Trilateral Blogging

After reading my recent blogs, my husband, Steve, asked me what exactly a blog is. I assume many of you already know, but I had my own opinion, which I offered. It seems to me to be a rather open-ended form of communication on the Internet, and, for me, it is much like a letter written in installments to a bunch of friends and family, as well as to people you don’t know. My Webster’s dictionary had no definition, but Wikipedia says it is a blend of the term web log with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. It is quite a phenomenon these days and I see it as a way to bring the humans on this planet closer together, which seems to be a good thing.

I shared in an earlier blog that I had been encouraged by my Kentucky Arts Council Peer Advisor, Kathleen O’Brien, to blog (yes, it can also be a verb) to help me integrate my weaving, gardening and spiritual aspects of my life. I have found that I am happy to share what I’m up to with my weaving. For instance, I finished weaving another of my handbags with the new design today and always feel a relief when I weave again after a period away from my loom. It is like scratching an itch. I am also looking forward to making some Christmas gifts so I can do some sewing. But I am especially eager, with a side of nervousness, to try some new techniques and create some things I’ve had incubating in my mind for some time. I got a book on dyeing at the library and hope to create some handdyed fabrics soon. Having a wonderful workspace and having regular blocks of time to devote to my fiber art is such a luxury. My art is feeling like a bud finally beginning to open as I approach the late afternoon of my life.

Sharing what happens in my garden is also a treat for me. I believe growing our own food and helping others do the same is an important way to be in sync with the Earth. I have added the material about Fall and Winter Gardening and an article on building a hoop house (also called Low Tunnels or Quick Hoops) on my web site for you to see if you are interested. Click here or cut and paste this address: http://www.turtleislandenterprises.com/page7.html

Or go to the www.TurtleIslandEnterprises.com home page and click on the Turtle Island Farm and Gardens link. I will add some photos of my hoop house and step by step photos of how I built mine soon.

While I have much to say about my weaving and gardening, I’ll admit that writing about my spirituality is troublesome for me. I believe some of the difficulty lies in trying to use words to express something that exists in a realm where concepts and feelings are the norm and where words fall short. I am also a little self conscious about having such non-traditional, eclectic beliefs and wonder how many of those who might read my blog are even interested. Even so, I will continue to throw in some of my spiritual thoughts. Feel free to skim or skip if it isn’t your cup of tea.

Well, Steve is downstairs whipping up a batch of chili rellenos from our Anaheim peppers which we grew this summer and then roasted, peeled and froze. My mouth is watering. I 'm off to pick some cilantro under the hoop house before it gets too dark.  

Monkey Mind Composing

Thanks for your comment and suggestions about writing. Definitely food for thought. I do need to be more consistent keeping a notepad with me for ideas. It is the monkey mind composing and editing while I want to be enjoying my gardening or yoga, for instance, that is most bothersome. I am glad to be inspired by life, I just don't want to be writing while I'm living. I think this is a long time problem which I am only recently identifying. It has kept me from writing more.

I have gotten messages in many forms for the last several years that I should be writing more, though. Hopefully I can solve this and find a way which doesn't disturb my focus on what is happening moment to moment in my life while still absorbing that which inspires and enriches and motivates. Thanks again!

Earlier I mentioned the request from a friend to write about my spirituality and I've given that a lot of thought. One of the reasons I am writing this blog is to integrate my weaving, gardening and spirituality. When it comes down to it, though, I'd have to say my spirituality has become quite integrated into all aspects of my life. That is not something I could have said even a year ago, but my day starts with reading, yoga and meditation, and though I can't say I am constantly aware of my spiritual path, it is something I am aware of on and off each day, all day. I hope that doesn't sound arrogant. I guess it might. I don't mean to sound like I have everything figured out. I know when my life gets rocky or when days are crazy busy this integration fades to the background, but I feel so fortunate to be in a time of my life when, for the most part, I feel pretty grounded and connected.

I'll have to admit that the long gaps between my blog postings, though, have something to do with my desire to stay in a spiritual mindset. I have worked hard to avoid those mental conversations with myself or those practice conversations with others. You know, when you are preparing for some potential future encounter that may or may not even happen. You know what I'm talking about, right? I stop them by shouting at myself in my head, "Who exactly are you talking to?" If you are familiar with the concept of "being in the now", I think those conversations keep you from experiencing life right now and I stay on guard for them throughout each day. 

As I have been doing more writing, though, I find myself composing a blog entry, or some other piece I am working on, in my mind as I am doing something else. I recently saw a Masterpiece Contemporary program where a character spent the whole time composing a poem describing his experience in his head while having lunch with an old girlfriend. It was exactly what I have been trying to avoid. I'm playing with some solutions, one being to sit down and write a little every day and then try to block the mental composing when it arises. Any suggestions from those of you who have overcome this problem? Please comment below.

 

As I mentioned before, it has been a long time since I’ve written, but I haven’t forgotten I would share why I think we had a good sweet potato harvest. If you have a soft heart for field mice, avert your eyes! I have this amazing mousetrap which I placed among the sweet potato vines a few weeks before harvest. I trapped numerous little rodents who in previous years would burrow down to my sweet potatoes and gnaw huge holes in them. I hate to have to do it, but I lost only a couple of potatoes to such damage this year. If you’d like plans for the trap, I’ll post them on my website, hopefully in the next day or so (www.TurtleIslandEnterprises.com). I can't post the plans right now though, because I promised myself I'd finish tying on the warp on my loom. I have a couple of handbag orders so I'd better get at it. By the way, I’ll put photos of my hoop house, and how to construct one on my website, too.

As a post script to the earlier entry, I would add that it hasn’t rained yet today so I was able to get the rest of my garlic in for a total row length of over 40 yards. I’ve decided not to plant potatoes or onions next season after poor crops the last couple of years. I think the recent excessively wet springs are to blame, but no matter the reason I have room for more garlic.

I started this yesterday but didn’t get it posted. My Studio Open House and Garden Sale weekend was lovely. It was great to see so many people and one couldn’t have asked for more beautiful weather. If you weren’t able to come, give me a call. I can open my studio by appointment, and the hoop houses in the garden are doing very well right now so if the weather allows I’d be glad to show them to you. My contact info is on my studio website: http://www.lacetree.com/.

It has been a long time since I last posted because I thought things would settle down after the Open House, but I have continued to be quite busy. Thanks to those of you who have sent me comments. One friend asked that I write more about my spirituality, which I will be doing in my next posting. Another friend sent me a great blog from which to get ideas and suggested I include photos. I hope to try that out soon, too.

I am going to send another e-mail to let you know I’m posting this, but please sign up as a member (it is on the upper right of the blog) so you’ll get a link to any future postings.

Here is what I wrote yesterday, Saturday, December 3^rd:

Great day! My dear husband came running in this morning yelling, “Cranes!” That’s always a good way to start the day. We love seeing the Sandhill cranes on their migration south, which passes right over our farm. This is the latest in the season we have seen them, though, according to my records. It was a small flock so hopefully we will see more in the coming days. We have seen hundreds at a time before, sounding their distinctive call. It will give you goose bumps (or should I say "Sandhill crane bumps"?)

The warm, sunny weather gave me a chance to work in the garden. I harvested and weeded and cleaned up plants under the hoop houses. Three big heads of Chinese cabbage, a gallon bag each of broccoli, mixed lettuces and Vitamin Greens (a leafy version of a bok choi green), found their way to the kitchen as well as a small pot of mixed greens from the plants needing pruning. Not bad for December 3^rd. I recently added a layer of plastic to the long hoop house right on top of the row cover to give more protection and I can already see the benefits of larger harvests.

Though the biodynamic signs weren’t the best I couldn’t wait any longer to get more garlic in the ground since there is more rain in the forecast. I got 4 short double rows planted and hope to get the rest in before it rains tomorrow.