
- and finally let the tagger know when your post is up.

So, onto the gristle of the biscuit...Wait. If my biscuits got gristle in 'em, I ain't cookin' 'em right...

Happy Mouffetard, that Notable Who Was Censored by the Dear Clueless Folks at the BBC Gardener's World for her OH SO offensive nickname, (read all about it HERE I mean, really Dear Ones, the BBCGW needs to get out more) Tagged me. You can read more of her adventures HERE Not to mention Happy is the Birth Mother of 'Lets All Post Cat Photos And Dire Poetry On Our Blogs' (LAPCPADPOUB*) Day' A Day which SHOULD be an International Holiday, but isn't.

Seven Things About Myself That You May Or May Not Guess:

1) I am ruled by animals. I share my life with 7 wolfdogs; 5 goats, one of which is AWOL, so I must go tromping about the back 40 searching for her when I get home; 5 male critically endangered Ancona ducks, whom we are breathlessly awaiting Dates for come Spring; 3 Guinea Hens, down from 13.. Making me think perhaps they are not nearly as smart as I thought they were; and at last count, 15 cats, all rescued ferals. I gave up my bedroom until I can build a Kattery and now sleep in the Living Room with the 2 oldest kitties. Now is that not just flat-out crazy or what????

2) I am prejudiced against certain foods, and am trying to overcome it. Porkchops. Chicken Fried Steak. Eggplant. Okra. So I am on a mission to create edible recipes designed specifically to change my mind about these poor maligned food substances! The eggplant, so far, is a HUGE win for vegetables everywhere.

3) I always plant about 6 tomato plants too many. It's not done 'till it's overdone. Tomatoes are the Bling of the Garden Set.

4) I love photography! Life is filled with these myriad vignettes and flashes! I wish I could plug my brain into a computer and download some of these images when I forget my camera or more film. I have reams of notebooks filled with descriptions of what I see. I have never been sure if it all was really THERE, tho...

5) I dream in Technicolor, with a full soundtrack. Life is filled with sound & special effects!

6) I hate getting dirt under my fingernails, but love playing in the soil with plants. That's why I wear gloves, to lessen the nail gunk. And as an added bonus, I don't have to feel slug juice on my fingers when I wear gloves.

7) I am very chaotic, which creates difficulties for the Obsessive-Compulsive side of me!

And so, I pass this meme on to the following bloggers. There's no pressure to take part! (But it'll be pretty if ya do! *grin*) In no particular order except the chaotic one in my noggin:

1)May Dreams Gardens with the Hopes that the Garden Faes will pipe up

2) The Mad Gnomes Because Gnomes and Gardens natually and spontaneously combust with joy

3) Weeder's Garden Who, unbeknownst to herself, was one of my Blog Mentors

4) Wishnik Woods a delight filled with magic. All I have to do to smile is click on her Blog link, and BAM! I feel the grin stretching my cheeks.

5) Talented Animals Roland is one of the most incredible writers and arguers I've ever met. Wish Pops would have met him, those two would have burned the airwaves up with musings and constructive arguments. Roland & Lauren are 2 of the finest animal people I have had the great Honor to have met in my life.

6) Musings From the Cascade Foothills This is my Roomie's Blog. She has quite recently discovered that she has a wonderful, Earthy, and delighful Gift for writing. I love her stories!

7) Shiba Guys Because I love their writing style! And check out their Earth Box Rox! post!

8) Thanks For Today Because she always reminds me that Today is a Gift, that's why they call it the present.

and 9) Bliss! Who gives me terrible cases of the *giggles* and introduced me to lapcpadpoub and Happy Mouffetard, and OH how the circle closes!

Thanks Happy for the Tag! *whew!* My fingers are cold ! WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!

PS~ I should have some neat pictures soon...

>^,,^<

The Sunflower Boy's Smile

2009-10-04T09:30:00.000-07:00

Every once in a while, a story just hits you in the gut. This one did me.

The Sunflower Boy's Smile

I think I shall always see his sunny smile in the sweet faces of the sunflowers as they nod in the sun.

>^,,^<

The Belly of the Beast

2009-09-24T21:03:00.000-07:00

On May 3rd, I had an on-the-job accident. My Manager's husband left the Skidsteer (mini-tractor. REALLY fun to drive! I want one when I win the Lotto. Whaddya mean ya gotta actually buy tickets to win? What kinda deal is THAT?) out overnight in the rain, and the bucket was slick as cat spit. My first sale of the day was fir bark, which was covered by big sheets of plastic. I climbed out on the bucket, climbed up onto the big concrete bin walls, and pulled the plastic back so I could scoop the fir out. As I was climbing back down, my foot slipped off the edge of the bucket, and I did the backwards splits into the bucket, and came down hard on both knees onto the edge of the bucket.

I filled out an incident report, and included the customer's name who witnessed my Olympic-style dismount. I waited until June 3rd to go to the Doctor's, because I kept thinking it would get better. It didn't. So I have been going to a Physical Therapist twice a week since June. My little town has the BEST darn Doctor, (Dr. Rick Orth) and the BEST PT(Bryan Sundahl) in all the world. I'm not kidding, Par Excellance, bar none. I feel so fortunate that if I HAD to slip and fall at work, 1) I didn't do it in California, where I would probably STILL be waiting for a first appointment to see a doctor, and 2) that I live here, where medicine is still handled the Olde Fashioned Way: with Humanity, with Humor, and with Empathy. This would have been a long dark nightmare elsewise.

After a couple of months' worth of PT, and the derned hip was NOT improving as it should have, we had X-Rays done, which told us a couple things: 1) I have arthritis, and 2) I didn't break any bones when I fell. But I am still having to take anti-inflammatories and pain pills, and nighttime pills so I can sleep without waking up crippled up. I have pain. Yes, Virginia, and it is a living thing which gnaws and gibbers. And which I hold at bay with pills. So then I had to take an MRI last week. It's a special type of hell, a check for a lateral tear in my hip. Or the soft tissue around it. It's where they take a needle around 8" long, and gradually stick you with it. First prick stings, and then they pump the hip with novacaine-ish numbness, which creates a pressure not unlike having a tooth extracted, only it presses IN not OUT. They then take another needle full of dye, and slide it (and they do a generously kind job, as good as can be expected) under the cartilage --the "shower cap"-- which covers the ball socket of your femur, or somewhere in the immediate vicinity anyways... and inject it. You can see the skin rising, like in a good Rick Baker special effect.

Unfortunately for me, I get terribly stressed with needles. Bless them, and they are quite right, they told me "It will be alot easier on you if you can just relax." But if I knew how to manipulate that "OFF" switch from inside here ....well, *tap*tap* Is there anybody out there? Just nod if you can hear me; Is there anyone home? And I'm a big weenie when it comes to needles. Break my bones, break my noggin, I is strong like bull. Threaten me with a needle poke, I is weak like lamb. So I, of course, cried. And couldn't quite stop. Just these annoying leakages oozing from my tear ducts. *bleh* What a weenie.

First they sterilize the area. Everyone is quite concerned with following protocol, so I have front- and back-wards cotton robes, or what one can loosely call a "robe", or in Hospital-lingo, "The Very latest in French Fashion Statements." A covering. Disposable lap-coverings. The Lady receptionist is there throughout the procedure, and actually, I was grateful for her comfort and presence.

But I remember being slightly annoyed at how "careful" they were all being to me, and feeling resentful of the extra time it was taking, this polite dance of political correctness and protocol. And rather wistful about the changing times which could force patient and doctor to engage in such an awkward tap dance around each other.

But that is for another tale, for another generation, for their children to scoff at. Besides, I quite felt that my annoyance was ill-placed. So I bit it. And bit it back to boot.

Once the anaesthesia began to almost-work, they put me in a short metal donut where they marked the injection site with a felt pen, after they centered in on the spot with what looked like a Fro Pik. OK, now, all of you who actually KNOW what that is, raise your hands, and then we shall all *giggle* together. Now, as the narrow cot slides through the donut, there is air shooting in a line across my body, as if following a light beam. But I didn't KNOW it was just air. What it FELT like, was every single hair on my rather hairless body, (being human, with a VERY meager coat, you know. All my critturs laugh at me behind my back) being raised up straight. Like static electricity was being played across my skin. Or like that creepy feeling which raises the hair off the nape of your neck?? It felt.. frighteningly sensuous.

And then here comes the object of my doom and despair: the miles' long needle. It hurts a great deal. It's not just pressure, although there is that, it's also sharp, and my body half rises off the cot, which worries the poor doctor something fierce, since any major movement will screw up the picture. We do not want this. Nay! I say, verily nay we dinna!!

Then I walk around to give the dye the ability to leak out and paint the surrounding areas of my hip if there is any tear. Then it's off to the "Magnet", the actual tube, where I lie upon yet another cot, and get slowly inserted within. With just my head sticking out. There are moments where I briefly feel the damp, cold touch of claustrophia pricking me, but I shrug that bony hand off my heart, and breathe through it. They set me up with a pair of headphones, and tune it to Kink Radio not to be confused with any OTHER Kinkish junk, which, to my dismay, there's a lot of. (KINK's a great radio station, by the way! Locally owned and operated, they are true to the music. It's just not Corporate. It's what FM Radio used to be in the early 70's. There's little looping, lots of great old classics, lots of great new music, lots of live music, they have lots of artists drop in and give acoustic performances on-air, and they give new artists a great venue for exposure...OOOPS! off track there, Me's's got! But check 'em out!)

This is very quite sweet of them, since this magnetic camera is REALLY NOISY! We drown most of it with some great rock. It takes about an hour to garner all the images, and I drift in and out of conscienceness, abruptly yanked out of DreamTime by mundane things like the jerking of my legs--luckily not a noticeable action which could bollux up the MRI-- or a burst of musical riff. And once, I drifted back to conscienceness with the feel of my lover's hand sweeping the hair back from my face, and the sweet smell of him leaning over me. A strange feeling to be both in and out of reality.

The following week, both my Doctor and my Physical Therapist ooooh and ahhh and grimace and frown over the report. It doesn't look good. There's a cyst in there somewhere. There's a tear. There's damage on the socket. Doc Orth has referred me to an Orthopedic Specialist in Portland, so I await a call from them for the next stage. I may have to have surgery. There may be other things which will be needful. I will find out soon.

But I'm still hobbling about! Still on the up side of the grass! and still gardening! I wonder if I'll wind up bionic? *Gee* I could set off all the metal detectors in the airport!! WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!

>^,,^<

Woody the Cat

2009-09-13T17:55:00.000-07:00

Now this is one cool cat!

Woody the Cat
Woody the Cat
Woody the Cat

>^,,^<

a New One

2009-09-08T11:40:00.000-07:00

The Song of the Day

Upside Down Lyrics Jack Johson

Who's to say
What's impossible
Well they forgot
This world keeps spinning
And with each new day
I can feel a change in everything
And as the surface breaks reflections fade
But in some ways they remain the same
And as my mind begins to spread its wings
There's no stoppin' curiosity

I wanna turn the whole thing upside down
I'll find the things they say just can't be found
I'll share this love I find with everyone
We'll sing and dance to Mother Nature's song
I don't want this feeling to go away

Who's to say
I can't do everything
Well I can try
And as I roll along I begin to find
Things aren't always just what they seem

I wanna turn the whole thing upside down
I'll find the things they say just can't be found
I'll share this love I find with everyone
We'll sing and dance to Mother Nature's song
This world keeps spinning and there's no time to waste
Will it all keep spinning and spinning round and round and

Upside down
Who's to say whats impossible and can't be found
I don't want this feeling to go away

Gently fading & repeated:Upside down
Whos's to say whats impossible and can't be found
i don't want this feeling to go away
Is the way it's 'sposed to be?

and the video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNlmn7vbXBQ&feature=related

>^,,^<

Eggplant Recipes from the Garden

2009-08-26T13:24:00.000-07:00

I love to grow eggplant. In particular, I find the Japanese Ichiban eggplant to be a particularly delightful plant, with its' lovely lavender flowers, and glossy deep purple skin. It grows well here in the PNW, in the same conditions that my tomatoes and peppers enjoy.

But it is a deeply maligned vegetable! Mention eggplant, and you will more than likely get a squinchy face with a stuck-tongue and a big ICK! And I never knew much about them before I started growing them. So what to do the little buggers when they start poppin' in the garden?

My Grammy used to say that invention was the child of necessity, and budget's been tight, hours have been cut, money is scarce, and I am REALLY glad I planted a garden. So I went a'searchin'.

Today, I tried a Ratatouille recipe. Now, I can't cook without messin' around with the recipe. Cooking brings out my inner mad chemist. Plus, rarely can I find a recipe which utilizes the exact left-overs in my fridge. Can't let that good food go to waste, so I experiment. /waggles eyebrows.

Wolfdancer's Ratatouille

Ingredients:

* About one pound of left over bar-b-q'd London Broil roast, cut into bite-sized chunks, floured and sauteed until a fine golden crust occurs.
* 2 tablespoons basil-infused olive oil
* 2 cloves garlic, crushed and minced
* 2 large onions, quartered and chunked.
* 7 small eggplants, sliced thickly
* 5 large tomatoes, coarsely chopped
* 3 to 4 small zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch slices
* 1 teaspoon fresh leaf basil
* 1/2 teaspoon freshd leaf oregano
* 1/4 teaspoon fresh leaf thyme

Preparation:

Grab the slow cooker. Pour the juice from left over roast in it. Place the sauteed meat in it. Throw one freshly cubed onion in it.

In a large skillet, drizzle olive oil and heat. Toss the other cubed onion in, and saute till soft. Add garlic. Saute some more. Add the cut up eggplant. Saute until eggplant is soft, and onions are golden brown. Add a bit of left over pesto, because it's there, and it's left over. Toss into the slow cooker.

Add tomatoes, zucchini, and herbs; mix well. Cover and cook over low heat. Sample occasionally, just to make sure you're on the right track. Smack your lips! Who knows how many it will serve. Haven't served it yet. Made a goodly pot.

**************************

Now this one, I've done three times, and it's delicious! I think I've finally have it down enough to write it down.

Wolfdancer's Vegetable Lasagna

Ingredients:

*A large pan of sliced Ichiban eggplant. (it winds up being about 7 or 8 eggplants)
*A large pan of thickly sliced large tomatoes. (winds up being about 5 or 6, depending on how big the 'maters are)
*one package of either spinach or other fresh egg noodle type of noodle.
*pesto
*garlic, if the pesto isn't garlicy enough for ya
*fresh grated romano cheese
*fresh grated parmesan cheese
*mozzarella cheese
*fresh basil
*olive oil

Preparation:

Heat the over to broil. Drizzle pans with basil-infused olive oil, and place your 'maters and eggplants closely layered till the pan's full. Take your pans of eggplant and 'maters, and roast for about a half an hour. Try to flip the 'maters, if you can, although fresh 'maters tend to be pretty juicy! Flip the eggplants. When a lovely dark crusty yumminess occurs, they are done. That takes about a half hour. Watch them carefully, don't let 'em burn.

Prepare your noodles. If you're using spinach noodles, make sure you don't overcook them. It works better if the noodles are cooked slightly al dente.

Get a nice lasagna pan, or any deep dish oven pan. If you spray it with Pam, the clean-up will be a snap. Line the dish with your noodles. You should have at least a half an inch worth of noodles. Spoon pesto over the noodles, then sprinkle romano cheese generously over the surface. Take your eggplant, and layer the eggplant over the romano cheese. Take your tomatoes, and layer them over the eggplant. Add the garlic, if your pesto isn't garlicy enough. Sprinkle the parmesan cheese generously over the tomatoes. Slice the mozzarella cheese in goodly 1/4" slices, and cover the surface completely.

Drop the temperature in the oven to 350* and place the pan on another flat pan to catch potential dribbles. Bake for about a half an hour, or until the mozzarella is golden brown and bubbly delicious.

Let it cool for a bit, or you will scald your tongue.

From my garden to yours! Happy Gardening and Bon Appetite!

>^,,^<

Lessons from the Universe

2009-08-21T10:37:00.000-07:00

I am doing some Reading (with a Capital "R") about life changes. About Spirit. About the Great Mystery. About God. About the Goddess. About Balance, and Patience, and Lessons, and about how I may take the lemons of my life, and turn them into delicious lemonade.

Well, the Universe is definitely giving me my Lessons. Today, an employee of the Company I work for called me up at home and read me the riot act about all the hard work "everyone else does", and how it's unfair that I "sit inside and play on FaceBook or whatever."

I did speak my Truth, but I could feel myself get hot and metallic inside. I fought most of that back.

Here's this little girl who -bless her heart- just graduated College with her BA. I have to admit to being jealous! I make the assumption that her Family paid for that education, or the State did. I make the assumption that she did not pay her way through her education by her own monies, via her own blood and sweat. I make the assumption that she's been coddled and given her living, her housing, her food, that she's never had to live in her car, that she's never had to deal with homelessness, that she has never had to pull herself out of the mud by her own bootstraps.

So I make those assumptions, and then I have to tell myself, those are assumptions. I know nothing about her background, I know nothing about the trials she has suffered. I could call her, and ask her. I know she is paying for her education via part time jobs and through the summer. Bless her heart. I could call her and ask her who pays for her room and board. Does she have another job to pay for her room & board? Or does her InLaws help support her? She lives with them. I could ask her does she have a mortgage that she is struggling to meet so she doesn't end up on the streets again? If, indeed, she has EVER lived on the streets?

I could. But I won't. Or will I? Would knowing her circumstances and sharing mine further my evolution? Would knowing anything about a girl whose plans include Teaching --when she makes such wide ranging assumptions about others can she Teach? -- would sharing my trials and knowing hers help me in my Journey? I don't know. I just don't know.

I'll have to think about it. I'll have to search inside myself and discover if I just don't give fig about a person who won't be here in a month, but perhaps will be here next Summer, or if the Sharing is part of the Lesson.

What do YOU think??

>^,,^<

Chaos Moment by Moment

2009-08-10T11:45:00.000-07:00

There are days where no matter how tightly you hold on the control button, the "Rewind" or "Delete" buttons are just set on "No Reply, LOADING, Please Wait." *sigh* This is the tail of one of those days.

I tell you, I AM TOO in control of my Life! (right?) :~o

I am attempting to go back to school, and try for my Master's in some kind of business venue where I can;
1) Make a Living Wage plus a wee bit to Nest Egg.
2) Have a job that I enjoy, one I can be creative with, one which I can use to help folks with, and where I can still work part-time at "my" wee little Garden Center which I love.
3) Have some kind of stability which is not reliant on weather or the Economy.
4) Something Useful.

So, I looked into University of Phoenix.It really sounds like a terrific College! But I am very frustrated with the online application process. *bah* Trying to get funding. I spent 45 min. being put on hold, transfered, re-transfered, re-holded, re-processed and spat out as inappropriete. So I don't know if this particular line of reasoning will be do-able. *bah*

So after the eighth re-hold/disconnect, I called my physical therapist to verify my appointment. I called at 11:55 am, expecting my appointment at 1 pm. Au Contraire! I am due at Noon. WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!! Low flying aircraft! Wolfdancer Airlines, taking off on Runway #9.

And now I am awaiting my appointment with Doctor Sarah. Doctor Orth is recuperating from his hip transplant surgery. I hope he's doing well!

I am sitting in downtown Estacada at the Scenes 'N' Beans Coffee Shop Their website isn't quite done yet. (*gee* If I had my Master's in Web Design, I could offer to build it for them!) Just finished watching the tail end of Overboard, and now I get to watch the beginning of Pink Panther 2 with Steve Martin. Funniness!

I found this on You Tube
I saw these guys at the Lakeside Rodeo, one of the last Ole Tyme Ro-DAY-os, long with the Pendleton Roundup. I wound up with really ugly seats which had no stage view. This was --by who knows-who!-- brought to the attention of a lovely lady in side comment as I was on the prowl for the Refreshment Booth. Turns out she was one of the wives. We got upgraded to the third row. GREAT seats! where we could watch the show without pillers and screens before us.
The Highwaymen and their Lovely Wives, real life style

How delightful to see these Legends and their Ladies relaxed and having fun!

Well, home sweet home, Me's'a going out to wheelbarrow shavings.

>^,,^<

To Bee, or Not to Bee, and Other Veggie Tales

2009-08-02T10:27:00.000-07:00

Well, 2 days after my wee Bees showed up for a Staycation at Wolfdancer Creek Farm, the bee house blew out of the wee Grand Fir (ain't she Grand!) and they swarmed off in a huff. Since they weren't IN the bee house, only huddled between the walls of the bee house and the trunk of the Fir like small tiger-eye beads bee-decking the fragrant green of the needles, there wasn't any harm to the bees... I was quite concerned!

Poor wee dears. I hope they know how welcomed they are here.

It's been brutal hot here, we've broke records for heat, and continous hot days. I may have lost my trained larch /sadness! And my evergreen huckleberries are taking a terrible hit.

And I just have not felt much like cooking. Imagine that. So, when my friend Greig came over after he'd been at the Estacada Farmer's Market selling the Zark Galactic Emperor's Finest Soap, I defrosted a nice roast I had had tucked away, and went a'foraging out in the garden.

Now I have not been able to even LOOK at my Gardens, only have had time to put water on everything as frantically as possible; work at work, and water as frantically as possible THERE, try to deal with the fairly intense pain that my slip & fall on-the-job accident has incurred, (standing and walking without being able to sit and shift every hour feels like walking with ground up glass between my hip socket and my thigh bone) Try to deal with the fact that my manager is one of the most truly unhappy humans I have ever met, and takes it out on everyone around her. I am afraid that she is trying to make this job intolerable, trying hard to make me quit, or worse, let me go (or in her words "take me off the schedule" because I cannot "do the job I was hired to do") because of the accident. So I am trying to work hard to put myself in her shoes, and understand her viewpoint so that I may be kind. And still watch my back. *wry chuckle* It's Tricksey! Trying to keep the remainder of the new Guinea hens alive, trying to keep the Song Dogs happy, trying to fight the stupid fleas which are going CRAZY with this heat, and havingthemselves a hatching from HELL-o operator! Give me the flea police..

So yesterday, I went out to see if there was anything ripe I could add to the bar-b-q'd roast for dinner. I found 2 mostly ripened Celebrities, about the size of a very large lemon. I found 1 nicely ripened Abe Lincoln. I found 1 nicely ripened Stupice. and a whole bowlful of Sun Golds.

So I am thinking I need to journal what I liked, and what I didn't like, and why. So far, there is no dislikes!

The Celebrities, as per usual, were DELICIOUS! even not-quite ripe, they were tangy, good acid, nearly seedless, and juicy. They had greenish shoulders still. I should've left them on the vine for one maybe two more days. But one had a bit of a hole, so I figured I'd pluck it. About 3 1/2" in diameter.

The Abe Lincoln was also VERY flavorful! A nearly perfect tomato, it was round, bright-dark red, Great acid tang! Really has that "old fashioned tomato flavor"!!! About 3" in diameter.

The Stupice was DEEP bright red! a medium sized 2" in diameter tomato, it had an almost sweet tangy taste! For a very early tomato, I was VERY pleased with the taste! I will definitely grow this one again! Extends my tomato growing season by about a month.

The Sun Golds, of course, are so sweet with a bit of tang, that they are almost dessert tomatoes. They are prone to spliting, tho, so I try to pick them right away when ripe, wash them (IF they make it inside!) and dry them off by placing them on a paper towel. If I leave them to air dry, they will split. Putthem in the fridge right away after blotting them with the paper towel so as to avoid the umbiquious fruit flies. I like them cut in half in a bowl full of large curd cottage cheese. YUM! OR by the handfulls fresh and warm out of the garden.

I added a young cucumber out of the garden, and just cut them up. No salad dressing, just a bit of salt and pepper. We felt like tomato connoisseurs!

I am excited that the Abe Lincoln, a heritage tomato, turned out so well, as did the Stupice. I am looking forward to seeing how the Carbon Black tomatoes taste, and whether the Bonnie Bests are worth growing, since of all my 'maters, the Bonnie Bests seem always to be having troubles. Curley leaves, or yellowy. Now I know I'm not groing tomato leaves, so I will have to see if the taste is worth the extra effort.

I'm kind of excited to be doing this taste test! I know others are doing it, so perhaps Hanna of This Garden is Illegal will help me out on descriptions.

I planted:
Box Car Willie
* Abe Lincoln
Stupice
Glacier
Carbon Black
Bonnie Best

Early Goliath
* Celebrity
* Sun Gold

I think that's it...
Next year, I'm going to add:

Clint Eastwood's Rowdy Red
Dagma's Perfection
Gary Ipsen's Gold
Cherokee Purple
Nyagous

WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!
happy Gardening!

>^,,^<

Bee My, Bee my, Bee my Little BaBee!!

2009-07-23T12:18:00.000-07:00

Continued from Page One!

SO! The Beekeeper came, and brought a wee Bee House. I grabbed my camera and shot a bunch of pictures which--as soon a I get them developed!-- I will edit to post later. We stood there, watching this swarm, and he told me it was "just a little one". To which I replied, "AH! But that is SO subjective! I, as an allergy-ridden fool, believe this is a HUGE! collection of bees!" Since this is only the second time I have seen a bivouac, that is true. EVEN THO! The first one was pre-internet, pre-camera, and in the late sixties. That swarm must have included a queen, since it was well over 2' long, and 18" to 20" inches wide. My Daddy freaked out! and sprayed them with the hose to get them going away. I wish he hadn't, tho... I remember wishing that we could just watch them..... "Just a wee swarm" of perhaps 2,000 bees. A "normal" swarm is 20,000 !! bees! wowzer!

I fixed up a dish of sugar water, and he told me they won't touch anything less than 21% sugar, so I added more sugar...

He put on his bee hat, and some nitrile rubber gloves, and pulled out a shelf from the bee house. Then he gently shooed the cluster of bees onto the shelf. They ooozed onto it, rather like very cold honey pouring out, slowly, sweetly, and when that shelf was filled, he tucked it back lovingly into the bee house. He repeated this action five times. He looked for the queen, but was unable to find her.. but he hadn't caught all of the bees, either...

Then he tucked the be house into the branches of the Grand Fir.. (as gentle as he was with the bees, he was rough and untender with the branches of the wee fir, and left two scrapes along 2 branches... one branch is curled backwards, but I think it will spring back fine)

He told me they will either go into the house, or they won't. They are either a secondary swarm without a queen, or he just didn't find her. They will either find a hollow tree here, and bee happy, or they will go into the bee house, and go home with him.

About an hour after he left, I went out to check on them, and all the bees had left the bee house! They were now tucked between the bee house and the trunk of the fir tree. They seemed quite happy and protected there. I noticed that some were investigating the bee house, but the majority were now re-huddled in their wee mass.

This morning, when I staggered out, bleary-eyed to check on "my" bees, they were still escounced between the bee house and the trunk of the tree. No wee bees were drowning in the sugar water, so hopefully, those that needed a wee sip, got one handy. Just in case they got thirsty, and maybe they are tired from all that flying and stuff.. and maybe the pond is too far away, or something.. I didn't want them to be hungry.....

>^,,^<

Won't You Bee Mine, Honey?

2009-07-22T15:13:00.000-07:00

This morning I staggered past a note written by my Roomie, and misread it of course, because reading with one's eyes shut really isn't very affective, I've discovered. I answered the question I THOUGHT she wrote.

Later, with java in my blurred hands, I re-read the note. Calling my now-confused Roomie, I responded; "OH the answer to your question is not the question I answered." She needed me to check her wee little Grand Fir, the Gladstone Tree, which she has babied Lo! these many years in a pot. We planted it out four years ago, now. Every few years, it suffers an attack of those nasty vampire aphids, you know, the ones that are as big as scale but aren't? The Ahnold SchwartzeAphids? and we spray it with Neem, hose 'er off a few days later, and Voila! She grows another foot. Well, she got hit pretty bad, and with this past week of exceptionally hot weather, she got her tip buds whalloped! Saturday, Dianne sprayed her well with Neem. Today I went out to spray her with Dawn dish washing water, to loosen up that yucky sooty must the aphids leave behind.

There was a wee honey bee circling lazily around the Gladstone Tree, then I spied another, and another. Now, I am alert to these kinds of things, as I am pretty severely allergic to bee stings, and anaphylactic shock just ain't pretty.

I moved closer. Anaphylactic shock or not, curiosity gets THIS Kat every time. Along the trunk, I see a darkened mass, which seemingly seethes with golden stripes, like a molten tiger. It takes me a few seconds to figure out what I am seeing. It's a bivouac of honey bees! It's about 8" long by 6" wide, by maybe 4-5" thick. It's beautiful!

SO! My brain starts whirring, startling the Starlings who are stealing cat food off the porch. I have about 500 apple trees! Not to mention the few plums and peaches, and huckleberries and blueberries which are making a valiant effort to thrive here... Fruits and vegetables LIKE pollenators! I wonder??? I called upon my Good Friend, Google

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/cumberland/beepage/swarm.shtml
http://ag.arizona.edu/pubs/insects/ahb/inf4.html
http://www.texasento.net/bee-swarm.html

I m awaiting a local beekeeper to come look and see if we can "socialize" them.

How cool!

>^,,^<

Well, Bless Her Heart

2009-07-11T10:04:00.000-07:00

There is this delightful phrase that Southern women have used for decades. It's rather catty, (no, not moi!) but is oh! so! appropriete sometimes to remind yourself that 1) Some people really SHOULD be outta the gene pool, and 2) it's OK to realize Fact #1

I made mention of this phrase in my post yesterday about the Hollyweird Twit who has instigated a (county-paid, mind you) lawsuit against her neighbor who has been *gasp* FEEDING STRAY CATS! OH! The Horror! The Pain! The Despicability!

This, then, are the definitions:
Bless Her Heart
Bless Her Heart
and well, Bless Her Heart.

>^,,^<

The Weird Meet the Council of Logic

2009-07-10T09:26:00.000-07:00

So this Beverly Hills twit is trying to cast a Trap/Neuter/and Release (TNR) Advocate who's been feeding stray cats (and trapping them, and getting them altered IN OTHER WORDS, she's part of the SOLUTION, not the Problem) into the Brig for disobeying the law. Well, Bless Her Heart. (If you would like a translation of that little gem, I will write it up in a minute, and edit it for *HERE*)

WHAT IN THE GODS FORSAKEN GOODNESS is with this idiot?? (Yep, it's my Blog, and I can call this Hollyweird Debutante an idiot if I want to.) Alleys aren't "public", they are semi-private convenience egress and ingress. ANYWAY, here's the Scoop, I thought it was well done!

Beverly Hills Ruling on Ordinance to Criminalize Stray Cat Feeders

The Proposed Ordinance

What a CRIME!! against "Humanity"?

And Another

What are we coming to? This is not enlightened behavior. This is .. tragic, evil and incredibly selfishly stupid.

Perhaps it strikes a chord in me, since all of my cats (all "too many of them") are strays and ferals that I have trapped, spayed/neutered, and either kept safe in my house so they may not be harmed, or released. (Depending on their requirements "personality", or "tameability")

Just Bless this Twit's Wee Little Pea-Shaped Heart.

>^,,^<

Happy Birthday, America!

2009-07-04T15:16:00.000-07:00

What a lovely weekend. Thursday and Friday we went to the Safeway Waterfront Park Blues Fest for the 22nd Annual Oregon Food Bank event. For a mere $10.oo and two cans of food, you get a whole day's worth of blues. Thursday was 3 pm - 10:30 pm, Friday was Noon to 10:30 pm.

I was in heaven!

And then today is America's birthday! Not my puppy America, but the USofA America. Let the fireworks commence!

>^,,^<

Sunny Beaches!

2009-06-29T07:43:00.000-07:00

Well, no beaches here, but lots of sunshine and the grasses (which I have not been able to QUITE control) are blooming with a surfiet and copious amount of pollen. I awaken each morning ready for Zyrtac! MMMMMMM Zyrtak. Friend to Allergic Gardeners Everywhere.

Seems we have 2 new ferals since the coyotes took my wee friend Dinkum /sadness.. I miss Dinkum with his whinings at the door for MEAT, MOM, MEAT! He would devour an entire chicken quarter in minutes flat. He demanded his due attention. These 2 new ones are just your basic skittish ferals moving in to fill the vacuum left by Wee Dinkum's demise. *sigh*

I must make a new appointment for the Hobbits and Mimi to join the Clip of the Month Club. The coupon expired. *bah*

I deep watered the (soft evergreen big tree person whose name I can never remember, good thing I kept the tag!) and my two baby apple trees.. BOY were they dry! BAD Mommy. Gave everything up there a soaking to.

The Salad Bar Garden is looking lush, or wait a minute, am I the Juicy Lush, and the Garden is just growing? Lushfull thinking.

The tomatoes are looking quite nice. I have a few SunGolds already ripening, and a few Stupice, Glaciers, and Celebrities getting sizeable. I have a few eggplants ready for harvest and a yummy new recipe to try with them!

Nihki is growing like a weed, no new photos yet, since I STILL don't have a digital camera. Spoiled, I be, with this film developing thing! HA!

My Work Horse Computer --upon which my entire website resided, and my full version of Office 2003, Windows XP, Cute FTP< and Cute Map not to mention Paint Shop Pro (whose disk I have no nso worries there) finally gave up the ghost. I am attempting to have the data retrieved. I only pray it's NOT a SATA system, as those are more difficult to fetch information from. If you're out there, with a spare moment between hoeings, I would appreciate a pray or three for the successful retrieval of said files and folders. 12 years worth of work in there.

Off to shower my self in preparation for a long, warm day at work.

>^,,^<

Happy Fairy Day!

2009-06-24T15:38:00.000-07:00

My friend Twig the Fairy reminded me that today is Fairy Day.

Happy Fairy Day!

So how did you spend YOUR Fairy Day? I spent mine with the Garden Faes. Now I know Carol will understand this, and I hope she spent a lovely day with her friends, the garden faes. Mine helped me tend to the garlics today. With their help, I discovered an underground shrew factory. These evil minions had been attacking the roots of my wee plants. We exposed their evil plan.

I left a Gift of a dish of cream, several small baby beets, and some tender baby lettuces to grace their dining.

Here's a place to puruse Fairy Garden furnishings : The Fairy's Garden
and places where Faerie gather, and you can invite the Fae Folk into your gardens
eFairies
Fairy Divas

I puttered about, pulling weeds, and watering the Salad Bar, playing with Nihki, and taking her for a nice long walk. Drinking from the hose like a child on a hot summer's day. I found myself altogether delighted with the world I live in, and my friends the Garden Faes all nodded in unison, as they gamboled and danced amongst the flower petals.

May your Fairy Day be Blessed!

>^,,^<

On Becoming A Juicy Goddess!

2009-06-23T08:18:00.000-07:00

Lately I have been feeling my age. I took a spill on the work tractor after someone left the tractor out in the rain overnight. The bucket was slick as cat spit, and I did the splits backwards and dislocated my left hip out of socket. So now, month plus later, I walk like a crippled up old woman, and look longingly at fancy walking sticks.

Leaves a serious dent in my self-esteem! So I look in my Roomie's reading library, and what should I see? "On Becoming an Older Goddess". YIPPEE!!! THAT'S what I shall do, I shall focus on my Goddess hood, and remember how to be juicy! Living Juicy! Starting right now, starting with this next breath. I turn the radio up HIGH, and I dance, (pirouetting on my one good leg) with my arms upraised... I step outside and just take a moment to glory in the breeze, in the sun, in the splendor of the day. I raise up my head, and open my throat with a good long howl to the heavens, which, of course, instigates a Howleluja Choir sing-along with the Kidz.

And do you know what? It WORKS! A lovely day. A friend stopped by and we measured out what will soon be my new house extension, The Kat Kondo, for the kitties... It will be attached to the house, and will include the third bedroom window, so that the kitties will have an inside access, where we can feed and pet them, and an outside environment where they can feel the breezes in their fur, play with butterflies, hunt bugs, eat grass, and throw it back up again. We're using some old framed in windows on the east side, to protect against the rain, it'll be roofed by either aluminum, or Lexan, (a see-through polycarbonate roofing material rated for 20+ years) depending on what I can afford... and then we are using chainlink for the rest of the walls, sunk into a concrete ditch, so that no predators can push their way in. There'll be a double-entry door, glass on the outside, and a small framed-in wire door on the inside, so that when I go inside to clean litter boxes (as this will be where all the litter boxes will go -- OUTSIDE! *yay*) and to play with the kitties, there will be no dashing between my legs out into the wilds.

I'm quite excited about this project, as it will mean I will be able to have my bedroom back. WEEEEEE! To sleep in my own bedroom with my own bathroom and no kitties dancing on my head at night! *happy dance*

A serious step towards Goddess-ness. /nod. We all achieve our Goddesshood in a different dance!

>^,,^<

On Yer Knees, Grrrrl!

2009-06-15T16:17:00.000-07:00

Wrong clothes, it was cloudy, but of course now that I am OUT in the garden, and on my knees in the Prayerful Position with sweat running down my neck into my t-shirt, the sun comes out and I am DRENCHED, can hardly see for the sweat in my eyes.. Pulling weeds, skittering about on my hands and knees in the soil... The knees of my sweats are dark rich chocolate with the soil of my garden.

Think I waited a tad too long for the lettuces... They look a bit beaten, but they are not bolted... SO! Maybe I shall have some lovely salad greens available to me for dinner... I planted another set of Walla Wallas, because oh my goodness, one can never have too many sweet onions! And I planted 6 more broccoli starts, since the slugs hit the ones I planted by seed.. ALTHOUGH! Once on my knees, I realized that I have more broccolis than I figured.. I should have some lovely steamed broccoli florets this summer...Yesh ....

The slugs did, however, take out the majority of my organic spinach, may the Goddess take their slimey souls before I can salt them. The ones who lived look like they bolted before they even had leaves. /sadness. *sigh*

I think I may have pulled up some of my parsnips, not knowing the plants look like carrots. So, why aren't there pictures of what the plants look like? I know what the ROOT looks like, but goodness me! And dagnabbit, but marigolds look just like weeds until you pull them up, and smell them. *bah* And the SMELL is what I wanted them for!

Nary a single Diva cucumber came up, so now I know that Diva cuc seeds are not viable past 4 years even if well-kept in the fridge with dessicant and ziplok baggies. Only TWO of my organic cuc seeds came up, and I am nursing those two wee plantlets, but the organic Muncher cuc starts I bought are doing very well.

I planted 2 starts of Early Butternut squash, and skipped all the rest of the squash, hoping to get some nice sweet butternuts for winter soups.

That derned puppy Nihki moved my garden stakes, or else I was sleep walking, because there's SOMETHING in there that doesn't look like a weed, but sure as heck doesn't look like anything I'M familiar with.. I'll let it grow, and see what happens. The Mystery Plant.

and I realized as I was pulling weeds that there is a BUNCH of volunteer tomato plants in this garden from downed fruits from last year. I wonder what kind?

wash off the sweat, git off yer kneees, Grrrrl! Off to place the 54" tomato cages about the perimeter sectors of tomatoes. I still have 6 more Bonnie Best tomatoes to find homes for... My friend Doc Lloyd passed away before I could plant the tomatoes I grew for him. I don't think I'll ever taste a Bonnie Best without thinking of him. What a delight my friend Doc was.

Gardening is when I am closest to the Angels.

>^,,^<

Poems for a Cloudy Day

2009-06-15T10:39:00.000-07:00

I just found this Alberta poetry website. and ran across this poem. I loved Hunter S. Thompson. I met him once, and gave him a sketch I did of him. He touched in a very deep manner, and although to my regret I can't say I knew him, I FELT him move in my own writings. There were many like me, Hunter was a very charismatic person. I wonder if he liked the drawing I did of him? I wonder what he did with it? I wonder if he was touched by my Gift.

So when I found this poem, I laughed, and felt a little melancholy a little restless, as I always do when I remember my life on the Bus. (Cuz you are either On the Bus, or you are Off the Bus)

Sunset w/ Hunter & his Hell’s Angels

Sitting in a worn out
Fold out camp seat
Reading H.S.T.’s Hell’s Angels
Sipping on brandy-orange
Last of the day’s sun withering on my face
& on my cucumbers
They have spots & many of the leafs have wilted
Perhaps diseased & dying
I chew on this a while,
Drink to the bounty they’ve given me
Nod my head back into the book
Where I find this phrase
“I knew all the outlaws
Lived in cities,
Where the price of a six-pack ranges
From $0.79 to $1.25”
I’m comfortable w/ the carriage of time
Say as seen whipping by
On a diseased & dying vine
But 79 cents for a six-pack
Back in California, 1965
Conjures up all kinds of romantic thinking in me
& I rehash some old folk wisdom
Can while you can
& pickle in the prime of the vine

~ Piotr Pawlowski

Storms of Living

2009-06-04T16:41:00.000-07:00

I am out there with my hose watering and weeding my vegetable gardens. My new garden has been layered upon the old indigenous thistles and blackberries, rehabilitated by tilling, by soil amendments, by love and care... but the thistles, they are tenacious, and will not give up so easily, nay! So I am pulling this new crop out before they have a chance to establish their prickly selves.

The sky is growing leaden, heavy as quicksilver, leaves skittering before the breezes. I have finished watering everything in front, moved some pots around, pulled weeds, given hair cuts... And am aiming for the back portion to water in my wee baby trees and shrubs, and put in the 54" tomato cages in the garden.

It's muggy, and of a sudden I smell that ozone smell, and the sky begins grumbling, and lightening begins to strike around hither and yon... FLASH! BOOM! and the skies open up and pour upon my head like a bucket. Even my muckboots got water in 'em. I was soaked within minutes, well before I was able to exit the garden and attach the gate, well before I could grab my tools, well before I had a chance to register that MAN! This was a SOAKER!

Scampering inside, I realized that I should probably bring Nihki in too... There are sheets of silver pouring from the sky, my rain gutters above the front porch are completely overwhelmed by now, and it's a cascade, a waterfall. Nihki is a very wet puppy! I bring her inside, towel her off (to her delight, she thinks that is FUN!) and we settle in to watch a movie.. Well, I settle in to watch a movie, "Song Catcher" Nihki settles in to give a good chew to the pork neck bone I've brought her.

Stormy weather. Hey, the watering's done...

>^,,^<

Gots My Feets in Soil

2009-05-28T21:27:00.000-07:00

The Salad Bar Garden is SOOO rich, so well worked that today, as I weed weaseled between the rows, I had to kick my flip flops off and stick my tootsies in the beautiful loamy soil.. How decadent! Like having one's tootsies immersed in rich dark chocolate... Darn, too bad it's not the lickable kind.....

The voles got my Walla Walla onions, and the slugs got my spinach and my broccoli and my cuqs ... I laid eggshell traps all about the Salad Bar .... and planted some more Walla Wallas and cuqs....

>^,,^<

Grief & Amazing Grace

2009-05-25T17:34:00.000-07:00

Amazing Grace
This past year I have been told time & again that I am holding on to my grief too hard, too long... That I am being unreasonable in my sorrow. So I am writing this, not for an audience, not for the Family, not to explain. I am writing this for me. Vinnie & I were friends longer than we were adults, longer than we were lovers, deeper than the hollar, longer than the song of a whippoorwill. I know there will come a time when my thoughts of him will not come with the price of a knife dragged across my heart. I know this. He left me. It was not the first time he'd left me, he left me during our long long relationship every three years. Sometimes for a short time, the last three times he left me, he'd leave me for up to a year. He'd leave me dangling, wouldn't return my calls, leave me selfishly, leave me with no warning, leave me without a chance. But he'd leave me KNOWING in his heart that when he was ready to come home, that I'd have that home to come home to. Except for this last time.
Lyrics
My Immortal
Vinnie always considered Memorial Day Weekend "his". This was "his" Birthday, "his" time to gather "his" Tribe to him, to his heart. This is the first year that Vinnie hasn't been here to gather his Tribe. I miss him. I miss him in the world, I miss knowing that he was HERE. I do not miss his Peter Pan ways, I do not miss the idiot drunks he'd bring home from the bars, cursing and out of control sitting in the driveway... I do not miss the abuse he'd heap upon my head. I don't miss his telling me that all our problems were as a result of my menopause. I don't miss all the cruel names he called me. I don't miss the drunken nastiness. But damn, I miss the shining light that he was, how he could be when he was happy... I miss the psychic connection we had. I miss the instinctual camaraderie, the history we shared. I miss his spirit. I miss him. I miss my Vinnie. I miss my friend.

At his funereal, I felt so lost, so forsaken. I fully understand that people grieve in their own way. Some people are demonstrative, some are not. Some people are so filled with regrets that they simply must have a "villain" to blame. I realize my part in this. I have taken these lessons to heart. At his funereal, I think all I could actually vocalize was that I was a lousy wife. That is the only thing I regret. Damn it, I wasn't a "lousy wife", not unless you compare me to Betty Crocker. I did the best I could. I gave the very best I was. None of the positive things I wanted to say would come out verbally, they only came out in my tears, in my memories. I had written a... an emotionally honest tribute to the man I married, but all I could verbalize was that I was a lousy wife. And really, I was, as long as you held me up to an unattainable pedestal.... I did the best I could. I gave you the very best I could The Best of My Love the very best I am. It wasn't enough. That is neither a condemnation of you, nor I, my Dear One, my Friend. I'm Feelin' You Lyrics
I'm Feelin' You
I wish you to know something. You, who are my friends, my family, Vince's friends
I felt deeply about Vince. He was my dear friend for a very long long time. (longer than we were grownups. I know I have said this before, but it is important to know. We were children together. We grew up together.) But Vinnie was not my GREAT LOVE. Nor was I his. He was definitely a great love and a great friend, and he was a big part of who I am today. But he wasn't the "greatest love of my life"... and again, I don't believe I was his. We were a comfort to one another, support for one another
(at least at one time) but my ability to love deeply and thoroughly did not die when he did. I need to know this, I need to hold this fact next to my heart. For my own protection.

I grieve for him. I wasn't given the opportunity to express that at his funereal... and I wasn't given the opportunity to fight, or argue or ... much of anything... when he left. The many times that he left me.

So mostly, I am dealing with a heart full of unexpressed emotion, within a person of great emotion. I.... I guess I am not very good at expressing things like this.. maybe because it's all so RAW... maybe because I stuff the raw edges away so they won't trouble others. So this Memorial Day, I will say Goodbye to you, my friend. My Vinnie, of all the men in my life, you have been the one old friend who has known me throughout all my life, who was there for me through my griefs and my triumphs, my sorrows, my silliness. You were there to help me with my Grammy's passing, you helped me bury my darling pets. You were my good life friend. You will always be in my heart. I wish you would have been able to love this new life as I have. I wish ... oh there are so many wishes I had for you .. for us. Damn it, you are NOT my Immortal. Vinnie, you know you aren't, you left me too many times. I am NOT your Good Bye Girl.

But if wishes were horses, beggars would ride.
So. My point.

I Am Unwritten

Do not let one single moment go be without telling, showing, demonstrating, hell SHOUTING!!!@! making a fool of yourself if need be... just Shower the people you love with love

With the death of my Grammy, and then with Vinnie's death, this I know... do not not hesitate to tell the people you love that you love them.. Do not hesitate to forgive the people you love their weaknesses, their trespasses. Do not hesitate to offer a kindness, do not hesitate to be patient... Do not hesitate to love open hearted, with open arms.

>^,,^<

The Dauphin of Dirt

2009-05-23T09:28:00.000-07:00

I tried on "Duchess" but it just wasn't "rich dark chocolate" enough for this sensually loose fragrant blend of garden soil and fertility which now blankets my garden plot, my Venus of Vernality. But now, "Dauphin", how elegante!! Magnifique! How Fabulicious!!! So perfect a description for the fecund composted earth I shall soon be delving, deep and lustful plungings into this readied & stimulated plot of heaven... So royal a requiem for regionally refulgent radishes and rhubarb.... Such an adequate abraxas for the abrosial effects of the alluring apples & artichokes soon to be added to the bounty of my kitchen... I shall adorn the Title as a Wild Woman adorns a living kitty about her shoulders, filled with purrs and perfection.

I shall endeavoure to upload photos soon, mes ami! .... (I didn't plant artichokes yet, tho....)

off to plant more veggies! I shall take pictures! (but they shall be late in arriving!)

>^,,^<

I Made Myself a Grammy Sandwich

2009-05-19T15:23:00.001-07:00

We get so busy with our lives, making the mortgage, paying the bills, working at a job -- even if you love it --in order to pay those bills, trying to make a Refuge from the Worrisome Ways of the World, working to make a sanctuary in one's own One Mile Radius... We tend to forget what makes us happy, we tend to forget what makes us smile, we tend to forget the little things in life, and sometimes, we tend to forget the ones we love, both past and present. It is definitely in self-preservation. We must shield ourselves sometimes.

But sometimes, life throws us a curve ball, and we swing anyways. I took my new puppy Nihki out for an off-leash run Teaching with my Spirit, up in the Top Yard. She was driving me crazy inside the house, and I thought "OOOO I shall wear her out with FUN!" I snapped a bunch of pics, and then we got caught in the deluge. After about an hour --me drenched, the puppers drenched, neither of us caring much, after all, we are not made of spun-sugar-- we hei'd ourselves back to the house.

I got out of my sopping wet clothes into some dry warm ones, and fixed myself some food. By that time it was 3 pm, and I had forgotten to eat, AND forgotten to take my Advil, so I was hurtin' for certain. As I fixed this yummy sandwich --on home made wheat bread, with ripe avocado, tomaties, clover sprouts and sharp cheddar cheese-- and some green tea, I was overcome with memories of my Grammy, and the lunches I made her. Extra yummy sandwiches filled with as much fresh produce as I could stuff in them, because she was anemic I added spinach instead of lettuce. because she wouldn't eat her veggies, I stuck 'em in her sandwich! And she used to rave about my "special" tea, (I always added a shot of Cap'n Morgan's Spiced Rum, to help cut her pain, and make her mellow)

I miss my Grammy. I hope that where she is now, she knows I did my best, and that she'll forgive me for the times I didn't quite make it to my best. I am so grateful for my friends, for my Tribe, and for my Family.

and now, me's'a gonna eat that sandwich.

>^,,^<

Back in the Saddle Again

2009-05-18T08:27:00.001-07:00

*whew!* Gardening Season in the Glorious Pacific Northwest has landed with a VENGEANCE! The Garden Center MGC (Webpage awaiting construction as soon as I get the "extra" time) has been just crazy. This year, I get the distinct impression that gardening has broken the "Old People Barrier" into the mainstream. I see more and more young people coming in asking for advice on what they can do to plant a garden, in particular, a vegetable garden. I am also noting that a strong majority of these new gardeners are actively wanting to grow organically.

I find this validating.I have been advocating "going green" for decades longer than I have been a Plant Nerd. My Great GrandPops used to tell us that this is our ONLY Home, and we must take care of her. He used to make a game of finding and picking up and carting out at least ONE item that we did not bring in. He said if everyone did this, there would not be a pollution/garbage problem. I tend to agree.

Well, heck. There's never enough time to write what I am thinking, and my fingers are waaaaay slower than my mind is at thinking them. I watered the Salad Bar Garden this morning, and I can see how the wee weeds will be a pain in the patootie to dislodge. I can do nothing about them yet, as I really need to allow the veggies to get established before I muck about in the roots dislodging weeds. I 'spect that'll come sooner than late. The half lot of tomatoes I planted Saturday look FABULICIOUS! and in just 2 days, I am seeing wee blossoms popping! C'MON little bees! C'MON and POLLENATE!! I saw many Bumbleybees, mason bees and honey bees buzzing busily about in my Garden Farm, I am very happy to see their honey-sweet selves.

Whelp, off to fetch Nihki the Puppy Shark and hei us off to another work day.

Happy Gardening!

>^,,^<

Happy Mother's Day!

2009-05-10T06:49:00.000-07:00

Just in time to avoid the scheduled outage, I wish you all a VERY Happy Mother's Day

>^,,^<

Gearing up for WAR

2009-05-08T08:55:00.000-07:00

Tuesday, May 12th, the Oregon Legislation in having a public "working" committee on a couple of important Constitution affecting Bills: SB391 and HB2470.

One is about how many dogs you can own. I guess I am WAAAAY Libertarian, and publicly state, if my animal are well loved, and well kept, who the heck has the Right to tell me how I can observe my Constitutionally guaranteed rights of Life Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness?

The other is SB391, the Exotics Ban Law. We "exotics" or better known as "different" animal owners are being targeted as a "beginning" of an Animal Rights agenda. My neighbor has Savannah cats. They are SO well loved! In GREAT condition, in SUPERIOR containment... I wish that every domestic cat owner would take a lesson on how these so-called "exotic" (read this racially, please) animals kept. MY friends and fellow "racially different animal owners" keep THEIR animals well contained. They don't wander into the neighbor's garden and crap. They DON'T wander into the neighbor's yard and bite the neighbor's FIV-free innoculated cat and infect him with Feline Immune Deficiency Virus. They DON'T wander loose on Publically health-risk packs of marauding vicious "exotic" gangs.

I have another neighbor who has crocodiles. GUESS WHAT??? The only animals I have seen on his property "running loose" (and well-contained ON his own property) are his BEAUTIFUL!!! *sigh!* Fresian horses, and his Llamas. I didn't even know he HAD a crocodile!

I would would rather have my neighbor have a well-contained and well-loved Tiger, than I would my neighbor have a loose at-large dog. My neighbors' (plural) loose, at large dogs crap in my Yard, put my well-contained babies at risk with unknown pathogens, kill my livestock and my way of life.

SO I offer my argument against Species Ban Bills.

Thank you for hearing me today.
My name is Kat Malstead
Owner of Wolfdancer Creek Farm Mission Statement
Webite to follow: Wolfdancer Creek Farm
Member Wolfdog Rescue Resources
Board Member of National Wolfdog Alliance
Member Phoenix Exotics Inc
Member Rexano, Inc
Contributor of Wolfdogs Magazine, Inc
Registered and Active Voter
Registered Member of Certified Naturally Grown, Inc
Member Estacada Garden Club
I am speaking here today in opposition to SB391. I have been told that there are many people that have spoken to this legislation in support of SB391. In my many letters of opposition to this very poorly conceived Bill, I have been told that I needn't worry, that wolfdogs are not on the list of banned species. They are, as they should be, listed as Canis Lupus Familiaris. However, even though I have voiced my opposition in every manner that I can without jumping up and down in rage, even though I have hand carried copies of the Humane Society's true goal in the 2005 legislative session, even though I, and many other law-abiding animal lovers have repeatedly pled for our rights of responsible private animal ownership, I now stand here before you with my heart in my throat, terrified, and I think of Clergyman Martin Niemoller's famous speech:
"In Germany, they came first for the Communists, And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Communist;
And then they came for the trade unionists, And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a trade unionist;
And then they came for the Jews, And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Jew;
And then . . . they came for me . . . And by that time there was no one left to speak up."
Amongst the arguments in support of this Bill are concerns for the publics' safety and health. I would like to ask this Legislation where responsible private owners of ANY animal puts the public at risk. If there is a problem at all, it lies with the fact that the Common Sense Laws that Oregon currently abides by are being laid to the wayside. It lies with IRRESPONSIBLE animal owners. So why are we attempting to legislate & punitively punish ALL animal owners???? Is it just because we so-called "exotic" animal owners are "different"? Isn't that profiling in nature??
I lost an endangered domestic duck, one of my nesting females, the other day to a neighbor dog's attack while running at large. Why do we not enforce our current excellent laws rather than effectively banning animal ownership? It wasn't my neighbor's Lion or Tiger who killed my duck, it was my irresponsible neighbor who let his pet run loose.
The people who sponsored these Bills, the Humane Society of the United States, have stated in plain English that their ultimate goal is the abolishment of animal ownership. This is an Animal Rights organization. They are NOT an Animal WELFARE organization. Let me reiterate: HSUS' goal is to abolish all animal ownership. In their own words:
“We have no ethical obligation to preserve the different breeds of livestock produced through selective breeding. One generation and out. We have no problem with the extinction of domestic animals. They are creations of human selective breeding.” Wayne Pacelle, Senior VP of Humane Society of the US, formerly of Friends of Animals and Fund for Animals, Animal People, May, 1993."
HSUS’s senior management includes a former spokesman for the Animal Liberation Front (ALF), a criminal group designated as “terrorists” by the FBI. HSUS president Wayne Pacelle hired John “J.P.” Goodwin in 1997, the same year Goodwin described himself as “spokesperson for the ALF” while he fielded media calls in the wake of an ALF arson attack at a California veal processing plant. In 1997, when asked by reporters for a reaction to an ALF arson fire at a farmer’s feed co-op in Utah (which nearly killed a family sleeping on the premises), Goodwin replied, “We’re ecstatic.” That same year, Goodwin was arrested at a UC Davis protest celebrating the 10-year anniversary of an ALF arson at the university that caused $5 million in damage. And in 1998, Goodwin described himself publicly as a “former member of ALF.”
HSUS president Wayne Pacelle described some of his goals in 2004 for The Washington Post: “We will see the end of wild animals in circus acts … [and we’re] phasing out animals used in research. Hunting? I think you will see a steady decline in numbers.” More recently, in a June 2005 interview, Pacelle told Satya magazine that HSUS is working on “a guide to vegetarian eating, to really make the case for it.” A strict vegan himself, Pacelle added: “Reducing meat consumption can be a tremendous benefit to animals.”
And HSUS won’t stop at initiatives aimed at livestock farmers and trappers. At the 1996 HSUS annual meeting, Wayne Pacelle announced that the ballot initiative would be used for all manner of legislation in the future, including “companion animal issues and laboratory animal issues.” Pacelle has personally been involved in at least 22 such campaigns, 17 of which HSUS scored as victories. These operations, he said, “pay dividends and serve as a training ground for activists.”
Can you see why we responsible animal owners feel betrayed by these kinds of laws? I Voted for you under the expectation that you would represent my interests. That you would at least listen to your CITIZENRY. Instead, I feel as if the only voices you are hearing are those of a well-funded political Lobbyist group bent on creating panic and fear where there is no cause, and on exterminating pets. I feel as if we are reacting in a knee-jerk manner to a invented situation.
I have no doubts in my heart that each and every one of you are attempting to do your very best to protect animals, and to protect the public's safety and health. But I believe you are being manipulated by a very slick and extremely well-financed organization bent on impinging on MY and other RESPONSIBLE animal owners' Constitutionally guaranteed Rights to Life, Liberty & the Pursuit of Happiness. I have no children due to a medical mishap where I lost my only daughter. My animals are all I will ever be granted to nurture. The HSUS would deny me this, saying that if I "need" to nurture, I should nurture my own species.
According to Animal Legal Defense Fund, Oregon has some of the toughest animal abuse laws on the books. Upon light research, the Oregon regulations already in place are quite inclusive and cover all contingencies. The Law as it stands reads: Pursuant to 609.309 Policy on exotic animals. (see OR ST § 609.205 - 609.335 Oregon Department of Agriculture) "It is the policy of this state that the keeping of exotic animals be regulated so as to ensure the health, welfare and safety of those animals and to ensure the security of facilities in which they are kept, so as to avoid undue physical or financial risk to the public. It is the policy of this state that regulation place no more burden upon the keepers of exotic animals than is required to accomplish the purposes expressed in this section." [1985 c.437 §1; 1999 c.699 §4] Oregon's private owner base is peopled with dedicated & responsible persons, who are already regulated by common sense laws. Oregon law even includes a very common sense dangerous/nuisance dog law. http://tinyurl.com/6j7v8 (see Oregon Statute Title 48, Chapter 609 Citation: OR ST § 609.010 - OR ST § 609.994)
In summary, Oregon does not have a problem with exotic animals running at large. We are an independant State with a rich history of Common Sense. I BEG you to oppose these kinds of Ban Laws. They are NOT in the best interests of animals, or of your constituents. They only serve the political aims of the Animal Rights movement, not of Oregon citizenry. Please, enforce our current excellent laws. I beg you again, PLEASE allow the people who are trustworthy the opportunity to succeed.

References & Citations:
Oregon SB391 1st Legislative Summary
Quotes from Animal Rights Activists
75th OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2009 Regular Session

Humane Society of the United States

As they say, "I'm Mad As Hell, and I'm Not Gonna Take It Anymore." I just hope to God, NAY, I PRAY to God that our Representatives decide to come to their senses and not follow HSUS' yellow brick road path over the cliff like lemmings.

/heaves huge sigh.

>^,,^<

Patience! Yes, Carol, there IS a Lesson here!

2009-05-07T07:20:00.000-07:00

I had a wee bit of a respite to write while Nihki was sleeping --a rare occurrence in itself-- so I went a'reading and a'catching up with a few of my fellow Gardening Faes. I read about Carol's patience! and I must say, I sure am glad I listened!

Yesterday, JUST after I put Nihki out for a brief visit with her Uncle Teeghkii & Auntie Spirit, as I was walking back into the house, I saw the sky light up with a BIG flash, fairly closely followed by the BIG Bang (but not the one which generated life) and Lo! & Behold! the skies opened right up, and BEAN-sized hail dumped upon our heads!

I hurriedly marched back around and scooped up my poor wee bairn, who was huddled beneath the semi-leafy arms of the apple tree, cowering at the nasty beans of hail pummeling her, and we went back inside and snuggled on the couch.

Now, if I hadn't been practicing patience, my seedlings would have been smashed to smithereens. Shredded leaves, torn limbs, tender veggies all pulverized. BUT! Because I was patient, and had NOT planted out my starts yet, all my wee baby plants were gazing at the weather event from beneath their sheltered glass.

YAY for Patience! What a strom!

>^,,^<

Spring is Always Eagerly Awaited, and TOO FAST!

2009-05-06T10:24:00.000-07:00

I wait and I wait *open*open*open* for Spring to finally GET HERE! especially after a rather long cold lonely Winter, (Little Darlin') and once she sneaks in on pussywillow feet, BAMMO! I have no time to write, no time to think, no time to muse... I clutch at my spare moments desperately, always intent on cramming as much into them as I possibly can, and generally always overbooking myself.

A friend needs a pruning done? SUUUURE! No problem, I'll be right there. A customer would like to hire me to prune their yard, SUUUUUUURE! I'll spend my day off working. Another friend, who is in his 90's, has macular degeneration, and can no longer see to garden, wants me to come over three to four times per week and work his garden. I have planted 2 flats (nearly 35 four inch pots) of Bonny Best tomatoes, and a flat of assorted celeries for him, and they are doing VERY well! Stout and sturdy, they will be ready to plant on Mother's Day.

I have my own garden to tend as well, my joy! the breath in my heart! the sighs of Mother Nature when I breathe in, as she breathes out. I have a BUNCH of beautiful tomato plants ready! (I think I've already listed them *laughs*) Box Car Willies, Abe Lincoln, Bonny Best, Sun Golds! (YUM) Early Goliath, Celebrity, Carbon Black, and for the life of me, I simply cannot remember the names of the other four without trouncing out to the greenhouse to see. *bah* Old Timers.

My seedlings are now plantlets, and will be ready to plant out along with the tomatoes on Mother's Day. They are pretty well hardened off, and ready. I planted seeds, and THEY are coming up well! I see the tender red heads of the Bull's Blood beets peeking above the soil line ! The tender "Y"s of the spinach reaching for the light, the tiny lettuces and even the baby grass blades of the Walla Walla onions. It takes vewy vewy caweful observation to see them, but I do. My peas are almost 3" high now! WEEEEE! And I broke down and bought a bulk package of Drunken Woman Frizzy Headed lettuce to plant for this year as well.

And then add to my stack of spinning plates, Ainihkiwa, and I think I'll go take a nap now.... It's cold and rainy and I really can't do much in the garden today anyway, except get soggy and watch the garden and the puppy grow...

Happy Gardening!

>^,,^<

2009-05-03T06:22:00.000-07:00

Happy Day After May Day!
1920 – The first game of the Negro National League baseball is played in Indianapolis, Indiana.
1945 – World War II: Fall of Berlin: The Soviet Union announces the capture of Berlin and Soviet soldiers hoist their red flag over the Reichstag building.[citation needed] German forces surrender in Italy. German forces surrender to the New Zealand Army in Trieste.
2000 – President Bill Clinton announces that accurate GPS access would no longer be restricted to the United States military.
Polish Flag Day
Events of May 2nd
and the most important one, Blaidd and I slept on the bed with only ONE tiny mishap.
What? You don't know who Ainihkiwa is? Heeeeeer's Nihki! & Sibs
Your Basic Daily Dose of Puppy!

Yet More Puppy Cuteness

Bad Grandpa Teaches Puppy to Eat Shoes

Puppies!

Puppies!

My New Baby Grrrrrrl. She is the neice of my Teeghkii.
And boy have I been busy!

Julie/Julia
I have to see this movie!

It's back to rain rain rain, I am glad I haven't yet planted out my starts, as they'd've been flattened by now.. They are still in the greenhouse, awaiting Mother's Day.
My thoughts are with you all. Happy Gardening!

>^,,^<

Gracious Gracious Life is Good, and I Beleaf

2009-04-05T10:14:00.000-07:00

Friday we had snow in places, I saw wee flakes floating, floating, drifting aimlessly across my window, like soft fragile leaves of imagination. Saturday, the greenhouses hit over 95*, and I was able to open up both sets of windows for ventilation. It was actually uncomfortable ! to work in the third greenhouse, the Nursery/Baby House. Where the wee small tomatoes, peppers, celery, and such are germinating, and growing.

I'm rather struggling with Alfonso, the OTHER gardening Guru, about the importance of AIR CIRCULATION. He says (in his broken English) "Peppers, they like hot". I say "PLANTS, they HATE slimy molds!!!!" So I take my wee plastic fork, and I gently, oh so gently, fork over these wee tiny 4" pots' top soil, to break up the slime crust. There's no dampening off, there's no HARM, but the soil needs to breathe.

The tiny wee plantlets are loving the heat. We have small heaters on at night, I close up the greenhouse around 4 pm to conserve the day's accumulated heat.

It's GLORIOUS! splendiferous! fantabulicious! to see the sun, to realize that TODAY, I get to get OUT of my sweats & my thermals!

I opened up my own wee greenhouse for the air. My seeds are sprouting on the TV tray perched along the south glass doors. The garden soil is still too wet to till (again, for the sixth time this year) or to rake smooth, but it's getting there. The pea seeds I planted last Wed. are swelling, are ripening up to pop their wee rootlets.

We will get more rain mid-week. But for Today, Life is Good. Gardening is EVERYTHING. Bright Blessings!

>^,,^<

April Fool

2009-04-01T10:24:00.000-07:00

Here it is, April 1st. Fool's Day. I am an April Fool.
The Fool
The Fool Defined

"The Fool represents the "everyperson" - the essence of us all embarking on the journey of life, self-discovery and mastery. He is the innocent, the whimsical, the "inner child" mixed with the "inner sage" that lives down deep inside of us all. He faces life and his journey unafraid, trusting, the perfect example of total and utter faith that all will be well, that every experience has a deep essential meaning. He trapses along the crags of life, regardless of any hidden peril or disappointment, his eyes are turned to the heavens and he knows that he will be kept safe and whole along his travels. Key words associated with the Fool are new beginnings, important decisions and optimism.

The Fool is sometimes known as the most worthless card, yet also as the most valuable one. He is the first and the last, the alpha and the omega. It represents both the fledgling beginner and the adept master. The Fool reminds us of things, sacred things, that we have forgotten or repressed. The Fool knows his or her own ignorance, thus is seen as the most wise."

So at my most foolish, I planted garlic (two new kinds) in early March. Shame on me, I was told, you are supposed to plant garlic in the Fall, it needs cold. Then we got 2+ weeks of snow & freezing, and hoar frost, and hail. My new garlics are pushing up, all lovely and healthy. I fed them all a lovely supper of bone meal.

Now at my most foolish, I go forth to plant my peas in my new garden. It's a chilly 39* outside, drizzly, and supposed to reach a high of 47* WEEEEE!! with more rain. But I am going to plant them anyways, because I got a foolish feeling that this is a Good Day to plant peas. We will have a couple of dry warmish days coming this weekend, so my wee pea children will have wetness in order to swell and germinate, followed by a couple of days of warmth to combat the rot which threatens them. I have Pea Innoculant to help the battle as well.

I started some cole crop seeds inside, and to my surprise, the Walla Walla onions didn't even wait a week to push their wee heads up to search for light.

Hope Springs Eternal! Happy Gardening to Thee!

>^,,^<

It's HERE! I can SMELL IT!!

2009-03-27T07:10:00.000-07:00

I have my organic Grafitti cauliflower, my Walla Walla onions, and my organic biodynamic spinach in cells awaiting germination! I have my Thompson's organic brocolli ready to cell up tomorrow and do the same! My peas aren't planted, but I intend to plant them tomorrow, even in the rain! My new 50' X 20' garden is only awaiting some dry days and sunshine --and of course, germinated seeds-- to embrace veggies! My tomatoes and peppers are about an inch and a half tall, and some even have the beginnings of their second true leaves! (these, of course, are still in the greenhouse. They won't be planted until Mother's Day)

But it's HERE! I see my Flowering Quince's buds swelling. I see flowering cherries in town, one tree is already in full regalia! My weeping pussy willow has a few fuzzy yellow catkins peeking and meowing at the day. My peach trees are swelling, as are the plums.

I have given my garlic and bulb boxes a nice feeding of bone meal. I still have to take the chainsaw out and top the apple trees of their more exuberant growth, and spray them with Neem for the season, but it's been too rainy to spray.

Glory! Spring is Springing!!

>^,,^<

Bloom Day!

2009-03-15T12:40:00.000-07:00

May Dreams Gardens Bloom Day! I had to cheat, because I couldn't get my pictures from my garden developed in time.. I have a lavender tulip! and a cluster of beautiful purple whozeewhatsis bulbs peering up at me.. BUT! until I get my film back (drat that my digital died, and double drat that I can't seem to get my new camera to WORK! *bah*) I have to settle for flowers at work.

I'm cheating, of course, since these are all at work.. BUT they ARE in bloom, and they DO remind me that it is almost here, that season of joy and work, and Godliness.

Orange Sedge & pansies. Soon these will be planted in a pot. The snowy ice crystals were just too fun to let go unphotographed!

sweet daffodils in a nice little pot.

Happy Bloom Day! Happy Gardening!

>^,,^<

Legislation

2009-03-14T14:11:00.000-07:00

I am overwhelmed I am carrying a weight of the Atlantians, of a Herculean responsibility. I Voted for MY PRESIDENT, for my Congress... for my Representation, & I find that I need to dedicate a part time job's worth of ... "following" ... "Following" which means -- to be responsible-- the time it takes to read CAREFULLY all senate/house/state/federal Bills, recommendations, suggestions regarding ..... oh everything I might someday be involved in.

Like gardening. Like owning an animal of any kind. Like Farming. Like Life, Liberty, & the Pursuit of Happiness.

And I can't rely on "someone else" (that so -marvelous "Royal We") to translate the incredibly complex, verbiose, detail-oriented language of the Bills, of the DESCRIPTION of the Bills, of the presentation of the Bills ---let me remind myself that you CANNOT do a "animal rights bill" Google search, because the animal rights activists TERRORISTS hide their lobbying under "agriculture" and other totally incomprehensible sub-titles that regular American College Graduates cannot possibly keep up with.

and I am overwhelmed..... I find myself juggling the welfare and happiness of myself & my animals -- who are the only Family I will ever ever have this lifetime -- with survival....

No wonder I have to take a moment an hour a lifetime worth of consideration that this is a Good Day To Garden. and let me be fertilizer.

>^,,^<

CALL TO ARMS! Man your pens!

2009-03-12T07:22:00.000-07:00

AACK! I am drowning in a sea of legislation!

First off, there's Oregon's STUPID Exotic Pets ban! Senate Bill 391. Oregon already has a superb and well-thought-out common sense Permit system, but HSUS, PETA, API and the other Animal Rights Terrorists from out-of-state don't think that's good enough. Since they actively wish to ban the ownership & use of ALL animals, what better way to go about it than starting with the "unpopular" pets?
Read more about this Bill here, and PLEASE write your Congressperson and ask them to OPPOSE this Bill! Oregon’s Anti Exotic Pet Attack

and NOW good ol' Monsanto is at it again. That Evil Empire Demon Spawn has come up with a new plan to control our food sources: Make Small Farms and Farmer's Markets basically illegal. Tree Huggers has a very good write up about this:
Stop HR 875, HR 814, SR 425, And Soon, HR 759

No matter what your political leanings, these kinds of Bills are BAD BUSINESS! We broke Ma Bell up because it was a monopoly, and now we are allowing a monopoly to lobby into our food source! HEY! FARMERS! Backyard Gardeners! Everyone who owns a chicken and gives away eggs to their neighbors or zucchini to their postman! WE CAN'T LET THIS HAPPEN!

PLEASE I beg you, please write your Congressperson, your Representative, your Governor, and anyone else you can think of, and stop these terribly wasteful legislative idiocies! Our freedoms are at stake here, by the very peoples who would seek to take control over what and how you eat, and who and what you choose to live with! TAKE BACK CONTROL!

>^,,^<

Put a Little Love in Your Heart!

2009-03-10T09:36:00.000-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMj7UcjPZ0U&feature=related

Put a Little Love in Your Heart

Think of your fellow man
Lend him a helping hand
Put a little love in your heart

You see it's getting late
Oh please don't hesitate
Put a little love in your heart

And the world will be a better place
And the world will be a better place
For you and me
You just wait and see

Another day goes by
And still the children cry
Put a little love in you heart
If you want the world to know
We won't let hatred grow
Put a little love in your heart

And the world will be a better place
And the world will be a better place
For you and me
You just wait and see
Wait and see

Take a good look around
And if you're lookin' down
Put a little love in your heart

I hope when you decide
Kindness will be your guide
Put a little love in your heart

And the world will be a better place
And the world will be a better place
For you and me
You just wait and see

Put a little love in your heart
Put a little love in your heart
Put a little love in your heart
Put a little love in your heart
Put a little love in -
Put a little love in your heart...

Out of the darkness, and into the Light, we must shine, shine, shine, shine with every fiber of our beings, shine with every kindness we can muster, shine with all the love we have available. Give it away! Pass it along! Just try to deplete the resevoir of love and kindness within your Spirit, and watch it multiply, watch it blossom, watch it propogate into wee small baby kindnesses sprouting willy nilly all over, to cover the Earth with a foggy blanket of Loving Kindness, so thick you can touch it, if only we try.

Here, Gentle Reader, allow me to touch you, allow me to spread the Love in my Heart from my One Mile Radius to Yours. Allow me to infect you like a plague of gentle smiling.

I make this Vow, that I will try to be fertile with Love, pregnant with Kindness, pollenated with Life. Happy Gardening! Sow the Seeds of Joy! Go Forth and Multiply!

(Tomorrow I get to plant peas! WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!)

>^,,^<

More Snow! Tomatoes & other yummy dreamings

2009-03-09T08:38:00.001-07:00

BOY! That derned Punxsutawney Philsure got it right! He's SUCH an accurate groundhog! It is snowing like crazy here, big fat rich snowflakes that look like Boraxo soap flakes. The ground and all the limbs are dusted with frosted flocking.

In the third greenhouse at work, we have nestled within a hoophouse-within-the-greenhouse, where lies tender young tomatoe seedlings many of which are still dreaming of sunshine on their shoulders, but some brave seedling souls have pushed their little cotyledons above the soil to peek at me with anticipatory glee. "Lookie Lookie Ms. Cookie! Me's'a gonna be a TOMATO some day!"

We have had to throw a wee heater in that greenhouse just in case it needed a bit of extra warmth, seeing as it got in the high 20's here last night, all covered in snow. I love my work, I love my job, but there are times like these where I could right happily dream by the pellet stove and stay at home watching snow flakes linger on and gracefully fall from the sky.

Happy Garden Dreaming!

>^,,^<

2009-03-02T08:17:00.000-08:00

Reprinted with permission:

Dear Kitchen Gardener,

What’s a home garden worth? With the global economy spiraling downward and Mother Nature preparing to reach upward, it’s a good question to ask and a good time to ask it.

There isn’t one right answer, of course, but I’ll give you mine: $2149.15. Last year, my wife Jacqueline suggested to me that we calculate the total value of the produce coming out of our garden over the course of the growing season. Initially, the thought of doing that was about as appealing to me as a recreational root canal. I remember replying something like: “OK, so let me get this right: in addition to raising three busy boys, managing two careers, volunteering in a school garden, and growing most of our own produce, you’re proposing that we weigh every item that comes out of our garden, write it down in a log book, and spend a few leisurely evenings doing math?” Jacqueline, an economics major in college and a native French speaker, answered with a simple "oui" and so the project began.

There was a lot of work involved, mostly for Jacqueline, but as with gardening itself, it was work with a purpose. It didn’t take long for our log book to start filling up with dates and figures. Although we started eating our first garden salads in late April, we only began recording our harvests as of May 10th, starting first with greens and asparagus. Our last weighable harvest was two weeks ago in the form of a final cutting of Belgian endives forced from roots in our basement.

By the time we had finished weighing it all, we had grown 834 pounds and over six months worth of organic food (we’re still eating our own winter squash, onions, garlic, and frozen items like strawberries, green beans, and pesto cubes). Once we had the weights of the 35 main crops we grew, we then calculated what it would have cost us to buy the same items using three different sets of prices: conventional grocery store, farmers’ market and organic grocery store (Whole Foods, in our case). The total value came to $2196.50, $2431.15, and $2548.93 respectively. For the other economics majors and number crunchers among you, you can see our crunchy, raw data here.

There are things we didn’t include like the wild dandelion greens which we reaped but did not sow, the six or so carving pumpkins which we ultimately fed to our compost pile, and the countless snacks of strawberries, beans, peas, and tomatoes that never made it as far as our kitchen scale. There were also things we forgot to weigh like several pounds of grapes which turned into about 12 jars of jam. As with any growing season, there were hits and misses. The heaviest and most valuable crop was our tomatoes (158 lb/72 kg for a total value of $524). In terms of misses, our apple tree decided to take the year off and very few of our onions started from seed made it requiring me to buy some onion plants.

On the cost side, we had $130 for seeds and supplies, $12 for a soil test, and exceptional costs of $100 for some locally-made organic compost we bought for our “This Lawn is Your Lawn” frontyard garden (normally, we meet most of our soil fertility needs through our own composting). I don't have a scientific calculation for water costs, but we don't need to water much and, when we do, water is relatively cheap in Maine. Also, I mulch my beds pretty heavily to keep moisture in and weeds down. Let's say $40 in water. So, if we consider that our out-of-pocket costs were $282 and the total value generated was $2431, that means we had a return on investment of 862%. The cost of our labor is not included because we enjoy gardening and the physical work involved. If I am to include my labor costs, I feel I should also include the gym membership fees, country club dues, or doctors’ bills I didn’t have.

If you really want to play around with the data, you can calculate how much a home garden like ours produces on a per acre basis. If you use the $2400 figure and consider that our garden is roughly 1/25th of an acre, it means that home gardens like ours can gross $60,000/acre. You can also calculate it on a square foot basis which in our case works out to be roughly $1.50/ft2. That would mean that a smaller garden of say 400ft2 would produce $600 of produce. Keep in mind that these are averages and that certain crops are more profitable and space efficient than others. A small garden planted primarily with salad greens and trellised tomatoes, for example, is going to produce more economic value per square foot more than one planted with potatoes and squash. We plant a bit of everything because that’s the way we like to garden and eat.

Clearly, this data is just for one family (of five), one yard (.3 acre), one garden (roughly 1600 square feet), and one climate (Maine, zone 5b/6), but it gives you some sense of what’s possible. If you consider that there are about 90 million households in the US that have some sort of yard, factor in the thousands of new community and school gardens we could be planting, this really could add up. Our savings allowed us to do different things including investing in some weatherization work for our house last fall that is making us a greener household in another way. Some might ask what this would mean for farmers to have more people growing their own food. The local farmers I know welcome it because they correctly believe that the more people discover what fresh, real food tastes like, the more they'll want to taste. In our case, part of our savings helped us to buy better quality, sustainably-raised meat from a local CSA farmer.

The economics of home gardening may not be enough to convince President Obama or UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown to plant new gardens at the White House or 10 Downing Street, but the healthy savings their citizens could be making and then reinvesting in their local economies could.

In the end, it might come down to the language we use. Instead of saying "Honey, I'm going out to the garden to turn the compost pile", perhaps we should say "Honey, I'm going outside to do a 'green job' and work on our 'organic stimulus package.'” I bet that would get the attention of a few economists, not mention a few psychologists!

Happy, healthy March,

Roger Doiron

PS: Garden writers and bloggers: feel free to republish the text and photo above with a link back to KGI. Thanks.
The Kitchen Gardener

PPS: Do you have some home economics or a comment you want to share? That's what our forums are for.
Forums

In today's economic crunch, this is really good news! Happy Gardening!

>^,,^<

Saucy Hunger

2009-02-26T07:44:00.000-08:00

Last Friday, my Boss relented and let me grow my ten different tomato plants in the greenhouse-within-a-greenhouse at work alongside the other tomatoes for the Garden Center. Every day, I stand before the wee cloche-type affair, and chant *open*open*open* even tho I know full well that they aren't ready to raise their pretty little heads out of the soil to say hello.

AH but Glory! Glory! Seeds in the soil. My new garden plot has received its' 6 plus yards of garden blend, and is half covered with sand which will all get tilled in as the weather permits. The front plot will need to get tilled up as well, to till in all the green manure I planted in the Fall to feed the garden for this year.

It is snowing here now, we got three inches standing last night, and the sky is a steel grey which blends into the land, all silver dark with white puffy highlights. Like some old Grand Dame laughing at the follies of her kin. The early birds are busy stealing the cat food, and dusting my patio with the snow off their wings.

It might be interesting getting off of Song Dog Hill today, my wee truck is a'sceered of snow.

Did you know that a sackfull of seeds running around $20.oo can produce around $650.oo worth of produce in a month? WOW! The Money Garden!

>^,,^<

Yummy Winter Day Full of Dreaming

2009-02-18T15:56:00.000-08:00

Winter is not over, nor will it release His grip upon us, nay. Punxsutawney Phil says so, and who am I to argue with a groundhog of such renown? But today, ah today! Today one can wander about aimlessly with a goofy smile plastered to your face, and the kiss of the sun is like one big smackeroo. Today, the sun is so bright it hurts my Winter-weakened eyes. Today, it was warm to my bones, a grand and yummy 56* Today I yearned to be home building my seed shelf in my wee greenhouse.

You see, I had planned to grow my 9 heirloom (& two favorite hybrids, Celebrity & Sun Gold) tomatoes in my flats here at work, along with the tomato and pepper seeds Alfonso and I just started. He built an "inner greenhouse", using PVC pipe tied to the bench legs in a hoop, and clear plastic covering the benches, with a cloche of clear plastic covering the PVC hoops. Warmth! But the Boss is busy dithering, (why? I ask myself. I offered him all the tomato plants I grow minus the 3-4 per variety I will need for my garden in exchange for the space) so I figured well, I can do the same thing at home in my wee tiny greenhouse.

SO. I will fetch some PVC pipe, three "L" brackets, and some clear trash bags. I will make a long shelf on the south side of my greenhouse just over the over-wintering shrubs. (Meyer's Lemon, Cordyline, Black Mondo grasses, and my banana.. The banana and the Meyer's Lemon have taken a huge hit this Winter. Verrrry c-c-cold 't'was!) About waist high. Then I will line those shelves with my heat mats, line the heat mats with trays of seeds, cloche it with the clear plastic and step back to enjoy my lame attempts at construction. :~D

HOWEVER, if I am very very lucky, this just might work! Today has been so lush and rich with sunshine I can believe in the power of a battery operated screwdriver in the hands of a wild woman. Wild Women With Power Tools. Hold on to your hats, it's going to be a bumpy ride! YEEEEHAW!!! Let's get gardening!!!

>^,,^<

Why I Garden

2009-02-13T22:31:00.000-08:00

I garden to forget
I garden to remember
I garden to share
I garden to be alone
I garden to feel the silence
I garden to groove to the music

I garden for the bountifulness
I garden for the solitude
I garden for the holiness
I garden for the pure sensual pleasure of it

I garden for hope
I garden for joy
I garden for tomorrow

>^,,^<

Saving Your Own Life

2009-02-10T20:58:00.000-08:00

I am holding my tomato seed packages in my hand... I have a ziplok baggie filled with other veggie seeds I'm going to try this year, plus, I have some seeds awaiting my tender monetary ministrations at work, from Territorial. Next year, I am going to plant a TON of Drunken Woman Frizzy Headed Lettuce no ifs ands or buts about it. *grin*

I hover about the seed trays, and the seed cells, I moon over new DayStar grow lights for my wee little 15' X 10' "greenhouse", I quiver over the thoughts of tender fresh vegetable foraging in the summer. I know it's too early, but my anticipation is a tangible thing!

More later, must -- resist -- soil.......

>^,,^<

Happy Groundhog's Day!

2009-02-02T13:22:00.000-08:00

The sun is shining, it's up to 50*, and here I am tuckeled up in my silk thermals, cushy-comfy weather socks with woolen oversocks, thermal-insulted boots, thermal undershirt, and vest. I had my woolen fingerless gloves on, and my comfy cushy fleece-lined jacket, but it actually got too hot for them. I'm socking down cough & cold medicine, along with apple cinnamon herbal tea with a brandy-rum & "hot buttered rum" goop. I feel like dried up dog poop on a desert hiway. *gah* Me's'a really hates colds. Feels like everytime I swallow I have slivered glass grinding down my throat. *yuck* I can't wait to get off work, feed the Song Dogs, and go to bed. I know I could sleep for another twenty hours.

Groundhogs are cute as weather forecasters, but not as garden pests.

In Harold Ramis' Groundhog Day movie (1993), Punxsutawney Phil, the Groundhog, is pulled out of his burrow on February 2 and asked for his famous prediction: will spring arrive early this year, or procrastinate until March 21? The "Groundhog Day" movie's guru in charge of consulting this prognosticator of prognosticators claims to be translating from "Groundhogese" (the sacred language of Groundhog Day) when revealing Phil's mystic message to the Groundhog Day audience. Presumably, Punxsutawney Phil tells the guru whether or not he has seen his shadow in Groundhogese. Then the translating "Groundhog Day" movie's guru informs us ordinary mortals of the prediction.
In real life, Punxsutawney, PA is the home of Phil and of the Groundhog Day activities of which this furry oracle is the center. It is also home to the "Punxsutawney Groundhog Club" that pays homage to Phil. And Bill Cooper, President of the "Inner Circle" of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, is officially listed as the Groundhogese expert responsible for the translations from Groundhogese into English every Groundhog Day -- just like the "Groundhog Day" movie's guru. I do not jest; the following comes from the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, itself:

Bill is the man charged with the daunting task of translating Phil's message in Groundhog-ese on Gobbler's Knob so that the forecast can be accurately delivered to Phil's followers.
If ever there were a personage who could answer the immortal question, "How much wood would a woodchuck chuck, if a woodchuck could chuck wood?" then President Cooper would be the man.

Groundhog Day Language vs. Groundhog Sign Language
"Woodchuck" (Marmota monax) and "whistle pig" are other names for the groundhog, a rodent related to squirrels. And while this rodent's wood chucking abilities shall remain a mystery to all who are not fluent in the Groundhog Day language of Groundhogese, many a gardener is all too aware of the groundhog's ability to damage a garden. It thus behooves anyone considering gardening in groundhog territory to learn at least the sign language of groundhogs, if not Groundhogese itself. For, fortunately, gardeners don't have to communicate directly with groundhogs. It is enough for the gardener simply to be able to recognize groundhog sign language.

So don't be like Bill Murray's character (Phil Connors) in the "Groundhog Day" movie and ignore the signs that are all around you. For if you do, your garden, like the protagonist in the movie, will have no future! Through a sign language readily understood by wise gardeners, the groundhogs themselves translate all the Groundhogese of concern to gardeners into tangible signs in your backyard:

Groundhog Sign Language: A 10"-12" hole appears in the ground in your backyard or under your shed with mounds of dirt outside it.

Translation Into English: "A groundhog lives here."

Groundhog Sign Language: A cucumber in your garden has had a good-sized bite taken out of it.

Translation Into English: "Groundhogs like to eat vegetables."

Groundhog Sign Language: The feathery tops of the carrots in your garden have been mowed down.

Translation Into English: "Groundhogs don't just eat vegetables. We like to eat green succulent things, too, whether growing wild or in your garden."

Groundhog Sign Language: Your young fruit tree is being damaged by something gnawing at its trunk.

Translation Into English: "Remember, we're rodents. That means we have to gnaw to keep our teeth from growing too long. When I picture a perfect tooth-filer, what I see is your tender young fruit tree."

Groundhog Sign Language: The rat poison that you set out to try to kill the groundhog that's been raiding your garden hasn't been touched -- and you continue to observe damage in your garden.

Translation Into English: "You'll have to do better than that. I'm a groundhog, not a rat. I'm not stupid enough to eat poison. If you're going to set a trap for me, you'd better bait it with the same foods I'm raiding from your garden."
Assuming that you are grasping the essentials of groundhog sign language, on Page 2 we'll have a look at strategies for groundhog pest control in the garden. If you fail to take effective control measures against these garden pests, you'll find yourself reenacting the "Groundhog Day" movie in your own yard....

Punxsutawney Phil Strikes Again!

BUT! & but but but.... My Dear Friend Greig did a Ninja Tilling, and tilled me up a 50' X 20' patch of garden, and me's'a gonna add 5 yards of a yummy garden compost from work to it (sandy loam base, Ph neutral, composted chicken manure, composted steer manure, and composted fir bark) plus all the ashes from the garden burnings, and several wheelbarrows of sand. This will be my new tomato patch! (plus companion veggies. Have I mentioned this before? I'm excited!)

so me's'a sick. me's'a needs to get well. But me's'a has a new veggie garden! & Punxsutawney Phil has told us we are to have yet another 6 weeks of winter. Am I surprised? NOT at all!

Sniffling from Wolfdancer Creek

>^,,^<

Victory Garden in The White House!

2009-01-25T08:10:00.000-08:00

Seeds of Change! The Obama Legacy will be one of grassroots power recommitted into Citizen hands. Now the fine people at Change.org are rallying the Troops to select a White House Farmer! I invite you to go Vote for your state farming representative, or if you happen to know any of these fine candidates, Vote for your Favorite Farmer!

How exciting is this! Our own White House Victory Garden, which will help supply fresh foods for the First Family, and help supplement the Food Bank. I am so excited about the changes I see already! I know there are many who still doubt, and well they should. QUESTION AUTHORITY! I say! But as for me, I glory in this grassroots direction. I embrace these winds of change, brisk and heart-felt, cleansing, sweeping away the duff and debris of inconsequentiality, of invisible citizenry slaving away for Big Government, of hopelessness and despair. I dance in the sun of reaffirmation. People Matter. Our voices matter. We Will Overcome, and a New Dawn will shine in our gardens and in our hearts.

>^,,^<

The New Seeds Are Here! The New Seeds Are Here!

2009-01-24T11:04:00.000-08:00

I feel like Navin R. Johnson!

Navin R. Johnson: The new phone book's here! The new phone book's here!
Harry Hartounian: Boy, I wish I could get that excited about nothing.
Navin R. Johnson: Nothing? Are you kidding? Page 73 - Johnson, Navin R.! I'm somebody now! Millions of people look at this book everyday! This is the kind of spontaneous publicity - your name in print - that makes people. I'm in print! Things are going to start happening to me now.

Our Territorial seed order came into the Shop yesterday, the Livingston seed order came in on Monday, they are all in their little nesting cubbies looking all pretty...

I picked up a few of Territorial's "new" organics, including Bull's Blood beets, Erste Ernte Spinach, Flashy Butter lettuce and Marketmore 97 cuqs. Got some of the over wintering Merida carrots, some borage for the orchard (and my salads!) and some catnip for the kitties, since my plants all died a terrible death over the Winter.

My tomato seeds came in from Gary Ibsen's Heirloom Tomato Fest *jigs for joy* And I am happily planning a tomato harvest. My friend Greig is going to help me till up a new garden just for the tomatoes! (and other companion veggies, of course!)

I am sooo looking forward to this Gardening Year. Little Darlin', it's been a long, cold lonely Winter. Here comes the Sun!

Happy Gardening, All!

>^,,^<

The Inaugeration of YES! WE CAN!

2009-01-20T07:00:00.000-08:00

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/
We sit poised upon the brink of Change. I am so excited! It's a hybrid of Woodstock & The Birth of a Nation. President Obama will be inaugurated today. Yes, We Can. Yes, We Did. Hope, and Joy, and Peace and Goodwill, all the positive human emotions. I am incredibly overwhelmed! Watching history as I am here at my computer.. My Boss, (May God Bless him forever) has allowed me to play hookey to watch this incredible incredible historical event. I am weeping, I am joyful, I am CAN. I am seeing a culmination of movement of a Nation, I am seeing the 60's all grown up. I am seeing the Flower Children all dressed in Responsibility for the Future.

& I am so awestruck at what our Young people must feel! FINALLY! FINALLY! Our voice matters! My 18 years-younger Sister has never Voted, because she thought it made no matter what she said, how she Voted, what she thought. My Roomie's 17 year old grand-daughter just texted her, and said "OH MY GOD! I LOVE President Obama! My Voice will COUNT for something!" I am so happy for our young people.... To have the opportunity to witness this kind of pivotal history being made, with this President so open to listening to His Nation, OUR Nation, OUR PEOPLE.

WE ARE WHO WE HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR!!!

I, Too, Sing America

by Langston Hughes

I, too, sing America.

I am the darker brother.
They send me to eat in the kitchen
When company comes,
But I laugh,
And eat well,
And grow strong.

Tomorrow,
I'll be at the table
When company comes.
Nobody'll dare
Say to me,
"Eat in the kitchen,"
Then.

Besides,
They'll see how beautiful I am
And be ashamed--

I, too, am America.

Today, We Can.

>^,,^<

Busy Busy Busy

2009-01-18T15:02:00.000-08:00

Got a new server, and am in the process of my website's fifth incarnation, rebuilding each page, and uploading them, making sure all the links work, and updating oh a TON of old stuff. Wolfdancer Creek is coming along!

Finally got the autopsy report back on Vince, he died of a heart attack, the seizures were considered contributable. I am sad to say that the Family made a few comments to the County which is now "on record" that shocked me greatly, partly because I had no clue, and partly because they were untrue. It is understandable, and I forgive them. A chapter in the book of my life which is now past. I felt betrayed, but that, too, is past.

I open the page to a new chapter. The day has been windy, but warm, the sun soaking into my bones. I pressed my back against the plate glass southern faced door and gloried in the feel of warmth, of light! Of impending Spring, whenever she comes. I receieved my tomato seeds, so this next month, I shall set out some seeds.

It is good healing.

>^,,^<

I've been TAGGED!

2009-01-10T08:35:00.000-08:00

Well, no I haven't. But as I was perusing Peek-A-Boo Street's Blog, and thoughtthis was just delightful, so I am spreading it about.

I've been tagged! I've been tagged by Pat at Posh & Trendy (two things I am not)

* Name 5 things in my purse:
1. coupon folder for the grocery store
2. hand lotion
3. advil in copious amounts
4. bag of essential oils
5. pen & notepad for ideas

* Name 5 things in my work room:
1. my computers
2. Shim Schimmel's "Snow Leopards on the Moon" litho
3. my books ALL OVER THE PLACE
4. pen & notebooks for ideas
5. Picture quilt of my Dragonfly Goddess Self

* Name 5 things that I always wanted to do:
1. go to an APDT accredited Dog Training school
2. become an author
3. Get my third degree in Applied Science, Horticulture
4. Get Guitar Lessons
5. Make my Farm self-sufficient

* 5 things I'm currently into:
1. blogging
2. farming
3. reading
4. writing my book
5. taking care of the Song Dogs, the feral cats (anybody want a kitty?) the Royal Goat Court, and watching the Ancona Ducks

* Now I have to tag 5 people to add these lists to their blog.
I will choose;

Kim at Wishnik Woods
Jan at Thanks4Today
Cheryl at Weeder's Garden
Happy Mouffard at The Inelegant Gardener
and Carol at May Dreams Gardens

Okie doke, tag yer it!

>^,,^<

An AWARD! delight! glee! WEEEEEEE!!

2009-01-10T08:16:00.000-08:00

OH MY GOSH!!!! (insert a series of excitable emoticons HERE)

My Beautiful Friend Kim at Wishnik WoodsHas given me my very first award. Here's her post, An AWARD? For ME? If you haven't visited her Blog, you really should, she has a gorgeous, Gifted eye for photography. And here's Peek-A-Boo Street's Chris's Blog who started it all...Bless her sweet little star-shaped heart...

HOW DELIGHTFUL! I am sitting here grinning like a fool, my cheeks are starting to get that delicious ache you get when you smile too long and too hard. *lolol* THANK YOU, Spooky Dragon! You just made my week!

OK, now, here's the REST of the Story:
The recipient of this award is to pass it along to eight other deserving bloggers.
So here is my eight:

The Ladies at Garden Rant One of the very first garden Blogs I found, you all have inspired me to take Gardening to the next social level

The Endangered Owner For all the hard work they do there to fight against the terrible hypocrisy of HSUS & PETA, and for responsible private ownership rights, and animal welfare. (Which is NOT the same as Animal Rights, just ask me)

Carol at May Dreams Garden Another inspirational Blogger, I love her Garden Fairy stories, and Garden Bloggers Bloom Day is just an absolute delight.

Ernie Barrera at Politics as it was intended An old dear friend who has never stopped being passionate about politics.

Kathy Purdy at Cold Climate Gardening for everything you taught me about learning how to garden in a short-season zone

Jan at Thanks For Today for all the kind and gentle moral support she has given me.

Happy Mouffard at The Inelegant Gardener who is, despite the name of her Blog, VERY elegant, and for the entire concept of having a Holiday such as LAPCPADPOUB Day You helped me remember to think outside the box.

Cheryl at Weeder's Garden
My Roomie's friend whom one day I'd love to meet in person.

and Kim at Wishnik Woods whose friendship has been a Blessing in more ways than tongue can tell, and whose photographs both inspire me to reach new heights in my own, and dazzle me with their beauty.

*lolol* So I can't count. Happy Gardening, all! & Happy Blogging!

>^,,^<

Wolfdancer Creek Farm Garden Mission Statement

2009-01-07T10:15:00.000-08:00

The Dear Folk at Cold Climate Gardening, Kathy Purdy, has referenced Gardening With Confidence's Mission Statement. I think it is a wonderful idea, a focusing idea, which we can remind ourselves with. To this end, and with LOTS of help from Helen! here is mine.

Wolfdancer Creek Farm ~ The Winsome Winged Gardens

The Winsome Winged Gardens are designed to be a sustainable safe haven for the Winged Ones amongst us, the birds, the butterflies, the bees, as well as the dragonflies, faerie, human and other predatory, pollinating or Fae Kin which do not begin with "B". The Gardens are also designed to bring a touch of whimsy and a smile to all who enter.

Plants are selected for their attraction to, or food source for, the Winged Ones amongst us. Towards that end, we are an Organic Farm, using only natural methods of fertilization, weed abatement, and pest abatement if necessary. Compost is our friend, and the worm folk are also encouraged to make the gardens their home. Often the gardens look a bit scruffy, since seed heads are left standing for winter food sources, and we believe that weeds are flowers too, once you get to know them.

Wolfdancer Creek Farm is a certified wildlife habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. We have chosen to leave fallow one third of the orchards as a food source for our fellow travelers, the deer, the elk, the black bear, and any other apple-enjoying fellows.

The Gardens of the Farm are planted using companion planting techniques, Guild affiliations between plants, and crop rotations to ensure that the soil is nourished and nurtured. Herbs, both culinary and medicinal, are an important part of our garden community. Excess vegetables are donated to the Estacada Community Center for their Meals-on-Wheels program, and their daily community dinners.

GARDEN MISSION STATEMENT

Wolfdancer Creek is a sustainable wildlife habitat, and a working Farm, created and rehabilitated to attract and feed our fellow Travelers on this Earth Walk and for the enjoyment of friends, family, and visitors to educate, to enjoy, to dream awhile, and to understand we are the earth’s caretakers, so let’s take care.

>^,,^<