“As the days begin to lengthen, the cold begins to strengthen.” - old time folk saying shared by a friend on February 2nd It appears that the old timers are spot on this year, at least in our area. We have more snow in the forecast for the coming week than we've had all winter, and high temps predicted to be in the teens with lows in the single digits or below zero. (Meanwhile, my southern friends are sharing photos of their spring flowers in bloom.) I'm not exactly looking forward to more...
13 days ago • 4 min read
"I was brushing my hair the other day and came across one of my "crazy hairs", as I call them. Coarse and grey, sticking out all wild while the hairs next to it were smooth and cooperative. I paused for a moment, considering pulling it out. Then I thought about those I've lost who won't have a chance to have more crazy hairs, and I let it be." I submitted my introduction and first chapter to the publisher this week. Now it's time to celebrate - by writing more chapters. It's a different way...
19 days ago • 3 min read
"Our mainstream medicine culture would have you believe that every illness is best treated with a pill or a procedure. Likewise, mainstream farming practices would have you believe that every pest or disease is best treated with a targeted chemical concoction. If these options work so well, why are more and more chemicals required each year in both industries to achieve the same (or worse) results?"I've been reading and researching for years, looking at trends in food and medicine (and how...
27 days ago • 4 min read
"Sometimes the solution you've been searching for is right in front of you, if only you look at the situation with different perspective." For years now we've been hunting for the "right" pizza crust recipe. We tried about a dozen and had one that was okay, but it was a little awkward to make and still not quite right. Then, earlier this week, I was thinking about making garlic cheesy bread, but was a little tight on time. Instead of baking the bread and then slicing it and baking it again...
about 1 month ago • 3 min read
"One of the biggest problems with learning herbalism is trying to figure out where to stick more trees and plants in the yard and gardens." Deep winter is an excellent time to research and dream, and wander about the yard considering potential projects (when you're not in the middle of a storm or freezing your backside off). Each year we typically add (or discover) some "new to us" plants, though I could live until my eleventy-first birthday and still have some on my wish list. We started...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
"A stiff wind blew through the tree line, carrying the bright scents of fir and spruce. The winter sun was hidden in the grey skies, but the temporary warmth was a call to enjoy before the next cold front moved in." We had picture perfect white Christmas (though I fell on my backside on the ice), followed by highs in the 40s, which led to a muddy mess and happy ducks. It almost smelled like spring outside for a few days, and it was nice to be out and about without being concerned about ice....
about 2 months ago • 3 min read
Can you hear the earth whispering, prompting us to turn our creativity and energy into healing and nurturing? What a different world it could be... We've finally begun the cycle of lengthening daylight hours as we spin around the sun. Though I know that January is typically our coldest month of the year here in northeast Wisconsin, having a little extra sunlight makes it pass more pleasantly. The longer we live on our land and work with it, the more connected to it I become. Don't get me...
2 months ago • 2 min read
"The air was so cold that it froze your nostrils with each inhale. Morning chores were icy, but the combination of dealing with the weather followed up by warming up in front of a roaring fire got your blood pumping. It was like night and day, or good and evil - the bitter cold made you appreciate the warmth all the more." We had another stretch of chilly days this week. It was a little warmer today, and Duncan thought he might be able to open the pond for the ducks, but repeated blows with...
2 months ago • 2 min read
"The sunrise painted the southern horizon with ribbons of fuchsia and pale gold. I could hear the chatter of the ducks and chickens in the coop as they anticipated enjoying the warmer weather after a stretch of icy cold. Like toddlers, the remind us to greet each day with curiosity." It warmed up enough that Duncan opened the ice on the small pond yesterday. We're seeing ice thickness of around six inches already, which bodes well for ice fishing season this year. The last couple of winters...
2 months ago • 2 min read