Pictures from Free Spirit gardens 2009
Within Nature - Chickens - Horses - Gardens - Quilts finds it self in the ending of a warm relationship of Summer and starting the freshness of Fall's promise of restfulness and quiet Picture looking out over our land
Sunday, December 27, 2009
December 27th Don't die with your song still in you
The babbeling brook sings in all her glory as she winds her way through our Oak and Hickory woods, bubbling over stones set out as if they were music notes wrote by God Himself. It reminds me of the saying "Don't die with your song still in you" When I first read that I thought about it a long time. Wondering what is my song?
Nature in its full glory, like when I see my horse Hawk a Morgan, tear down the hill and race around and around with Moose the Palamino. Their mains flowing in rythm to their pounding hooves on the pasture. Dust sometimes drifts up when the ground is dry and dormit. Othertimes as they tear around the curve their hooves will dig in and leave patterns in the slick wet after a long rain. Enjoying the moment, feeling joy as they use every mussel in their frames which glisten with sweat. They don't think, I can't do this because I am 32 years ( a long time for horses) or I am overweight because Kate feeds me too much, they just fly to the songs of their hearts for that moment.
I want that! I want to do something that makes me feel just like that. Not a care in the world even if it is just for the moment.
Developing Free Spirit Horse Therapy's Sensory Gardens eight years ago gave me that song. I didn't know a thing about therapy gardens. But after a winter of research and plans it got on paper. It all fell in place beating odds that it would fail after numerous bumps in the path of life. Along with fellow Master Gardeners that volunteered to help and DOCC men, who are inmates at a local prison who are former alcholics or drug addicts. They came with counslers watching them, us directing them as we worked along with them side by side. The stone walls slowly came up, the men hauled soil in wheel barrel after wheel barrel to each section. It was planted also with their help, and a bare acre of ground became a song to be enjoyed by many handicaped kids in wheel chairs, their parents, and other visitors. Their are eight Master Gardeners maintaining it, and it is funded by our local Master Gardeners group. Each summer it is replanted with the colores of the rainbow, scents flow out and drift up to be enjoyed by all. "Enjoyed" that word carried joy. That is the song that flows out of our lives. We joy because we are doing something we love.
Nature in its full glory, like when I see my horse Hawk a Morgan, tear down the hill and race around and around with Moose the Palamino. Their mains flowing in rythm to their pounding hooves on the pasture. Dust sometimes drifts up when the ground is dry and dormit. Othertimes as they tear around the curve their hooves will dig in and leave patterns in the slick wet after a long rain. Enjoying the moment, feeling joy as they use every mussel in their frames which glisten with sweat. They don't think, I can't do this because I am 32 years ( a long time for horses) or I am overweight because Kate feeds me too much, they just fly to the songs of their hearts for that moment.
I want that! I want to do something that makes me feel just like that. Not a care in the world even if it is just for the moment.
Developing Free Spirit Horse Therapy's Sensory Gardens eight years ago gave me that song. I didn't know a thing about therapy gardens. But after a winter of research and plans it got on paper. It all fell in place beating odds that it would fail after numerous bumps in the path of life. Along with fellow Master Gardeners that volunteered to help and DOCC men, who are inmates at a local prison who are former alcholics or drug addicts. They came with counslers watching them, us directing them as we worked along with them side by side. The stone walls slowly came up, the men hauled soil in wheel barrel after wheel barrel to each section. It was planted also with their help, and a bare acre of ground became a song to be enjoyed by many handicaped kids in wheel chairs, their parents, and other visitors. Their are eight Master Gardeners maintaining it, and it is funded by our local Master Gardeners group. Each summer it is replanted with the colores of the rainbow, scents flow out and drift up to be enjoyed by all. "Enjoyed" that word carried joy. That is the song that flows out of our lives. We joy because we are doing something we love.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Live for the moment they say....December 15th, 2009
Today is the first day of the rest of your life....ahhhhhhh, It is as if I never made a mistake, like I am a new born babe ready to take on that cold world. I am thrust out of my mothers womb, fresh as a chick out of its egg. Each day gives me another chance, to forget, to forgive, to renew, start over.
Living around and working with animals, I can see they are like that. Each day is a new start. The horses don't remember me rushing them out their door, so I can get to town shoping. As if my time was so important. They take me as I am each day I enter their housing; the horses nicker to me softly, nodding up and down, eyes soft with trust. Chickens cluck as they meander up to the feed dish and watch to see if I have a treat for them.
Oh, I am not saying they don't re-act, like last summer when I chased the nine month old rooster in the coop one day, because he had to go....! Three roosters were one to many. Fluffy-duffy the blond Orpington pictured below is head honcho in the coop and Big Red the Rhode Island Red, pictured above, is next in line. Even with a large run besides the 10 x 16 foot coop for space it just wasn't big enough for our new comer that was hatched out last spring. He just got too cocky they say....ever hear that saying about our male gender? As I carried the new comer out the pen door and stuck him into the metal portable cage he calmed down as if nothing happened and started to peck at the fresh green sprouts of grass that stuck through the openings on the bottom as if nothing was wrong.
Living for the moment.... He wasn't fretting about going to the butcher. He wasn't pouting because I took him away from the flock, he just lived for the moment which was chomping down as much of that fresh green grass that was poking up into his new wire cage.
Now as I stepped back into the coop that day, the rest of the flock got out of my way real quick. They re-acted to what I just did to their buddy. But as soon as they saw me walking slowly, talking softly, giving them their nurishment of feed and cracked corn they followed suit. Easter the Rohde Island Red hen cosied over in my direction, clucking to me as if she was saying, "Sure glad you settled down and hit the routean button, much more peceful around here. "
Living for the moment, keeping my thought life on the right button is a challenge. Wish the thought button 'forgive' wasn't so hard to push down. Acceptance makes me new again, it lets me live one moment at a time like my new comer rooster who had to leave, holding my mind at the present moment. Not thinking about the past and not getting too far ahead of myself.
My mom who died at 83 years of age often told me, when she was with me, "Kate you are putting the cart before the horse again." I would fret and worry about things that might happen and miss the present. Extrodinary things happening on an ordinary day. The count down for the big Extrodinary day 'Christmas' is getting closer. The dates on the calendar fly off faster than that rooster making tracks to get way from me.
I am an early riser, love to get that first cup of coffee and quiet my being, my soul. Gently walking through paragaphs of Wisdom reaching out to me as my eyes devour line after line of words. Discovering answers just like that new comer rooster found that luscious grass. I find answers to those extrodinary moments that surprise me, me, re-acting and then acceptance slips in and rests my day.
Today's teacher came to me through a well loved book by Brennan Manning called The Wisdom of Tenderness" What Happens When God's Fierce Mercy Transforms Our Lives" Another book of Brennan Manning, The Ragamuffin Gospel, whispered many answers to my troubled soul at the time I read it.
So Dec. 16th is flying off the calendar even as I wright this.....good evening to you all,
Good tidings to you.....
Kate
Monday, December 14, 2009
Caught up in the artificial glitter of the times
December 14th, 2009
How many days has it been? How many days to go? I want to go out and play but duty of baking, trimming the tree and finish the presents I am sewing. I want to walk in the knee high snow, take pictures of the giant blue spruce we planted 25 years ago with its new white dress of gleasoning sparkle. I want to be out there not just to run and feed my four horses who are also rolling every morning when I let them out. I want to roll with them and make snow angles.
I want to gaze over the outside barn door and let the sight of deer crossing the now empty field, warm my soul, letting time lazily drift in my mind, all the sight my great creator has blessed me with. But no, dashing through the snow enter the chicken coop, fill their dishes, replace the heated water dish's nourishment, collect the three eggs they have faithfully delivered. throw them a package of baby carrots the the store was selling buy one get one free. The cabbage I put in a couple days back is almost gone.
But I don't regret the rush, and hussel bussel of these times. I can't wait for the 24 people milling around in my small house, the smiles and hugs will long remembered as I waist time gazing over that barn door. I will cherish the grand kids laughter and monkey business that all goes on. I can already imagine the joy each one will flash back at me when that special present is opened that I labored over both at the sewing machine and the crowd filled vessels that spill their artificial glitter out to me tempting me to spend more than my frugal budget allows.
Ahhhhhh, life is good, God is great, and so are all of you.
Kate
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
December 9th, 2009 be careful of what you wish for
Yesterday I was thrilled to see the snow and satisfaction was plentiful. Now today with a full blown blizzard buzzing through the night and still in full whipping order, I am thinking I had enough of the white deep, deep stuff.
My partner is out with his snowblower which he is walking behind as he goes. I had mentioned decorating for Christmas and out the door he went to spend I am sure the better of the day doing his duty. I chose to stay inside, tucked into as much warm ware I could put on. Drifts past knee deep in the long treck to barn and Chicken coop are more than my ashma could handle even with a deep freeze mask on. Dick will be feeding our four horses cooped up in their stalls but with plenty of water, feed, and nice grasy hay. The chickens will also find a new face peeking in above the deep snow drifts which are covering the door to coop. They also will be well fed and watered. The only thing missing will be my cooing to the beloved soft lips of Ginger, Hawk, Moose, and Rifa, my horses, and the greeting "Hi girls, how you doing?" to my hard working hens, who also have names but way too many to list here.
My duties will lie in working on my quilting, baking cookies starting with my gramma's famous Molasses cutouts. Of course my book In A Pickle by Jerry Apps is staring at me taunting me to leave the duty and slip under a lap cover and loose myself into the 1950's. Just love Jerry's writing and he has a neat blog to
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
In Wisconsin Winter has arrived
Tuesday Dec. 8
Ahhhh Today is placing us into a believable winter which up till now our world was brown and gray. What a delight to see the edge of the woods outlined with curves and swirls of the white fluffy stuff again.
The antique chicken coop also images itself dressed up as if it is going to town with a bran new coat of winter. Of course it will stay with me, but in a look, a look of cheer. Seems like it is new again instead of from the 40's
There is no sign of my gals, the hens clucking and scratching in the large outside pen. Tucked inside with plenty to eat, pine shavings to shuffle around in, and 13 roommates reminding each other what pecking order they belong to. A mixture of Rhode Island Red, New Hampshire, Brahma Plymoth Rock, and Buff Orpington until the past couple weeks blessed me with 9 eggs a day. I gave my extras away to friends and family but now getting stingy with only three greeting me daily. Cold, short daylight hours have proven the expert's books are right.
I am what the local folks called a city slicker, but then I wonder when that name will change to one of them, maybe never. We have been here in the extraordinary happenings of an ordinary day for 25 years. There is no hum drum happenings taking place. Each day greets us with tales of woe or giggles of delight. I have found with 4 horses, variety of chickens, 4 cats, an Airdale (dog), two cockatiels and of course Dick my partner, best friend husband for 47 years, growing old or what some call aging, has caught me by surprise.
We play in a setting of 27 acres, some woods, a babbling brook, 12 acre field a farmer uses, and close to 3 acres of perennial gardens I put in before I drifted into horses and chickens. Being a Master Gardener since 1986 has taught me a lot about flowers. Wish there was classes on Chickens. It is a new adventure started last spring when we bought the 16 x 10 foot coop and had it moved here. We drove to Portage and bought adult chickens and also Pardyville where we got the rest. Hours with my nose in chicken books I purchased and discovering the web sight Chicken Keeping Secrets, among others has put light on the end of the tunnel so to speak.
As with you, my experiences keep getting broader, life richer. Blessings to you all......
Kate
Ahhhh Today is placing us into a believable winter which up till now our world was brown and gray. What a delight to see the edge of the woods outlined with curves and swirls of the white fluffy stuff again.
The antique chicken coop also images itself dressed up as if it is going to town with a bran new coat of winter. Of course it will stay with me, but in a look, a look of cheer. Seems like it is new again instead of from the 40's
There is no sign of my gals, the hens clucking and scratching in the large outside pen. Tucked inside with plenty to eat, pine shavings to shuffle around in, and 13 roommates reminding each other what pecking order they belong to. A mixture of Rhode Island Red, New Hampshire, Brahma Plymoth Rock, and Buff Orpington until the past couple weeks blessed me with 9 eggs a day. I gave my extras away to friends and family but now getting stingy with only three greeting me daily. Cold, short daylight hours have proven the expert's books are right.
I am what the local folks called a city slicker, but then I wonder when that name will change to one of them, maybe never. We have been here in the extraordinary happenings of an ordinary day for 25 years. There is no hum drum happenings taking place. Each day greets us with tales of woe or giggles of delight. I have found with 4 horses, variety of chickens, 4 cats, an Airdale (dog), two cockatiels and of course Dick my partner, best friend husband for 47 years, growing old or what some call aging, has caught me by surprise.
We play in a setting of 27 acres, some woods, a babbling brook, 12 acre field a farmer uses, and close to 3 acres of perennial gardens I put in before I drifted into horses and chickens. Being a Master Gardener since 1986 has taught me a lot about flowers. Wish there was classes on Chickens. It is a new adventure started last spring when we bought the 16 x 10 foot coop and had it moved here. We drove to Portage and bought adult chickens and also Pardyville where we got the rest. Hours with my nose in chicken books I purchased and discovering the web sight Chicken Keeping Secrets, among others has put light on the end of the tunnel so to speak.
As with you, my experiences keep getting broader, life richer. Blessings to you all......
Kate
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