Healthy Choices

It's up to you today to start making healthy choices. Not choices that are just healthy for your body, but healthy for your mind -Steve Maraboli

Our recipe was adapted from Taylor Farms SpinachWaldorf Salad recipe. 

We subbed chia seeds for the walnuts, shredded the apples and tossed with Lemon juice. This was really sweet and think we will cut back on the honey next go around, but overall we loved it!

Letting it slide!

Checking in on the chickens this evening I happened to catch this little guy in the chicken feed...and I let it slide!

Going into winter this little ones mom had a pretty serious injury to her hoof and at last sight of her, the hoof had fallen off and healed over. 

We knew winter was going to be hard on her as we observed her nightly ritual of bringing her baby in to feed on apples from the trees in the backyard. 

It isn't always easy to observe natures way...

Today momma deer was nowhere in sight, and I still secretly hold out hope that she will make it through the winter.

Every gardener knows

" Every gardener knows that under the cloak of winter lies a miracle" - Barbara Winkler

As Day turns to Night

I am patiently waiting for the quiet days of Winter to pass.....

Quiet days turn to quiet nights, one by one they silently slip on by....The Gardener idly waits for Spring!

Getting organized

Taking a little time to get some organizing in now that the Holidays have passed....

First up sorting and organizing my seed case.

The box always gets tossed around and rummaged thru during the gardening season. It's nice to take a moment and get it all straightened out before the upcoming gardening begins.  

I make notes of any seeds I may need...

The only seed needed this year is Zucchini but I will still be window shopping all the seed catalogs, of course! 

Something Peaceful this way comes...

My garden has been covered with it's first thin blanket of pure white snow....An eraser of sorts, a time for rest, a time for peace and a time to reflect on just how "Thankful" I am for this little plot of earth.

Always something to be Thankful for...

I am so thankful for the opportunity to finally get my hands in the dirt again. There is just something about playing in the dirt that seems to bring me a sense of inner peace.

Life can get out of balance at times....

Being in my garden, smelling the fresh earth, the feel of the friable soil between my fingers as the brisk autumn rain dashed acrossed my face has eased my worries away.

I have found my center again!

As I pulled up spuds today, I was excited to see some real "Biggies" in the pile. The Largest ones have been sorted out to be eaten first.

The regular sized ones will be stored in an underground bucket in alternating layers of spuds and garden dirt as a makeshift micro root cellar. 

I still need to toss a plywood lid over it and add an insulation layer and it will be good to go.

The "bitties" were replanted back in the dirt to overwinter for next years harvest.

Death of a Garden- Is it the end or just the beginning?

A stroll through the garden marks the end of a growing season.

I  have a sense of loss, as it all comes to an end.

I have serious doubts as a gardener...

There have been a fair amount of failures along the growing season, 

along with periods of sheer neglect.

The garden reflects my weaknesses as a gardener!

 I am reminded of the intentions and enthusiasim I once had at the begining of the growing season!

Maybe I dropped the ball.. or maybe I was busy playing the game of life!

One thing is for certain...This garden has a forgiving heart deep down in the depths of her soil and awaits the new season to give this gardener another shot at getting it right!

First Frost

This morning marks the first frost of the season for our little garden.

I have been somewhat in denial that Winter is actually knocking on our door, and I will sadly have to say goodbye to Summer once again...

Jack frost has kissed the Squash and I'm faced with the reality that the Seasons must change.

Flying by

Summer flew by at the speed of light and the garden just didn't get my full attention that it deserved. It was a season of change for my family in many different aspects, for many different reasons. We have slowly adjusted to the changes and look forward to what the future has in store for our family.

Through it all, my little garden has still produced a plentiful crop with much to be thankful for!

Beet it!

We have been enjoying fresh shredded Beets from the garden, sauteed in a pat of real butter and seasoned with just a dash of Salt & Pepper... A simple Summer side dish!