Mindfulness Garden Games
by Joann Calabrese
author of Growing Mindful

Garden Yield – Expanded Definition

“Obtain a yield” is a basic tenet of the sustainable design system permaculture. Many moons ago I took a permaculture design course and incorporate some of those concepts into my backyard sanctuary. One idea is to design for ease of care. This includes focusing on plants that are perennial, disease resistant, and do well naturally … Read more

Flax to Fiber Update

Flax to Fiber Experiment As some of you know, I became intrigued by the whole process of turning flax into fiber after reading The Golden Thread. Of course, I had to try it myself. This is an update on the project  that began in January.  In the spring, I put in a new 8 foot by … Read more

Tiny Solstice Garden Tour

  Tiny Solstice Garden Tour My garden is lush and overflowing today but not anywhere near its peak, so it is hard to envision winter. And yet, we’ve reached the tipping point of light and darkness at summer solstice. The daylight hours will begin to fade now until yule. It will be almost imperceptible at … Read more

Why We Don’t Create Gardens on Toxic Dumps

  It would be odd if we had to explain why it’s not a good idea to plant a garden on top of a toxic dump. It is a commonsense sort of thing. Toxic chemicals in the soil may prevent anything from growing. The plants that do germinate will be stressed and susceptible to disease … Read more

Spreading Viral Compassion

Dandelions for Resilience

  Viral Overload I don’t know about you, but I am weary of seeing the super magnified coronavirus molecule everywhere I turn. Certainly, we want to be informed citizens, but we are awash in scary images and language, sometimes without any real content. Rather than feeling informed, the overload can invoke a lot of fear … Read more

Mindfulness Walks at Bluff Lake

  One weekend a month, from March to October, I lead mindfulness walks at Bluff Lake Nature Center.  But the walks have been temporarily suspended because of the pandemic. The nature center  is open so that people can exercise, but social distancing makes it hard to lead a mindfulness walk. Shouting instructions across 6 feet … Read more

Mindfully Navigating Life with COVID-19 – Four Key Points

Luna

As the world moves into surreal disaster movie mode with COVID-19, mindfulness practice is needed more than ever. It may require increased dedication. Here are four key points to consider as we move through the next few weeks. First – Breathe No seriously –  taking slow deep breaths activates the parasympathetic nervous system. That’s the … Read more

Simple Joys: Crackle Ice & Overwintering Pumpkins

Luna in the snow - simple joys

    Simple joys pop up when we are paying attention. A few weeks ago while walking the dogs with my grandson, we discovered a patch of crackle ice. If you live in no freeze zone, you may be unfamiliar with crackle ice. It’s a thin layer of ice that forms across sidewalks or pavement … Read more

A Simple Resolution Re-Do

New Year’s Resolution Re-Do. Have your new year’s resolutions faded from view? Most evaporate quickly. Maybe you are in the anti-resolution camp and never set any to begin with. If your resolutions have faded or you are just looking for an intentional practice you can get excited about, I have a suggestion. It’s an easy … Read more

Seed Catalogs of Hope

Seeds

Nothing says hopeful like the arrival of seed catalogs in the mail or in-box. No matter how bleak the weather or world affairs, seeds mean new life and beauty. They represent fresh starts and endless possibilities. That’s not a metaphor. Seeds actually mean life goes on. We plant a tiny kernel and a new plant … Read more

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