Weed to Weed

We look down

on those Wily Plants in the Garden

which are not in our Garden Plan.

We call them "Weeds".

They look back up at us.

They call us "Weeds".

~~~~

Glinda Crawford, 2009

Overheard

As I gathered

Garden Produce

for Lunch today,

I heard the chop chop chop

of a Garden Hoe.

I overheard

a persistent Male Voice

ever so familiar to me

stating:

"There will be

no

more

Weeds

in the Garden."

~~~~

Glinda Crawford, 2009

Experiments

In the last 3 Gardening Seasons here, we have been conducting some Experiments. Some were on purpose. Many others were by accident. Or perhaps, they were Experiments that the Earth offered up to us. We just stood by, scratching our Heads, pondering what we were seeing. And we asked: "What is the better way?"

Ever the Scientist and the Student of the Soil, Richard proposed a little Experiment. 1st, we had all 3 decided that we would like to try a Fall Planting of Potatoes. Garden Talk, a monthly Extension publication from our Adair County Horticulturist, says that Fall Potatoes needed to be in by July 15. The Moon Sign Calendar gave up until 1pm today as supportive planting conditions for Root Crops. We had gotten Seed Potatoes from Hollis and Deleta. So, given a little Elbow Grease, some Motivation, and a Strong Tail Wind, we Humans were all set to go.

In the meantime, Richard has been reading Rodale's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening (2002). He recently found the section on "Growing No-Dig Potatoes" (page 327). The conventional approach is to dig a trench, place the Potatoes in the trench, then cover them up. This approach has some obvious limitations, including disturbing the Soil, exposing Weed Seeds, and sheer effort involved. In the No-Dig Method, Potatoes are placed on the Soil (or Compost) and covered with Straw.

On this Day, we planted 1 row of Potatoes using the Conventional Method and another Row using No-Dig. The Rows are side by side. At Fall Harvest, what will we find? Experiments are fun.

Rush

Ideal time for Planting Root Crops (by the Biodynamic Calendar) ends at 1pm, 30 minutes from now. While Thunder rumbles, Big Rain Drops fall, and it looks like Stormy Weather will miss us, we have Potatoes to plant.

Richard has prepared the Soil. He just reached inside the Door to grab the sack of Seed Potatoes that Hollis brought. Melanie has joined him.

Gotta go.

Blessings

We are richly blessed to share Time and Space with other Students of the Land. At this time of Great Transition when we Humans seek at last to come into Right Relation with All of Creation, we are all here to learn and grow from each other.

Yesterday, we had Fellow Travelers who stopped this way to see the Farm, Gardens and Gardeners. We are all Seekers in Extraordinary Times.

We 3 C's are deeply grateful to live at a time when the Shift is Happening. Humans have waited a very long time for this. I think all of Creation has waited a very long time for their Human Kin to emerge into Community. We are one very very infinitely tiny part, seeking to find our own way.

Sneaky and Smart

I continue to be amazed at how Sneaky those Weeds are. I suppose that Sneaky is a descriptor only a Human Gardener would choose. It is not necessarily the term the Plant would call itself. In fact, "Smart" might be the preferred choice. Their Seeds and Plants just seem to be springing on every little opportunity to make their Presence known in the Garden and in our Shared World.

While we may have combed the area for Weeds, they sometimes hide next to the Plants we expect to be there. It is kind of like Humans who stand next to Someone well known in the Crowd to the point that their own Presence is overlooked.

We have beautiful rows of Benary's Giant Zinnias and Mother's Marigolds just about ready to bloom. Each night as we take a walkabout in the Garden, we continue to comb through the Plants seeking to eradicate Weeds. These days, the Zinnias are sending up buds. Some are beginning to send up tentative Blooms. It is only a matter of days until we will have profusions of Vibrant Blooms. The Humans and the Butterflies will be delighted.

But wait, something is already blooming. Those 2 creamy white Blooms with maroon centers were not there before. How lovely! Ah hah! That is the Weed Flower of an Hour (Hibiscus trionum L.). I took a picture and then pulled the Sneaky Little Critters out. They are pretty and they are Hibiscus, but they are not the preferred kinds.

I also noted that we had some other Sneaky Ones in the Flower Bed at the Entrance to the Vegetable Garden. You will note a Foxtail coming up on the left. On the left of the Snapdragon, that, once again, is Flower of an Hour (on the Left) and Lamb's Quarter (on the Right).

In the background, you will see bare Soils. I am reminded that Weeds love bare Soils and Sunlight. They are just waiting to spring into action. We will be covering the Soil with Grass Clippings one of the next times that Richard mows. This little Flower Bed is just waiting in cue.

What kind of a Blog and a Garden do we have here? One with Weeds. Weeds are a part of Life. Weeds come with Teachings for the Students of Life.

That Egg

Yesterday, I watched

that Nameless Hennie

lay that Egg.

She stood right in front of me,

doing what Hennies do.

It didn't take long.

I could tell from her Expressions

that Laying that Egg is serious work.

Soon, I head the sound of that Egg

touching the bottom

of the Nest Box.

I don't know

who was more stunned,

Mrs. Hennie or me.

***

I have eaten

many Eggs in my Lifetime.

Standing over every single Egg

I have consumed

was some Hennie.

I didn't even think to say

"Thank you."

In most cases, I forgot

a Chicken was even part of the Story.

***

When I was a Little Girl,

my Mother always said

I should say "Thank you."

Is now too late?