A Meaningful Poem on Death

When Death Comes By Mary Oliver When death comes like the hungry bear in autumn; when death comes and takes all the bright coins from his purse   to buy me, and snaps the purse shut; when death comes like the measle-pox   when death comes like an iceberg between the shoulder blades,   I want to step through the door full of curiosity, wondering: what is it going to be like, that cottage of darkness?   And therefore I look upon everything as a brotherhood and a sisterhood, and I look upon time as no more than an idea, and I consider eternity as another possibility,   and I think of each life as a flower, as common as a field daisy, and as singular,   and each name a comfortable music in the mouth, tending, as all music does, toward silence,   and each body a lion of courage, and something precious to the earth.   When it's over, I want to say all my life I was a bride married to amazement. I was the bridegroom, taking the world into my arms.   When it's over, I don't want to wonder if I have made of my life something particular, and real.   I don't want to find myself sighing and frightened, or full of argument.   I don't want to end up simply having visited this world

Afterthoughts and Us

All of the places 

and trails,

together 

you and I.

Over the mountains and

into our deserts, then

beyond the world we know.

 

Our steps a little slower

and mine less than yours,  

remembering the places we lay

laughing at ourselves

and crying for lost moments.

 

We once took it all so casually,

now looking back, I wonder.

 

One year isolated

on our own without what?

Will it ever be normal again?

and what exactly is normal?

Who is the judge?

 

 

 

Social Distancing for Animals

If there's one thing I've noticed, it's that adult animals usually spend their days eating within their own space. Think about the cattle, horses, deer, elk, javelina, and other grazing animals - they each have their own area. 

 Any questions peeps?

" 

And so it begins...Tomatoes

Black Krim Tomato

Our first tomato plant is peeking from the soil today. Yay! We're starting these indoors under lights. This one is a black Krim heirloom tomato originating from the Isle of Krim in the Black Sea off the coast of the Crimean Peninsula. 

It's open-pollinated, indeterminate, bearing 8 ounce flattened globe fruits that are dark reddish-purple to black with green/brown shoulders. 

We haven’t grown this one in years so we’re anxious to welcome it back into our garden.

Homebound

While staying home due to the coronavirus pandemic, we've accomplished some ignored chores and tried to make the best of a horrible time for our country. I have also needed to continually "touch base" with family and friends to check on their health and well being. 

After I washed all the bedding this week (yes, with a little bleach) I decided to hang them on the line. I had forgotten how wonderful the fragrance of wind and sun-dried cotton linens can be when you crawl into bed. I'll be doing this again soon.

 

Spring Weather

The last couple of days have brought amazing storms to our area. The USFS folks I know always told me that March and October are the wettest months in Arizona and New Mexico. This is certainly holding true for 2020. 

This rainbow was overpowered by a rainstorm, giving it the appearance of a giant sundog.  

Winter Flower

What a fun way to chase away winter's dark, dreary days.

Looked out the window and saw the Hellebores nodding their heads with pastel blooms.


Hellebores are commonly known as Christmas or Lenten roses. Of course, they are not actually roses — but the flowers do resemble a single wild rose. Many varieties bloom from Christmas to Easter and, therefore, are associated with this time of the year. 

I plan to add more since these have trialed so nicely. They are  evergreen perennials that grow in shade or light shade, do not need dividing constantly, are drought tolerant (once established) and bloom in the winter. 

What more could I ask of this special little plant? 

Special Valentine's Day

💘We can't think of a better way to spend our Valentine Day evening than with Craig Johnson. The Literary Southwest presentation was held at Yavapai College in Prescott. It was a wonderful evening and Craig is such a colorful speaker. Here's a photo of Craig and his wife preparing for his lecture.💘

 

Craig Johnson is a New York Times bestselling author of the mystery series featuring Wyoming sheriff Walt Longmire.

Shipment Day for Chicks

Chicks were hatched, sexed and shipped today, so we've made serious preparations for their arrival. A warm cardboard box, light, fresh water, food - all on a bed of sweet, alfalfa hay leaves. Our order of 18 chicks is coming from Missouri for 15 black-copper French Marans. I have one BCM hen that is 9 years old and she's our fav! More pictures soon.

It's Not Yet Winter?

The storm delivered just as the meteorologists predicted. It's very, very cold today, even though the sun is shining. Snow is trying to melt, but having a difficult time since temperature is not quite 34 degrees. It was a beautiful snow. Our animals were all warm and snug under lights (chickens), blankets (mules), and inside the house in their beds (dogs). We have the fireplace burning all day, until we go to bed at night.

Winter arrives on December 21 and we are expecting another cold month - or three! No tree, rose bush or vine will be trimmed until the freezing is complete. 

Just finished ordering our seeds for Garden 2020 and we expect to eat all organic vegetables and fruits from our upcoming harvests. And this year we're adding a microgreens planter. 

Remember, when planning your garden be sure to include mostly what you like to eat, but please try to add something new. 🍅

Picnic anyone?

Bees Swarming Today

We had a swarm of honey bees fly through the garden, orchard, pasture (where our mules were grazing) and chicken pens (with 18 hens). We were not concerned and they headed south. The noise was a treat and we know to stay calm and stand still as they whizzed by.

Swarming occurs when a colony has outgrown its current hive and is preparing to separate into 2 or more new, smaller hives. When bees swarm looking for a new place to call home, they are usually at their calmest. When they get tired or at the end of a long day, they will often rest in a tree, culvert or other place they feel safe. You might get to see this resting in your yard and they may stay as long as a week. This is not the same as an active bee hive.

I wanted to send this reminder to all neighbors and ask that you please do not respond by calling an exterminator. Honey bees play a vital role in our ecosystems and food supply. As organic gardeners we appreciate their important role.

Bees have been struggling in recent years due to many unnatural stresses which include habitat disruption, monocultural & genetically engineered food provisions, and invasive pathogens & parasites.

If you have a resting swarm of bees and wish to have them removed you can call one of the expert beekeepers below. They will most likely charge less than an exterminator and the wild bees can be kept in new, safe hives.

Tracy. 928-899-2720 - Williamson Valley Area

Ken Miller. 928-300-1260 - Located in Rimrock (Verde Vly)

Nancy J. Deane. 941-815-1588 - In Prescott, PV, Dewey

Mark Gregory - Kirkland area - 928-830-8770

Tom Veatch - 928 925 2096 - Areas south of Prescott

Some interesting honey bee facts:

• In order to make a pound of honey, a hive of bees must fly 55,000 miles 
• Honey is 25% sweeter than table sugar. 
• Honey is the only foodstuff that contains all of the necessary nutrients to sustain life. 
• Bee venom is used as a treatment for several ailments, including arthritis and high blood pressure and beekeepers rarely have arthritis .
• The darker the honey, the greater amount of antioxidant properties it has. 
• Honey has antibacterial properties and can be used as a dressing for wounds. 
• Due to colony collapse disorder, bees have been dying off at a rate of approximately 30% per year. 
• Bees are being used to study dementia. When a bee takes on a new job usually done by a younger bee, its brain stops aging!

(Thus ended the lesson - sorry to be so long winded, but I LOVE BEES.)