Check out this map. Weather patterns are changing, which many of us (especially gardeners) know. According to this map, we have changed from 5a to 5b Hardiness Zone here in northeast Missouri. While on the surface, it does not look like much and some may welcome the shift to "warmer". However, many plants (including trees) and other living beings are going to be increasingly out of place. And, Dear Neighbors on this vast Globe, that is a problem.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/local/planthardinesszones/index.html
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Boxes of Music
My dear husband Richard has been known to come home with some treasures from auctions. Sometimes I trust there is a treasure in there. Other times, I just dive right in.
In the last few months, he went to 2 sales and came home with 2 boxes of music for piano. One of those boxes cost $2. I am not sure what the other one cost. Those most have been a part of life long treasures of the former owners who surely loved music with a passion.
One box (mostly Etude magazine from the 1920-40s) seems more on the classical order with appeal to a range of skills from novice to professional. I have not dipped into this box much but my draw is that it connects me with the early childhood of my Mother and her Mother (who was trained as a classical musician in the early 1900s). It gives me an idea of the "culture of music" present in that time. The other box (mostly the magazine Sheet Music from the 1970-90s) includes popular music past and present. The latter box cost $2. Both include stories and lessons behind the music, tidbits of which will surely help me over time.
I have to say I am positively thrilled. I have gone through the Sheet Music box and pulled out songs which are vibrantly, tenderly, and sometimes painfully etched into memories of my past. Just thinking of those songs and hearing them takes me back to another place and time. The memories just spill over.
So it is to the piano I have gone. I just can hardly stop playing. And yes, my skill level is needing some work but I peck and I plunk and sometimes something reminiscent of something quite beautiful comes out. Other times, not. Oh, yes, even for the best of my playing, the timing is off, I pause awkwardly at new times, and I am missing some keys. I make no apologies. I played piano from the time when I was 6 until I retired at 12. Mother just got tired of the tug of war that she and I would play to get me to practice. I did not return to piano until about 18 months ago (which was 50 years later). I have to say that with the addition of these 2 boxes of treasures, I am having a ball.
I think my family is getting a chuckle out of me. And furthermore, the 3 of us are playing our own game of "Name That Tune" and that is just fun. Sometimes the songs are recognizable and sometimes not. But I am making progress.
As I look at these magazines, I can sense how important music was in the lives of many people. Farmhouses had pianos or other musical instruments. Many played and sang. Whole families would get involved. Traditions of music were very important.
Over time, we have had some modern inventions that were supposed to make things better and in their own ways, I am sure they have. Music however has become something that you listen to someone else play and sing. That "other" is a pro and the common folk get left far far behind. Kids are fed diets of television and electronics. Their own skill in such things is not developed. I think that is really sad and perhaps a serious injustice of sorts.
These are just some of the songs that I played tonight: "When You Wish Upon a Star" (Leigh Harline, Ned Washington, 1940), "Star Wars" (John Williams, 1977), "True Love" (Cole Porter, 1955), "Time in a Bottle" (Jim Croce, 1971), "You'll Never Walk Alone" (Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, 1945), "Three Coins in the Fountain" (Sammy Cahn, Jule Styne, 1954), "Till There Was You" (Meredith Willson, 1950), "This Land Is Your Land" (Woody Guthrie, 1956), "Moon River" (Johnny Mercer, Henry Mancini, 1961).
While I have not been doing this very long, this has added a very rich and untapped dimension to our lives here on the Farm. I don't know how far I will go with this, but I do know it will help me with my skill level and my interest in the piano. Those little songs are "teasers" for me practicing and that is cool.
I think about the individuals who collected this music for themselves and now for me. It had to be sad for them to recognize that no one would want these things. Well, someone did and does. And I am grateful beyond words for their collections and their interest.
And what shall I play tomorrow?
In the last few months, he went to 2 sales and came home with 2 boxes of music for piano. One of those boxes cost $2. I am not sure what the other one cost. Those most have been a part of life long treasures of the former owners who surely loved music with a passion.
One box (mostly Etude magazine from the 1920-40s) seems more on the classical order with appeal to a range of skills from novice to professional. I have not dipped into this box much but my draw is that it connects me with the early childhood of my Mother and her Mother (who was trained as a classical musician in the early 1900s). It gives me an idea of the "culture of music" present in that time. The other box (mostly the magazine Sheet Music from the 1970-90s) includes popular music past and present. The latter box cost $2. Both include stories and lessons behind the music, tidbits of which will surely help me over time.
I have to say I am positively thrilled. I have gone through the Sheet Music box and pulled out songs which are vibrantly, tenderly, and sometimes painfully etched into memories of my past. Just thinking of those songs and hearing them takes me back to another place and time. The memories just spill over.
So it is to the piano I have gone. I just can hardly stop playing. And yes, my skill level is needing some work but I peck and I plunk and sometimes something reminiscent of something quite beautiful comes out. Other times, not. Oh, yes, even for the best of my playing, the timing is off, I pause awkwardly at new times, and I am missing some keys. I make no apologies. I played piano from the time when I was 6 until I retired at 12. Mother just got tired of the tug of war that she and I would play to get me to practice. I did not return to piano until about 18 months ago (which was 50 years later). I have to say that with the addition of these 2 boxes of treasures, I am having a ball.
I think my family is getting a chuckle out of me. And furthermore, the 3 of us are playing our own game of "Name That Tune" and that is just fun. Sometimes the songs are recognizable and sometimes not. But I am making progress.
As I look at these magazines, I can sense how important music was in the lives of many people. Farmhouses had pianos or other musical instruments. Many played and sang. Whole families would get involved. Traditions of music were very important.
Over time, we have had some modern inventions that were supposed to make things better and in their own ways, I am sure they have. Music however has become something that you listen to someone else play and sing. That "other" is a pro and the common folk get left far far behind. Kids are fed diets of television and electronics. Their own skill in such things is not developed. I think that is really sad and perhaps a serious injustice of sorts.
These are just some of the songs that I played tonight: "When You Wish Upon a Star" (Leigh Harline, Ned Washington, 1940), "Star Wars" (John Williams, 1977), "True Love" (Cole Porter, 1955), "Time in a Bottle" (Jim Croce, 1971), "You'll Never Walk Alone" (Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, 1945), "Three Coins in the Fountain" (Sammy Cahn, Jule Styne, 1954), "Till There Was You" (Meredith Willson, 1950), "This Land Is Your Land" (Woody Guthrie, 1956), "Moon River" (Johnny Mercer, Henry Mancini, 1961).
While I have not been doing this very long, this has added a very rich and untapped dimension to our lives here on the Farm. I don't know how far I will go with this, but I do know it will help me with my skill level and my interest in the piano. Those little songs are "teasers" for me practicing and that is cool.
I think about the individuals who collected this music for themselves and now for me. It had to be sad for them to recognize that no one would want these things. Well, someone did and does. And I am grateful beyond words for their collections and their interest.
And what shall I play tomorrow?
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Ready
These Geraniums actually belonged to Mother when she had her last Garden in 2008. I purchased some at the same time from the same place, so some are mine. I don't know which is which and that is OK.
The Geraniums have gone through a kind of "dormancy time" and now they are beginning to put on new dresses of lovely Leaves. Clearly, they are gearing up for the growing season ahead.
When I began this little entry, I intended to share 2 things (other matters popped up too). I love my Geraniums and I love indoor plants especially during the Winter. Silk Plants just don't cut it, and if you don't agree that's OK and it's likely we won't have much to talk about on the plant order.
On any given day, you might find me meandering around the house, checking out the watering situation and just gently "stroking the leaves" of the Geraniums and all their Friends. These plants are my friends and I think they know I love them and respond to the love I give. I think they give love too.
Our western "advanced" way of thinking views Nature as devoid of "spirit". All of Nature is viewed as dead. It's only purpose is to serve Human needs. I simply do not agree. Viewing Plants and any form of Nature as imbued with Life, as filled with Spirit, as a Gift from the Divine, as one in a great Circle of Life of which Humans are simply one part is much more characteristic of Indigenous Peoples. For me, this way of thinking is a lot more fulfilling. I didn't always think this way, but I surely do now.
Seeing the Geraniums and their many outward expressions these days reminds me that soon I will be planting Seeds for transplants into the Garden. Leeks are up 1st and hopefully, I will have them planted within the next week. Having a few more Seeds will help. The Leek Seeds should arrive in the next 7-10 days. Already I am making plans to do some shifts in the house to accommodate Plants at the south facing Windows. Some day I do hope we will have a small Green House but that is a ways off. For now I need to keep focused on what I have to do. I also need to transplant some House Plants too.
Slowly but surely, the Great Wheel of Life with its Seasons is shifting into the growing time. That seems simply amazing to me. After my "hibernation phase", I just might be ready.
Canning Venison
We canned Venison today using the Recipe that I had posted earlier. We thawed 9 pounds of Venison and sure enough, it made about 10 pints. These last couple of weeks, we have been canning Meat (Chicken and Venison) to clear out space in the Freezer as the 1/4 of Beef will arrive tomorrow.
Having harvests and food crops stored in a variety of ways (frozen, canned, dried, and so on) makes good sense. In Nature, there is diversity and diversity is an important model for the Human too.
We also can Meat just because like it. A lot. Canned Venison (Beef, too) provides a quick start for Stew. So does Canned Chicken. Canned Chicken is simply fantastic for a quick Chicken Salad in the Summer Time after some intense working times in the Garden. We also use Meats in other ways, but these are among our favorites.
(http://butterflyhillfarm.blogspot.com/2009/12/recipe-canned-venison.html)
Having harvests and food crops stored in a variety of ways (frozen, canned, dried, and so on) makes good sense. In Nature, there is diversity and diversity is an important model for the Human too.
We also can Meat just because like it. A lot. Canned Venison (Beef, too) provides a quick start for Stew. So does Canned Chicken. Canned Chicken is simply fantastic for a quick Chicken Salad in the Summer Time after some intense working times in the Garden. We also use Meats in other ways, but these are among our favorites.
(http://butterflyhillfarm.blogspot.com/2009/12/recipe-canned-venison.html)
Seed Orders Complete
If you would have visited us yesterday, you would have found Melanie and me going through the 2 bins of Seeds. Richard had already decided on what he was going to order. Melanie and I were noting and sorting.
Overall, we are ordering far less this year. Several reasons come to mind. We have been increasingly saving our own Seeds. We have a stock pile of Seeds from past years. Some will remain viable for a while and for those we just plant more than the recommended amount per row. One of the most important reasons is that approaching Gardening Season 2012 (which is our 6th growing Season here), we are much more clear on what works and what doesn't. In the beginning, we planted a lot of "fun things" and we still do. But we do far less, focusing on what we need to fill our bellies, the pantry and the freezers. You can add to that the fact that we are "going simpler" this year. That feels really good.
And I suppose if you have looked at this photo, you will note that we are on a "corded" phone. That's on purpose. We 3 C's are trying to keep things simple, cut expenses, and eliminate modern day practices which are increasingly connected to Human Health Issues. Our little corded Phone ("Old Blue") is kind of cumbersome sometimes, but She works and She is a trusty contributor to our life here on the Farm.
New Camera
Richard and I took a walk this morning and I brought along my new camera. The camera and I are just getting to know each other. I usually take fewer winter pictures. It is just too cold for the camera and me. This day was no exception.
Each of the shots was an experiment: How will it turn out? Maybe the camera is a metaphor for each day and each moment of life: "How will it turn out?" With the camera, I can delete pictures that are not up to speed. With life, it is better not to "delete" the rough spots in the road because they are often great teachers. Even yet, those pictures that do not turn out usually have something to teach me too.
On this day we walked the "loop" which gives us lovely views of the pond, the meadows and the woods. We had awakened to a misty morning and everything was coated with just a tiny coat of ice. Ice is beautiful from a distance. As I am older now, I am not as exuberant about it as I once was as a kid. The only area that was icy was the deck. Everything else was an easy walk.
The day is one with "low light". It is a perfect day dedicated to "rest".
Book Friend
Seabloom, Robert. (2011). Mammals of North Dakota. Fargo, ND: Institute for Regional Studies. North Dakota State University.
Yes, it is true that this is a posting on a book about mammals in North Dakota. And yes it is also true that this little blog focuses on our adventures right here on Butterfly Hill Farm, which is a long ways from North Dakota. Sometimes I make exceptions for my own very good reasons, she says with a smile.
Bob Seabloom sent us this book and we are just thrilled. Bob is a former colleague of Richard's in the Department of Biology at the University of North Dakota. He, Nikki, and their sons are long time cherished friends from our many shared adventures in the North Country.
This book, to me, represents a "life's work". There is no way that it could not be written without considerable experience gathered over a life time and considerable love for those things wild.
Such a work is best done in community, which exemplifies Bob's work. Scanning the pages bears witness to the many people who have contributed too. Many of those names are quite familiar to us and we smile.
As I age, I am always amazed to see how those many experiences over the course of a lifetime culminate in "life work". All the while, we travel our paths sometimes exalting in stellar moments and other times finding only the dark of a long and vast tunnel which seems will never end. But we just keep going for reasons we cannot always know. And then, right in our hands, we find a book or other work which makes meaning of it all.
Richard thinks that at least half of the mammals in the book are also found in these parts. I wonder if Bob would have some thoughts on that. We will be reading some in his book to get to know our critters here. And we will be reading more to remember our companions up North too. It's probably time to get out Schwartz's book on mammals of Missouri which was first printed in the 1950s. There have been many times that I have wanted to talk to Bob or someone who knows the creatures. It isn't as easy to call or pop into his office these days, but we now have these wonderful references to guide our journeys of knowing more about those 4-leggeds with whom we share the land.
I was delighted also to see that Bob lists names of the animals in the languages of the Indigenous Peoples of that region.
What a contribution, Bob (Nikki too). Thank you for this extraordinary gift!
Yes, it is true that this is a posting on a book about mammals in North Dakota. And yes it is also true that this little blog focuses on our adventures right here on Butterfly Hill Farm, which is a long ways from North Dakota. Sometimes I make exceptions for my own very good reasons, she says with a smile.
Bob Seabloom sent us this book and we are just thrilled. Bob is a former colleague of Richard's in the Department of Biology at the University of North Dakota. He, Nikki, and their sons are long time cherished friends from our many shared adventures in the North Country.
This book, to me, represents a "life's work". There is no way that it could not be written without considerable experience gathered over a life time and considerable love for those things wild.
Such a work is best done in community, which exemplifies Bob's work. Scanning the pages bears witness to the many people who have contributed too. Many of those names are quite familiar to us and we smile.
As I age, I am always amazed to see how those many experiences over the course of a lifetime culminate in "life work". All the while, we travel our paths sometimes exalting in stellar moments and other times finding only the dark of a long and vast tunnel which seems will never end. But we just keep going for reasons we cannot always know. And then, right in our hands, we find a book or other work which makes meaning of it all.
Richard thinks that at least half of the mammals in the book are also found in these parts. I wonder if Bob would have some thoughts on that. We will be reading some in his book to get to know our critters here. And we will be reading more to remember our companions up North too. It's probably time to get out Schwartz's book on mammals of Missouri which was first printed in the 1950s. There have been many times that I have wanted to talk to Bob or someone who knows the creatures. It isn't as easy to call or pop into his office these days, but we now have these wonderful references to guide our journeys of knowing more about those 4-leggeds with whom we share the land.
I was delighted also to see that Bob lists names of the animals in the languages of the Indigenous Peoples of that region.
What a contribution, Bob (Nikki too). Thank you for this extraordinary gift!
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