A big fat entry about nothing in particular…
Posted On May 24, 2011
I’m learning. I’m learning a little more about how time works- with my body, with the earth, within our minds. I’m learning that I really need at least 8 hours of sleep, and I do best with 9 hours (probably in part due to still nursing through the night). I feel best when I have some kind of routine, so that time feels familiar to me, and I have a sense of rhythm throughout the day. I’m learning that spending my awake time with equal parts of physical work, mental work, play/relaxation time, and head time (meaning reading, talking about the world, empathizing with others, thinking about parenting, writing, and using various creative outlets, etc.) is probably the best recipe for feeling happy and productive and balanced. If I balance out my days with about equal parts of these things, I generally feel really good about things and have enough energy in all of those areas. Obviously this is an ideal, and real life doesn’t always allow for such balance, but it was kind of a clarifying exercise for me to figure that out. Now I have sort of a frame of reference, and maybe I can use it to help restore balance during times when I’m too stressed out or am having trouble in certain areas.
Anyway, another thing that I’m learning is that I often have a skewed sense of time. I am always wishing I had more time to do this, and more time to do that, and when I look back I think "Wow, I’ve actually done a lot!" I wonder what keeps me from feeling like I’ve accomplished enough in a day. It’s a strange disconnect between what my head can think up and the actual time it takes for my body to carry those wishes out. I’d love for the two of them to sync up better. I suppose if they don’t sync up, it’ll just be about me relaxing into the process and expecting that things will take a little longer than I might envision- especially when there’s two kids and work and… you’ve heard this all before. Jeff has this issue, too, when it comes to his projects. He gets anxious thinking that it’s taking too long, but from my perspective everything is going quickly! Anyway, things are moving along, and I’m pleased with our progress.
We planted potatoes a little bit ago, and I’m using a new method that promises at least a 15:1 ratio in return. So, we dedicated two raised beds to potatoes, in the hopes that this will give us as many of our potatoes for the year as we can get. I planted 5 different varieties. The longer I garden and learn about the natural world, the more I really realize the wisdom in the saying "Variety is the spice of life." So true! Even when it comes to potatoes.
This new method includes planting them fairly intensively and directly into rich compost. Then deeply mulching them, then hilling them up over time in just the straw. Apparently you get great returns, there’s more constant moisture because of the mulch, and it’s a much less labor intensive harvest considering you don’t even have to clean any dirt off of the new spuds because they grew right in the straw. We’ll see how it goes- I like the opportunity to experiment with these things.
They are already sprouting, just a few days later. 🙂
The front yard project. Definitely progress. Although it’s in that phase where it all looks a bit messy- you know, the chaos that precedes the order… Anyway, I found some branches and some old landscaping wood and things in my neighborhood that were going to be thrown out. I salvaged them and did what I could with putting the pieces together to create the beds and walkways. Here’s half of the yard all mapped out with the branches.
And the other half.
It looks better than that now- there are almost 4 full beds finished. I’ll have before and afters soon enough. 🙂
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I dug up a little pine tree- a seedling from our big tree out front. I thought Vera might like it, and when I showed it to her she lit up. We potted it up together, then she gave it water, and we had a good talk about how she’ll have to be sure to open her blinds in the morning to give it light, and also give it a drink now and then, etc. It was great. I think I’ll also pot up some extra impatiens for her room. She loves flowers.
I’ve been giving her new jobs. Like, now she’s responsible to feed Maya (although that will probably change now that we’re switching Maya to a raw meat diet…). Also, she’s responsible for gathering herbs from the herb garden when I need them for a meal, so she’s learning about each one. So fun! She really loves being given some responsibilities. I’ll have to think of something to replace feeding the dog.
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I never did show off the finished loft that Jeff made Vera. Here it is with the trim and everything. I think he should hire himself out to do this kind of thing. It turned out so well and was a pretty cheap project. And of course the kids love it!
New (to me) books. Food for the soul.
Crawling baby + chicken. Hilarious, except for my mama voice telling me that Odette was going to peck him in the eye. Didn’t happen, but I couldn’t help but feel a little anxious.
He’s so excited by just being on the ground outside.
There is lots of tasting going on, lots of slobbery dirt smearing fun…
And this little girl. This girl is turning into such a kid! I sometimes get wistful, watching her "baby" fade away. I see that her little baby belly is flattening out (Jeff is sentimental about that one… so sweet!). And the way that she talks lately… The other day she said "Hey Mama, why do da chicken sit on it’s eggs?" … "Because it don’t have no chairs!!! Hahahaha!"
I am happy to say that little returns to order have been hugely satisfying. Like my disaster of a crafting area. It has just been long neglected, and I’ve gone digging through it only to create further chaos. Well, the other day I just decided to tackle it, and it was so nice to take a "before" and "after" picture.
It was so nice to do that, in fact, that I’m resolving to take on little projects like that whenever I can- rather than wait for it all to swallow me up. I’ll just make a list containing items like: "left side of the desk" and "under bathroom sink" and "2nd cabinet to the right" and "tea stuff", and I’ll just set a timer for 10 minutes and go for it, eventually gaining me a big fat check! on that list. I’m also feeling very good about scheduling donation pick ups every two weeks and just always having two boxes/bags go out for a while. 🙂
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I love my neighbor’s tree when it’s in full bloom. It’s amazing.
The lilacs are already on their way out, so I picked a big bunch to put on the table. Now we get little wafts of lilac scent here and there, and it’s so good for my soul. Lilac brings me back to sunny spring days as a little girl…
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18 Comments
Your posts always make me smile 🙂
YOU make me smile. 🙂
It may be about nothing in particular, but I still really enjoyed this post!
Your front yard is going to look fantastic–I can totally picture it from these progress photos! And your craft room already does look fantastic. What a difference! I think you’re on the right track in tackling other jobs in little 10-minute chunks. I’m always encouraged to realize how much can be accomplished in 10 minutes. 🙂
Yay! I’m glad you can imagine what it will look like. I can’t wait to see it all put together… it’s got me antsy on these rainy days! You are absolutely an inspiration- every photo you post is full of tranquility and freshness and uh… I just wish I could come over for tea!
Also, yes, 10 minutes is amazing. I’m in love with my timer. I think I’ll do a few of those “10 minutes” today… 🙂
I heart you so so much!
So for the potatoes…do you just plant full on potatoes?! That is so cool!
Asa is getting so big!
Mm mm lilacs. Wish I could smell them through the screen.
Aw I heart you toooooo!
Yep, you can just plant the whole thing. The general rule is you want at least two “eyes” on each piece, so I did cut up the bigger potatoes and plant them in sections. But for the smaller ones I just keep them whole.
🙂
I love this kind of post, a little of this, a little of that, and lots of pretty pictures:)
Asa is so big, and so very cute!
I want more baby!!!! Give me baby pictures! 😉
haha, I’m going to try to get some more on here soon, just haven’t had a chance yet!
So much lovely in one post! 🙂
That phase when kids first start telling jokes is sort of hilarious. The jokes are so bad but you can’t help and smile since they’re so earnest. 🙂
Aren’t they just the best?! I love them, because they are actually really clever and hilarious in kid world. Plus she’s just developing her sense of humor, and appreciating the absurd and… I just love it!
Your before and after pics are so satisfying. And it’s always so inspiring to see the projects you are consistently making progress on.
It’s interesting, since you’re just getting into reading about Scott & Helen Nearing, that you talk about needing to balance your time and categorizing it. They had some theories about that, and had a phrase for it that was catchy (but apparently not catchy enough so I remember it exactly…) something like “Head Work, Hand Work, and Service Work” or something. A third going into creative personal things, a third working the land and producing their livelihood, and a third giving back to their community (which for them was traveling and giving talks and stuff). I think you’ll really enjoy a lot about them (except for the veganism! LOL).
<3 you.
Who is this? Anyway, yes, now that you mention it I think I did hear that at one point about the Nearings! Maybe reading them will give me even more insight into how to make it all work!
Your crafting area looks like a lovely contemplative space, especially with the window to stare out of.
It’s making me wish the end of June would hurry up and get here already so we can move into our new house and I can start setting up our spaces. Will have a little crafting room of my own. 🙂
I’m so excited for you! I can’t wait to see all you do with the place. How did your mommy meet-up go?
Good luck with your potatoes! I am envious of your great bountiful yard. I was thinking about trying to build a potato condo, have you heard of that kind of growing method? Its cool but I don’t know if I could keep up with the buliding/soil adding: http://www.gardenfreshliving.com/2009/06/the-building-of-a-potato-condo.html
We did that last year! Let me see if I can find the post…
http://gracified.livejournal.com/164045.html
So yeah, we didn’t get as much as people reported to get with the towers, but for the square footage it was an impressive harvest. This year I’m trying a different method, but if it doesn’t yield well then I’ll go back to doing the towers. Let me know how they work out for you!
Oh it looks like you harvested a good amount from your condo, but you are right, not as much as other people have said they got from the same growing method. Good luck on this way and can’t wait to see the results. 🙂