Flax Adventure In January I set a goal to grow and process flax for fiber – as in fiber for linen. I don’t think I could be any happier with how this project turned out. My last blog post brought you up to date with the adventure. I had just harvested, dried, and begun soaking … Read more
I’m happy to announce that my book, Growing Mindful – Explorations in the Garden to Deepen your Awareness will be published by Llewellyn Press on January 8, 2021. If you have enjoyed my blog posts I hope you will check it out! And please consider adding it to your Goodreads list, and … Read more
Lately, I have been immersed in three different historical books, and the long history of misery inflicted by other humans is sad and unsettling. It can make one weary of the behavior of other people, and in need of a respite. That’s when I head to my garden sanctuary. Humans have created all kinds … Read more
Equinox as a Time of Balance Autumn equinox occurs at 7:30 MT on Tuesday September 22. Day and night are equal at this moment as the earth jouneys around the sun. Traditionally it is a time to celebrate and be grateful for the harvest, but equinox is also about balance. A successful garden is a … Read more
As many of you know, I have been growing flax this summer with a plan to turn it into fiber for spinning (or at least attempt to.) You can read the previous posts about my experiment here and here. Harvesting Because of COVID-19, I’ve been working from home and have been … Read more
Seed Gathering Time By day it is still super-hot in Denver, but the nights are cooler and the days are shorter. This triggers plants, especially annuals (those that live only one season) to begin to set seeds. When we are enjoying the beauty of flowers or the harvest of fruits and vegetables, we may get … Read more
“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 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 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
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
