I've been in my head a lot lately, feeling like I am on the cusp of something meant solely for me. But even in my own quest, I am always thinking of others. I am continually fascinated by how humans are affected by the Cosmos and Forces of Nature. Celestial events that make us feel like we are completely out of control of ourselves...mind, body, and soul. We just came out of a geomagnetic storm, and paired with the oral steroid the Rheumatologist wanted to try me on, I was a force to be reckoned with. I would have gladly gone to jail for beating up stupid people. But I'm off of the medicine now and calming down, ready to tap in to my potential, my strength, my weakness, and transcend yet again.
One thing I have continually denied myself over the years is spending money on flowers in the landscaping. Food plants were always a priority, anything else I considered a waste of money that we didn't have to waste. But now? I am not denying myself beauty, color, joy, smiles. I am working my ass off and I want to play just as hard as I work. So I took myself to a local greenhouse that specializes in native plants. I have gotten native plants before from them, and this time I just wanted some color. While my idea to prevent more flooding on the patio worked by planting some edges of grass to absorb the water, keeping it cut proved to be more difficult than I foresaw. I won't mow because it sits lower than the concrete, and weed whacking it isn't efficient. So we pulled the grass out of two corners to see how this would work for us. So far we love it! It provides color and some happiness. I got petunias, marigolds, and this beautiful red one that butterflies and hummingbirds like!
Another large project ticked off of the list! The concrete has been poured in the pole barn now! Woodchuck is looking forward to hanging up his tools (and I am too, because honestly, we have four of everything between home and the land and he still can't find what he needs 😁)
It has been amazing to watch the forests transform with the opening of the space to build. Any hardwoods along the edges are leafing out now the whole way down the tree instead of just at the top where they only had light because of crowding. And to see what was waiting for the light to make itself known! (pictured is sassafras).
Although you will lose a boot in the water and mud getting to them, the blueberries that we trimmed are alive and well! I owe some to a friend who helped us build the pole barn, so I was glad to see that I will be able to share them this year.
My fight against invasives continues, but I can see the difference it's making as more and more native plants are taking over the spaces where I remove invasive/non-native ones. This is Dames Rocket, and while she's pretty and smells great, she has to go. Not to be confused with our native Phlox, Dames Rocket has four petals on the flowers, while Phlox has five. When we move out to the land and are ready for landscaping, I will be hitting it hard getting native plants in the ground.
These beauties are volunteer Elderberry and I am really hoping that Woodchuck didn't mow them over yesterday when we were at the land. The plan is to transplant them now into a strip of land that will allow them full sun and some wet feet, and where they won't get mowed over each week.
I headed into the woods, knowing the mosquitoes were going to be insane. I couldn't stop moving, if I did I was surrounded by them. I had on full coverage clothing, layers of chemicals on my clothings, plus a visor with a net on the front, and a gator over my head and ears. With all of the rain we've had, and the forest flooding, we knew it was going to be a bad year for them. Sadly, my youngest is allergic to them, so his help out there will be severely limited (not that he's willing to help, but I digress).
The day was perfect to be out there yesterday. Storms were not forecasted until later in the day, so we got there early. No humidity and lovely breeze...that doesn't make it to me while I am deep in the forest. But I don't care. The crows are overhead, dropping their feathers for me to find as gifts for taking care of their home (and I had a great idea for some art to make from them!) I blew through several rows in the forest, pulling cleavers, bittersweet, garlic mustard, honeysuckle, and LOV. Sadly, each time I go in, I get stopped at the same point and never seem to get past that! I had to stop twice to go back to Woodchuck to help him with his stuff, and then a storm blew in.
I am finding so many wonderful things! Like small patch of Wood Ferns, now the third species of fern I've found on the land.
And finally, a native grape instead of the ones that kill my trees! I will continue to watch it though, to make sure it doesn't damage anything.
Sooo much Sweet Cicily dappled throughout!
The storm blew in fast, and I was in the middle of the forest when I heard thunder. I got out just as I felt a couple of drops fall, and more thunder rolling in on the winds. I got back to the shipping container in time for it to rain harder, and as Woodchuck was closing it up, a lightening bolt struck WAY too close for comfort. We both ran for the car and were very lucky as another one struck overhead right when we were getting in! I consider it the perfect ending to a very difficult week for me. To become so angry, to let it out, and then there's calm. We came home and went our separate ways, me to the sewing room to continue cleaning out and packing up. 💜
Today, my one day a week to get caught up on chores, art, socializing, blogging, etc. finds me harried as usual every Tuesday. But I made myself throw ingredients into the crockpot for chicken bone broth. I saved veggie scraps along the way and the guys recently had a rotisserie chicken that I am using the carcass from. I find it giggle worthy that I won't eat the chicken but will utilize the body of it. And it makes me think of all of the other things in my life that I try to utilize. Some times I succeed and some times not, but after a recent conversation with the youngest about feeling stuck in life (he does, not me), some times we get too caught up in viewing our lives from the vantage of what we are missing. When we do that, we will never feel fulfilled. We must feed what it is that we want to grow, like viewing life from the vantage of all of the wonderfulness we are surrounded with and by. That makes it so much easier to then see how fulfilled we truly are even if that doesn't meet the guidelines of normal society. They can pound sand and take their expectations elsewhere. I will follow the call of the crows. )O(
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