Beauty

Much love to all..
Just saying a quick hello and sending any positive Irations to anyone who may be reading today. I hope everyone is taking advantage of whatever is presented in front of you today. Laziness can lead to many destructive forces such as vanity. Vanity is something I would consider to be one of the true downfalls of the human race. Vanity leads to greed, power, oppression, control, corruption...and a low self worth, I would think.
"We must become members of a new race, overcoming petty prejudices owing our ultimate allegiance not to nations, but to our fellow man within the human community" HIM
My personal theme is always "Uunconditional Love"
In reading about permaculture and design community is really the ship that will stay course in troubled times. We have to get closer as a society. Slow things down even. I hope this is still possible. Maybe I am naive and a dreamer. I hope I am just optimistic and forward thinking.
I think even the simplest things can be done to slow things down. I always tell people of what my mother used to do for my sister and I. We were discouraged to wear watches. My mother thought if we had a watch on we would be basing everything on the particular time. When I was younger I never really understood of course but now I see it in a complete other light. I think it is also a way to look at nature to tell us the time. Nature is really a built in clock. Migration of birds, sun patterns, moons, temperature. There is more signs in nature than your hour hand and minute hand can teach you.
So hopefully things can slow down and become more positive for everyone.
Go out and make a stranger smile even....

Around Square...

Greetings of love and consciousness...I actually see some sun in the forcast, Here is hoping because the gardens could use it. Photosynthesis is important and, well as we all know sunlight is a big part of it...haha. For a couple years before I started to have my own page I loved to check out Sara's page over at Farmama.
http://www.farmama.typepad.com/
I had been introduced to this page from the blog at RASFarms. http://www.rasfarms.com/
They have since started there own family farm independant from RasFarms and I am still hooked to the wonderful photos and stories to be had by her wonderful family. I suggest checking out both of these pages.
Recently Sara had started posting around the farm photos on Thursdays, looking for other people to do the same. It has been a great way to see her and other peoples unique farms, gardens, layouts etc. Today I will post a couple of my own as our season starts to get underway. Hopefully next week there will be much more to show. Happy Thursdays to everyone...



Supposed to be 3 Sisters but barely is 1 sister



Bush Beans

Lupins

The Red, Green and Gold

Ahh and the hammock to nap

250th day of Winter...

Well the longest day has now come and past, makes me wonder if summer will still get here. Our cold and wet spring has made many farmers nervous. It seems that the cold cloudy weather is the only thing we Maritimers have been talking about. Driving through the corn fields last year at this time was drastically different then this year. Corn has not even sprouted on most fields. Last year it would have been two feet high. The highest temperature reached yesterday was a whopping 12 C degrees. (54F) today they are calling for colder and winds are still primarily from the north. We are still having fires in the evening to get rid of the damp chills. Last year we burnt just over 4 cord of wood this year we have burnt almost 6. We have the wood but it really takes a toll on my surplus supply that I cut and chop. But since I am not spending time on the gardens I guess I have the time to get a chopping.
Heather will be done teaching for summer next week so luckily we will have our camera home full time again. And of course we need to go to the Island as much as possible to have a little time away. We are big fans of the beach and the power and beauty it brings.
Hope this finds ya'll happy and healthy

It is a Stormin'

The gardens are talking to me, no I am not crazy, well maybe a little, I think they are just wanting sunlight. Two days in a row would even be nice. Mama nature help my produce? I know us humans haven't treated you very well but I have tried to my whole life. Give us a little shine and I will feel that much better. But I guess I would have to understand if you are still not ready to reward us.
With rain comes slugs...I am really battling slugs around the yard and vegetable patch. I am hoping people could offer some form of advice in regards to keeping them away. I know the whole beer tray thing but I would need a kegs worth around the way. The slugs have been so intense in our area that flights have been delayed after storms to clean up rainways...yup that is gross. Everything works in its own cycle, this year is so far the year of the slugs, next year could very well be the year for something else. I hope it is bees...now I am really getting picky.
Much love to all...keep smiling

Kaya is always happy

Around the 'stead

Well I was away for a couple of days with a funeral, never a reason to have to go away but it also gives us a chance to celebrate life in its' whole. The gathering was a way for family and friends to hopefully seek a more fullfilling life and see how fragile and short our time can be. I was hoping to get to take part with my around the farm photos to follow suit with Sara on Thursdays over at http://farmama.typepad.com/farmama. However there is always next week. So today I shall keep it short and post a couple shots of some flowers comming out...
Much love to all

TV is crack

The only place that has any sort of heat these last few days has been the greenhouse, not much left in there now however, mostly just a couple of planters and a couple trays of ornamental corn, some marigolds. I don't have any room left for more ornamental corn. I don't plant those in the regular vegetable garden as I am afraid of cross pollinating with my sweet corn. I am not even sure of that is possible but I play it safe regardless. If anybody knows I would like some actual concrete facts on that. I managed to get a few more blueberry bushes for free yesterday. I hope it isn't too late to plant them. I would have thought by mid June our weather would be warming up but it was 4 degrees Celsius (39 F)last night and is only 10 degrees (50F) today...and windy so it feels like below freezing. Brr. I guess it is only fitting that the Stanley Cup Hockey Final is tonight, since it still feels like winter.
Last year I won a big screen TV, at first I was really excited to have actually won something. I thought I should sell it. I didn't have a TV for almost 10 years. Never really cared to watch any shows. I could see whatever I wanted on the Internet. Really the only thing I check out is hockey anyway...typical Canadian in that manner...hahaha....but my sister decided as a gift to us to get us digital cable, PVR, all those fun things. We didn't really want it at first but we couldn't say no. It is amazing how alluring Cable is when you have it. I thought narcotics were considered addicting but it seemed there was always something to watch. Especially since most of the shows were all new to us. Now that winter is over and the days are longer we are barely using it. Our contract is expiring this week. We could renew it for next to nothing but instead the TV is going away. Cold turkey...We are both book nuts and we feel this was taking us away from what is really important. So I ordered a new book and it should be here in a couple days...Sepp Holzer Permaculture...can't wait. Now if this Postal strike in Canada will end so I can get my book and turn the page on the TV saga.



Our little but convenient Greenhouse



Rainy day

Greetings of Love...
Sometimes you just have to love rainy days...the rain gives everything a beautiful shine. Things just slow down in the rain. I thought if I am going to get wet I might as well do it in full fashion. So I set out through the woods. I followed the stream that runs through our property. I have noticed cars parked down the road lately and I am guessing this is for fishing season. I didn't want to disturb anyone so I made my own trails. When I was a little "tike" I loved to fish, nothing better than casting into the lake and getting a nice bite from a small mouth bass, maybe a Northern Pike or two. Now I have more compassion for the fish I guess. I just couldn't imagine putting a hook through their mouth. I have no problem with people fishing for survival, I am however definitely opposed to commercial fishing practices here in Atlantic Canada and throughout the world. However I know this is required to sustain our economy here...
I have been spending more time observing nature lately. Trying to see natural systems at work. Hoping that I can carefully begin to create this is my own surroundings. I have introduced many plants to my pond. All of which I gathered from larger wetland ecosystems. I have added a few logs to the bottom as well. Planted many different wildflowers that are naturally in our area. Hoping this attracts more wildlife, birds, bees, butterflies, insects of all sorts. Diversity will help with balance. After I read Masanobu Fukuoka "the One Straw Revolution" it really helped me to sit back and appreciate and observe natural systems at work. If you have never read this book go out and grab it at your Library or buy it. A great book to pass on to friends as well.
I am going to post a picture of what my pond looked like last season...then in a month or so I am going to re post a new picture to really show the difference. It already looks much better but after the reeds and water plants grow some more the changes will be more noticeable hopefully.



Pond 2010

After I look at this photo I can already see major changes...Stay tuned in for the update

Getting back at it..

I know it has been sometime since I posted but it is about time to get back at it...Where to begin? Firstly our growing season has been as challenging as I can remember. I do realize this is something I must over come, and I always like a good challenge but mama nature is really testing me this time. We more than doubled our May average rainfall amounts with close to 300mm or almost 12 inches of rain. We had below freezing temperatures in mornings of May 22 and 23rd. But....things are looking up so far for June. I had our corn in the ground last year by May 15th, this year I had to wait until June 10th...crazy..I hope the growing season extends later this year so I can enjoy corn from the garden. Starting seeds inside was also a big challenge as I timed things incorrectly with the temperatures outside. Too many tomato seedlings that just didn't get the sun they required. Still we press on. I am optimistic that our soil in the garden has really improved. I was able to introduce a very large amount of compost this year. I have been getting composting materials from other people this year past year so my pile was greatly increased. I am always weary of what I add. I never use other peoples grass clippings as I am nervous of chemicals used. Even though they have been banned in our part of the country...but as is many things but humans still prevail with ignorance.  I will be back on the blog train now to keep anybody who may follow in the loop with the gardens and life.



Some shots from around the flower garden beds