Friday, September 7, 2012

Breather...

Ahhh. I took a much needed breather and met J at his mom's lake house in Lake Anna Virginia. There is nothing like hanging at the lake, reading, being quiet, hanging with good people and eating good food and sleeping in to recharge a person. I always feel so rested after a visit there. Soul rested.

I also come back feeling inspired from my short week away. J, his mom and I went to Monticello to see the recreated gardens of Thomas Jefferson. I am in awe and completely inspired to revision my own garden, which is ironically of similar shape and length. Jefferson's was a 1000 feet long with orchards and a vineyard below.

This year I was overrun with weeds. Horrible thick ones that were a bear to pull and broke my weedwacker several times. We had to mow them with the tractor on at least three occasions. They shadowed out the majority of my seed plantings and tried to choke out the rest.

One of the ideas I took from Monticello was planting clover and other short containable (if there is such a thing) grasses. Between the plowed sections I will leave clover walking paths. These will also benefit by acting as a green mulch and I believe a nitrogen fixer, while adding a touch of grace to the chaos.

J and I have also been planning a farm party. We will be lucky to pull off our grandiose scheme this late in the game, but it is a chance to invite friends and family to celebrate the birth of this farmstead and crazy agrarian dream.

I also bought some seeds from their collection while I was there. Just a couple. Some flowers and a Queen Anne melon. I am always on the hunt for perfect fruits to grow in this arid high desert climate.

I am happy to be home and am filled with anticipation to pick up the dogs in the morning and check on my birds. I have one hen that has been broody for well over a month now. So I will either have some babies to tend to or she will have a harsh reality check being booted from the box. We shall see. For now, while it lasts, I am just content and relaxed in my little slice of heaven.

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