Garden Majesty

The garden will be minimal this year, while we are preparing to explore and transition.
I hope it won't mind...
There are still a few left-over kale plants that have exploded and become regal kale bushes plopped dead center of all the vibrantly growing herb perennials.

On the list of "old friends" coming back for another round, another year are the endless sea of calendula (which spread themselves like wildfire each year, HOORAY!!!), lavender, anise hyssop, echinacea (for the bees!), thyme, oregano and sage. There are also a few carrots and parsley plants that are growing on  of their own will, we will see what happens. I am also eagerly awaiting verbena to pop up, I was hoping it seeded itself, but I haven't had great luck with this in the past.

The garlic is getting bigger as well! After waiting all winter to see green shoots, but only seeing brown earth and white mounds, it is finally up and off like a rocket! I was worried it wasn't protected enough, but lo and behold! Garlic a plenty!
(well, there is never really enough garlic, if I must be honest...)

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A lovely new friend (via Instagram, how wonderful!!!) posted a couple wonderful photos of herself in her beloved Little Owl "Three Sisters" hoodie in front of a towering lilac bush. It was fantastic, and then she posted this photo below.
Swoon, right?!? (Many thanks, Lo!)
That bouquet, just the perfect little wildflower collection to match the charcoal of the hoodie!

I am so honored she let me use her beautiful photos.
I have to be honest, I have found photographing my screen printed clothing very challenging and have yet to really be satisfied with any of the photos I have taken myself.
So, here is inspiration and a challenge to myself to work harder, to get better, to create photos that are beyond lovely and make you just want to jump in and get cozy, or tug at delicate heart strings.
There. I've said it, now I must work to follow through!

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I have been waiting all winter (and it has been a long one) for these green leaves!

There is nothing like a fresh, herby tisane.

This one will include oregano, thyme and lemonbalm (one of my absolute favorites and one I have a special healing connection to). I am a religious tea drinker, it is part of my everyday spiritual path. It is morning, noon and nighttime ritual. And I prefer tea as my chosen healing modality.

Making a cup of tea, whether for healing or for pleasure, engages the participant. It encourages one to be a direct part of their own wellbeing. You have to prepare, wait, pour, steep, breath in, sip...

Tea invokes fluidity and patience.

It is a balm for the soul.

Slowing down, you can sit and truly enjoy that moment.
True connection.
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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.

Farmers' Market

A few random photos from the market on Monday:

All the children love Bessie Mu

(although she can be a bit skeptical of them)

and when I turned around at one point, this is what I saw...

Surrounded!

This little girl had the sweetest outfit on.

I love how patiently and serenely she waited while her mom was shopping at Farmer Dave's booth!

Such a sweet moment!

Lastly, I am so excited to have come home with not only fruit and vegetables, but also herbs.

Included in those herbs (which are all in pots, not cut) was thyme this amazing passiflora!!!

I already have a passiflora that I started from a cutting and have had for years, but I am always to bring home another of these beautiful and elaborate plants.

How beautiful!!!

I love this plant and it has wonderful medicinal properties.

It is a nervine and mild sedative, so it is helpful with insomnia and anxiety.

The entire above ground parts of the plant can be used and taken in many different forms such as tea, tincture and capsules, but I prefer the tea.

It is also great mixed with other herbs such as Lemonbalm, chamomile, or valerian...

Just so you know.

Do you use herbs at all?

Do you have a favorite?

Adventures wild harvesting red clover

The other day I decided to collect some red clover blossom (and a little yarrow & rosa rugosa) that grows in the pasture leading to one of the beautiful, little, private beaches in the area.

It was Mu's first experience with tall grass and let me tell you, she was quite the ham hopping to a fro' through the field! Purely comical!!!

Veda was also enjoying the grass by having many grand rolls and snarfing out loud. Then it was on to the beach for a little cool down.

I am thankful for the beautiful day, I a thankful for the beautiful environment around me, I am thankful for the plants I harvested and I am thankful for some pretty stinkin' cute pupparoos!

Jumping out of the garden in into my Soul...

The last 2 weeks...

Ok so this is way over-due, but none the less....

The last 2 weeks have been a whirlllllll!!!!

Last week we were at Gathering Of The Vibes in Bridgeport, CT. (the Puppets, that is).

The Green Man and the Fire God gettin' down.

Boys having fun.

The crew.

(From left to right puppet characters: Frank, Ginger, Fire God, Woody and the Green Man)

Frank hangin' with his fans.

Frank tearin' it up!

This dragonfly was HUGE! It got stuck under the sail we had up and was tired from trying to get out... Don't worry, he made it out safely!

Trouble makers...

I finally got a glow hoop this summer and have been totally psyched to spin at night!

...

Then when we got home I was reminded of the Sidewalk Days here in Fishtown...

(I have photos of the rest of the week, but for some reason my camera does not want to cooperate and won't let me upload anything... BOOO!!!)

That was 3 days of vending by myself and although I couldn't go far from my booth it was a much needed outcome!!!!

WOOOHOOO!!!

So that is some $$$ towards the car that I now need to find...

I also harvested my garlic last week, I am pretty excited about that.

Home grown garlic far surpasses anything you will buy in a store!

I have also been harvesting elderberries, thyme, oregano and a few other things here and there...

Now we are counting down the days (there are like 2 left before we leave) until Be Here Now up at Harry's Hill in Maine.

It is a real bummer not having a car, especially when we have a festival to be at since that means renting a vehicle.

That part is totally sucky... And expensive!!!

Anyways, that has been my past two weeks.

I think I also have to work on making more things for the next shows, since my stock is low now from the Sidewalk Days!

Hope you are all having a beautiful week!!!