tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87185908784948940862024-02-19T08:08:35.626-08:00Musings from Turtle IslandFox Hutt is blogging to help her integrate her spirituality, her fiber art and her gardening, three passions in her life.Fox Hutthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13005676672460989231noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8718590878494894086.post-39798378467420221252013-04-12T14:17:00.000-07:002013-04-12T23:36:13.473-07:00Getting the juices flowing again<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Blogging has taken a back seat to family and other issues for some time, but with the new life of spring, I'm feeling my blogging juices flow again.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">My winter offered several crises giving me much spiritual "grist for the mill", as a good friend of mine calls it. I believe I have grown with the challenges I have faced and continue to face, though, and I am so glad for the change in the weather which has lightened my mood and given me new eyes for the events as they unfold.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I have spent much of this last week in the garden, weeding, moving trees and brambles to their new locations, and today putting in a bed of broccoli I had started in the greenhouse a month or so ago. The winter lettuce is lush and baby lettuce and greens are up. The winter greens have bolted and so the timing is working well. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">The hoop houses were wonderful this year. Our winter harvest was the best yet. I need to work on a way to deal with the gales which played havoc with the plastic covers, but I have a few ideas which I'll fill you in on when I figure it all out.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Work in my studio has been spotty, too, with my attention in other directions, but I am working on a custom rug right now and have many projects planned for the coming months. It works well to do my garden chores in the cool mornings and evenings and then spend time in the studio during the heat of the day and I'm feeling excited and inspired about the upcoming work and play with my garden and my art.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I've mentioned before my friend, Kathleen O'Brien, who sparked the idea and set me on the path of trying to integrate my spiritual life, my gardening and my art, which are all interests we share. She suggested this blog as a way to work on that process. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kathleen has been such an inspiration to me in many ways. I am so entranced with her art, which is filled with visions of nature and spiritual geometry of which I am also so connected. She also has been such a role model for me through the way she gets her art out into the world.</span><br />
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<span style="width: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'd like to tell you about her exhibit I am hoping to see this month. <em><strong>Realms of Wonder</strong> </em>is Kathleen's solo exhibit at the </span><a href="http://www.msreznygallery.com/" id="ext-gen10259" style="width: auto;" target="_self"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">MS Rezny Gallery</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> in Lexington, which began on </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="width: auto;">April 1st and will be open until the end of the month. </span>If you can't make it to see the exhibit, Kathleen has a 3 minute video about it which she made last Saturday: </span><a href="https://vimeo.com/63580055"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">https://vimeo.com/63580055</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> . Maybe I'll see you there.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By the way, Kathleen also has a lovely web site and blog you might like to visit: </span></div>
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<a href="http://www.kathleen-obrien.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://www.kathleen-obrien.com/</span></a><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> ,<span style="color: blue;"> </span></span><a href="http://www.obrienstudio.blogspot.com/"></a></span><a href="http://www.obrienstudio.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://www.obrienstudio.blogspot.com</span></a><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thanks! Happy Spring!</span></o:p></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Arial;">Love and light, Fox</span></o:p><br />
<o:p><span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.lacetree.com/">www.lacetree.com</a></span></o:p><br />
<o:p><span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.turtleislandenterprises.com/">www.turtleislandenterprises.com</a></span></o:p></div>
Fox Hutthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13005676672460989231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8718590878494894086.post-88550600803656649732012-07-30T14:29:00.000-07:002012-07-31T02:30:01.149-07:00Teltane<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
I have really been noticing the Sun coming up later each morning and dusk arriving sooner each evening. Our ancestors marked the day halfway between the Summer Solstice and the Autumn Equinox as Teltane (also known as Lammas or Lughnassad). They celebrated a ritual marriage between Lugh, the Sun, and Eire, the Earth with hopes the mating would balance the male and female energies to strengthen and harmonize the Sun and Earth until harvest. This Wednesday, August 1st, marks Teltane and in honor of the Sun and the Earth, I thought I'd share some thoughts and some photos of my garden. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Herb and flower gardens at the end of June.</td></tr>
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Despite a lengthy drought, which probably isn't over even though we have gotten a little rain of late, my garden has flourished. Fortunately I have been able to water the vegetable garden from our pond, but there for a while I was concerned for my dear garden and all the plants and wildlife living near us as the temperatures were in the 100's and everything looked scorched.</div>
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I am an organic gardener, and I have been building our soil with compost and green manure for many years. This year I have been planting my seeds and doing my transplanting diligently according to a biodynamic calendar. I used a calendar last summer, but I wasn't consistent. This year, as an experiment, I decided to follow the biodynamic recommendations as much as practicality allowed. I'll admit some scepticism but I'll have to say that my garden appears to be doing exceptionally well. <br />
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<tr><td style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiba5zeVEOQvExf3gJ0CEarSEvx-lEZoeUC0x07BN6-_lVOswXqfJ8hQll6slwBU4Tud-jz263d5sn3SuExe0nfd5yaax-orO_vJ3tbRHUNvSlNsDjQ9_VpwqiNnfNM0lLlSNnUGH8-pMQ/s1600/2012+garden+June+28+for+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" eda="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiba5zeVEOQvExf3gJ0CEarSEvx-lEZoeUC0x07BN6-_lVOswXqfJ8hQll6slwBU4Tud-jz263d5sn3SuExe0nfd5yaax-orO_vJ3tbRHUNvSlNsDjQ9_VpwqiNnfNM0lLlSNnUGH8-pMQ/s320/2012+garden+June+28+for+blog.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">Veggie part of the garden at the end of June.</td></tr>
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Of course my experiment hasn't been scientific and there are way too many variables to draw any conclusions, but it is enough evidence for me to continue using the calendar next year.</div>
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When I was taking the Master Gardener class a few years ago, other students teased me when I said I didn't see many insect pests in my garden. They couldn't believe I didn't have to spray with chemicals for bean beetles and potato beetles and the like. I decided to pay close attention this year to what pests I saw, especially after a mild winter when pests might be in larger number.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgguDoURXtyZifrfLQmcGfTqSeluOVzsKmhfT9L0ZjoCa4NikYAlYfmgj530A7uMGTzPVTjb2a9rF3_Vtq9lqz72atjg17wSN3m0xansGFfsJfAat3VpiVHSCYWuR6YBnX4EZnDjB0iAlM/s1600/2012+garden+cuke+for+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" eda="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgguDoURXtyZifrfLQmcGfTqSeluOVzsKmhfT9L0ZjoCa4NikYAlYfmgj530A7uMGTzPVTjb2a9rF3_Vtq9lqz72atjg17wSN3m0xansGFfsJfAat3VpiVHSCYWuR6YBnX4EZnDjB0iAlM/s320/2012+garden+cuke+for+blog.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One cucumber plant which has produced <br />
dozens of large burpless cukes.</td></tr>
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I have seen one Colorado potato beetle on an eggplant, 9 Japanese Beetles on my okra, not one Mexican bean beetles in two succession plantings of bush beans, a couple of squash bugs, and 7 or 8 Blister Beetles in this whole growing season. I do struggle with Squash Vine Borers, though I've kept them at bay longer and longer each season with a couple of techniques, and my eggplant are bothered by flea beetles, though not enough to keep them from pumping out lots of lovely fruit. I do see a little pest damage on the veggies that I pick, but I don't treat the plants with organic insecticides like Pyganic or diatomaceous earth unless I am going to lose a good share of the crop, because if I kill the "bad bugs" I'd be killing the "good bugs", too, the predators which keep the pesty insects in check. I attribute the shortage of "bad bugs" in my garden to all the hungry birds, all the "good bugs" and to the health of my plants and soil. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCBu8sCxA3Y6GrK0B9zXwn_OQ0vBsLZmsZo0D-2HGCOzyGTMZ0NNXddJC6x07x-Lkkfwuh_hsUjp27pDcoG9vZcu5Xzd1OBsrSpBHsgkZ9j8AzEkMGv-8qNVBPOeYI52YqXA96DP2XcBA/s1600/2012+garden+green+manure+for+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" eda="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCBu8sCxA3Y6GrK0B9zXwn_OQ0vBsLZmsZo0D-2HGCOzyGTMZ0NNXddJC6x07x-Lkkfwuh_hsUjp27pDcoG9vZcu5Xzd1OBsrSpBHsgkZ9j8AzEkMGv-8qNVBPOeYI52YqXA96DP2XcBA/s320/2012+garden+green+manure+for+blog.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">I've started turning under the Crimson Clover <br />
which has been growing in this bed so it can <br />
decompose as a green manure. It will be my winter <br />
bed under a hoop house. I left the volunteer <br />
zinnia and will plant around it. :)</td></tr>
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I know it sounds like I'm bragging, and I guess I am, but I get frustrated with the common attitudes about organic gardening and I wish I could help people see the advantages of not using chemicals on their gardens. </div>
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For those of you who do fall and winter gardens, it is time to begin preparing the soil and begin some of the planting. It is time to think about planting carrots. I have been turning under the green manure on one of my winter beds and have some bedding plants started in the greenhouse. I usually go ahead and put up the hoop house and cover it with a light row cover because there are a lot of hungry insects who like those sweet young plants. Row covers are one of the best tools for pest control. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp5zPtvDo7vlzOjRE4vYiWP5a5zV2MiEzZGqc-mQXV4wRATaxJYfqq-ruVHAecFO-NHtot8OBBLf0jUSAtBhRZ8keQYzucE7CcHGR1fH9mveW5EfCbYueDfdq5SgKGwzrwi6kBg7w8OA4/s1600/Fox_Hoop+Garden-RS+for+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" eda="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp5zPtvDo7vlzOjRE4vYiWP5a5zV2MiEzZGqc-mQXV4wRATaxJYfqq-ruVHAecFO-NHtot8OBBLf0jUSAtBhRZ8keQYzucE7CcHGR1fH9mveW5EfCbYueDfdq5SgKGwzrwi6kBg7w8OA4/s320/Fox_Hoop+Garden-RS+for+blog.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My friend, Donna, took this photo of my hoop house <br />
a couple seasons ago.</td></tr>
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I hope you'll consider a fall and winter garden, because, in Kentucky, you can get a great deal of fresh food and the growing is easy with typically cooler temperatures and plenty of rain, and the pests are taking a break. For more information about </div>
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fall and winter gardening and <br />
hoop houses, visit <a href="http://www.turtleislandenterprises.com/">http://www.turtleislandenterprises.com/</a>.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI-qPNomyi-CmcKCjRUcQcpyKGsEa47k6FSI5Pxqhg5-dwE3bxAJiF-oTzAM6HNpkGp_NYA5DpviJUf-nMHu976OoEC_3GkrUJI_GLaOfgpCDfUQ1-tMq3BedYAfdGiDedyJYFPsnfacw/s1600/2012+garden+crepe+myrtle+for+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" eda="true" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI-qPNomyi-CmcKCjRUcQcpyKGsEa47k6FSI5Pxqhg5-dwE3bxAJiF-oTzAM6HNpkGp_NYA5DpviJUf-nMHu976OoEC_3GkrUJI_GLaOfgpCDfUQ1-tMq3BedYAfdGiDedyJYFPsnfacw/s200/2012+garden+crepe+myrtle+for+blog.jpg" width="200" /></a> </td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The bees are loving my dwarf crepe myrtle <br />
which is blooming it's heart out this <br />
year and has such a sweet scent.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYoSQQ_JMoFQr5t6TzhOHjqxmeCn_EI6DuVfKEvyBWgzQxOduwkrRBXGYYKFE1JaXRb2SBjhfSx-bsE2yLtYdlMzJuT2Tx56tQ9TPhyU9G0bTKGTmTNw6LRQrLvChPaBbc-ygdiJTyaUY/s1600/2012+garden+tomatoes+for+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" eda="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYoSQQ_JMoFQr5t6TzhOHjqxmeCn_EI6DuVfKEvyBWgzQxOduwkrRBXGYYKFE1JaXRb2SBjhfSx-bsE2yLtYdlMzJuT2Tx56tQ9TPhyU9G0bTKGTmTNw6LRQrLvChPaBbc-ygdiJTyaUY/s320/2012+garden+tomatoes+for+blog.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These Juliet "Roma" shaped tomatoes are a cross <br />
between a cherry and a Roma type tomato. <br />
The plants are taller than me and have <br />
not had one sign of disease. <br />
If things go as they usually do, they will keep <br />
bearing baskets of tomatoes until the frost kills them.</td></tr>
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<strong>I wish you all a happy Teltane and, if you garden, best wishes for a prosperous garden during this unusual garden season. </strong></div>
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</div>Fox Hutthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13005676672460989231noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8718590878494894086.post-87210885020306561292012-04-22T00:30:00.000-07:002012-04-22T00:30:02.812-07:00Earth Day Thoughts<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAJICNLcfFVZgS9-GmLuARFPfKW90HYDpxmW_X8YYZgPYskaKj-ODwVM99C0MCHknK9B1lxzLUB4Cjzv-L6G72pzVHaN71qjh6i57y_NfC50-KiFG7fE5MIA_nJeRGITPdxxKE5cJQW4U/s1600/fox+behind+compost.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" nda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAJICNLcfFVZgS9-GmLuARFPfKW90HYDpxmW_X8YYZgPYskaKj-ODwVM99C0MCHknK9B1lxzLUB4Cjzv-L6G72pzVHaN71qjh6i57y_NfC50-KiFG7fE5MIA_nJeRGITPdxxKE5cJQW4U/s320/fox+behind+compost.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
I have been thinking a lot about the Earth. It isn't hard to see how, for many generations and many cultures, we have often thought of the Earth as our Mother. She literally feeds us. Try to think of something you eat that didn't come from the living soil, directly or indirectly. The minerals from the rocks of the Earth's surface, via plants and animals, make up our bones and are vital to the workings of our bodies.<br />
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I find it very sad that the profit-making form of agriculture so common on this planet now is destroying the very soil needed to feed us. I have read about how with industrial farming that for every ton of food produced we lose 6 tons of topsoil while filling what is left with toxic chemicals. <br />
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Did you know that healthy soil should have 600 million bacteria in a teaspoon? There should also be tens of thousands of protozoa and miles of fungal hyphae. If all these little friends were in our soil, the plants which feed us wouldn't need fungicides or bactericides. <br />
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It is because of this that I'm a compost fanatic. We compost all the vegetable trimmings from the kitchen, all the weeds and spent plants from the garden, and most everything else that will decompose, in a huge compost pile. The compost process requires and encourages the very life needed for healthy soil. The finished compost added back on your vegetable and fruit beds is like a shot in the arm for your garden. Growing cover crops and digging them into the soil is another wonderful way to recharge the life-filled soil. <br />
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Happy Earth Day. Give our Mother a shout out when you eat or drink or breathe today!Fox Hutthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13005676672460989231noreply@blogger.com0Watkins Lane, Perryville, KY 40468, USA37.605528217457888 -85.0039672851562537.404511217457888 -85.319824285156244 37.806545217457888 -84.688110285156256tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8718590878494894086.post-32343846964046140492012-04-15T10:27:00.001-07:002012-04-15T11:20:39.758-07:00Synchronicities in the roundI can sense when I'm in a groove sometimes, because the universe starts feeding me synchronicities and coincidences. I'm reading a book about a theory that is able to mathematically account for the cosmic or metaphysically components of the universe. Thankfully it is written in laywoman's terms. I've begun to have supplementary information popping up in other areas of my life. I was noticing a circulation of coincidental happenings when this quote came up in my reading and really pulled the phenomenon together for me:<br />
<div><em><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><em><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></em></span></span></em><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">You see, where you put your energy, where you put your mind, is vitally central to your experience. If you begin with an act of faith and say, “I think life is this way and I’m going to live as if it were this way,” then you cast yourself into the midair of faith having no proof of anything but the simple feeling, the knowing, that all truly is well and that the universe does make sense. ...You simply need to let go of any preconceived notions as to how that works and simply engage in life to the best of your ability... The universe will begin to perceive you as joining the dance. You will begin to get synchronicities...<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">The universe will begin to help you. You will feel that feedback. And the more you lean into that, the more you will receive it. *</span></span></blockquote></div><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span>Since I find that this groovy thing rarely happens when I'm stressed or over scheduled, I have been trying to keep my calendar more clear. This folds in well with the fact that I'm trying not to drive as much with the gas prices as high as they are. <br />
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Even so, I do need to go to town now and again. Yesterday I went to a meeting of local artists, a group called Gathering Artists, where we have been planning a collaborative exhibit for October. I have been working to finish a hand woven Wall Hanging of a sunrise I saw when I was in Nag's Head, North Carolina, and I brought it for "Show and Tell" at the meeting, despite the fact it wasn't quite done. I will finish embellishing with hand dyed silk and mount it in the next few days so I can put it in the fiber art exhibit of my work that is currently on display at the Boyle County Public Library. It is in the Mahan House Gallery if you'll be at the library and would like to stop in and see it. It will be there until May 6th. <br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq4O_3TJpXuoYFl0w6Yu964M5PO7bY92og3B7EXR6BBukFOBCggV0HMjuOQr1euSPolRHM1u9DDeyAziTRGNab9jGqqP9XSTNc2wwk4AyuABscXe3nrvLjkZA6kom4gutnuG4dNRJMdA0/s1600/A+New+Angle+on+Tradition+for+e-mail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" nda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq4O_3TJpXuoYFl0w6Yu964M5PO7bY92og3B7EXR6BBukFOBCggV0HMjuOQr1euSPolRHM1u9DDeyAziTRGNab9jGqqP9XSTNc2wwk4AyuABscXe3nrvLjkZA6kom4gutnuG4dNRJMdA0/s320/A+New+Angle+on+Tradition+for+e-mail.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can see more of my fiber art on my web site,<br />
<a href="http://www.lacetree.com/">http://www.lacetree.com/</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>When I was in town, I also needed to pick up some potting soil so I can pot up a bunch of bedding plants I have growing in the greenhouse. This has been the strangest spring and it is really hard to know when to start things both in the garden and inside, and when to put the plants from the greenhouse out in the garden. We have had downright hot temperatures, interpersed this past week with a number of frosty nights. We are waiting to see if the cold temperatures have damaged the blueberries, apples, pears and peaches. It did some damage to the strawberries, but they will bounce back, I feel certain. I had them covered in a hoop house, which added several degrees of protection. All my early greens and the broccoli and cauliflower are in hoop houses still, though on warm days I pull off the row covers. <br />
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As you can see, even with trying to keep the calendar clear, this is a busy time around here. Wish me luck with going round and round in the groove!<br />
*<a href="http://www.llresearch.org/transcripts/issues/2010/2010_1113.aspx"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Century Gothic; font-size: xx-small;">http://www.llresearch.org/transcripts/issues/2010/2010_1113.aspx</span></a>Fox Hutthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13005676672460989231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8718590878494894086.post-57730691914118704182011-12-09T14:45:00.000-08:002011-12-09T14:45:07.297-08:00Trilateral Blogging<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">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 <span style="color: black;">a </span></span><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blend" title="Blend"><span style="color: black; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">blend</span></a> of the term <u>web log</u> with </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;">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.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;">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 <span style="color: black;">integrate my weaving, gardening and spiritual aspects of my life. I have found</span> 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. </span><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">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: <a href="http://www.turtleislandenterprises.com/page7.html"><span style="color: purple;">http://www.turtleislandenterprises.com/page7.html</span></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Or go to the <a href="http://www.turtleislandenterprises.com/"><span style="color: purple;">www.TurtleIslandEnterprises.com</span></a> 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.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoBodyText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">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. </span></div><div class="MsoBodyText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoBodyText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">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. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div>Fox Hutthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13005676672460989231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8718590878494894086.post-54139479695576465182011-12-04T17:37:00.000-08:002011-12-04T17:37:15.526-08:00Monkey Mind ComposingThanks 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. <br />
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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!Fox Hutthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13005676672460989231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8718590878494894086.post-61379738695218206962011-12-04T12:53:00.000-08:002011-12-04T15:33:13.078-08:00<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">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. </span></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">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. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">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.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">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 (<a href="http://www.turtleislandenterprises.com/"><span style="color: purple;">www.TurtleIslandEnterprises.com</span></a>). </span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">I <span style="font-family: Arial;">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. </span></span>By the way, I’ll put photos of my hoop house, and how to construct one on my website, too. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">As a post script to the earlier entry, </span>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. </div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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</div>Fox Hutthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13005676672460989231noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8718590878494894086.post-16690097825724530042011-12-04T11:52:00.000-08:002011-12-04T11:52:35.252-08:00<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">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: <a href="http://www.lacetree.com/">http://www.lacetree.com/</a>. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">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. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">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. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Here is what I wrote yesterday, Saturday, December 3<sup>rd</sup>: </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">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"?)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">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<sup>rd</sup>. 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.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">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.</span>Fox Hutthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13005676672460989231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8718590878494894086.post-47272414192307187722011-10-24T12:52:00.000-07:002011-10-24T12:52:44.861-07:00A busy autumn and a recipe to share<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have found myself thinking about writing a blog while working in the garden or weaving or cooking, wishing I had time to share this something or that something. I have done pretty well at writing myself notes with subjects to blog about. The <strong><span style="color: #45818e;">Baked Fries</span></strong> recipe I am sharing a little later is one of those ideas. I hope there will be more spare time soon, now that the summer garden is close to being put to bed for the winter and the winter garden is on autopilot for the most part. But more on the garden in a minute. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have recently been working most days in my studio, weaving the new handbag design I've created, and which I'm really excited about. I hope to have 5 finished for my Studio Open House on November 5th and 6th. For more information on my Studio Open House and Garden Sale go to </span><a href="http://www.lacetree.com/"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">www.lacetree.com</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> and click on News and Events. My new studio is finished and I'd love for you to come and see it. I'll have my weavings available as well as other gifts and Young Living Essential Oils. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I will also have some things from the garden available out in the greenhouse. You'll find such things as seeds and gourds, herb plants and cut herbs, as well as free information on the hoop houses I've been using for my winter gardens. Visit the hoop houses in the garden if the weather will allow, and please feel free to wander around our farm if you are inclined in that direction. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As I said earlier, the summer garden is winding down, although there are still pepper, eggplant and zucchini plants out there. The zucchini, which I planted later in the summer, are under a row cover and have been producing pretty squash quite regularly despite the cooler temperatures. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The broccoli which my daughter, May, bought for me at Wal-mart in September, rewarded us with a couple of 8" heads a few days ago, a record for my gardens. There are 3 more out there nearly ready to be picked. The cabbage caterpillers have found the older broccoli plants, one of which I planted in the spring of 2010 and wintered over last year and which is still pumping out good size sprouts. But so far they haven't found the new plants. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One thing that didn't go well for us this year was the Yukon Gold potatoes, which are usually reliable for us. They didn't come up well in our very wet spring. We usually have some late blight, but this year I didn't get them dug as soon as I should have, so we have a small yield and some bad spots on them. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Anyway, we have had to eat them quickly and they won't last until spring like they usually do. Bummer. One of our favorite ways to eat them is Baked Fries. This recipe works well with sweet potatoes, too, which, by the way, did well for us this year and are actually better for you, I have heard.</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Baked Fries</span></strong><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Nonstick spray</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 large potatoes (~1 lb.)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 tsp. paprika</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/4 tsp. pepper</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lightly spray a cookie sheet or large stoneware bar pan with Nonstick spray. Cut potatoes into thin "fries". A layer at a time, put the fries into a bowl and lightly spray with Nonstick spray (olive oil or butter spray both work well, but any will do) and toss after each layer to get the potatoes evenly coated. Mix the rest of the ingredients, adding cayenne or red pepper flakes or any other seasonings you prefer. Add the cheese mixture a little at a time and toss the potatoes until lightly coated. (I save what I don't use in the refrigerator for the next batch rather than putting on too much. You can even make a double batch of the cheese mixture so you have some on hand for a quick batch on another day.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Arrange potatoes in a single layer on the pan and bake in a preheated 425 degree oven for 30 minutes, or until golden and tender, turning once. Season with salt. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Next time I'll tell you why we think we got such a good crop of sweet potatoes, and, by the way, it isn't too late to plant some spinach and lettuce. I'll post some photos of my hoop houses and give a link to information on how to make one. </span>Fox Hutthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13005676672460989231noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8718590878494894086.post-44947388381212107852011-09-28T10:32:00.000-07:002011-09-28T10:32:42.634-07:00Roller CoasterIt has been over a month since my first and only blog entry and I have been on a roller coaster since then. The spiritual retreat I was leaving to attend was one of the most amazing and uplifting weekends I can remember. It had quite an impact on me!<br />
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Soon after it became apparent I would need to travel again to my parents home in Iowa, and in a whirlwind trip I flew out, packed up all the belongings my mom and dad wanted us to keep in our Kentucky family homes before they sold the rest, and then drove over 16 hours straight in a rental truck with a 15 foot bed. Whew!<br />
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Getting back to some semblance of normal has been my goal since my return. I woke this morning with a new handbag design buzzing around my mind so I'm glad I've relaxed enough to get the creative juices flowing again.<br />
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I have spent the last several days doing my homework for my next Peer Advisory session with Kathleen O'Brien next week. I've done a lot of planning and organization to get my weaving business on the road again with style. <br />
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You might be interesting in seeing the work I've done on my Lacetree Weaving web site, which you can see at <a href="http://www.lacetree.com/">http://www.lacetree.com/</a> , which, though not complete, has several events you might be interested in attending. I have a piece in a Gathering Artists collaborative exhibit, called the Red Thread Project, at the Community Arts Center in Danville, KY in October through mid November. And you can come see my new studio and our farm during the Lacetree Weaving Studio Open House and Garden Sale on November 5th and 6th. I hope to have several of the new style handbag available by then. Please check out the News and Events page on my web site for more information.<br />
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The summer garden is winding down and I've cleared some of it for winter. Soon the summer garden will be put to bed with either mulch or cover crops. I will write a blog soon on fall and winter gardening and hoop houses, two subjects dear to my heart. It isn't too late to look into planting for fall and winter crops.<br />
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Until then, love and light, FoxFox Hutthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13005676672460989231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8718590878494894086.post-970807288849351272011-08-24T07:17:00.000-07:002011-08-24T07:17:41.915-07:00Thoughts on weaving, gardening and being FoxIn an effort to bring various aspects of my life together in a more integrated fashion, I am beginning this blog today on my dear husband's birthday. <br />
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My weaving studio, Lacetree Weaving, llc, is installed in the new addition to our house and things are moving along nicely. I soon will be finishing up my piece for the Red Thread Project, a Gathering Artists exhibit at the Community Arts Center in Danville in October and November. This blog is part of the homework I've been working on from my session with Kathleen O'Brien, a Peer Advisor with the Kentucky Arts Council. She is helping me put a new face on my company and pointing me in a positive and energetic direction.<br />
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The garden is producing well and yesterday netted salsa nicely lined up in pint jars, okra flash frozen in bags and marinated roasted Carmen Italian peppers flash frozen in cupcake shapes to grace our winter dishes. Seedlings in the fall and winter garden are doing well, but take daily care. They are covered with row cover cloth to keep the insect and mammal pests out.<br />
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I'll need help from the birthday boy to keep things watered for the next few days as I am attending a spiritual retreat. "Being Fox" or more accurately "being my Self" is my daily goal and this retreat is a break from the day-to-day distractions to help me find out how to better be me. <br />
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Fox Hutthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13005676672460989231noreply@blogger.com0