What you don't see

Have you ever stopped in your tracks when looking at a breathtaking garden or dreamy piece of art and ask, "What is it?!" What is it about this particular garden, or art piece that has me awestruck?  And I think the answer lies in what you don't see.

What you don't see is each layer intrinsically applied to canvas or landscape.  You didn't see the inspiration before the artists hand placed the first brush stroke to canvas or spade that first broke earth nor each dedicated and successive layer that took time maybe years to create, to shape the thing.

What meets your eye is on the surface, the culmination of technique and artistry.  but what you ecstatically feel  is the glorious wonderment in knowing that what you are looking at goes way beyond the surface.  I've been loving the wonderment of these two lately.

Juliette Crane, a sweet artist who shares an intimate look into her process of creating Ladybird.  In sharing this process she brings into view these hidden layers until the moment a piece feels finished.  I feel the depth of her work, don't you?  

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Teresa is a Rosarian ( a lover of rose antiquity) ! She too is an artist whose canvas is her garden. I stroll through  her garden regularly by way of video on her blog, The Garden Diary.   As a fellow gardener, I know intimately the many layers of compost, mulch and soil amendments that go into creating the foundation for the palette of colorful blooms and foliage creatively arranged in the garden portrait.

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Here's whats inspiring me in the garden recently, Eggplant!  Not because I particularly like eggplant on my plate. But I  love it's silky smooth feel, ever lovely egg shape and it's deep purple color.  I'm also smitten with it's lavender blossoms.

Are you enjoying the culmination of something you began years ago or just started yesterday?  Are you perfecting a craft or embarking on a new project? I hope so!

3 Herbs + 2 Feathers

Sometimes I am fresh out of ideas, things to talk about.  I know, amazing :D  So I took my camera out this morning for a little walk about the herb garden for some inspiration + for something to share with you today. 

And it was these few small things that I found that inspired me most.  The delicate and sensory delight of  3 Herbs + 2 Feathers. 

Here, see here!  Apple mint is a nice little herb, lightly scented and not as vigorous as the peppermint behind it.  I enjoy it's milky white and green contrast in the herb bed too. A sprig tucked into a glass of ice tea is lovely.

I so prefer the beauty of ordinary Garden Sage. What it lacks in foliage it compensates generously in blooms. And the best flavor of all sage varieties in my opinion. I love when little honey bee bottoms poke out as if clothed with the tiny tubular blooms. So cute!

Calamint has it's own special airy appeal.  It's ample and perfect when in juxtaposition to an object or structure. Planted here next to a log cabin birdhouse on an old tree stump, Calamint evokes a prairie or meadow like feel. And Calamint is a nice "stay put" herb for the garden.

About the 2 feathers? Two old crows come calling each Spring.  They waddle up the old drive and set up camp until fall when, they leave, and not until I notice the absence of their calling out to one another do I realize they have up and left and I wonder, where do they go? Their throaty caws remind me we live in rustic surroundings. The twosome have deposited two calling cards this year to remind us of their comings and goings. Sweet!

I hope your comings and goings are adding up to a fantastic summer so far.  

Have a good one!

Autumn At My Door

Autumn is tap tap tapping at my door. Tomatillos, cukes and tomatoes fill every available kitchen surface. And HH doesn't have to wonder whats for dinner most nights because more often than not what ever surplus of what I'm currently "putting up" for winter is on the menu. Lately, that has been plenty of salsa, picco de gallo and home made corn chips. Pesto is up next on my to "put up" list. Basil, parsley and garlic beg to be utilized and thoughts of mid-winter deep green goodness on my plate constrain me.

Roasted potatoes have been dished up too. A nice firm crisp as an apple potato, there's nothing like it. My roasted potato recipe is a cinch to do. A one dish wonder that needs no accompaniment, unless it be a nice glass of Pinot Noir!

~ Cut into 1" pieces enough fresh Yukon Gold, New Red or your favorite spuds to fill a large baking sheet in a single layer. Add some fresh carrots cut to desired size and one roughly chopped large onion. Season with Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper and a couple of tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary. Toss the whole shebang with a generous amount of EEOO and bake at 400 to 425 degrees (depending on your oven) for approximately 30 to 40 minutes until golden. ~

After roasting there must be boasting. Just a tad. I have so loved my outdoor sink all summer long. No more bending over to wash my freshly harvested vegetables with the garden hose. And I hope more gardeners will consider installing one of their own for next year's bounty, cause baby it's been one humdinger of an idea this cottage woman has come up with in a long time. Click Here for the whole project from start to finish. Mine is a bit rustic, the way I like it, made from recycled building goods. But I would love to see another's rendition of an outdoor sink or washing station. I'll be waiting! In the meantime I will continue to extol the virtues of the Outdoor Sink.

It's nice to know that I'm not the only one reluctant (or maybe indignant?) to answer Autumn tapping at the door.

My sentiments exactly!

Leaving Me Lonely

I remember all to well when we were in the thick of two consecutive remodels the twinge of jealousy and frustration at seeing the lush and bountiful gardens on my favorite blogs. Seriously, the busier I stayed sanding priming and painting woodwork, the little time it left me for perusing all the virtual gardens that left me feeling lonely for one small red tomato to call my own.

As I have been enjoying a beautiful vegetable garden this summer those thoughts are long behind me now. It occurred to me though that there just might be folks out there experiencing my circumstance of being temporarily gardenless. But looky here, I've got a plan for you. A few things to do while your expecting. Next years garden that is!

In anticipation of a fruitful and healthy garden for next year, build or manage your compost system. I hope the following posts will energize you. Composting. Composting Revisited.

Bare ground is a no-no. Don't abandon your garden completely but try this composting in place method to keep weeds and unwanted vegetation at bay. Layer with newspaper (carbon) and top with grass clippings (nitrogen).

Gather all the leaves you can and stockpile them. Spread them on your garden in fall for a lovely earth enriching mulch. I toss on a few limbs too so my precious leaf mulch (it's what I yearn fer) doesn't up and blow away in windy weather.

Plant garlic for next years harvest and opt for growing a green manure crop as a living mulch to draw nutrients deep into the soil.

Get a jump start on next years plant selection. Seeds are usually discounted for clearance in the fall. Pick up a bunch of packets and check out my post on Wintersowing.

I hope your to do list keeps you busy and full of hope for a stunning garden in 2012!

Poop Is the word.

That's right, poop. I've logged quite a few posts covering topics on composting, gardening and a few hillbilly tale while deftly skirting the usage of the word poop. And I have successfully avoided the word in my post on Ordinary Soil by using the more palatable word, manure.

Perhaps I have been avoiding using the word poop for fear it is offensive or is base conversation to folks and for the life of me I don't know why. But that was then, before I read a response to my Ordinary Soil post from a blogger, farmer friend up Canada way. Her conversation with her 5 year old daughter makes the whole subject of poop worthy of thought and conversation. And I've also come to the realization that discussing poop with children has a laxative affect. It softens the stool thus making the whole mess a smooth, relaxing and often enjoyable experience.

So in order to understand the multitude of goodness in a good poop and it's miracle working powers on the farm, in the garden and in life, read the following conversation between mother and daughter. It's simple, straight forward and non-constipating.

Trust me, it'll take a load off!

Feminist Farmer's Wife said...

5 year old daughter: Mommy why does this poop not stink? (as she shovels it into pots for the greenhouse)
Me: Because over time the poop breaks down and then becomes vitamins for the baby plants
5 year old: Are the pigs eating that soil because its full of vitamins?

Your priorities are just perfect in my books. I love your appreciate of a good pile of poop!

June 22, 2011 2:15 PM

Hillbilly Basket

Suddenly my world is perfect. Yesterday was the first truly dry day here at the cottage and I have been lovin' every minute puttering around the garden. I'ts got my juices goin' deciding what seeds or starts to plant where in the garden and even poured over into other creative projects. I pulled together some items around the farm, chicken wire, twigs and even some rusty metal and a big old rusty nail.

I present to you my whacky Hillbilly basket!

I'm thinking a trio of plantings for this darlin'. Shiso, basil and peppermint.

Oh, and I also gathered more sticks and twigs to make a trellis for my Scarlet Runner beans. Woodoggie! I'm on a roll.

God bless you & your garden, friend!

Frugal Gardening Tip

My mind is atwitter as every few days it seems, a new, bright, shiny, crisp seed catalog arrives in my mailbox. I love JANUARY! Rally I do darling. A little preview of my favorites and some sharing of one of my best frugal gardening tips. Grab some tea and join me.

Territorial Seed Company

Territorial's website presents you right at the get go, some nifty ideas and suggestions. Like the great idea of using seed packets as stocking stuffers at Christmas. I would be giddy to find a packet of their organic DRUNKEN WOMAN FRIZZY HEADED lettuce seeds in my boot sock, er, stocking I mean. Fun.

Nichols Garden Nursery

Nichol's website opens with words from the Gardeners Pantry. Expressions of the founders fertile philosophy the company is rooted in. I've met Marie and her husband when they gave a free presentation on container gardening. Delightful folks.

I like supporting both these small family companies as they are Oregon grown and experts on gardening in the Willamette Valley.

But other catalogs have bunched in my mailbox from larger standard companies too like Johnny's Selected Seeds of Winslow Maine. They have some enticing offerings as well as from good old Burpee of Warminster Pennsylvania.

I'm glad for the catalogs in early January. For reals. It takes time for this cottage woman to plan out what I can really logically (if that's possible) and physically aspire to in the garden for the coming season. I need to consider what is already put up in the pantry. Like pickles for instance. I have way too many jars of pickles. Enough at least to last 2011. So maybe just some slicing, lemon, or other specialty cuke will do.

But while I and hopefully you are getting your gardening groove revved up for spring, I want to share this frugal gardening tip. Try saving up your toilet paper and paper towel tubes over the year. While snuggled up all toasty warm for the winter you can create your own 3"by 2" seed pots. Here's how.

1. Start saving up all your toilet paper and paper towel tubes. Larger families of course can have an ample supply in no time.

2. Cut them into 3" sections.

3. Take a section and press it flat. Open and press flat the opposite side. Your round tube section should now have 4 corners.

4. Cut approximately 1" from each corner to make flaps.

5. Fold each flap in, overlapping to make a small box.

There you have it! a perfect paper seed pot.
Humdinger!!

Pink

An amazing thing happens when you pause from the labor of intense weeding.
You look up, and bam!, you are hit with the power of pink.