Thursday, January 20, 2011

Signs of Life

I really do read the blogs on my sidebar. I love experiencing the beauty that Cathryn makes in a climate not unlike my own on A Gardener in Progress. Same with the Nature Nut in Oregon. Flowers mystify me. My mothers garden overflows with pretty. I feel lucky if the weed whacker is working this week. So will you please forgive me for going a little ga-ga over this tiny purple viola? I feel so honored that what comes easily for others is gracing my attempt. Maybe violas just have pluck. Maybe it is because I toss her pretty sisters into my salads (my reasoning being that I can grow food but fail at flowers). Whatever, welcome to my garden! Please (really), make yourself at home!

Coffee and Chives. Not a good combination for the pallet but for an old woman who has been too long inside with the flu. Coffee has sounded nasty for the last five or so days. Thanks to over the counter meds, I have been able to function at school. There were the prayers of dear friends and fellow teachers. Just this morning coffee sounded good again. A good sign I think. I got out for the first time yesterday. I had to collect the gifts that to puppies left. Sort of like an Easter egg hunt without the joy. It is one way to get around and inspect the garden. Passing by the herb garden (which thankfully the puppies also pass by) I saw chives poking up. A refreshing sight! How can something that I see make me feel so much better?

In the Pacific North West we are just entering what is traditionally the four coldest weeks of the year. The last two week of January and the first two weeks of February will tempt my gardening spirit, but experience tells me that I need to wait to get dirty until mid February. On President Lincoln's birthday I'll celebrate by poking peas into the ground. This year I am also going to hide Fava beans in the dirt. The page I was reading assured me that when crocuses began to show it would be time to plant Favas. There are not crocuses in my yard, an oversight I hope to reverse next fall, but there are a few daffodils. They are showing. Is it a trick or can I plant those Favas?


Winter Camping My new cold frame looks like an old fashioned pup tent. Ray made it for me just before I got sick. It has been out for five days without me getting to take a close look. It is not right where I want it yet, but it is portable. The plastic sides will be snugged and tucked. I am so hungry for salad that does not come from a plastic costco box! I'm ready to get dirty (Mike Rowe would be happy, I'm sure). Soon enough I will be busy with new and daily chores. Surly there is value in being patient and waiting for the season. There is a time for everything under heaven, and the season of dark is a time to look for the light. Not just the light that draws the green herbs to come out from the hidden places in the soft soil. It is a time for my heart to look for the light of life.

Mark 6:30 and 31 tells of the apostles having a good ol time telling what they had done for the kingdom in the power given them by Y'shua. They had been so busy that there was not even any time to eat. Exciting times! It must have been tempting to jump right in and do more. But our Y'shua, who know what is best encouraged them to come away and rest. I hear that call while I look for a reason to start the slow food again. I envy bloggers that I read in Texas and California who garden all the year around. But the call, at least in the PNW, is to rest for a little while longer. Now for the power to not jump the gun.

More cold rain after yesterday's sun. Night comes quickly. Wind from the south. Weatherunderground.com is predicting that both the high and low for the next 24 hours will be 43. Humm, it is 34 F right now.

8 comments:

  1. I laughed about the cleaning up after the dog being like an Easter egg hunt without the joy :) Sometimes that's what forces me to go out on cold days just so I can see if anything new is going on in the garden. Glad to see that you've got signs of spring happening there. Crocuses are coming up here, now I'll think of fava beans when I see them. The cold frame looks great! I need to see if I can get my husband to put one together for me.
    Hope you keep feeling better! Thanks also for the nice mention :)

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  2. I find your interest in the spiritual side of living and gardening a great way to mellow out as one moves along the path of Life. My background has given me many insights and opportunities for such growth myself. As I get older, being in the garden is my encounter with the Divine, whatever that may mean to peoples. Living here along the shores of Lake Michigan only adds to that Spirit. You might enjoy looking at some of the recent postings on my blog. View them as revelations, insights to the Divine, I do. You can see my blog using Google search engine: gardensatwaterseast.blogspot.com/ Hope they add to your day. Jack

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  3. I'm glad to see you getting around after the flu. I sure hope you get back to full strength and get into the garden (at the appointed time). I hope your purple viola takes up your sweet invitation. :)

    Be blessed Rainsong.

    Yuri

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  4. Thanks Catherine...I see that I publically misspelled your name, I'll have to fix that. This blog posted to Facebook before I got home from school to fix ALL the spelling errors. Yikes! The students who I nag at about proof-reading can see my blog on Facebook. Anything happening in your winter sowing boxes? Heading out today to get some supplies and give it a try (hoping it isn't too late). I think the day school teachers are all back in their own chairs so I can get back to my (gardening life) and am idgy to slip a few flowers in with the herbs and salad.

    What a nice introduction Jack, and thank you for the invite! I am having a hard time finding your page (I'm looking for a blog, is it a blog or a regular web page?) Look at the post right below yours...you want to be blessed, check out Yuri's page! I think you will like what you find.

    I'm hoping what you are hoping for me Yuri, Thanks! (now if I can just count on YHVH keeping my fellow teachers healthy!!)

    Deborah

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  5. I can't wait to hear about your winter sowing. Guess what? I found sprouts in mine today! Hollyhock and Lupine. Keep us posted. I didn't know you were on facebook, I'm going to try and find your blog there.

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  6. I have some battered looking pansies emerging (along with the dog poop) from under the snow -- but it's way too early to do more than dream of putting seeds in the ground...

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  7. Your cold frame looks good! I can't wait to put one in our garden this year.

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  8. When we lived in a mountain valley I had a collection of old windows in frames. There were lots of cabins that miners and homesteaders built and abandoned. Finding old windows and even bricks was sort of easy. I had some great cold frames for seed starting. Why I did not bring the windows to the city with me is a mystery (I brought some of the brick) I guess I thought it would be as easy to find windows in town.

    This one is made of PVC (adult tinker toys) and plastic. It fits into my square foot gardens and can be moved from garden to garden. It has been tucked and trimmed since the picture. Good luck with yours.

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