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The Early June Garden

I’m not a gardener. I didn’t come to gardening naturally or in childhood. I didn’t grow up gardening side-by-side with my parents, grandparents, or anybody else.

I mean, my parents gardened for a few years, but I didn’t want to be out there at all. Heck, I just barely wanted to leave my room.

In fact, I wasn’t drawn to nature the way so many people are. I’d mostly rather sit quietly and read a book than anything else in the world. Add in meditation and cute clothes, and these are some of my favorite things.

I learned to garden from a housemate in my 30s. The house was in a rural setting and we had another friend till the land; then we planted. Going out to daily to tend plants and pluck veggies and herbs for dinner was a treat; it’s something I still enjoy.

Permaculture

Permaculture came into my awareness as a result of working at the world-renowned Omega Institute for Holistic Studies; there was a course and it sounded intriguing, but I really didn’t want to dig in dirt. Books meditation, cute clothes, remember?

But as the years passed by and I learned about propagating plants and had small gardens in pots on balconies, I hoped for a place of my own where I could grow something. Maybe food? Definitely pretty flowers.

Fast forward to 2012, and I purchased my current home. It has just the right amount of garden space for me to putter, and then a little bit more. I’ve puttered around a bit, and have some pictures to share from earlier this month.

  • Wild violets in May. They spread prodigiously and add deep purple sparkle in early spring.
  • Red tulip
  • The apple tree bloomed. At least, I think it’s the apple; it might be the crab apple.
  • Peach blossoms
  • Coleus for all summer color
  • Biodiversity! There’s so much going on in this one picture. I don’t know all of the plants, but recognize moss and plantain.
  • Handmade stepping stone. These were made one summer day with friends some years ago. So pretty!
  • Itty bitty Red Haven peaches
  • Deep red peonies on the way.
  • Japanese andromeda. Aren’t the colors gorgeous?
  • White, purple, and yellow colored Iris.
  • Having waited two or three years, the apple tree is officially making apples.
  • Woodstock Chime still singing after more than ten years.
  • This crab apple was planted the same time as the apple: little crab apples are here, too.
  • Look at the Nanking Cherries! These grow fast, taste good, and have beautiful white blossoms in early spring (about the same time as tulips and daffodils.)
  • Allium ready to burst.
  • A fuzzy bee friend loving the five foot tall comfrey.
  • Pale pink peony about to burst open.
  • A picture of oak tree leaves
    The city offers free trees every year. I had them plant an oak tree for me this year.

Perma-what?

Permaculture is a whole different animal than conventional gardening. It’s an overall philosophy and systematic approach to a piece of land; it can also be applied to our inner life as well as inside the home.

And there are tons of resources online to learn more. Over the last two years I worked at obtaining a 72-hour Permaculture Design Certificate through the Permaculture Women’s Guild.

The course caused me to learn about things that are way outside of my comfort zone of meditation, cute clothes, and books. At the end of the course I had to do a 20-minute presentation giving an overview of my forty-plus page plan for my little piece of land in Michigan.

Permaculture has informed what I’ve planted and how I’ve planted. From the pictures, you can see I have peach, apple, and crab apple. I also have plum and Egyptian “walking” onions. There are two kinds of thyme here, and an abundance of flowers and other herbs.

Weeds and Water

There are also a lot of “weeds.” What’s the phrase? One man’s weed is another man’s flower – or something like that.

In my journey towards permaculture I had to adjust my thinking about weeds. I love a beautifully manicured lawn as much as the next person, but I also know they’re generally horrible for the environment. All that grass has very little to offer bees, birds, and other wildlife. Grass eats up water, and (in urban settings) sends that water down the driveway and into the street.

Maybe the easiest way to get a basic understanding of permaculture is through thinking about water. Where does the water on your property come from, and where does it go?

On my tiny property, water comes in from the city and goes back out. Water comes down from the sky in the form of rain and snow. The rain goes through the gutters and two downspouts shoots the water straight towards my neighbor’s yard. Another downspout shoots the water into the backyard. With permaculture, my goal is to capture that rain water and invite it to sink into the land, thus nourishing everything.

It’s kind of the same with plants. I let the clover and plantain grow because they nurture healthy soil; I can also eat them and/or use them for medicine if need be. Plantain, for example, can be used for first aid on stings, bites, or minor burns; it can be used in an infused oil or salve, too.

You can make a tea from red clover, or use it in an infusion or tincture; pretty sure one of these days I’ll learn how to do these things. I already make tea from my overabundance of lemon balm; it’s great for relieving stress, helping with digestion, and overall mental health.

I’m growing all those herbs and flowers and fruits for the same reason. And if you look at a garden bed I’ve developed it has got peach, comfrey, lemon thyme, chives, clover, and more. It’s messy and it’s very diverse.

June In The Garden

In early June, the greens in the garden are on point. All the grass is alive and not crunchy; that happens later towards August and September.

The Iris, clover, and chives are blooming. Now is when I go out and cut chives to sprinkle on dinner or use in sandwiches. Maybe some chive spread? And I’ll for sure use either the English thyme or lemon thyme on something – maybe salmon.

The wild violets are done blooming for the year, as are the fruit trees. But if you look closely on the fruit trees, you will see little tiny fruits just starting to grow; they’ll be ready towards the end of the summer. I’ll be able to pick the Nanking cherries in July; I’m hoping the Everblooming strawberries settle in and get really comfortable. They’re new, so I don’t blame them if they don’t feel like making strawberries this year.

I’m not a gardener. But I am as predictable and as diverse as my garden. How about you?

Mission 2022 June

In 2022, I’m combining lessons from the heart with some –cough cough – goals.

But I don’t like the word goals, so it’s a quest, a journey, a mission: that for which I am destined.

So how was May?

May’s Tarot Card

I did a tarot spread for the full year and May asked me to release resentments and negative self talk. The card was Goblins, and it also reminded me that fear is an illusion and that I can always choose love.

I’ve really been working on that negative self talk. Though “work” isn’t really the word, it’s more a practice. If I catch myself talking negatively about myself, I stop, and correct the words. This way, I am slowly ceasing to berate myself for just being alive. I am sure I will be working at this the rest of my life – and I hope you start working at this, too.

That negative self talk does so much harm. And as women, we’re absolutely conditioned to think that we’re not good enough just the way we are. I am definitely amazing just the way I am, and so are you – but the way we talk with ourselves only reinforces the messages we receive from television, movies, books, magazines, social media… it goes on and on.

I wrote more about shoulding all over yourself in February.

Write 250 Words A Day, 5 Days A Week

This didn’t happen, I don’t think it will, and I’m OK with that because I wrote 3570 words over last week. Hurrah! Read more about that in Big Secret Goal #1 below.

Revamp WordStorm Casserole Poetry Book

Not happening. I’ve got other things on my mind now.

Post Twice A Month On This Website

I made it – just barely. Squeaking by counts! There was the May Mission Update and a Big Secret Goal Reveal.

DeGoogle, deApple, deMicrosoft – embrace Linux!

Why? Because Google, Apple, and Microsoft all track your every move online and that’s wrong.

In May I continued to use my Linux machine for most everything. I still need to transfer files over from the old windows computer. Maybe I’ll get around to moving music this month?

  • DeGoogling is much harder than I imagined: it’s everywhere and I use it for much more than email. I did stop using Google Calendar; I really, really like having a paper calendar so I can cross days off.
  • DeAppling won’t happen until there is something other than Android as a truly viable option for me. Yes, there are some options out there that can run Linux like the Librem 5, but lead time is 52 weeks – yes, you heard that: lead time is ONE YEAR. I expect the market for Linux phones will improve in the coming years and when it does, I’ll be jumping aboard.
  • DeMicrosofting is as good as it’s going to get for now; I use LibreOffice with no major issues; it is free and is a viable replacement for Microsoft Office including Word, Excel, etc. I still have a Hotmail (now Outlook) account; it’s the first email account I had, and I’m kinda attached. I use it as a ‘junk mail’ account when signing up for newsletters, websites, offers,

Have Fun

May really wanted to be warmer, but instead settled for being not so warm. At least it was warmer than April, and I got to wear shorts for the first time this year. I’m notoriously cold, so finally wearing shorts is awesome; as I write this, it’s June 5 and I’m going to be wearing a long sleeved shirt and long pants because it’s chilly and rainy.

  • I watched the Central Michigan University graduation ceremony to see my sister receive her second outstanding teaching award. Congrats Leslie!
  • I’m still enjoying HelloFresh, but suspect I’ll cancel or at the very least pull back on ordering as much every week once the CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) starts up for the season. That should happen sometime in June and carry on for sixteen weeks of amazing veggies from a local organic farm. How many veggies? My weekly share typically covers my four-burner stove top!
  • I did some genealogy work and updated the FindAGrave.com listings for some of my Wallace line. There was great-great grandfather Robert Wallace who brought the family from Canada to Cass City, Michigan (and was able to tie him to my great grandfather Alfred James Wallace, too.) Robert’s son William H. Wallace. My great-great-great grandfather and grandmother Thomas Wallace and Isabella Dickie Wallace. There was also Isabella D. Smallwood and her husband William and son Harold; Isabella’s mother (Mary Jane Wallace) was sister to Robert mentioned above – which makes her my 1st cousin three times removed. One of these days I may hire a genealogist working near Kilmarnock, Scotland to dig into further family history…or perhaps that can be a goal for 2023?
  • My hair still has purple, fuchsia, and blue highlights: LOVE IT!
  • I worked in my garden just a big, went to a couple thrift stores, and had two craniosacral massages, too.

Big Secret Goal #1: Finish the first draft of a novel

This is what that “write 250 words a day” goal was all about! Read more about how I came to this decision and hints at what the novel is about here. Every week for fourteen weeks, I have to hit my target number of words per week – 3,000. We’re in week one, and I sure did hit that target! Yeah me!!

Big Secret Goal #2

This goal involves hiring pros. I finally arranged to meet with the pros.

  • It was fun to talk about the goal in depth, and to share the document I slaved over that is chocked full of ideas and measurements and colors and more.
  • Now I’m in the “waiting for the pros to develop a design” phase. Then we’ll be in the “blend my vision with their design phase,” and then in the “I sure hope they can add this to their schedule” phase. And eventually we’ll get to installation and big reveal.
  • I was hoping for spring (which is clearly not going to happen) and will be delighted if it’s fall.
  • At least it will be done…and I can move on to other Big Secret Goals.

What I’m Reading

On GoodReads, I have a 2022 Reading Challenge goal of at least 50 books. Since the last update I’ve read:

  • Galileo’s Dream by Kim Stanley Robinson
  • Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand by Helen Simson
  • The Yellow House by Sarah M. Broom
  • I’ve read 21 books so far this year, which puts me 42% of the way to that mission of 50 books in 2022.

How About You?

How was your May? What big dreams and projects are you working on for this year?

Big Secret Goal Reveal: It’s 1977 All Over Again

It’s finally time to reveal one of those big secrets I’ve been keeping from you. And this big secret isn’t finished: it’s just beginning.

I’ve always wanted to write fiction, and have failed over and over. I get off to a great start then lose steam and stop. That’s about to change – thanks to The Write Practice’s 100 Day Book Challenge.

100 Day Book

Sure, I’ve written a lot of poetry. And yes, I co-wrote through the first draft of a cozy mystery with a friend. I believe that 100 Day Book will encourage me to finish the first draft of a novel I’ve wanted to write for years. How does this program work?

It started with a book plan that was submitted over the weekend. That plan outlines my goals. And you know how I feel about goals, right?

So, of course, this 100 days is a mission! It’s an adventure! And if I hit all the deadlines and finish the first draft on or before September 6, 100 Day Book will pay me $100 and I will give me a weekend getaway.

Pants Or Plans?

In the fiction writing world, you either write that first draft flying by the seat of your pants (aka “pantser”) or you plan meticulously. I’ve tried pantsing my way through a first draft and it was sad.

Turns out, I’m more of a planner. I even have an Excel spreadsheet with a scene-by-scene breakdown. It has character arcs and a few more things I may talk about at a later date.

You remember that I wanted to write 250 words a day, five days a week? Well part of the book plan was breaking down the novel by how many words you need to write per week. I already have about 20,000 words written so to hit a goal of 70,000 words, I need to write 3500 words per week every week over the next fourteen weeks. Yikes!

Tell Me More

This is a coming of age novel set in the 1970’s. So this summer, I’ll be reliving the Autumn of 1977 through that character’s eyes. Here are some hints:

Let’s Go!

So here I go, working my way through the first draft of a novel that I’ve wanted to write for a l.o.n.g. time. Tell me about your memories from high school and the 1970s – good, bad, funny, sad, or tell me what projects you have planned for this summer.

Mission 2022 May

In 2022, I’m combining lessons from the heart with some –cough cough – goals.

But I don’t like the word goals, so it’s a quest, a journey, a mission: that for which I am destined.

So how was April?

April’s Tarot Card

I did a tarot spread for the full year and April’s card was Coming To Life. It asked me to get out of my own way and let spirit lead. It was a reminder here to try to not coax or push the dream forward.

This was a month of wait and see. It was a month where I definitely allowed spirit to guide me. I was tempted so many times to take off to another town for the day to hit the thrift stores, but then realized I really didn’t need to do that. I was OK with staying at home (and I did hit the thrift stores here.)

The end of April always gets me excited about buying new things to plant outside. Unfortunately, it’s also the time when allergies attack. While daffodils and tulips and trees are busting out leaves, I’m holed up inside waiting for the trees to wrap up their leafing out. At that point, it’s nice and warm and all the plants that overwinter in the house are ready to go outside – me, too.

Write 250 Words A Day, 5 Days A Week

Still working on this one. Last month I said I’d have a chat with my inner child and we’ve come up with a plan. There will be words written in the coming months for sure.

And, to be clear, this is words each day for personal projects. For work I’ve been writing up a storm – and more than 250 words most days. 250 words, by the way, is about 15-minutes worth of writing.

Revamp WordStorm Casserole Poetry Book

Not happening. I’ve got other things on my mind now.

Post Twice A Month On This Website

Oops! April went by and I only posted one time.

DeGoogle, deApple, deMicrosoft – embrace Linux!

Why? Because Google, Apple, and Microsoft all track your every move online and that’s wrong.

In April I used my Linux machine all of the time for personal use: checking personal email, watching YouTube videos, checking social media. I used it to watch Star Trek: Discovery on Amazon Prime. I didn’t creep back over to the Windows computer at all; it hasn’t been turned on since March.

Though I have to say I haven’t been happy with the Linux genealogy program, Gramps; I guess I just prefer the program I’ve used for years – Legacy. I’ll have to see if it will work in a Windows emulator and/or dig into Gramps a bit more.

Have Fun

Sigh. It was sprinter: spring and winter, but really more winter. Brrrr.

  • In that one weekend where spring attempted to gain hold, I spray-painted a table and lamp. Sadly, I did not take before or after photos, so this will not become a craft blog.
  • I went to the Zonta rummage sale at the library and scored on a couple of cute pieces of clothing for summer.
  • On Easter Sunday family gathered at mom’s house. First time we’d all been together since Christmas.
  • I got massages, bought an air fryer, and colored my hair fuchsia, blue, and purple.

Big Secret Goal #1

Not very much hear. That will change over the next few months.

Big Secret Goal #2

This goal involves hiring pros. Finally got an appointment set!

What I’m Reading

On GoodReads, I have a 2022 Reading Challenge goal of at least 50 books. Since the last update I’ve read:

  • The Dressmaker’s Gift by Fiona Valpy
  • Birthright by Nora Roberts
  • Write Away: One Novelist’s Approach to Fiction and the Writing Life by Elizabeth George
  • A Sunlit Weapon by Jacqueline Winspear
  • The Shadow Land by Elizabeth Kostova
  • Jessica’s Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey
  • The Last Mrs. Summers by Rhys Bowen
  • That means I’ve read 18 of 50 books for the year!

How About You?

How was your month?

Mission 2022 April

In 2022, I’m combining lessons from the heart with some –cough cough – goals.

But I don’t like the word goals, so it’s a quest, a journey, a mission: that for which I am destined.

So how was March?

March’s Tarot Card

I did a tarot spread for the full year and March’s card was Deep Freeze which reminded me to not push or force anything forward. I was admonished to rest, hibernate, and wait for the flow of life to happen.

Talk about accurate!

Life carried on, of course; I worked Monday-Friday 9a-5p at my technology job. I cooked, I read, I did laundry – all of those things that you do to keep life moving – not necessarily moving forward.

It was too cold, too wet, too grey and cloudy.

And I lost Ivan, my 18-year-old cat. He’d been in my life for 18 years. The day he passed I sat and felt that grief. Mixed in with grief was a sense of release; I’d been anticipating the time when I would be “cat free” again. It’s been 20+ years and now I have to figure out how life will be different.

You can’t rush that kind of transition. Other kinds of transitions happened easily for me in March; it really wasn’t hard to let go of tea and sugar. I’m still amazed at both of these and darned proud.

You can’t rush the kind of transitions I’m thinking about for this blog, either. So I’m honing away at the ideas and we’ll see what develops as the year moves forward.

And it will move forward.

The snowdrops are blooming and I can see daffodil and tulips starting to poke up in my front yard. Spring and all that lovely green is on the way here in mid-Michigan!

Write 250 Words A Day, 5 Days A Week

Yeah, this is NOT happening the way I envisioned.

I mean, I write 250 words a day, 5 days a week for WORK – not on creative writing. That’s what I was picturing…

Writing for this blog definitely counts, and that’s OK with me.

Revamp WordStorm Casserole Poetry Book

Not gonna happen. My thought here was to revamp the book, and add it to different websites, lower the price. I *thought* I’d be ready to do that in March or April.

Nope, no way. It’s still something I want to do, but there’s no hurry.

Post Twice A Month On This Website

Yes! I did publish two posts in March! There was the March Mission Update and Transitions.

DeGoogle, deApple, deMicrosoft – embrace Linux!

Why? Because Google, Apple, and Microsoft all track your every move online and that’s wrong.

In March I continued to use my Linux machine most of the time for personal use: checking personal email, watching YouTube videos, checking social media. I used it to watch Star Trek: Discovery and now Picard on Amazon Prime. I don’t think I turned my Windows machine for anything in March.

Have Fun

March was not a month for ‘fun.’ It was cold and wet and Ivan and ick.

  • I listened to a couple presentations during the online genealogy conference RootsTech at the very beginning of the month.
  • I walked with a friend once a week
  • I had a couple massages.
  • I used that Buy Nothing app to let go of some accumulated cat paraphernalia
  • I bought myself new rugs, new bed sheets and duvet cover.

Big Secret Goal #1

I worked on this a bit in March. Baby steps count as progress!

Big Secret Goal #2

This goal involves hiring pros. Finally heard from the pros. They’d lost my initial inquiry and are now working on a proposal and estimate. Sigh.

What I’m Reading

On GoodReads, I have a 2022 Reading Challenge goal of at least 50 books. I’ve read 15 books so far this year; that’s 30% towards my goal. Since the last update I’ve read:

  • The Last Mrs. Summers by Rhys Bowen
  • Jessica’s Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey
  • The Shadow Land by Elizabeth Kostova
  • A Sunlit Weapon by Jacqueline Winspear

How About You?

How was your March? What big dreams and projects are you working on for this year?

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