lessons learned: caring for the root bound
“You are root bound,” she said. “Your prayer needs to be, ‘God, give me a bigger pot.’” That’s what my counselor said to me Tuesday, …
grow
coming up through the cracks
With the onset of Spring, I’ve noticed several plants coming up through the cracks. In the midst of a busy sidewalk or rocky wall, there …
the “isness” of others
O Creator Lord, let me feel the “isness” of things and people, without resistance, without trying to impose my own pattern upon them or exploit …
gratitude for this day
I thank You God for most this amazing day: for the leaping greenly spirits of trees and a blue true dream of sky; and for …
lessons learned: looking through the window
I discovered windows one afternoon and after that, nothing was ever the same. ~Anne Spollen, The Shape of Water At the end of summer, a …
harvest time
It’s harvest time, It’s harvest time, How rich is nature’s yield In fruit of earth And bush and tree, From orchard, farm and field. It’s …
autumn gardening for chickens
I’ve been away from the farm a few days and was delighted to come home to three chickens who were happy to see me. While …
dear chicas: DIY fencing to keep greedy hens out and fall veggies in
Dear Chicas, I have tried to provide you with the best plant matter money can buy–organic kale seeds, swiss chard, winter rye and clover. I …
apricot chicken and root veggies
Made this one up this morning so I imagine I’ll play around with it, but here’s the basic recipe for you to try. Even my …
lessons learned: what thinning plants can teach us about patience
Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson One night last week after studying for tests and recounting the day’s …
growing grace farm’s award winning zesty marinara recipe
This year, I submitted blackberry and blueberry jams, my blue ribbon pickled okra, and spaghetti sauce in the NC Mountain State Fair. Though I had …
freezing herbs–a taste of summer all year long
My sweet mom bought me 4 plants of Thai basil back in May, and they have gone wild! Along with my regular sweet basil, I …
gentle gardeners, people of faith, and environmentalism
This morning, I picked up a book I’ve not read in awhile. I was hoping for some inspiration for a meditation this morning, and when …
the “isness” of others
O Creator Lord, let me feel the “isness” of of things and people, without resistance, without trying to impose my own pattern upon them or …
drying hydrangeas
One of my favorite ways to “wrap” a gift is to place it in an understated colored gift bag then use dried hydrangeas (and other …
looking for answers
Have patience with everything unresolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves. . . Don’t search for the answers, they could not …
meditation
Meditation I, the blazing life of divine wisdom, I set alight the beauty of the plains, I radiate the waters, I glow in the Sun, …
lessons learned: anything can be
Listen to the mustn’ts, child. Listen to the don’ts. Listen to the shouldn’ts, the impossibles, the won’ts. Listen to the never haves then listen close …
my friend, Summer Saturday
While I am not one for the heat of summertime, I do love me a Summer Saturday. She can be very welcoming, you know, with …
there’s nothin’ better than. . .
Today, as I was working out in the gardens, I picked a few fresh green beans, and uttered, “There’s nothing better than eating green beans …
lessons learned: tomato cages and friendship
Last night, a handful of us headed over to the community garden at our church. You see, our woman’s group decided to become the seed …
tomatoes: dehydrating for a little summer all year ’round
There is nothing I like more than throwing a handful of sundried tomatoes into a dish to add a bit of tangy punch and a …
farmers’ markets: tips for the trip
So you’ve found your local market, and you’re ready to head out–what’s next? Give yourself plenty of time! There’s so much to see and explore. …
farmers’ markets: from farm to table–it’s what’s for dinner
This past weekend, I had the opportunity for a girls’ night out with a dear friend. We picked a restaurant that we knew would be …
prayer for rain
Give life to the grass by sending us rain. Give life to our earth by sending us rain. Give life to our crops by sending …
farmers’ markets
Seeing as it is midsummer and most farmers’ markets are in full swing with fruits, veggies, and flowers, I thought I might do a series …
beautiful day
See the world in green and blue See China right in front of you See the canyons broken by clouds See the tuna fleets clearing …
lessons learned: bloomin’ where you’re planted
Bloom where you are planted. ~Mother Jones It has been a busy couple of weeks–busier than I’d like to imagine. And in all of God’s …
every moment plants something in your soul
Every moment and every event of every man’s life on earth plants something in his soul.
~Thomas Merton
the story of ginger peach jam as told by a southerner
Life is better than death, I believe, if only because it is less boring, and because it has fresh peaches in it. ~Alice Walker Once …
my newest discovery–chive flowers
Thanks to a busy schedule the last couple of weeks, I had left my chives to fend for themselves. Thankfully, their height kept them from …
every laugh line on your face, made you who you are today
This is for all you girls about 42 Tossin’ pennies into the fountain of youth Every laugh, laugh line on your face Made you who …
10 ways to turn off the tv and turn on nature
So last night, our Just Be women’s group met at the community garden at church for a night of prayer, fellowship, and laughter. We started …
lessons learned: the waiting is the hardest part (but it’s not useless, Dr. Seuss)
The waiting is the hardest part. ~Tom Petty You can get so confused that you’ll start in to race down long wiggled roads at a …
wilting on the vine
Last week, my dear friend extended an impromptu invitation to dinner on Friday night. It was kind and thoughtful, and normally, with two hours of …