Monday, June 18, 2007

Animal Spirits

Every once in a while, the higher spirit sends us a message. Several times in the past 5 years, that higher power has sent me messages through what many native americans call 'Animal Spirit Guides' or 'Animal Spirits'. The trouble with an animal spirit guide is you have to interpret what they are trying to tell you.

Just like when your dog gives you that look - you know the one - the look you get when you have just poured your heart out to your furry friend and their head tilts, their eyes get wide, their nose flares, and you wonder whether they just smell the neighbors grilling steak or if they really understood the importance of what you just told them. Animal spirit guides are a lot like that.

Not that long ago, a wolf spirit visited me. It was almost freightening and kind of scary until I thought about it. Wolves are intelligent pack animals with a heightened sense of surroundings. The females care deeply for their pack. When she visited me, I began to look deeply at what she might be trying to tell me. After much meditation and contemplation I figured it out.

Several years ago I had a guide visit that transformed from one animal into another. This guide was telling me to trust myself and that although some rain may fall, it wouldn't spoil our plans for the Produce Party.

This past week I have been visited by Moths. Two rather large moths actually. The first one showed up at the college - a large Cecropia moth and the other showed up the next day at the farm, a polyphemus moth. Both are large impressive, beautiful creatures. Both stayed put for hours before just disappearing. Both moths were not listed as being commonly sighted in our county according to the NDSU extension web site. Both were out of their natural territories. Both were trying to tell me something. Now it is up to me to determine their message. Was it that change, like the moths' transformation, is something we need to embrace. Was it their quiet stillness and beauty reminding me to slow down and enjoy the simple beauty life has to offer? I guess I'll have to do a little more thinking and until I figure it out, I guess I'll just marvel at G-d's little miracles and bless the heavens that I got to be a part of it.
Take Care
Holly

Friday, June 15, 2007

All things Considered...

Those of us with a few wrinkles and gray hair will remember this phrase, from our parents and maybe from Prairie Public Radio. It's not a phrase that gets used much anymore and certainly not by the next generations. It came to me last night as I was weeding.

Yesterday I decided to look for more plants to fill the bible garden. I received a wonderful donation last fall for the bible garden which I used to purchase a small garden ornament, a plaque with the requested inscription, and some daffodil bulbs but the garden still has some empty spots. I quickly printed off the internet a listing of plants from the bible and last night while weeding I went over the list. Mustard (Matt. 13:31-32; Mark 4:31-32; Luke 13:18-19), Grass (1 Kings 18:5; Job 4015; Ps. 104:14), Thistle, also mentioned but no reference given, and ash Isa 44:14. As I looked at the 'weeds' in the bible garden, I realized all of these were pieces that were already growing in the garden and that my spade was ready to pull out. I wondered how many times in life do we cull those things that have value without realizing it? How many times do we overlook the things we see everyday in favor of something new or splahy? Like the crow, are we always looking for the shiny piece of silver to feather our nest only to forget the practical? All things considered, I left the 'weeds' in the bible garden for now. I'm sure I'll fill in with more 'slash' later, but for now the ash seedlings, the mustard, thistle and grass are safe.

Monday, June 04, 2007

Building an Ark and Lots to be Thankful for!

As many folks have noticed, we've got a little building project underway. With over 9 inches of rain in the last 4 weeks, we're telling them that we are building an ark. Really it is a multi-purpose building that will serve as classroom, harvest room, distillation room, extra sleeping quarters, storage,and more! That's a lot to pack into a little space, maybe we need the folks from Mission Organization on HGTV to come and help us out!

Thanks MUST go out to John and Daniel - the fine young men who helped us with rhubarb harvest - they were great workers. Also a BIG thanks to Uncle Jim Wilkie, Taylor, and Nephew Brian for their help in putting up rafters this weekend - without them the ark would not have a roof skeleton! Thanks everyone. We also need to thank our son Adam and his girlfriend Rin who came to help with Rhubarb harvest and although we had a nice time visiting, flying kites, having a campfire - I know that we worked those kids hard. We really appreciate their help.

We also need to say thanks to Connie and Louise Nelson for returning the dahlias and cannas again this year. They donated them to the Churchs Ferry garden several years ago and have been taking care of winter storage every year. I really am thankful for these wonderful women.

A big thanks goes out to Eric Woodard and Sheila Moser - both of who helped us out at an auction by watching out for items we wanted after we had to leave. Eric was able to get a wagon wheel for us for the Churchs Ferry garden and Sheila brought a book that Barry had his eye on. What wonderful people!

Lastly, the gardens. With all this rain the gardens are full of weeds. The theme gardens are starting to come into flower and look great from a distance but those of you that are gardeners will notice the almost knee high weeds if you get up close. It seems like planting is taking me forever this year as I still have things that need to go in the ground inclduing 20 high bush cranberry, some lemon verbena, the second succession of basil, the cilantro, dill, and others, a few tomatoes for personal use and some climbing vines. The rain has been great for transplanting, little or no shock to the plants, but it has meant the soil is so soaked that I just can't get on it very often. We're hoping for a little moderation in the rain department from here on out - or we'll have to convert the multi-purpose building to an ark for sure!
Have a great week.
Holly