I’m sitting here next to our wet dog, after a morning walk. As a light drizzle turned to rain, Emma Rose started looking at me with a look that said, “This may be fine for you with a raincoat, but my coat isn’t water repellent.” I enjoyed cutting flowers from our garden and three more asparagus stalks. It’s been a beautiful spring!
Mmm...eau de 'wet dog.' 😅 Emma Rose is such a special friend, Suzanne. And how wonderful to be in the garden when it's raining. You're right, it has indeed been a beautiful spring. Appreciate the comment.
You make sauerkraut?! How did I not know this wonderful fact? Can’t wait to hear more. Meanwhile, let nature heal anything that ails you. That’s my motto.
Happy to share as much info as you want, Teresa. Maybe I'll coax you to try making some yourself. The recipe can be cut down to just a single quart jar!
Nature is both healer and teacher, and I still have much to learn.
My North Star would probably be music.... Not sure there's much of a physical aroma or odor to my North Star.... But music makes my imagination enjoy all kinds of fragrances and of course strange smells... I like all kinds of music.. When I was somewhere between the ages of 10 and 12... In my little single bed in Asheboro, North Carolina, I had a little brown radio beside my bed that would pick up only a few stations... Every night when I went to bed I would turn on WKIX in Raleigh North Carolina... The DJ. I believe, was named Jimmy Kapps.. He had a very easy listening, slow music show, I believe for about 2 hours, called. "Our Best To You"..... For each show he began with these beautiful words from Thomas Moore's poem called "Fly Not Yet." I know them by heart so I will not have to look them up on Google... I believe he skipped a line or 2 but his words that brought me this strange and beautiful joy every night were.. "Fly not yet, for tis just the hour, when pleasure like the midnight flower begins to bloom for sons of night and maids who love the moon."
So you understand that this 12-year-old....day after day and night after night dreamed dreams that Thomas Moore placed in my spirit and I'm loving every minute of it today, and still watching for maids "who love the moon.."
Beautiful! Ah the memories of far-off youth. I had a tiny crystal radio set. It felt like magic being able to tune into radio stations with this tiny box of plastic and metal bits. Thanks so much for sharing such special memories.
Barry, gosh! What a wonderful story, and such sharp details you've retained all these years later, indicative of how much of an impression this radio show made on you. I did a little googling. You might enjoy poking around here. https://www.facebook.com/cwc1153/
And I have to also mention that we are, yet again, dialed into similar wavelengths. Just a day or two ago I was in conversation with another friend about committing poems to memory. Like you, music is a touchpoint for me (as it was for my mom) so song lyrics come back readily. Poetry, unfortunately, not so much! Isn't that something!?
I am regrounded by watching the beautiful bluebirds that have taken up residence in the two story, eight unit octagonal birdhouse I designed and made for my hubby years ago. I feel validated when I see them come and go! I bought a small remote birdie cam so I can watch them when I need a break from some of the awful political news we are subjected to on a daily basis.
Well done, Janet. With your talent for woodworking and design, I'm sure it's a work of functional art, and clearly the birds agree! With all that's going on in the world, I'd be tempted to never look at anything else. They are such captivating and expressive little birds. Thank you for reading and offering this reflection. Much appreciated.
The Sunshine Kraut looks beautiful--which is interesting given what may be a disjunct with the smell.
I'm a big believer in being aligned with your internal compass and the projects and habits that keep us most contentedly grounded.... in your case, that "being grounded" may be a really literal reality! I'm happy to hear you have been so engrossed this week.
🎯 There was a moment when "grounded in the ground" ran through my brain as I wrote this one, Amy. Focusing on projects at hand rather than on all that comes at me/us from elsewhere is a welcome shift, even if it means I'm unable to juggle all the other balls at the same time. They're still there, ready for me to pick them up again now.
If you like the taste of sauerkraut, or the perky flavor of fermented foods (think old fashioned dill pickles or spicy kimchi), you might be willing to deal with the fragrance for a while. Although it does motivate me to get back to the fall/winter rotation on this stuff. Much less noticeable when the house is cooler.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts here. It's lovely to see you.
Following my North Star? Gosh, so many compass points. Dog, garden, walk, ocean, stitch, write. It's when I need no timepiece - I look up and find an hour, two, three have drifted by whilst I've been lost in worlds of my making.
Love the 'idea' of your sauerkraut, not so much the smell. Maybe I'll make apple chutney instead. And the barefoot garden - that's a dream for us. Bees, jackjumper ants, spiders... I wouldn't want anything to detract from that North Star journey.
Worlds of your making sounds like a theme for you, Prue, and you've done a brilliant job of creating a life where you have the opportunity to pick that thread up often.
As mentioned to Amy above, the aroma is much more noticeable this go round, presumably because the house is warmer in spring. Will try to get back to my cooler weather routine next time!
Australia is home to some scary critters. I don't blame you for not wanting to encounter them with bare feet. We, too, have ants, spiders, and bees though perhaps not as consequential as some of yours. So far, luck has been on my side.
My arborist brother used to call gardening " mental flossing". I can lose myself for hours in the Spring with preparing the soil and planting much the same way I can lose myself in painting, journaling, and reading. Spring ,here in Ohio seems to arrive in one day and switches to summer the next so the planting frenzy is real. We have very little grass as our front yard is filled with Ohio Native plants and grasses, the side yard houses the raised beds and the back is "The Glade", heavily treed with many ferns and woodland flowers. We are an anomaly in our neighborhood which seems to welcome the Chem lawn trucks weekly. And while I am stooped and sore at the end of the day, my sleep ie sweet and sound after a day in the garden.
Mental flossing is perfect, and a yard with hardly any grass is a dream come true! You go right on being an anomaly, Susan, for the good of the earth. I was surprised to sleep so poorly the other night. I think the approaching full moon was working on my system. Here's to sore but satisfied! Thank you for reading and commenting.
I’m with you on the dirt, sweat, flowers and vegetables wagon. I liked reading your description of being outside, barefoot, and the joy of making sauerkraut. I thought I had reached the end of your essay and was wondering how you seemed not to be bothered by the bugs. And then I saw your final paragraph mentioning a constellation of bug bites. I have that same constellation. They itch like crazy. It’s not enough to keep me out of the dirt, but has prompted some defensive preparation for when I go out. The bites are irritating, but worth it for the peace of mind.
Funny you mention the insects, Darrell, as I unexpectedly came across a photo from the same time last year of a very similar grouping on the back of one leg. No idea which critter is so hangry every May, but I wish I could offer it an alternative food source. Wonder how they'd feel about sauerkraut? 😅
Yep, we press on because the rewards are greater than the obstacles. Hmm, there's an analogy in there, isn't there? Great to see you here. Thanks!
My favourite time is first thing in the morning regardless of the season. I like to sit with my coffee outside - weather permitting - beside our garden pond and watch the birds darting in and out for a quick bath and a flutter. My Terrier likes to accompany me and knows to sit quietly so I enjoy the weight of his dog head on my ankles. I let my mind off the leash and just sit. If I don't have this special time, I feel cheated even though I'm keenly aware of how spoiled I am.
You've painted such an alluring picture here, Sue. And who could blame you for not wanting to miss that kind of peace infusion on the daily? Love that your terrier knows to be calm around the birds. That's pretty amazing in and of itself.
Thank you! 'Stanley' is a very good boy (at times!) but he never concerns himself with the birds, it's true. Squirrels tend to be a different story altogether - UNLESS they are outside of our own garden - and then he ignores them completely! xo
I’m still trying to figure out what my version of the smell of “vegetable flatulence” is, really. Reading your vision of Spring energy as a bulldog in his element is awfully close.
Ha! Maybe better to let that one go, Robin. Fortunately, five days into the fermentation process, the aroma is no longer as intense as it was. Phew! Frenchies are such busy beings, but I've never met one that isn't super friendly. Ah, spring! :)
I'm happy to read about wherever you are, Elizabeth, from sauerkraut to dirty toes. And back. Thanks for the link to Giddens! What a tune. I also appreciate Beck's distinction between essential self and social self, and how the former can be identified and honored.
I’m sitting here next to our wet dog, after a morning walk. As a light drizzle turned to rain, Emma Rose started looking at me with a look that said, “This may be fine for you with a raincoat, but my coat isn’t water repellent.” I enjoyed cutting flowers from our garden and three more asparagus stalks. It’s been a beautiful spring!
Mmm...eau de 'wet dog.' 😅 Emma Rose is such a special friend, Suzanne. And how wonderful to be in the garden when it's raining. You're right, it has indeed been a beautiful spring. Appreciate the comment.
You make sauerkraut?! How did I not know this wonderful fact? Can’t wait to hear more. Meanwhile, let nature heal anything that ails you. That’s my motto.
Happy to share as much info as you want, Teresa. Maybe I'll coax you to try making some yourself. The recipe can be cut down to just a single quart jar!
Nature is both healer and teacher, and I still have much to learn.
Thanks for joining the conversation today.
My North Star would probably be music.... Not sure there's much of a physical aroma or odor to my North Star.... But music makes my imagination enjoy all kinds of fragrances and of course strange smells... I like all kinds of music.. When I was somewhere between the ages of 10 and 12... In my little single bed in Asheboro, North Carolina, I had a little brown radio beside my bed that would pick up only a few stations... Every night when I went to bed I would turn on WKIX in Raleigh North Carolina... The DJ. I believe, was named Jimmy Kapps.. He had a very easy listening, slow music show, I believe for about 2 hours, called. "Our Best To You"..... For each show he began with these beautiful words from Thomas Moore's poem called "Fly Not Yet." I know them by heart so I will not have to look them up on Google... I believe he skipped a line or 2 but his words that brought me this strange and beautiful joy every night were.. "Fly not yet, for tis just the hour, when pleasure like the midnight flower begins to bloom for sons of night and maids who love the moon."
So you understand that this 12-year-old....day after day and night after night dreamed dreams that Thomas Moore placed in my spirit and I'm loving every minute of it today, and still watching for maids "who love the moon.."
Beautiful! Ah the memories of far-off youth. I had a tiny crystal radio set. It felt like magic being able to tune into radio stations with this tiny box of plastic and metal bits. Thanks so much for sharing such special memories.
Love this connection, Beth! Thanks for sharing.
Barry, gosh! What a wonderful story, and such sharp details you've retained all these years later, indicative of how much of an impression this radio show made on you. I did a little googling. You might enjoy poking around here. https://www.facebook.com/cwc1153/
And I have to also mention that we are, yet again, dialed into similar wavelengths. Just a day or two ago I was in conversation with another friend about committing poems to memory. Like you, music is a touchpoint for me (as it was for my mom) so song lyrics come back readily. Poetry, unfortunately, not so much! Isn't that something!?
I absolutely loved every bit of this ...
I'm so glad to know that, Sue! Thanks for being part of the conversation.
I am regrounded by watching the beautiful bluebirds that have taken up residence in the two story, eight unit octagonal birdhouse I designed and made for my hubby years ago. I feel validated when I see them come and go! I bought a small remote birdie cam so I can watch them when I need a break from some of the awful political news we are subjected to on a daily basis.
Well done, Janet. With your talent for woodworking and design, I'm sure it's a work of functional art, and clearly the birds agree! With all that's going on in the world, I'd be tempted to never look at anything else. They are such captivating and expressive little birds. Thank you for reading and offering this reflection. Much appreciated.
The Sunshine Kraut looks beautiful--which is interesting given what may be a disjunct with the smell.
I'm a big believer in being aligned with your internal compass and the projects and habits that keep us most contentedly grounded.... in your case, that "being grounded" may be a really literal reality! I'm happy to hear you have been so engrossed this week.
🎯 There was a moment when "grounded in the ground" ran through my brain as I wrote this one, Amy. Focusing on projects at hand rather than on all that comes at me/us from elsewhere is a welcome shift, even if it means I'm unable to juggle all the other balls at the same time. They're still there, ready for me to pick them up again now.
If you like the taste of sauerkraut, or the perky flavor of fermented foods (think old fashioned dill pickles or spicy kimchi), you might be willing to deal with the fragrance for a while. Although it does motivate me to get back to the fall/winter rotation on this stuff. Much less noticeable when the house is cooler.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts here. It's lovely to see you.
Following my North Star? Gosh, so many compass points. Dog, garden, walk, ocean, stitch, write. It's when I need no timepiece - I look up and find an hour, two, three have drifted by whilst I've been lost in worlds of my making.
Love the 'idea' of your sauerkraut, not so much the smell. Maybe I'll make apple chutney instead. And the barefoot garden - that's a dream for us. Bees, jackjumper ants, spiders... I wouldn't want anything to detract from that North Star journey.
XXXX
Worlds of your making sounds like a theme for you, Prue, and you've done a brilliant job of creating a life where you have the opportunity to pick that thread up often.
As mentioned to Amy above, the aroma is much more noticeable this go round, presumably because the house is warmer in spring. Will try to get back to my cooler weather routine next time!
Australia is home to some scary critters. I don't blame you for not wanting to encounter them with bare feet. We, too, have ants, spiders, and bees though perhaps not as consequential as some of yours. So far, luck has been on my side.
Thanks, my friend.
You must have planted a seed. Bc this evening I went out barefoot and cheered on the clover that’s adding nitrogen to the yard.
This makes my heart happy! Thank you for letting me know that seeds are sprouting in other places, and a big huzzah for clover!
My arborist brother used to call gardening " mental flossing". I can lose myself for hours in the Spring with preparing the soil and planting much the same way I can lose myself in painting, journaling, and reading. Spring ,here in Ohio seems to arrive in one day and switches to summer the next so the planting frenzy is real. We have very little grass as our front yard is filled with Ohio Native plants and grasses, the side yard houses the raised beds and the back is "The Glade", heavily treed with many ferns and woodland flowers. We are an anomaly in our neighborhood which seems to welcome the Chem lawn trucks weekly. And while I am stooped and sore at the end of the day, my sleep ie sweet and sound after a day in the garden.
Mental flossing is perfect, and a yard with hardly any grass is a dream come true! You go right on being an anomaly, Susan, for the good of the earth. I was surprised to sleep so poorly the other night. I think the approaching full moon was working on my system. Here's to sore but satisfied! Thank you for reading and commenting.
I’m with you on the dirt, sweat, flowers and vegetables wagon. I liked reading your description of being outside, barefoot, and the joy of making sauerkraut. I thought I had reached the end of your essay and was wondering how you seemed not to be bothered by the bugs. And then I saw your final paragraph mentioning a constellation of bug bites. I have that same constellation. They itch like crazy. It’s not enough to keep me out of the dirt, but has prompted some defensive preparation for when I go out. The bites are irritating, but worth it for the peace of mind.
Funny you mention the insects, Darrell, as I unexpectedly came across a photo from the same time last year of a very similar grouping on the back of one leg. No idea which critter is so hangry every May, but I wish I could offer it an alternative food source. Wonder how they'd feel about sauerkraut? 😅
Yep, we press on because the rewards are greater than the obstacles. Hmm, there's an analogy in there, isn't there? Great to see you here. Thanks!
My favourite time is first thing in the morning regardless of the season. I like to sit with my coffee outside - weather permitting - beside our garden pond and watch the birds darting in and out for a quick bath and a flutter. My Terrier likes to accompany me and knows to sit quietly so I enjoy the weight of his dog head on my ankles. I let my mind off the leash and just sit. If I don't have this special time, I feel cheated even though I'm keenly aware of how spoiled I am.
I look forward to this every day.
You've painted such an alluring picture here, Sue. And who could blame you for not wanting to miss that kind of peace infusion on the daily? Love that your terrier knows to be calm around the birds. That's pretty amazing in and of itself.
Thank you for weighing in. Much appreciated.
Thank you! 'Stanley' is a very good boy (at times!) but he never concerns himself with the birds, it's true. Squirrels tend to be a different story altogether - UNLESS they are outside of our own garden - and then he ignores them completely! xo
Springtime as a Frenchie is my entirely favorite metaphor for this season!
😅 One of my kids is second mom to a Frenchie, so that pup was the vision in my head as I wrote this. I'm glad it works for you! Thanks, Elizabeth
I’m still trying to figure out what my version of the smell of “vegetable flatulence” is, really. Reading your vision of Spring energy as a bulldog in his element is awfully close.
Ha! Maybe better to let that one go, Robin. Fortunately, five days into the fermentation process, the aroma is no longer as intense as it was. Phew! Frenchies are such busy beings, but I've never met one that isn't super friendly. Ah, spring! :)
I'm happy to read about wherever you are, Elizabeth, from sauerkraut to dirty toes. And back. Thanks for the link to Giddens! What a tune. I also appreciate Beck's distinction between essential self and social self, and how the former can be identified and honored.
Delayed but sincere: Thank you! I knew you'd appreciate the Giddens piece. How could you not?