From Anna
Years ago, Ken’s sister Anna gave us this cactus. And when it blooms it has beautiful flowers for a very short time. Ken LOVED it. And so, now, as it blooms I think of him and with deep gratitude I say thank you, Anna!
Year: 2018
Why?
There are few people who understand my priorities at present. Instead of spending my summer outside weeding and planting and growing, I am inside clearing the main floor. I am making myself a refuge, a home instead of a retail space I live in. First I am sorting through things that are mostly mine, mostly rags for rugs. I never stored them outside because I did not have rodent proof containers. Since there are no …
Pleasant Surprises
Today I walked down the drive to open the gate for someone. First, among the rye I saw hollyhocks! And then on the west side of the drive, I saw a greyish lump and thought something had killed a turkey. No. As I approached she lifted her head and moved off some babies. Hope she is a good mom!
Getting By with a Little Help from…
As I have worked clearing the main floor I have saved the “three handed” jobs as Ken and I called them – more than one person can handle or those tasks that go so much easier with two people. Yesterday I had help and we went through all the tasks I wanted to do in beastly hot weather. There are some cool weather ones that remain. First we moved the shelving components out of the …
Progress!
I am moving through piles of my stuff. From this to this. and I have been working along that east wall . the boards and tiles Ken intended for the floor remain. There are still three boxes of rags to take off seams and buttons. and four boxes of brewing and beading supplies to sort. Then …
Local Lunch
No, the rice isn‘t local. but the beef came from a neighbor, and the vegetables came from the St Croix Falls Farmers market – broccoli, carrots, radishes, snap peas, and the last of our onions. Please support your local farmers. Bon apetit.
Summer Flowers
Flowers cheer one. And this week I cold use some cheer. So this morning I wen out to sample what was blooming. I did two arrangements. This first is a purple cone flower, astillbe, bee balm, butterfly weed, daisies and black eyed Susan. The second is the same type flowers minus the cone flower. The bee balm or monarda were one of Ken’s favorites. …
Another Tough Lesson
Since I did not move the mobile hoop, I wanted to plant green manure. A friend – a saint really – tilled the open area in the heat when the soil was dry and hard. Then before planting I wheel hoed the area again. And once I finished I planted some buckwheat Ken wanted for animal feed, but when it arrived it was not clean enough to sprout for the animals. So, I sowed it …
Learning By Trial and Error
I cannot do what two people used to do. Although that may be obvious, the fact becomes clear once again. Last fall Ken planted garlic. I had problems with timing of moving the greenhouse. The garlic got tall and weeds took over. I could not find the irrigation pump or the hoses so irrigating became problematic once the snow melted. Today I checked. This year’s crop is small, but the flavor strong. Here …
Hiring Out What Ken Did
Ken did things here that I never did. Well, I never did them here. When we met in 1990, I had a house in St Paul and I mowed my small level lawn with a push reel mower. I used to joke it took anywhere from a half an hour to three hours – depending on how many of the neighbors stopped to chat. But here Ken mowed. First with a sickle mower attached …
