A little Hope

Getting ready for seed

Its Spring, really you wouldn't know it stepping outside. Seems winter cold just wants to stay. Today at least the wind has stopped howling. Yet you step outside to that beautiful blue sky and the breeze of winter wraps around your body.

So steps take you to the greenhouse and you step in and breathe dirt humidity and the chance of spring. Taking a little seed from a packet, moving it into a mixture of dirt, and water knowing it will slowly grow and be wanting to go in the ground yielding a summer dinner, in the warm sun on a deck.  It is a journey for sure getting your hands in the dirt, as you have enjoyed your winter and you are longing to see color, and enjoy warmth around your body. Not only does a greenhouse give you hope of days ahead, it fulfills a a place deep inside of Hope, hope its a hard beautiful thing easy to let go but even more fulfilling to to take in the steps and hard work to fulfill your hope. A yearning many don't get to take into a life. With days being filled of everyday work, cleaning running kids, doing for others. It seems our world has lost a little of that precious gift of Hope. It should be instilled in our children our friends people we care about. Without Hope you lose a little piece of life. You lose a notion to Strive for things that are out of your reach, you lose memories of a life that should be shared and passed down. 

Garden on the farm waiting to be planted



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So on this day if spring hasn't quite reached you yet, and you are yearning for spring, and peeking to the days of summer ahead, I urge you even if ts a cup of dirt and one seed. Plant that seed, let it give you a little hope.

It doesn't have to be a seed of plants or veggies, a seed of something you have wanted to achieve, Plant it today and watch it grow daily a little hope each day will turn your life a little each day, and it plants a seed in your soul to grow.


~~~Have a Beautiful day......Annette

Thursday Night Blog Stumbling

I find myself with half of the family asleep, so hmmm think I will take this time to do some reading and research and thought I would share some of them with ya.

My first stumble was on a neat blog for natural lawn care, as we are going to be putting grass in this year I am trying to find non chemical Healthy ways to keep the lawn looking great, Can't wait for the feel of grass between the toes :)

http://www.eaglewoodgourmetfood.com/homemade-lawn-fertilizer.html

Found a very unique recipe on http://www.wisebread.com

The recipe came from Tim Heffron, a former groundskeeper at a golf course. All you need are five common household ingredients and a 10-gallon hose-end sprayer. This recipe can be modified slightly for other less dry climates, but for areas like Colorado it works wonders. And it's a heck of a lot cheaper and more effective than the store-bought mixes.

You will need:

• One full can of regular pop (any kind-no diet soda)
• One full can of beer (no light beer) 12oz
• 1/2 Cup of Liquid dish washing soap (do NOT use anti-bacterial dish washing liquid)
• 1/2 Cup of household ammonia
• 1/2 Cup of mouthwash (any brand)

Directions:

• Pour into 10-gallon hose-end sprayer (other sizes will work too)
• In high heat, apply every three weeks

As we have had Real cruddy weather this week I am working on more plans for my gardening and garden decor.

I love this idea for old furniture could be fun throughout the woods and gardens.

though I could see moss and even some creeping thyme in some, or even line the chairs with chicken wire to build up the  seat with dirt for grass and spring bulbs. Tulips could be fun.

I am twisting and curving and intermingling a tree branch fence well I have been since the first fall we have moved to our land. I have done about 100 ft, and just started working on it again I use the tree tops from the trees we cut down, and weave them together, love the natural look and am going to do morning glory on them and hopefully next year I can get English Ivy in the ground for it, It is my never ending project, that is my peaceful time. I am working on a 70 ft section now. (I will have to share some pictures when I get the good camera back out.) Anyhow I love this Natural Gate and can defiantly see something of my own design going into the gardens. 

  

She has some great Rustic Gate ideas too Miss Rhumphius Rules 

I have an abundance of rocks, ok they grow like weeds, I am always making rock garden edges I have 2 circle rock gardens and even a spiral. I just started the first layer of the new garden that will have three layers to it. I find this next find a total idea for my imagination, wonder if hubby and kids will help me, sure they don't mind digging me more rocks out of the ground. Oh there is many more great rock designs on this blog: Studio G  

One thing on the list of Defiantly to do this year, is an outdoor shower. It is something I have wanted to add since we moved up here. Yet I haven't decided on a design for sure I have many going through  my head, as it would be a permanent area, it has to be right. I have many inspirations.

From Rustic which I love rustic, though I would love to find a old copper or claw foot bath and a rain head shower head. I would probably not go for wide open space either, thinking either a rock wall or twisted limbs or weaved willow around the area. I am not that comfortable with  nature for wide open spaces, and well we do have neighbors. 

this photograph is from Emma's Blog

The styles are endless but it will be fun to share how and what we decide for the outdoor shower design.

And then as I am closing out I am thinking some fun shapes of weaving throughout the land, though I am thinking the boys would probably end up using them as air gun hiders, or something, they would still be fun to the eye placed though out the land.
I am thinking more of like 3 to 5 ft tall though :) and All different shapes and me making them.  Maybe Hubby would let me get into willow growing too.  This beautiful willow lawn globe is from Salix-Willows

Well better get to closing the night. Hope you find some inspiration too.
Have a beautiful night ~Annette

Winter returned

Its a cold morning outside, after many days of warmth and working and cleaning up from winter outside. I am having a day of inside besides the daily chores. (Snow cold or thirty below animals have to eat) So decided to paint a little did a few backgrounds and finished one Artist Trading Card today featuring a horse. He will either go on Etsy or Ebay Haven't decided yet.

Tomorrow as we are suppose to warm back up to the 30's. Will be taking the camera out. I worked on a rock garden border, and an area to put some hens n chicks in. We took down part of the trellis, to make room for the bigger house. (hopefully just a couple more weeks for that). and a circle rock garden I finished. Thought be fun to share some picture ideas.

So for today, a day of creating and cooking making a Spinach chicken Casserole, cooked on the wood stove.
Have a beautiful day, Annette

Hurry Spring Thaw!

Oh what a beautiful day, but everything is still froze! 

Got a fence down and some pick up today, but even at 45 degrees there is ice everywhere, so clean up is done today. I am really ready to get the Lettuce in the round, maybe Tuesday, a couple days of 40's and a promised day of rain Monday just maybe.

So the mailman came today and brought me a book, and I would recommend this to the Gardner of any level! Here I just thought it was gonna be a book on suggestive plantings of which veggies and herbs grow well together and which doesn't. Which it is packed full of even grasses, grains, fruits, trees, weeds and more, however to my surprise the author Louise Riotte has put some wonderful garden layouts, mulch ideas birds, insects, and some great medicinal uses too!

Now I have only had it in had for a couple of hours but I am really suggesting this, even people with an apartment she has a great balcony layout! I am gonna try a few things Corn and cucumbers what a great natural way to grow your cukes on the trellis ! I always new basil next to tomatoes but didn't realize how well parsley will do too! Did you know Raccoon's do not like Cucumbers hmmm. She even has added a great Poison plants section  I always knew Lilly of the Valley was very full of poisons and even the Rhubarb leaf,though I did not know the Hydrangea leaf was.

A great section on improving soils too! 

So a definate Grab off the shelf book and a great reference book this will be. We got our copy from Amazon.

Carrots Love Tomatoes 

by Louise Riotte

I would love to hear if you try anything or have out of this book and how it worked out did ya see a difference good or bad? Let me know this year! I defiantly will be posting on some I try.

Have a beautiful day

Annette

Last winter day?

    Good March 4th Morning, as I look at the snow on the ground and the wind on my face this morning, I couldn't help but thinking that at the end of this week it will be gone, and we will be feeling spring in the air. I loved the winter this year, but I am ready for spring, and getting my hands in the dirt, seed packets are all around my work area, hubby and I making last plans on the last seed order, and this Saturday I should be putting the first of the Lettuce in the ground, how good does that sound?  

Fresh salads  soon to come and no more store bought and spending the time trying to find lettuce that isn't browning making sure it is non GMO etc, grown right from our land mmmm. Then come the tomatoes, peas, cucumbers oh yummy! 

I am gonna be trying this new seed planting 4-6 weeks before last hard frost but of course also plant the way I know. I will share with ya the results. Also doing a cucumber tower over the lettuce, so much experimenting this year I can't wait. 

Is there anything new you are trying this year? Something new that isn't your norm? How about new seeds? My newest seed for me to try this year will be the Japaneses Cucumber, and some new Herbs. Hubby is gonna invest in Stevia this year, can't wait to try out some recipes with that. 

So I am ending this winter day blog post with thoughts of spring and planting and looking forward to summer harvest. 

Have a beautiful day!

.............PS Ya I know there is more snow in my soon future, but I can block that for now, and enjoy this little glimpse of spring the end of this week and weekend.

Words To Live by and Share

From The Past Jester Pumpkin Original

   "May there always be work for your hands to do, may your purse always hold a coin or two. May the sun always shine on your windowpane, may a rainbow be certain to follow each rain. May the hand of a friend always be near you, may God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you."
- Irish Blessing

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One of my favorite Crows

I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright no matter how gray the day may appear.

I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun even more.
I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive and everlasting.
I wish you enough pain so that even the smallest of joys in life may appear bigger.
I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.
I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.
I wish you enough hellos to get you through the final good- bye.

Life Original Canvas Painting



Just sharing some favorite Quotes and some of my art work today as I work on getting some of my links and recipes on the blog.

You can visit some of my past artwork on Flickr and My Old Flickr .

I post alot on Facebook too


Have a Beautiful Day

Democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who are not. - Thomas Jefferson

Welcome Snow Day First Day

Snow Feb 29,2013

Welcome, woke up to a snow covered wet day, but it sure is beautiful.....and a perfect way to start to the new blog. Hi I am Annette, I am an artist a mom and well newly really working on 2 years of a self sufficient life style, or Homesteading as you may prefer. My Husband, and the kids and I moved up to this beautiful Area in New York May 18, 2011. When we came the land was well full of buck brush pines, rocks rocks and more rocks and a field of potential.  We sold off everything I mean everything we loaded a cargo van and a 4 x 6 ft trailer journeyed almost a 1,000 miles, our first summer here we cleared and a cleared and yep you guessed it cleared. You couldn't walk into the area above in picture it was full of blackberry, (which we replanted most), Bramble and maple trees, the maple trees and bramble help create the trellace and arbor in picture last spring. 

We built our house the fall of the first year a tiny home, and this year we will be adding our larger home, a greenhouse, and more gardens and some fruit trees. We have added to our family rabbits, goats, chickens and horses, and 3 pups 2 red heelers and my sons black lab. We also have a little chihuahua shes our old lady but she thinks shes the biggest dog around.

I decided to start a blog I did a blog a years ago, mainly for my art, I have been mostly a painter the last 12 years, which I love and is my little escape from reality :).

So here's what to look for and I hope you will book mark and come visit me often, and share with me too . I love hearing new ideas, and useful tips. We are still learning lots about off the grid living, and trying to get 100% self sufficient. I will share many of my future gardens, veggies, fruits, and perennials. I been getting into herbs medicinal and yummy culinary herbs. I love to find Junk and make it into things. Oh and recipes I love to cook and play especially when we have fresh veggies around. Hope to try a pig in the ground this year, cooking it all day in the ground, that should be a fun one.

I am always on the lookout for saving on cost of living, and will share the ways I find, tips on gardening, I grew up on a farm and love my hands in the dirt, and what it does for your daily life it's amazing. Ever do some canning over an open fire? How many uses for a tree you cut down to make it 100% usable in your life, I figure if you are gonna cut it down it needs to be used, and love the challenge it brings to find different uses for it. 

So this is the short condensed story the start of the blog, hope you will come along with me, and enjoy the time spent together.

I leave ya with a couple more pictures captured this morning.

Have a Beautiful day