Love
i will become
that living soil
beloved flesh
of earth
bury me
where worms feed
scatter seed
i will take new form
in the deep embrace
of roots
grieve a moment
if you must
but then rejoice
we are all just
a part of this
one life
revel in golden light
sun warmed earth
the fragrance of
flowers
pollens mysterious delight
inhale these dear
molecules
these tender things
that my soul
and substance
have become
inhale
and I will be
with you
always
together
finally
at last
we will become
perfection
that living soil
the beloved
flesh of earth
until then
you will find me in the garden
precious seeds
near to hand
Copyright 2-3-06 6:00 AM Harvest McCampbell
Friday, February 03, 2006
Thursday, February 02, 2006
Bring on the Frogs, Toads, & salamanders!
Dear Readers,
Last time I went to town I was in hot pursuit of some Sluggo - as I have mentioned in a previous post. I was full aware that the stuff is not as harmless as they claim, but had my plans to try to keep anything but the slugs from being poisoned. Alas, it was not offered anywhere I looked. (My aches and pains definitely keep me in check. Shopping till I drop usually entails 3 or 4 stores.)
Yesterday a friend ran me on some errands, and we stopped in the local nursery. No luck there either. But a few people let me know they had seen my gardening articles in the local paper! Hurrah! (Heck, I still haven't seen either of them . . . The second one was the piece on Fennel I also posted here. )
This morning I was chatting with my ex-husband on the phone. He is an avid gardener, an awesome artist, a fantastic massage therapist, the best friend you could ever want - but a lousy husband. We are great friends. I brought up the Sluggo and my son was listening from the other room. Anyway - Ex-hubby and his girl friend have each tried the Sluggo on their gardens with different results. Everywhere he used the Sluggo his ground molded - and no where he didn't use it. And he has a bumper crop of baby snails. His lady however, has had good luck with the stuff and is able to buy it at the Dollar Store!
Hmmm . . . I was having some second thoughts. When I got off the phone Son totally nixed the Sluggo idea. He said "Mom, ladies who can't walk and talk on the phone at the same time do not get to play with poison." Oh yea. Dang but he has a point. I can't walk and talk on the phone at the same time. I have problems walking and having stuff in my hands. I have problems walking and talking. Walking with the phone in my hand and trying to talk is just over my edges. Funny things happen to you when you have brain damage.
I definitely couldn't argue with his logic. So I said, "Then you pick the slugs morning and evening - cause I don't feel well enough." He just shook his head to that. I thought a few seconds, then said, "Then you buy me big bottles of cheap beer and I'll use that." It is settled, my slugs are condemned to death by alcoholism. I am sort of against it, being clean and sober for 23 years. But I have to agree, that ladies who can't walk and talk on the phone at the same time shouldn't be playing with poison. Dang it anyway. (I am not sure how long it has been since anyone accused me of being a lady - but that is a story for a different day . . .)
I've been thinking about salamanders. I used to keep them when I was a girl. (And no one accused me of being a lady then.) Now we have giant salamanders and pretty dang big tiger salamanders in our woods. We have external gilled mud puppies in our creeks, but none of these are what I have in mind. Toads and them afore mentioned salamanders need a real specific habitat. I am thinking the little itty bitty salamanders might be happy with just herbacious cover. I am thinking they can slither in and out of slender spaces, unlike big fat ravenous toads. I might be able to make do with slender salamanders on slug patrol until I can get some shrubs and hedges going well enough to have just the right toad habitat. Growing that habitat is going to take some doing - with a budget that primarily allows for seeds and cuttings . . .
So, I will be having a beer bash for the slugs, and inviting in the slamanders . . . Seems they are having a population explosion up north - maybe someone will want to trade some slamanders for some seeds:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060202/ap_on_sc/good_for_frogs
Hey we had a great garden day! Sun almost came out. And it never rained hard enough to chase me in. Course I am about half dead now . . . But that usually don't stop me for long . . .
Hope you all had a good garden day too . . .
Harvest
Last time I went to town I was in hot pursuit of some Sluggo - as I have mentioned in a previous post. I was full aware that the stuff is not as harmless as they claim, but had my plans to try to keep anything but the slugs from being poisoned. Alas, it was not offered anywhere I looked. (My aches and pains definitely keep me in check. Shopping till I drop usually entails 3 or 4 stores.)
Yesterday a friend ran me on some errands, and we stopped in the local nursery. No luck there either. But a few people let me know they had seen my gardening articles in the local paper! Hurrah! (Heck, I still haven't seen either of them . . . The second one was the piece on Fennel I also posted here. )
This morning I was chatting with my ex-husband on the phone. He is an avid gardener, an awesome artist, a fantastic massage therapist, the best friend you could ever want - but a lousy husband. We are great friends. I brought up the Sluggo and my son was listening from the other room. Anyway - Ex-hubby and his girl friend have each tried the Sluggo on their gardens with different results. Everywhere he used the Sluggo his ground molded - and no where he didn't use it. And he has a bumper crop of baby snails. His lady however, has had good luck with the stuff and is able to buy it at the Dollar Store!
Hmmm . . . I was having some second thoughts. When I got off the phone Son totally nixed the Sluggo idea. He said "Mom, ladies who can't walk and talk on the phone at the same time do not get to play with poison." Oh yea. Dang but he has a point. I can't walk and talk on the phone at the same time. I have problems walking and having stuff in my hands. I have problems walking and talking. Walking with the phone in my hand and trying to talk is just over my edges. Funny things happen to you when you have brain damage.
I definitely couldn't argue with his logic. So I said, "Then you pick the slugs morning and evening - cause I don't feel well enough." He just shook his head to that. I thought a few seconds, then said, "Then you buy me big bottles of cheap beer and I'll use that." It is settled, my slugs are condemned to death by alcoholism. I am sort of against it, being clean and sober for 23 years. But I have to agree, that ladies who can't walk and talk on the phone at the same time shouldn't be playing with poison. Dang it anyway. (I am not sure how long it has been since anyone accused me of being a lady - but that is a story for a different day . . .)
I've been thinking about salamanders. I used to keep them when I was a girl. (And no one accused me of being a lady then.) Now we have giant salamanders and pretty dang big tiger salamanders in our woods. We have external gilled mud puppies in our creeks, but none of these are what I have in mind. Toads and them afore mentioned salamanders need a real specific habitat. I am thinking the little itty bitty salamanders might be happy with just herbacious cover. I am thinking they can slither in and out of slender spaces, unlike big fat ravenous toads. I might be able to make do with slender salamanders on slug patrol until I can get some shrubs and hedges going well enough to have just the right toad habitat. Growing that habitat is going to take some doing - with a budget that primarily allows for seeds and cuttings . . .
So, I will be having a beer bash for the slugs, and inviting in the slamanders . . . Seems they are having a population explosion up north - maybe someone will want to trade some slamanders for some seeds:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060202/ap_on_sc/good_for_frogs
Hey we had a great garden day! Sun almost came out. And it never rained hard enough to chase me in. Course I am about half dead now . . . But that usually don't stop me for long . . .
Hope you all had a good garden day too . . .
Harvest
Wednesday, February 01, 2006
Six weeks till the middle of March
Dear Friends,
A few days ago, I realized that in just 6 weeks it will be the middle of March. This is a sign of growth! Not only a sign of impending spring, a sign to get busy starting seeds, but a sign of healing for me. This is the first time since the accident that I have been able to understand the calendar, or to anticipate the passage of time. Very important activities for the gardener. (However, not entirely necessary - as I have been growning most of my veggies for the last year, inspite of looking at clocks and calendars and having it meaning exactly nothing.) So, Hurray!
And hurray for it being almost spring! Oh course we have had something like 15 inches over our average for the season to date. Other than my plums getting ready to bloom, and some bulbs starting to grow, it really doesn't feel like spring at all. Right now the yard and gardens have standing water and it seems cold and dark.
None the less, I am going to start summer seeds very soon. I stager my plantings, partially because of my disabilities and not being able to do lots at once. And partially to spread out the harvest. Last year I was still picking ripe summer squash in November!
I am going to start with, and I know this might sound ridiculous, 1 each of 2 different varieties for each of the following plants: Summer Squash, Winter Squash, Peppers, Tomatoes, cucumbers, and Melons, Sea Kale, Egyptian and Malabar spinach. I will start only 1 seed of two different varieties of each. Then every month through July or August, I will repeat the same more or less. I know that the plants I start this early might not make it, and the plants I start late might not produce, depending on the weather. But sometimes I get summer veggies right up to Christmas, so it is worth trying here in zone 8 or warmer.
After the first month I will probably only start one summer squash a month, as we eat less of that than Winter squash. And I will also start some Sea Kale, Egyptian and Malabar spinach. I will also start 6 Roma tomatoes in March or April for salsa. And I will continue to start other greens, lettuce, and some root crops in between. It will be tasty!
Of course I am still getting produce now - Brussels Sprouts, Kale, Chinese Mustards and other greens, Turnips, and very soon I will begin pulling parsnips . . .
I had a busy day packing seed orders and organizing seeds and stuff. Still not done, but it is getting closer,
Wish me luck!
A few days ago, I realized that in just 6 weeks it will be the middle of March. This is a sign of growth! Not only a sign of impending spring, a sign to get busy starting seeds, but a sign of healing for me. This is the first time since the accident that I have been able to understand the calendar, or to anticipate the passage of time. Very important activities for the gardener. (However, not entirely necessary - as I have been growning most of my veggies for the last year, inspite of looking at clocks and calendars and having it meaning exactly nothing.) So, Hurray!
And hurray for it being almost spring! Oh course we have had something like 15 inches over our average for the season to date. Other than my plums getting ready to bloom, and some bulbs starting to grow, it really doesn't feel like spring at all. Right now the yard and gardens have standing water and it seems cold and dark.
None the less, I am going to start summer seeds very soon. I stager my plantings, partially because of my disabilities and not being able to do lots at once. And partially to spread out the harvest. Last year I was still picking ripe summer squash in November!
I am going to start with, and I know this might sound ridiculous, 1 each of 2 different varieties for each of the following plants: Summer Squash, Winter Squash, Peppers, Tomatoes, cucumbers, and Melons, Sea Kale, Egyptian and Malabar spinach. I will start only 1 seed of two different varieties of each. Then every month through July or August, I will repeat the same more or less. I know that the plants I start this early might not make it, and the plants I start late might not produce, depending on the weather. But sometimes I get summer veggies right up to Christmas, so it is worth trying here in zone 8 or warmer.
After the first month I will probably only start one summer squash a month, as we eat less of that than Winter squash. And I will also start some Sea Kale, Egyptian and Malabar spinach. I will also start 6 Roma tomatoes in March or April for salsa. And I will continue to start other greens, lettuce, and some root crops in between. It will be tasty!
Of course I am still getting produce now - Brussels Sprouts, Kale, Chinese Mustards and other greens, Turnips, and very soon I will begin pulling parsnips . . .
I had a busy day packing seed orders and organizing seeds and stuff. Still not done, but it is getting closer,
Wish me luck!
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