Rose Cottage

 One of my Reset tasks this weekend has been cleaning the fridge! I moved into Rose Cottage 10 months ago, and have done spot cleans - one shelf or drawer at a time as I emptied a container or cleaned out the veggie drawer, but it was time for a thorough go!  Tuesday - before You know the drill - turn it off, empty the contents (into a cooler, if it's going to take awhile! ), wash drawers and any organizers, wipe down shelves, walls and gasket! I did the main shelves Saturday, and saved the door for today.   I have a random selection of clear shelf organizers, so put them in the dish pan and gave them a good wash.  Compost went into my under sink container, then out to out bin.   ' After ' Don't you love a clean and reorganized fridge?!! The oddest one I ever saw was in the home of a friend's aunt - one lazy Susan on each shelf, and all items on one of those lazy Susan's! Way to OCD for me - but necessary for her!  Natural cleaning products I lo...

 An Herb Spiral is a common feature in permaculture gardens. Several herb plants have been in pots for quite awhile,  and I'd already planted some herbs in the bed to the left of my door, so decided that was a good place to add a spiral!  New Herb Spiral In her Lovely Greens blog ,  Tanya Anderson of wrote, "One of the smartest ways to grow herbs is in an herb spiral. Situated in a sunny location close to your home, they create micro-climates that allow you to grow many herbs within the same small space.  Typically made of bricks or stone, it winds up from the ground in a small spiral mound. Herbs that like more sun and drier feet get planted at the top. Plants that like moister soil and a little shade go towards the bottom. The sun also heats it through the day, releasing that warmth through the night." Rock pile under Elder The flat bed 'before' had the topset leeks, parsley, Chives, Rue, pansy, (Good King Henry - a perennial spinach) and celery Parsley, Alliu...

 It's been getting colder and fall rains have begun.  Matt brought in the summer hanging baskets, and I added some of my tender perennials to the greenhouse.  First plants in the greenhouse After several rainy and blustery days, it cleared up, and I decided today was a good day to rake leaves, and cozy-up the greenhouse.  I watched several videos on using a composter in our by the greenhouse for winter warmth, and decided to give it a try! Lime, Tea tub and bistro I began by moving in the tub of tender perennials, & created a cozy nook with the Bistro table and a chair.  Leaves and compost I raked dogwood leaves - and reflected on how much I enjoyed doing that with my dad each fall. I packed some in the bottom of a 3 gallon pot, then added about a gallon of partly broken down compost from the bin (plus worms and black soldier fly larvae!) & then another layer of leaves. Compost Corner I set the compost pot into the hardware cloth cage Zander and I made ...

 Our Edible landscape festival mid May was a lovely, well attended event, and we gave away most of the 3000+ starts we brought! It was Hot - I was so glad we had an event tent Edible Landscaping booth   A few weeks before, we weeded our beds along Alpine, and covered each with compost from EL founder, Ramsey McPhillips. He also had a booth at the festival, and was giving out coffee sacks with some of his black gold - I was tickled to take one home for my own poteger.  Garden gold - compost We volunteers took home our own curated caches of starts, and I planted some of mine in a galvanized trough I'd picked up from the feed store. I also got a Rosemary and several raspberry starts, which were donated by a local nursery.  We intend to set up a new raspberry patch in the back garden, so this gives us a start.  Salad garden and herbs in pots This week I headed back to the Tea Garden I'm tending on Alpine with a couple of watering cans - and it's growing beautifully...

  I'm excited - and a little nervous - to be cofacilitating this year's February Reset. We met (via zoom) last night, and will record our opening circle tomorrow.  The group description begins, 'creating conscious corners with our homes - think of this, what if your whole home was a sacred space?'   I love this focus! And have been joting down ideas, and putting my bits on the calendar.  Intentional Creativity invites us to begin by setting intentions - many of us will pull out a journal for notes and creative process!  Some inquiries to ask as we embark :  Why  do I want to dethug and reset? What  do I wish to create space for?  What  blocks my process/ progress?  Who  - what matters most to  me  about my space? Who  (what items) am I 'renting space' to - (do I like the 'tenants?' Would I invite them again?) When  - what time and energy can I devote to the process? How  - what strategies will I employ,...

 A new house includes gardening in a new spot!  My daughter and son-in law moved here 13 years ago, and have gardened off and on throughout that time.  It's a double lot, with the garden area fenced. Small fruit include a row of blueberries, raspberries, a couple of grape vines on arbors, and a rhubarb.  There's an artichoke patch, a lovely Rosemary and several other herbs. The border the veggie area, which has had several configurations.  Artichoke patch My younger grandson and I began a no dig bed last summer, and planted greens and tomatoes. They learned about food security and planted seeds each day at VBS (vacation bible school), so we gave the marigolds, beans and sunflowers a home. Plant station At my old house, I potted up perennial veggies and herbs, and kept new plants in pots - my dear son-in law brought them over on his truck - several loads! Some will remain in pots, and others planted out as the garden expands. I brought tender perennials into the ...