Gardening, native plants, medicinal plants, edible plants.
This is a nature poem I wrote April 10, 2022 about the changing of the seasons and the new lens through which I am seeing the world. Not only is my camera helping me discover hidden treasures, but also I’m learning to be more observant – to listen and look at nature in new ways. I’m finding the lessons, symbols, and messages broadcasting through nature; and it’s changing my life for the better.
My husband Dave and I have a goal to make our property self-sustaining. In our efforts to create sustainability, we’ve planted a fruit and nut orchard. We have one garden space close to our house and another one out in the field where the soil is better. The process of landscaping and gardening and working…
My husband arranged for a local tree company to bring over woodchips whenever they have some available. We’re using them to mulch our garden and around our trees. The tree company would normally have to pay to take them to the landfill, so they let us have them for free. It’s a serious win-win for…
They say that oaks send nutrients through their root system out to other plants and trees. Oaks bring life to a multitude of plants, trees and animal life. The soil around our old pre-Civil War oak is especially rich and black. A few months ago, I noticed the dark soil forming where the tree was…
When Dave and I were getting to know each other, I found out that he was an “environmentalist,” or at least he tended to consider nature and to think about the environment. I grew up with a father who is a strong Constitutional Conservative and my beliefs are along the same lines. So when Dave…
A controlled burn purges unwanted vegetation and brings new life, wildflowers and birds. The Northwest Georgia January air was crisp, the temperature in the 40’s as we raked dead grasses into a pile. It was late afternoon, and I had bundled up in a hoody and a heavy parka with gloves and a hat. We’ve…
What I’m learning about myself and our property from the book Sacred Earth. Sacred Soul by John Philip Newell and from our own personal earth mentor – a pre-Civil War oak we call, “The Old Woman of the Woods.” Dave and I have been working outside a lot lately. We misjudged our property line and…
One of my favorite nature books is “Braiding Sweetgrass” by Robin Wall Kimmerer. It’s about Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants written by a scientist who is also a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation. Kimmerer teaches botany and ecology at a university several times a week. One morning, she surveyed her…
Did you know that nature has its own “internet?” Nature’s communication web has been around far longer than man’s tech creation.
Wondering what to do with your overgrown zucchini or an abundance of regular ones? Here’s a simple and delicious use. You can also use cushaw squash in place of the zucchini. Cushaws are a big winter squash we grow in the South that looks like a gourd, but can be used in pumpkin-style pies, breads….
