My Dirty Thoughts

Dirt . . . Soil . . . Humus . . . Compost . . . Manure . . . Humanure . . . Oh the thoughts that have been going through my head lately!  And I've had the likes of the Permaculture Institute feeding me enticing videos that only compound the filthy wanderings of my mind.

You see, now that we are receiving enough rain that water independence seems within reach, my mind has moved on.  I'm thinking more and more about the coming year's garden,

Solar Power: Is it Convenient for You?

Here is a fantastic article I came across from the Permaculture Research Institute!

Solar Power: Is it Convenient for You?

Work Just Gets In My Way

Don't get me wrong, I love my job.  Who wouldn't?  I walk around in a cave on nasty hot days, talk to cool people, and only officially work three days a week!  It's great . . . really!  The only problem is that when I am at work, my mind goes blank.  Not really blank, I suppose, but blank in the sense that all of the space is taken up with the technical aspects of giving good cave tours.  Timing, factual AND interesting information, attention to folks who perhaps should not be trying to walk two to four miles in the first place; this is what fills up my tiny brain cavity. Hence I am barely keeping this blog alive.

So, with all of this in mind, why oh why am I starting a NEW blog? 

Obtaining a Yield

We each ate half of a ripe strawberry this morning!

We never get strawberries.  As a matter of fact I rarely plant them because they take so much more effort than the average garden plant to maintain.  These came from some plants my mother gave me last year and somehow survived my complete neglect.  Two beautiful red berries.  Just imagine if I had given them proper attention!  I will readily admit that this is not my best example of permaculture gardening, but it is a reasonable example of a single permaculture principle: Obtain a Yield.

So Many Questions!

This post is primarily for those of you who are looking to start a little bit of gardening, but who are not in a rural setting like mine.  You may have a patio or tiny yard and you may be renting, so plowing up your allotted bit lawn is out of the question.  In what ways might a person in this situation set up a winter garden or any kind of garden for that matter?

The Promised Permaculture Post!

Hi Guys!

I told you recently that I would soon post a video on permaculture.  The problem I have had is that it is such a large inclusive concept that I've had a hard time finding a comprehensive video.  I finally settled on a video by one of the founders of permaculture, Bill Mollison.  Before you look at the video though, check out this chart:

Take a Little Break!

You deserve a break today!  So sit back and relax for about a half hour to watch a little video treat I have for you.  If you don't have that kind of time just now, I know that later there is about a half hour of bad sitcom or even worse election coverage that you'll be able to live without.  The title sounds kind of gloomy, I know, but it has a happy ending.

In Recovery

I want to live so the future casts a shadow on my past rather than living in the shadow of my past.

I know, I know.  I've posted this video before, and recently at that.  I'm sorry, I just can't help it.  It's my theme song right now.  What we are doing this winter/spring (Which is it really? I can't tell.) continues to amaze me.  No money but lots of action.  In searching for understanding of this extreme motivation we've fallen under, I am brought back to a period of our lives which for years I have considered to be the happiest nine months of our lives.

There's Seed Saving and There's Seed Saving

Twenty years ago or so, while living in Freedom, Indiana, My sweet hubby and I were in search of propane to fuel our brand new used propane refrigerator.  We were directed to the house of a man who lived, like us, in the middle of nowhere.  His name was Kenny Freeman.  We found him, and pulled our tank out of whatever vehicle we were driving at the time.  (Was it the Volvo wagon?)  Either before or after filling our tank, we began discussing Gardening.  Joe and I were in the middle of planting our first really huge garden.  Kenny took us on a walk through his garden, all the while sharing tidbits of valuable gardening wisdom of the type that only an old farmer seems to compile.  (Did you know that if you wipe your shovel off with an old oil rag every time you use it and store it inside it will last forever and never rust?)  As we wended our way through his beautiful rows and trellises I came across a lovely yellow cherry tomato plant.  When I asked Kenny about it, he plucked a couple of fruits from the plant and handed them to me, admonishing me NOT to eat them.  Cruelty of cruelties! How COULD he deny me the exquisite pleasure of relishing these warm golden delights??? 

Cycles and Christmas Gifts

Yes, that's right, I am currently making all of my Christmas gifts for 2011.  A little late you say?  Well that's just the way things go sometimes.  For me it seems that's the way it almost always goes.  For some reason I cannot get used to the gift giving cycle.  This is a funny predicament because I am actually a big fan of cycles.  I absolutely love the cycle of the seasons.  The lunar cycle is perfectly lovely.  The cycle of life, the water cycle, even the Krebs cycle is worth gaining an understanding of.  So what is my problem?  I know without doubt that there is this one day in December when this ritual takes place.  Why don't I just start in July?