oceans & skies

Lately when I breathe, I imagine the ocean. I imagine each breath as a wave: the rushing sound, the salty vapour, the peaceful way it reaches the shore and then retreats. It slows and calms and brings me to quiet memories.

For some the ocean is a daily sight, but for me it has only been visited in my travels. I've seen so many shores, I can think of many of them now, in the many countries I've been to. Each one is different depending on the day, the hour, but there is always that constant never-ending movement and deep quiet. In and out, breathing. Its grandeur similar to looking at a night sky full of stars. Overwhelmingly large, prehistoric, ever-present. Something to make you feel small, but also alive and present.

The other night I put the puppy out to pee before bed and was caught by the night's windless silence and profound starry sky. Uncomfortable and soothing at the same time. I spent a few moments, then went back in. My micro world of human coziness, watched over by the world at large.

Self-portrait in Cadiz, Spain. Travelling solo for three weeks in March 2006.

puppy love, fall, and green living

The puppy adds a little more crazy to our already busy little life, but my outlook these days is if it brings more smiles than annoyance, it's fine, and the pupper definitely adds cheer to the day. She's a goof. I'm writing this listening to a symphony of snoring dogs... sort of a cozy sound.

My man had a takin' care of business day which included breakfast and coffee ready when I woke up, a trip to the vet with la Lune, and then a massive clean-a-thon. The kitchen is now reorganised and filtred of unused food stuffs, the living room also mildly rearranged. Funny how an angle here, a lamp there, and a dusting can change the whole vibe for the better.

R & D cleaned the chimney last night so we're ready to rock once the temperature dips. It's already on its way... but I love the fall. The days are so clean and fresh, and the wind so alive. We might be away during the beautiful leaf changing season next month, but that's okay. Off to Iceland for our honeymoon! My awesome bro will be holding the fort down while we're away. Looking forward to two weeks AWAY with my love.

In other news, we watched "Food Inc" this week and I feel changed. I recommend -everyone- see it. It's about the food industry, and it's totally effed up. I'm so terrified of a GMO world, all seed owned by Monsanto... and the fact that we can't know GMO foods by labels in Canada is so scary and wrong. The thing I will watch out for most is soy as it's one of the more processed things I eat. The documentary has so much more... it makes me think more about how our green store (which had a good first summer btw!) can play a more active role in educating consumers, and providing healthy alternatives. We've talked about writing a zine over the winter to make available in the store, just to educate our community further about all that's going on and how to move more toward a safer, healthier, more environmentally friendly way of living. It's so important!!! Consumers directly influence the world, undoubtedly. Buy local, buy organic when you can, buy fair trade imports if you must, and think of your fellow earth citizens in everything you buy.

petz

The farm is getting farmier! New additions:

Six chickens
Two each of Golden Phoenix, Barred Plymouth Rock, Ameraucana. Two, possibly four(!), are roosters so we'll have to sort that out later. The hens should start laying in a couple months.

New puppy Luna, from brother's mama dog
Her dad is a beagle, and her mom has spaniel/jack russell/pit bull. She's a mutt... a darn cute one. Eight puppies in total! My folks took one too (billy). Lu's crying on the porch right now. Whisk is inside sleeping off this morning's babysitting duty but I might stick him out there again soon. She doesn't like being alone...

I've become a boring adult.

quick garden notes

peas:
-start earlier, and try another sowing 2 weeks later

beans:
-bugs eat the seedlings and wipe out half of the crop. row cover? plant TONS more for freezing.
-POLE beans: do it!

radishes:
-thin them!

carrots:
-start early. terrible germination this year, possibly planted too late?

kale:
-plant in flower beds as bugs totally ate them in the veg garden

beets:
-try fresh seed next year. spotty germination.

tomatoes:
-'bloody butcher' is a nice little tomato with a cute green blush on top. plant is pretty pathetic tho - very small and few branches. pass on growing this again despite awesome name.
-'pipo' is small and nice for single salads. nothing special, but early and prolific.
-'mountain princess' is also early and very prolific. range of sizes. good juiciness/sweetness. nice for sandwiches.
-'yellow pear' grape cherries are very dry/pastey.
-'sungold' (hybrid)... i see what all the fuss is about. they are delicious and prolific!
-lots more waiting to ripen
-get proper tall wood stakes for indeterminates.

peppers:
-'early jalepeno' are the last to fruit and some have no fruit. start earlier next year?
-'habanero' are also fruitless, but good size plants.
-'golden greek pepperoncini' are wonder plants producing tons of fruit and plants are a healthy size!
-'cubanelle', 'king of the north', and 'lipstick' all look good with decent fruits
-'new mexico' and 'kung pao' are stuck between tomatoes, not enough sun

tomatillos:
-are awesome. love the plants. no need to stake. figure out if i actually like salsa verde.

swiss chard:
-figure out good ways to actually eat it instead of planting/letting go to seed

lettuce:
-plant every 2 weeks, seriously!

cucumbers/zucchini/squash:
-don't forget to plant these things again! really missing fresh cucumber/zucchini.

eggplant:
-not sure it's doable here. flowers fall off and no fruit. seedlings also get eaten by bugs early on, but bounces back. coffee grinds/dish soap on leaves seemed to work.

garlic:
-pick before the leaves die totally or lose the bulbs!

cosmos:
-start early inside

mint:
-pick before going to seed to dry for tea

parsley:
-need several more plants. pinch back often.

morning glories:
-grow with proper trellis, otherwise grows similar to my nemesis, bindweed.

hollyhocks:
-move to alongside the house, to fill gap where i ripped out all of the day lilies