Rose Cottage

 One of the delights of being a grandparent is family outings! As an only child, I'm at times amazed at having 9 grandkids, and it's a great to spend time with the different constellations. Family Fun We had so much fun visiting the Heiser farm pumpkin patch on a gorgeous Sunday afternoon! My daughter calls outings with her 5 (just 2 still at home) kids and hubby FFF - Forced Family Fun ! Her next oldest daughter and our little extra (half sister to two of her girls) joined us.  Train ride We rode two of several trains (3 trips through the tunnel on our first ride!), petted farm critters, took a hay ride to and from the Maze of maize and pumpkin patch; the kids had shave ice, and I got persimmons ...  Hay ride A good time was had by all, and we came home with pumpkins to carve! I like to cut off the top, scoop the seeds, add potting soil and plant a matching pansy! Red pumpkin   What's your favorite fall tradition?

 Shout out to the Edible landscape gardeners who joined the work party to tuck the beds in for winter! Tea Garden - winter ready I went down to the Tea Garden after a busy morning:  Qigong at the Grange with friends  quick stop at the Farmers Market  in house choir retreat, starting rehearsing Christmas music 🎶 🎄  Most of the plants in my garden box just S of the Grain Station are hardy perennials, and will overwinter without protection - but I added a few favorite tender herbs, that need to come inside!  Tender perennials So I dug up the pineapple sage and Tulsi basil, plus taking a start from the Oregon Tea (which had several long runners).  I clipped back the mint, and took a few minutes to tidy the box. I'll add a layer of leaves, and plant some fava beans and red clover on my next visit, as cover crops (and the cover can stay for tea!)  I decided to leave the lemon Verbena on the bed, as it's in a protected position - fingers crossed that i...

 I'm excited about the newest additions to the garden bookshelf!  The first is Edible - illustrated by our local artist/ author and farmer Katie Kulla, with writers Kevin Hobbs (England) and Artur Cisar-Erlach (Austria). We're invited to journey into the world's Botanical larder, and hope for a  sustainable future!  Edible - 70 sustainable plants Katie gave a wonderful talk yesterday on the inspiration and creation of this work at our library, co-sponsored by the wonderful Third Street Books. "More than half of most folks' diet is made up of three grains and a bean (wheat, maize (corn), rice and soy)"  - but there are thousands more that we can use to craft a healthier and more sustainable future.'  Edible highlights 70 of these - from all 7 continents (including seaweed from Antarctica) from baobab and carob to sweet potato leaves and Yangmei (Asian bayberry) Katie and her husband Casey offered produce and meat from their CSA for over a decade, and her ...

 This past weekend, my daughter's family and I joined other members of our congregation at Camp Arrah Wanna, for a lovely retreat! Our youth love spending time at this rural camp near Wy'East (Mt Hood), and it's a great to have camps for all ages as well.  My daughter Mary helped plan activities, so invited me to lead two creative workshops. In the first, Heart's Ease, we identified several things which weigh on our hearts, and found images for antidotes. We used color and shape for the 'weights', then cut images from magazines and calendars to collage on card stock! Heart's Ease participants The shares and check in at the end are always so touching! And it's always fulfilling to hear that our time together was conforting and helpful. Sarah's Heart's Ease altar Sunshine began folding cranes, and she and Sarah took a major walk, and continued working of their 3-D pieces after lunch! Zander (12) enjoying a walk It is special to share camp time with...

 This summer, a small group from our church read local author Randy Woodley's book, Becoming Rooted, a small book of daily reflections from an indigenous perspective.  At the end of our time together, we decided to seek out other books from native authors, and I found A Cherokee Book of Days (Joyce Sequichie Hifler).  Clematis Ville de Lyon   For October 20th, Joyce invites us to watch the season come on with peace, as da na li s da yu hu s gv - a feast for the soul.  'The island in the Mississippi are our gardens, where the Great Spirit caused berries, plums and other fruits to grow in abundance .... Black Hawk Last week, several from our group visited the lovely Chachalu  Museum and Cultural Center at the nearby Grand Ronde reservation, enjoying the exhibits and stories, with Alaskan native, Crystal as our guide.  The Yamhill Kalapooia called their valley Chachalu, place of the burnt timbers, from a wildfire that burned through the Grand Ronde Valley...

  The threads of Healing and creativity run strong in our family line; massage, midwifery, growing and using herbs, color, crafts, music...  My mama Lois and I traded back and foot rubs through my childhood; my dad Byrle and I sang in the church choir. I took piano lessons from an excellent teacher, Marion Coe, accompanied our girls choir, and in college I was an education major, with a music minor.   I always identified as an artist, and as a healer, becoming a massage therapist in the early 80s.  I took up the harp a decade later, and in 2015, I enrolled in the 9 month Color of Woman coursework, and certified as an Intentional Creativity teacher and coach, painting and keeping an art journal, and began offering creative circles monthly, and several longer painting classes throughout the year. In 2020, a sister teacher and I began offering the circles via zoom, and have built a sweet international group.  Art Cart One of the things I love about our Intent...

 This weekend, my son-in law assembled my new Greenhouse, with help from my daughter!  Matt, Nadya and Greenhouse I was excited to find this one for a good price (plus free shipping and $100 discount!) in early fall, and this winter my tender plants will have protection without taking up space on Matt's workbench in the garage! We moved around 70 pots last fall, and I jotted down garden dreams  ... I thought of a polytunnel, so happy to *finally* have a greenhouse!!  4x4" Base I suggested we site it between the fence and shed on the SE side of the back garden for warmth and protection from the elements.  Matt laid gravel and put down a frame of 4×4s, to which he'll attach the little structure for more stability. Zander helped distribute the gravel! Matt began assembling the frame and panels yesterday morning while we were at church and listening to stories from Hibakusha, survivors of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima.   The delegates are visiting from J...

 The monthly gathering of our singles group was a harvest potluck Saturday evening, and our hostess Lynn asked me to bring GF Cornbread, to pair with the bean Chili she made. I used my GF sourdough starter, and increased it the night before, adding sufficient flour and water for 1 1/3 Cup of batter, reserving 1/3 Cup in the morning for the next batch.  Gluten free starter   To the remaining starter, add an egg (or flax egg - 1 Tbsp flax in 2 Tbsp water),  and 2 Tbsp melted coconut oil.  1 Cup sourdough Egg or Flax egg 2 Tbsp coconut oil, melted 1/2 C corn flour/ cornmeal 1/4 C coconut flour 1-2 Tbsp sugar 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp baking powder Mix dry ingredients into wet, adding a bit more liquid or cornmeal as needed, to get a stiff dough.  Let rise 20 minutes or so, shape into balls to fit your muffin cups (3/4 full) Let rise again 10 minutes or so.  I preheat my Air fryer 340° for a few minutes, then set cups on the rack (4-5) and bake (in batches) 18-20...

 This morning I decided to make a batch of Elderberry syrup with fresh berries from our black lace Elder mama tree.  Elder tree mother and herbs I looked up several recipe/ tutorials, and decided to add other adaptogens (herbs that protect us from stress and disease) : several large Rose hips, ahandful of Ivan's Belle berries (Rowan/hawthorn cross) ginger, astragalus, Cinnamon and licorice. Adaptogens are tonic herbs which can be used daily, and boost our bodies' general health and immunity.  Elderberries and rose hips Elderberry (Sambucus nigra) is high in phytonutrients, vitamin C, flavanoids and fiber, acts as an antioxidant, promotes heart health, lowers inflammation and stress, helps the respiratory system and lungs, boosts the immune system, aids blood sugar and pain management.  Astragalus is an antioxidants that inhibits free radical production, and has long been used in TCM. It can help protect us from colds and influenza, and can help the liver, spleen, k...

 One of the fall treats in Yamhill County (which is named for the local indigenous tribe) is our Art Harvest Studio tour, when a number of local Artists open their studios to guests for two weekends! Some of Charles' unique vessels This weekend, I visited several on Saturday,  and Sunday, my friend Audrey and I visited: • Britt Block (pastels) • Charles Gluskoter (pottery - I now have two of his bowls plus a baking dish! )  • Leo Sherrin (mixed media, masks - wow!!!)  • Reetsie Fuller (etched gourds)  Matson pottery (80s) It is so delightful to see the spaces in which inspiration comes, and where art is created - sometimes, the whole home is a work of art! For a couple of the older artists, this is the last year they participate.  Charles Gluskoter - living/ dining room I"ve dreamed of being on the tour, especially after my Color of Woman teacher  training (Intentional Creativity) certification in 2015. Before Lockdown, my art was in a couple of galle...

 Our last Edible Landscaping event was a Garden Fair in the spring, where we passed out over 3000 seedlings to eager gardeners, young and old! I loved watching Master Gardeners, who had a booth at our fair, perusing the offerings for unusual plants! Edible Landscaping Volunteers tend 28 box gardens along Alpine Street, on the North side of McMinnville (zone 8b)  The garden boxes all look great, and there's plenty of produce available to anyone for harvest! It's fun to stroll from 6th to 13th street with your bag or basket, and see what's available! You can sample things you haven't grown, see their habit,  and consider what to grow in your own garden! Saturday, we offered fresh pressed apple cider, free produce and seeds our fall Harvest festival! I stopped to snip some herbs from the Tea Garden box I tend, and my friend Miranda snapped this picture! Nadya at the Tea Garden Board members collected produce from venders at the Thursday Farmers market, Kramers Nursery do...

 A year ago this week, John and his backhoe were here, beginning to dig the footprint for Rose Cottage in my daughter's backyard! Rose Cottage footprint We spent much of August and September 2022, dethugging, curating and purging,  in preparation for the move ! I help so blessed to be able to live next to my daughter and her family, and for all their help on making that possible! We sorted (Mary and I) - my son- in law Matt made thrift store and dump runs, and stacked boxes, paintings and furniture in storage. Percy and I tucked in at 'the big house' (my little dog Gracie was with us through November - at 15, she had been a great companion and we miss her!), and over the next 6 months,  watched Rose Cottage emerge! View from my grandson's window - Feb By mid April, we passed all the inspections, and it was time to move in!! I'd ordered my first new bed since childhood, and we began getting things out of storage. I shopped a bit, Mary found several tall bookshelves o...