Garden Gladness

A couple weeks ago.

When things were lush and green.

And harvesting was really just beginning.

Admiring everything in bloom and the bees happy dance.

Harvest: Food is your Medicine.

With the unending anticipation of moving (and not an exact date... yet.), my garden space has been set free a bit. I have done very little planting and most of what grows are perennial or re-seeded from last year. Except the garlic. That I made sure to plant last fall.

There are always a few staple plants I make sure to plant. I tend to be more of an herbal gardener, I encourage herbs and flowers (many of which are considered weeds) to grow and to use both in and as food or medicine. Among the verdure springing forth from the earth are staples, such as sage, thyme and basil, as well as lavender, lemonbalm, calendula, anise hyssp, chamomile, and echinacea. Plus a few wild volunteers, like the St. John's wort, mugwort, evening primrose... But aside from these plants whose delicate leaves and flowers I harvest, I always try to plant garlic. Even if it is just a few cloves to have a few homegrown bulbs.

It was difficult a few years ago when I moved in winter and had to leave my whole garden, many of the plants I had for over 10 years and had moved with me from a handful of different locations. I had a relationship with these plants, I tended them and harvested them year to year and they provided me with sustenance and healing. But then there are times to let go. It is good to start fresh and to develop relationships with plants who grow wild.

So now these few plants growing out in the yard are extra special.
So the other day I noticed it was time for the garlic to be dug up. There is nothing like harvesting your own food, with the intention of well being and nourishment. And as I slowly moved through the little spaces where plants weren't growing to harvest the garlic bulbs, I thought about what I would use it for. Of course some will be used as food, added to pizzas, sauces, stir fry, etc.. But some will be made into remedies and added to honey for fighting off colds and flus in the colder months.

The garden is such a wonderful sanctuary. A place of calm and peace. Regeneration.

Do you have a garden space?
What things do you grow?

Gardeny things, a recipe, cute dogs and whatnot...

Things are finally starting to turn around in the garden. After the seemingly endless rain. After the bugs had their way with everything, quite the smorgasbord, the sun has turned it all around.

Everything is growing bigger, taller, stronger...

The echinacea and chamomile and calendula are in full bloom and the bees are loving it!!!

I made a fantastic herby raw beet, green onion and kale salad today.

The recipe went something like this:

-1 big bunch of kale

(I ripped it up into pieces by hand after pulling it off the stock)

-3 small-medium beets, peeled and roughly julienned

(also by hand, I don't have one of those fancy food processors that can do it for me)

-1 green onion slices thin

-1 lemon

-olive oil

-gomasio

-maple syrup

-salt

-fresh herbs

(I used basil, thyme and rosemary from my garden)

Once I had the kale, beets and onion all cut up in a large bowl, I mixed the juice from 1 small lemon with maybe 1/4 cup of olive oil, gomasio to my liking, a glug of maple syrup and salt to taste. I then poured this mixture over the veggies and mixed it all up. I let it sit for a few minutes and then viola!

Sorry my measurements are not very exact. I am not very good at following recipes or truly paying attention to exactly how much I am putting in... But if my directions are too crazy, this is a good basic guideline that you can jazz up however you like.

I have been taking the doggies to my favorite beach in the area in the morning.

They have been having a grand ol' time running, playing with other dogs, retrieving the ball from the water and eating sand (yes, I said eating sand. I know, YUCK!... Right?)

Veda has been like a swimming champion. Oh, I love her so!!!

Mu has been the ambassador, testing out all the other dogs playing and running skills. She seems to be quite fond of a little havanese named Teo.

She has also been super cuddly (but that's not really a new thing).

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Oh, and I have been working up a storm. I have (some might say) feverishly been practicing my screen printing skills. And I have to say, I am pretty impressed with myself.

I have 3 shirt colors I have been working with right now:

grey, charcoal and navy (and I am waiting on a purple).

The grey has my "Mountains" design in white, charcoal has it in green and navy I have been playing around with a lighter, almost sky blue and also a "purple/lavender" which actually comes out as more of a grey. I am undecided as to which I like best or which I will use as the actual color.

All of them have the mountains design printed on the front and a Little Owl logo on the back.

Anyway, I think they look fantastic!! (I am a wee bit proud of myself right now, can you tell?)

I can't wait to get them in the shop!

Ok, well that is all.

I am off to see a friends reggae band down the street.

The contents of today

Most of the earlier part of today was rainy. It POURED earlier so I took Posey outside under the covering and let her just watch the rain fall like a waterfall... She cooed and cooed and was totally blissed out. And when it wasn't pouring, the world was swallowed up in a fog.

It was that type of fog that makes the world feel like a dream.

I like to quietly work in such conditions.

I worked in the studio on a couple screens for a the shirts I got to screen print on. I took a break to go visit the shelter where we decided to bring kitty since she desperately wanted to be a more indoor kitty and we just couldn't accommodate. I went to make sure she was settling ok and happy. It seems she is and should be up for adoption soon.

She will make someone feel very loved!

Then, all of a sudden, it was beautiful out...

BEEEEAUTIFUL!!!!

I took advantage.

I worked out in the garden, which I had been longing to do since it has been raining so much and I haven't really been able to do much lately. I love gardening, such great therapy!

Then I worked some more on the screens. They have to be done in stages, you know.

Step 1. Drawing fluid...

Let it dry.

Step 2. Screen filler...

Let it dry.

Step 3. Rinse off drawing fluid...

Let it dry...

And so on.

This is an experiment. I am hoping to offer some shirts with my designs on them. Hopefully I will be able to offer them soon! I also would like to create some postcards to offer where a portion of the proceeds go to the shelter. See this post for the photos I am considering using. Feel free to comment on which ones you like best, I am thinking of doing 3 or 4. And I am eagerly awaiting the delivery of the Little Owl totes that I had a friend print up for me (the design was too intricate for my skill level at the moment).

So that was my day,

And tomorrow we are hoping to go see The Big 'Ol Dirty Bucket play.

They are a super fun funk band.

Let's hope it all works out!

Exploration.

We have begun our exploration.

We spent some time in Maine this past week, visiting with my sister and her boyfriend (and meeting their new dog, as well as seeing their new place). We also were scouting out areas we would like to possibly relocate to and shops that might like to carry Little Owl jewelry and scarves.

I think we have decided that we both LOVE the Brunswick area.

So, I have been somewhat preoccupied with that.

(Side note, none of these photos are from Maine.
It seems I was too busy driving around and enjoying myself to remember to take photos!)

In other news, it is hot as the dickens.

This is after the extended weekend of raw, rainy weather.

Let me tell you, I hate being hot, and as much as I love to jump in the cold ocean (and I did jump in yesterday), I hate sleeping in air conditioning or sweltering heat. So I am trying to make the best of this "beautiful" weather.

We have been working in the garden some and I was able to wild harvest a large handful of red clover for tea today. Aren't they beautiful? Such a marvelous "weed"!!! Let me tell you, never underestimate weeds. They are some of the most powerful healers. This includes dandelions especially. It is a terrible thing, all this spraying to get rid of them!

Today we are going to a Birthday party for a 5 year old.

Star Wars themed.

Totally awesome!!!

And with that I will leave you with this last photo of the beautiful light this morning out on the path leading out of the back yard.

Enjoy your day all you wild birds!

Crystal Love + Indigo

Quartz + Indigo

Amethyst + Indigo

A couple of newbies in THE SHOP.
I am IN LOVE with these!

I have some more that require photographing and then those, too, will make an appearance.

I have gone back to adding a little detail to the chain, thought I would change it up a bit. As much as I love the plain chains, I think this is a nice way to add character and contrast to each piece. Of course there will be some with plain chain as well. I am loving the new thread that I dipped in the indigo bath (which was revived over a week ago and still seems to be going strong, wahhoooo!).

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Today is cold and raw and although I would love to set up shop outside and paint or craft while laying in the sun, I am ok with a rainy day like today also.

I need the stillness, the quiet, the grounding.

(I just wish I could keep myself warm, it is rather raw out!)

We got the seeds planted in the garden this past weekend and I am already eager to see everything poking up through the earth! I am feeling super impatient about this. Plus, I feel awfully behind and on more than just the garden...

I feel rather behind on work as well.

But then again, I am easily overwhelmed. It is easy to get off track, to get overwhelmed by everyday things. My brain seems to have it out for me some days. So my solution is to stop, take a metaphorical step back, breathe, and then just focus on one thing at a time, no matter how large or small. I am trying to make at least one thing a day, although that can be difficult on any random given day. I am trying to troubleshoot making my paintings/drawings into cards from home, a project that has become way more in depth than I anticipated. But I am deeply in love with Indigo lately and am pleased as punch to see how beautiful it looks wrapped around crystals and stones.

It is funny how one little shift can open up a whole new creative world and redirect you to revisit or to a new creative path!

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So, what have you been keeping yourself busy with?