growing grace farm
gardening + spirituality + homesteading + creation care
Tag: plants
lessons learned: root bound
When the world seems to bind us in ways that restrict, impede or obstruct our freedom and growth, I return to these words from six years ago. -cameron “You are root bound,” she said. “Your prayer might be, ‘God, give me a bigger pot.’”… Continue Reading “lessons learned: root bound”
Lenten meditation: when the light falls on the creeping jenny
Yesterday, my daughter, her boyfriend, and his sister helped me clean out the chicken run and coop in preparation for our chicken-raising adventure this Spring. As I was picking up wet leaves in the run, I found green springs of Creeping Jenny that have… Continue Reading “Lenten meditation: when the light falls on the creeping jenny”
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, and it has resonated with my spirit ever since. Given how I love to blog about creation and spirituality,… Continue Reading “lessons learned: caring for the root bound”
lessons learned: the willow
Last night, I stopped by the store to pick up a couple of things, and after a week filled with cracked windshields, missing legal documents and unexpected snow, I was pretty much done, and it was only Tuesday. As a morale boost, I decided… Continue Reading “lessons learned: the willow”
Lenten meditation: when light falls on the creeping
With an unexpected warm day yesterday, I spent some time puttering around my front flower beds after dinner. In the garden directly in front of my house, I have a large blue ceramic planter that has become home to many bulbs and perennials. Last… Continue Reading “Lenten meditation: when light falls on the creeping”
so you’ve started your seeds–now what?
After I pressed two posts on starting seeds, I noticed the trend in lots of posts and pinterest pics focusing on seed starting. Yep, we get excited about planting the seeds, knowing that one day they’ll become vegetables and fruit in our gardens, but… Continue Reading “so you’ve started your seeds–now what?”
lessons learned: transplanting the seedlings
The fall seedlings have begun to sprout, and soon it will be time for thinning and replanting. I will admit, it pains me to thin out the extras to make room for better growth, and so I try to save as many as I… Continue Reading “lessons learned: transplanting the seedlings”
update on mason jar seed starts–3 months out
So back in late January, I got a wild hair to start seeds in all the extra mason jars I have filling up shelves. If you’d like to follow the journey from the beginning, you can read here and here and here. It’s been… Continue Reading “update on mason jar seed starts–3 months out”
lessons learned: taking down the walls
Those of you who follow this blog know how deeply I connect my time on the farm with time spent with God. I believe as human beings we miss so many valuable lessons that can be learned in the simplicity of nature and creation. … Continue Reading “lessons learned: taking down the walls”
indoor mason jar seed starts-6 weeks
So this week, someone found the blog as she was searching for ideas on starting seeds in mason jars. Well, she found the right place and asked for a follow up so here it is. Thanks, Stephanie! Given all my kitchen deconstruction and reconstruction,… Continue Reading “indoor mason jar seed starts-6 weeks”
update to “seed starting Saturday”
Wow! It’s amazing the difference a couple of weeks can make in the life of a small seed. My table full of life continues to sprout and spread, germinate and grow. I look forward to coming home each day and just basking in the… Continue Reading “update to “seed starting Saturday””
looking
I used to visit and revisit it a dozen times a day, and stand in deep contemplation over my vegetable progeny with a love that nobody could share or conceive of who had never taken part in the process of creation. It was one… Continue Reading “looking”
lessons learned: hydrangeas and healing
We human beings are like plants. We need to be cared for in order to grow and thrive. It’s not always a perfect formula. In general though, we need to be watered, fed, and sometimes pruned. And just like plants, without enough nourishment, we… Continue Reading “lessons learned: hydrangeas and healing”
meditation card: welcome to my farm
When I was in my “farm dreaming” stage, I sat at my kitchen table one day trying to determine why it was I felt so blue. I sat in the quiet and just listened to my heart and my spirit. Afterwards, I started thumbing… Continue Reading “meditation card: welcome to my farm”
autumn homecoming
When I was a preteen/teen, we visited Charleston, SC every spring. My parents invited (to be read “forced”) my sister and me to tour homes, visit museums, and explore landmarks. As a young parent, I returned to Charleston with my family for several September… Continue Reading “autumn homecoming”
thrifty Thursdays: glass bottles
After a recent event, I watched the hosts toss various colored glass bottles into blue recycling bags. The “collector” in me wanted to cry, “Wait! I can do something with those!” And, after doing some research, I realized, yes, yes I can. Here are… Continue Reading “thrifty Thursdays: glass bottles”
here a chick, there a chick–chickens and gardens
As the chickens and I spent several hours out on the farm yesterday, I realized that the sisters are really learning their way around the gardens and woods. When they hear a hawk call out, they run and search for bugs under low growing… Continue Reading “here a chick, there a chick–chickens and gardens”
end-of-summer rainbow salad
As luck would have it, my folks invited me to a party at their house to celebrate the end of summer with all of their nearest and dearest friends from Sugar Hollow. I was looking forward to the event and had planned to take… Continue Reading “end-of-summer rainbow salad”
thrifty thursday: plastic jugs
I will admit, I am a fool for containers–size and shape don’t matter. For a long time it was just about organization andstorage, but once I started caring for creation, I realized how many plastic items could be reused or upcycled. Plastic jugs come… Continue Reading “thrifty thursday: plastic jugs”
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 be given to you now, because you would not be able to live them. And the point is, to… Continue Reading “looking for answers”
Anne Lamott’s praise-and-amazement prayer
A few years ago, I added the praise-and-amazement prayer, Wow. It’s the prayer of remembering to step outside when we are in monkey mind, or in bondage to self, or on the rat exercise wheel. The willingness to change or seek healing almost always… Continue Reading “Anne Lamott’s praise-and-amazement prayer”
beans and greens: recipes from the garden
So in spite of the bugs, rabbits, and mold spores, our greens and beans have fared well this year. Suddenly, we are filling our refrigerator and our plates with ample helpings of each. Here are a few ways we like to eat beans and… Continue Reading “beans and greens: recipes from the garden”
grace
I do not understand the mystery of grace — only that it meets us where we are and does not leave us where it found us. ~Anne Lamott
mourning
I stepped outside last night to find the Japanese beetles demolishing the grape leaves, rose bushes and apricot trees. I grew angry then became sorrowful at the destruction of my dear plants. I realized, however, that my emotions mourned something greater than the loss… Continue Reading “mourning”
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 off the vine.” Awhile later, cool raindrops began to fall and quench my hot skin even though the sun… Continue Reading “there’s nothin’ better than. . .”
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 planters, literally and figuratively speaking, for a new ministry with and in the community where we live. It is… Continue Reading “lessons learned: tomato cages and friendship”
lessons learned: hope came to the garden in the form of pumpkin seeds
new year pledges in my hand pumpkin seeds ~Elizabeth St. Jacques, Poetry in the Light Over the weekend, I found a small treasure–a 4 oz. Mason jar with a mixture of pumpkin seeds in it. These were not regular pumpkin seeds. Two years ago,… Continue Reading “lessons learned: hope came to the garden in the form of pumpkin seeds”
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 little bit of summer. Tonight, I wandered out to the tomato and pepper bed, rounded the corner, and ta-dah! … Continue Reading “tomatoes: dehydrating for a little summer all year ’round”
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. The market is not like the grocery store–it’s not about getting in and out with the necessities. Take the… Continue Reading “farmers’ markets: tips for the trip”
lessons learned: what berries can teach us about bad habits
Last night, I headed out to the gardens. It has been a least a week since I could actually spend time there– sometimes, a homesteader simply has to focus on her home indoors and let Nature take her course outdoors. And take it she… Continue Reading “lessons learned: what berries can teach us about bad habits”
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 quiet and relaxed but not necessarily lauded for its food. We were delightfully surprised when the waitress laid down… Continue Reading “farmers’ markets: from farm to table–it’s what’s for dinner”
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 us rain. Give life to our children by sending us rain. ~Dinka Prayer, Sudan I almost didn’t recognize Morning… Continue Reading “prayer for rain”
gratitude for this day
i thank You God for most this amazing day:for leaping greenly spirits of trees and a blue true dream of sky; and for everything which is natural which is infinite which is yes — e.e. cummings, North America
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 of posts on this wonderful local shopping experience. I am always thrilled to see a new vegetable stand or… Continue Reading “farmers’ markets”
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 humor (she does like to tease me), I’ve also encountered what we’ll call a few “life lessons” along the… Continue Reading “lessons learned: bloomin’ where you’re planted”