nefaeria

The Milk Stone ;)

2012-02-02T08:00:00.002-05:00

Some More New About Monsanto...

2012-02-02T06:35:00.000-05:00

Monsanto gives up on French GM maize

Biotech giant Monsanto has announced it is giving up on plans to sell genetically modified (GM) maize in France, despite winning a key court ruling last year.

In November, France’s highest court overturned the 2008 ban on cultivating Monsanto’s MON810, an insect-resistant strain of maize which is grown in several European countries. The court ruled that the Government had not produced enough evidence to back its claims that the GM crop posed a significant risk to health or the environment.

That ruling was prompted by a European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruling in September, in a case brought by Monsanto.

But earlier this month French environment and agriculture ministers revealed that, despite the ruling, they were planning to reintroduce the moratorium on MON810 maize before spring sowings start.

This has proved to be the final straw for Monsanto, which said this week that it had no longer had any plans to market its GM maize in France.

Read the rest of the article here. :D

Now if only the fuckers would go belly up!

Sláinte!

Laurel

Imbolc Blessings

2012-01-31T06:00:00.003-05:00

original photo by Tobias Vemmenby

Rich meanings of the prophet-Spring adorn,
Unseen, this colourless sky of folded showers,
And folded winds; no blossom in the bowers.
A poet's face asleep is this grey morn.

Now in the midst of the old world forlorn
A mystic child is set in these still hours.
I keep this time, even before the flowers,
Sacred to all the young and the unborn;

To all the miles and miles of unsprung wheat,
And to the Spring waiting beyond the portal,
And to the future of my own young art,

And, among all these things, to you, my sweet,
My friend, to your calm face and the immortal
Child tarrying all your life-time in your heart.

~In February by Alice Meynell

I love this time of year. Imbolc is a sacred day in my faith, but I also love knowing that the signs of Spring are just around the corner. This is real good news for us gardeners who are just itching to get our hands in the dirt once again!

In the meantime I have plenty of cleaning and preparation to do for our celebration of this day. So I will leave you with a beautiful version of the song Gabhaim Molta Bride {I praise Brigid} performed by Claire Roche. Lyrics and a nice translation can be found over at Gaol Naofa

~AND~

A link to the new Tairis Tales blog, which holds a collection of Gaelic legends & lore. It can be found here {and I nominate Heelan Coo as the best web address of 2012! *moo*}.

A Blessed Imbolc to you & yours. :)

Sláinte!

Laurel {& Aymi}

Luverly of the Week: Brigid by Emily Balivet

2012-01-30T08:23:00.004-05:00

{Brigid by Emily Balivet}

Emily Balivet is definitely one of my favourite artists! We have a few of her prints and this is yet another one to add to our walls. ;) Her Council of Cernunnos was featured as a Luverly of the Week back in April 2009.

Sláinte!

Laurel

Once a Goddess by Sheila R. Lamb

2012-01-30T05:57:00.030-05:00

Recently I read a novel by Sheila R. Lamb entitled Once a Goddess which is the first installment of what is to be a trilogy on Brigid of Ireland. As the title notes, the trilogy starts of with a focus on Brigid as a Goddess. The next book in the series is about Brigid as a Druid, and is expected to come out in the Summer of 2012; the final book will be about her as a Saint, and a release date is yet to be determined.

Here is a mini bio about the author from her site:

Sheila Lamb is an MFA candidate at Queens University of Charlotte. Her stories have appeared in Steel Toe Review, Soundzine, Referential Magazine, Santa Fe Writers Project, and elsewhere. Her short story Swim is a Pushcart nominee.

Sheila writes across a wide variety of genres, including short fiction, historical fiction, and educational curricula. A former history teacher, she has traveled throughout Ireland and participated in the Achill Archaeological Field School. She’s now a librarian and is currently at work on the rest of the Brigid trilogy as well as a short story collection.

You can find out more about her other published works and see her nifty blog on her website as well.

While some folks might disagree with the author's representations of Brigid as "aspects", as opposed to the Goddess and Brigid of Kildare being two completely different personalities, I hope that this wouldn't detour them from giving this book a try. {I lean towards thinking that they are two individuals and I enjoyed reading it nonetheless.}

The setting of the book is taken from The First Battle of Mag Tuired & The Second Battle of Mag Tuired, during which the Tuatha Dé Danann have a whole bunch of drama with the Fomorians and Fir Bolg.

It is no small task to take on such myths, put your own spin on it, and to do it well. Add into the mix picky readers such as myself and you've got a mountain to climb. Sheila has done a wonderful job filling in the gaps that one tends to find in many myths. With her insertion of more back story and "mundane" emotions, I think that most readers could relate to the characters quite easily.

There were a couple "who's who" mix-ups in the book, such as Morrígan being portrayed as a Fomorian instead of one of the Tuatha Dé Danann. This did irk me a bit, but most readers probably wouldn't care {I freely admit that I am a snob in this department!}. Overall though I think that this book is beautifully written and it is evident that a lot of love went into creating it.

If you like Irish mythology, are a devotee to Brigid, or if you simply enjoy reading "Goddess" genre, you should definitely give Once a Goddess a read. It is available in both paperback and ebook formats.

Sláinte!

Laurel

Farmers vs. Monsanto {in the U.S. Court System}

2012-01-27T06:59:00.006-05:00

If you find yourself in NYC on January 31st, this event looks like the place to be:

On January 31st, family farmers from across the county will take part in the first phase of the OSGATA et al. v. Monsanto court case filed to protect farmers from genetic trespass by Monsanto's genetically modified (GMO) seed, which can contaminate organic and non-GMO farmers' crops and open them up to abusive lawsuits.

As a result of aggressive lawsuits against farmers with contaminated crops, Monsanto has created an atmosphere of fear in rural America and driven dozens of farmers into bankruptcy.

But farmers are fighting back!

The Federal District Court judge has agreed to hear oral arguments in this landmark case to decide whether or not this case will move forward.

Occupy Wall Street Food Justice, Occupy Big Food and Food Democracy Now! will assemble in solidarity with farmers on the front lines of the struggle against corporate domination of our food system.

There is more info on the actual case at Organic Seed Growers and Trade Association, Food Democracy Now!, and from the Public Patent Foundation website:

In March 2011, PUBPAT filed suit on behalf of 60 family farmers, seed businesses and organic agricultural organizations against Monsanto Company to challenge the chemical giant's patents on genetically modified seed. The organic plaintiffs were forced to sue preemptively to protect themselves from being accused of patent infringement should they ever become contaminated by Monsanto's genetically modified seed, something Monsanto has done to others in the past. The case, Organic Seed Growers & Trade Association, et al. v. Monsanto, was filed in federal district court in Manhattan and assigned to Judge Naomi Buchwald. In June, 2011, 23 additional plaintiffs were added to the suit, bringing the total number to 83.

PUBPAT encourages the public to not buy any products made with corn, soy, sugar, canola, cotton or alfalfa unless you are certain it was made without any use of genetically modified seed. If you're not sure, call the manufacturer and ask. If they can't or don't give you a straight answer, then don't buy their product. The proponents of genetically modified seed have vigorously opposed labeling of genetically modified food here in America (although Europe and Asia have such labeling), so to make this effort easier on your fellow Americans, once you know whether certain products are derived from genetically modified seed or not, spread that information so others know. Increasing consumer awareness and demand for food not derived from genetically modified seed, even slightly, will increase the supply of the food we want, which will reduce prices and increase availability. If you want to purge genetically modified food from society, you can help do so every time you go to the grocery store or a restaurant. It's your money, spend it as you see fit.

PUBPAT also posted some interesting pieces from CBS news:

Definitely some food for thought.

Sláinte!

Laurel

B is for Brat Bríde {Pagan Blog Project}

2012-01-27T04:00:00.000-05:00

{Brigid at Imbolc by Carey A. Moore}

{I just found out about the Pagan Blog Project and thought that I would have a go at participating. If you're a Pagan blogger you should consider signing up to participate too!}

Since it's almost Imbolc and this week's letter is "B", there is no way that I could have done this post without having Brigid as a part of it. I figured I would post one of my favourite Imbolc customs, laying out a brat Bríde {Brigid's mantle}.

A tradition from Ireland is for women to leave a piece of clothing, ribbon, or a piece of fabric out on the eve of Imbolc for Brigid to bless when she stopped by their house. Once blessed, it was then supposed to have healing and/or protective powers.

Midwives would use them to aid in the birthing process of their clients, and was a talisman for healing all sorts of ailments, such as headaches. It was also used by some for protection from the evil eye, maintaining a girl's virginity, to keep children from getting lost, and apparently was used for when cattle gave birth.

There were almost as many different rules on how to keep a brat Bríde as there were uses, and it pretty much depended on where in Ireland the tradition was being practiced. Some folks would only put out an item that was not cleaned to be blessed, and there were some who thought that the brat would loose its effectiveness once it was cleaned, post blessing. Another guideline was that the brat had to be put out every year, while others thought that the article would always hold its power, or would reach its full potential once left out for seven consecutive years.

To me personally the most important rule is to make Brigid's stop over a warm and hospitable one. One does not need a proper hearth to make it cozy for her, but some food and drink will definitely help. ;)

Obviously this was a custom practiced by Catholics for Saint Brigid, and there is speculation by some that many of the Imbolc traditions are carry over practices from pre-Christian times. There is probably no way of really knowing, but I don't see why this isn't a suitable custom for the Goddess Brigid as well.

Sláinte!

Laurel

Some Inspiring & Interesting Articles

2012-01-25T07:30:00.006-05:00

I thought that I would share a few great articles that have come across my path in the last little while.

First up is a freshly published article from Shameless Mag called The New Face of Farming, about young Canadian women in sustainable agriculture.

Thanks to Seren over at Tairis for originally posting a link to Rethinking Imbolc by Mary Jones. It's an excellent and timely read for Pagans.

And thanks to Jasmine of The Dreaming Chaos Speaks for introducing me to the article You Can’t Google it and Get it Back: Why the Death of Tribal Languages Matters by Joanna Eede.

Jasmine made a video {posted below} starting a discussion about what types of measures can be taken to preserve tribal languages and cultures. This is something that I hope to touch on outlining some of my ideas at some point in the near future.

Sláinte!

Laurel

Luverly of the Week: Winter Treats by Tatiana Bulyonkova

2012-01-16T12:23:00.002-05:00

{photo by Tatiana Bulyonkova}

Freezing Weather, Warm Hearts

2012-01-16T11:00:00.004-05:00

I hope that all of our readers had a wonderful holiday and are having a great 2012 so far! The last few weeks have been a blend of merriment, exploration and a little hard work.

Being Winter in Northern Ontario, it is safe to say that it has been very cold with plenty of the white stuff on the ground. So lots of shoveling, with the reward of some hot cider after battling with the piles of snow. ;)

We have been settling nicely into our new place, but one of the few drawbacks here is some of the windows are old and do not keep the heat in. This is something our landlord promised to remedy next Spring. One of the nice surprises is the visits from Old Jack Frost...his kisses look like a woodland scene to me. <3

Besides getting to know the quirks of our house, I have been braving the cold to explore our new area a little more. Which reminds me, if you live in a similar climate, nothing keeps tootsies warm like alpaca socks {!!!}. Every year we get a few pairs, and they are purchased from the wonderful folks at Back to the Garden Alpacas as well as Misty Haven Alpacas.

The lake has been completely transformed from this to what I can only describe as a ghostly tundra.

But our lane way definitely looks more welcoming.

A little while back, Ms Graveyard Dirt put a call out encouraging Pagans, Witches and other lovely magical folks to have a "Holy Supper" in honour of the Ancestors. {This is something that my household does around Yuletide anyways, especially since the passing of my Grandparents. Even though this isn't one of the cross-quarter days that I technically celebrate, Christmas has always been a tradition in my family, and a holiday that I know was important to my "immediate" Ancestors.} Anyhoo, I thought that this was a wonderful idea and signed up to participate.

While we did set food aside as offerings during our family Christmas dinner, I do like to have another one where our Ancestors are the guests of honour. Plus, that means more feasting and merriment for us. ;)

So I went at it in the kitchen,

{some of the last of our carrots from last year's garden}

and brought out our best and favourite dishes,

{a house warming gift from a friend. ain't it purrty? :D}

and ended up having colcannon, roast veggies, stuffing, oatmeal biscuts, mincemeat tarts, shortbread, along with plenty of mead, cider & whiskey.

Queen of baking I am not, so when something I bake turns out well I get a little giddy. This was the case for the shortbread I made, so I thought that I would share the recipe.

There are a few Irish cream shortbread recipes online, and this is my spin on it. I started with a part of a shortbread recipe found in Irish Food and Cooking by Biddy White Lennon & Georgina Campbell.

Irish Cream Shortbread

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup butter, softened
6 tbsp sugar*
3 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
6 tbsp Baileys Irish Cream

In a bowl cream sugar and butter. Whip up until it's light and fluffy. Then stir in vanilla and almond extracts along with the Irish cream. Add in flour and cocoa butter and work the mix {I find this is a job for bare hands} until it's smooth. Place dough in an oiled 9 inch pie plate and bake at 350 for about 25-30 minutes.

*the recipe in Irish Food and Cooking called for caster sugar, but Cocoa Camino's cane sugar worked fine for me.

Well, that is all for now. Stay warm folks!

Sláinte!

Laurel

Yuletide Blessings!

2011-12-25T06:03:00.001-05:00

The light of the growing days to you,
The warmth of home and hearth to you,
The cheer and goodwill of friends to you,
The love of the Ancestors and the Gods give peace to you.

{a revised Irish Christmas blessing}

We wish our all of our readers warm hearths and hearts, and all of the best for 2012!

Sláinte!

Aymi & Laurel

Happy Shiny People {& Goats!}

2011-12-24T06:23:00.003-05:00

Sherry & Yan - Piebird B&B from Patrick Gilbert on Vimeo.

Just a video of awesomeness of the folks of Piebird/Soggy Creek. Also check out an article of Yan's that I posted earlier this year.

Sláinte!

Laurel

Winter Once Again

2011-12-22T06:12:00.001-05:00

{royalty free photo}

I have tidings for you;
the stag bells,

winter snows,
summer has gone.

Wind high and cold,
the sun low,
short its course,
the sea running high.

Crimson the bracken,
it has lost its shape,
the wild goose has raised
its accustomed cry.

Cold has seized
the birds' wings,
season of ice,
these are my tidings.

~Ninth Century Irish Poem

Winter Solstice at Newgrange Live Webcast

2011-12-20T20:54:00.006-05:00

Thought that this might of interest to some of our readers....

The 2011 Winter Solstice Sunrise Illumination at the Newgrange World Heritage site will be broadcast live by Heritage Ireland on December 21st from about 8:30am.

The Winter Solstice illumination at Newgrange was first was streamed live on the internet in 2007. Victor Reijs has posted a six minute compilation on YouTube of the one hour OPW (Office of Public Works) streamed video.

On the 21st of December the 5000 year old technology worked beautifully, with the winter solstice sunrise beam of golden light filling the Newgrange passage and chamber, however the 21st century webcast streaming technology struggled to cope when the maximum expected number of viewers exceeded 300,000.

You can find out more at Newgrange.com. Oh, at it starts at 8:30 am Ireland time. ;)

Sláinte!

Laurel

Luverly of the Week: Snowy Crow by Keven Law

2011-12-19T11:30:00.000-05:00

{photo by Keven Law}

Guilty Pleasures: Xmas Shows From My Youth

2011-12-17T15:44:00.001-05:00

I'll admit it. There are a handful of really, really, really obnoxious Christmas shows that I enjoy watching. They are over-the-top either in the sappy or tacky department {often both!}, but isn't that what this time of year is all about? ;)

Christmas shopping, dinner at the in-laws, and 20 feet of snow not skeery enough for you? Give Gremlins a whirl!

If you want to laugh at other peoples' holiday horrors there is always National Lampoons' Christmas Vacation & A Christmas Story.

Or if you prefer to see villains change their ways you could watch How The Grinch Stole Christmas & Mickey's A Christmas Carol.

There is also the Muppet Christmas Carol,

A Charlie Brown Christmas,

& Frosty the Snowman

But my favourite is definitely Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer which has an awesome overload of bad music and funny animation! <3

{original image source}

*********

Sláinte!

Laurel

Woodland Critter Tree

2011-12-12T13:48:00.003-05:00

We were hoping to find another potted evergreen tree for this Yuletide that we could eventually replant. All the ones in our area have been sold, so we just decorated the Norfolk Island pine that we purchased last year.

Over the last year we kept "Norbert" as we would any other indoor plant and has done quite well. One thing we noticed with this type of tree is that you have to be pretty careful while decorating it as their branches seem quite delicate. So no crazy heavy ornaments or lights.

Besides pretties such as wee pine cones and acorns, old xmas card cut outs are light enough for the branches. Free, quick & repurposed...what's not to love? ;)

Sláinte!

Laurel

...a musical interlude...

2011-12-08T20:00:00.000-05:00

Just some luverly music. I hope that you folks enjoy. :)

Sláinte!

Laurel

*********

We Actually Have Things in Our Etsy Shop

2011-12-06T16:38:00.007-05:00

It has been ages since anything has been added to our little Etsy shop. But I have just added a few items and I will hopefully be posting some more tomorrow. All the items so far are just vintage pretties.

Wee Vintage Bunny Mug

Vintage Doggy Planter

Trio of Retro Soup Bowls

Sweet Vintage Gingham Apron

Colourful Vintage Tea Towel

Sláinte!

Laurel

Hand Painted Raven Bodhrán by Brigid Ashwood

2011-12-05T08:49:00.008-05:00

Hand Painted Raven Bodhrán by Brigid Ashwood

A little too pretty to take a tipper too, but if I had an extra $600, this would be hanging on my wall! It's a good thing that she has prints of the gorgeous ravens for a more affordable $15. ;)

There are plenty of other luverlies in Brigid Ashwood's shop as well. Here are just a few:

Sláinte!

Laurel

Garden Report for 2011

2011-12-01T10:17:00.007-05:00

I think that this is the fourth season we have participated in the Growing Challenge {click here to see reports from other years and other posts on the topic}. I won't be mention every single thing we grew because I that would take more time than I have. All of herbs and perennials did great, which strikes a whole bunch off of the list. Below I think is just about everything else, although being as scattered as I am these days, I wouldn't be surprised if some were forgotten. As with other years I am doing the 1 to 5 rating system {1 lowest, 5 highest}.

Arugula

4. We enjoyed the New Sun arugula from Soggy Creek Seed Co.!

Beans {Bush & Pole}

5. I am totally in love with the French climbing pole beans that we got from the luverly folks at Plant Trees, It's Self Defense and the Purple Mustache pole beans from Soggy Creek Seed Co! <3 Our Scarlet Runners did well too, the Contender bush beans were great as ever, and I really enjoyed Tanya's Pink Podded and the Blue Jay bush beans as well. Hopefully we will have room for them all next year in our new garden!

Beets

5. With our soil finally up to snuff, we could really enjoy beautiful big beets! The ones from Soggy Creek were especially happy. :)

Carrots

4. Considering all the problems I have had with carrots on this property in the past, 4 might as well be a 10! This year's stars were the Atomic Reds & Cosmic Purples.

Cantaloupe

1. An epic fail. I am completely wet behind the ears when it comes to growing these. They barely even germinated.

Chard

5. Chard is usually reliable, but it was an especially great year for greens!

Cucumbers

4. We didn't grow too many but the Lemons were very happy!

Kale

5. Both the Dinosaur and Red Russian grew from Spring to final harvest.

Lettuces

5. Our lettuces were especially bountiful this year. The Learn to Dance With from Soggy Creek I think could survive just about everything and the old faithfuls lived up to their station! ;)

Melons

2. They eventually grew but had no chance to fruit. Another first try for me. Maybe I'll have better luck in 2012.

Mustards

4. There were some issues with loppers in late Spring, but were caught in time.

Nasturtiums

5. We have what seems a life time supply of nasturtium honey and poor man's capers thanks for the wonderful harvest.

Onions

4. Average harvest but no problems.

Parsnips

4. Not too shabby!

Peas

5. Peas for Peace were plentiful and the Devon peas were so pretty! :D

Potatoes

5. The pride of 2011! We will have tatters for the whole Winter.

Pumpkins

3.5 We love our Small Sugars, they are real troopers. Powdery mildew was more of an issue this year, otherwise it would have been a 4 or 5.

Radishes

4. Come July when everyone else seemed to bolt, our Crop Circles stayed tender and sweet.

Spinach

4. Some lopper issues but it kept on truckin' all Summer.

Sunflowers

5. Real beauties that had an earlier start this year. The Russian Mammoths that our Devon friends sent us stole our hearts. :)

Tobacco

4. This was our first time growing tobacco {wild} so it was a learning experience. They did so much better in the ground than they did in big containers. Duly noted for next year!

Tomatoes

5. What can I say? Our tomato plants ended up creating a wee jungle and had so much fruit. The Old Timers gained a spot in next year's garden and the Yellow Pears are still my favourite cherry tomato.

Turnips

5. Hobo turnips are my favourite turnip ever and they make great Jack-o'-Lanterns. And some of the White Eggs ended up being the size of a baseball. :D

Winter Squash

3. Most of our squashes got hit pretty hard by the powdery mildew which I think declined their fruiting potential. We still got crap loads, but not as much as previous years.

Zucchini

5. The only thing Strange about the Zucchini from Outer Space is how persistent it is. This stuff is darn prolific, darn tasty, and stands up to the nastiest powdery mildew. Next year I will make sure to give it plenty of more space because the plants like to take over!

*********

And there you have it. Now I am off to daydream about Garden 2012.

Sláinte!

Laurel

Water, Feathers & Another Jack.

2011-11-26T11:30:00.001-05:00

Things at the new stead were messed up for a bit due to a flood we had. The guy who installed the new bathtub forgot to do something with the flood guard {sorry folks, a plumber I am not} and a whole bunch of water ended up going through to the two floors below. Our landlord is great and got on it right away though. The issue was fixed and some more renos had to be done to make sure there would be no mold in the future. Bubble baths are now safe. :D

Speaking of water, our new home is right by the lake and there is a public beach is just around the corner.

Slowly we have been making the yard ours and we have big plans for this small space {a post and photos to come eventually}. There are a lot of trees surrounding us, but not many on our actual property, so we put up our bird feeder in a temporary spot until we get one of those metal poles to put it on. All sorts of feathered and furry critters have been visiting, especially the chickadees.

As busy as these last few weeks were, I have been making sure to take some time every day to make offerings and devotionals to the Ancestors. Below is a picture of our little Ancestral altar with some offerings around the 6th or 7th of November.

This is at the base of the altar. Pictured is last year's Parshell Cross prior to being burnt at our friend's bonfire shindig.

And as promised, another picture of a turnip Jack-o'-Lantern. It is looking rather sad after being on the altar for a few days. :*(

That is all for now. I have some book reviews, the 2011 garden overview and some other news coming down the pipe soon.

Sláinte!

Laurel

This Clucker Has Found Her Head {I Think!}

2011-11-23T10:26:00.012-05:00

{tinkered royalty free photo}

When trying to take on too many things at once, it is inevitable that I will eventually be the proverbial chicken running with its head cut off. It might be great for a laugh for those around me who have mastered the skill of multitasking, but for me it is unproductive and eventually it all just falls to shit.

The only cure for this is a day off to breath and figure out what to tackle. Prioritize, or something like that. I took a few days just to be sure and am back on track.

So thanks to our readers for being patient for the lack of posts. I hope to be caught up soon! :)

Sláinte!

Laurel

Small Farm Rising

2011-11-09T06:16:00.003-05:00

I originally saw this trailer for Small Farm Rising over at the Cold Antler Farm blog. This looks like a pretty neat film and there are some great resources on the film's site as well.

Sláinte!

Laurel

Luverly of the Week: Morrigan by Morpheus Ravenna

2011-11-04T04:29:00.000-04:00

Morrigan by Morpheus Ravenna

I really like this depiction of The Morrígan. You can check out other pretties by Morpheus at her Etsy shop, Beansidhe Arts.

Witch Words

2011-11-04T01:58:00.011-04:00

A few years ago a person I knew had passed on Witchcraft: Theory and Practice by Ly de Angeles to me because it was "too dark" for her. Given that it is a Llewellyn book I found that rather odd and I really didn't have much hope in it {yeah, I am one of those "snobs" who doesn't care too much for that publisher}. So, I just tucked it away and it has been pretty much gathering dust since.

Just before our last move I was going through my books and I had noticed on the back of this book that fith-fath and fetches were covered and I decided to give her a read.

I have never read anything by Ly de Angeles before and haven't heard too many bad things about her; in fact I have seen her on some BTW recommended reading lists. I've gotta say that I was surprised to see that her approach and attitude is not the typical "cursing is bad m'kay" that I have come to expect in Llewellyn books. That scored a point or two.

But then I came to the section on Fith-Fathing. It opens with:

"This is one of the best enchantments that you can use to acquire or affect--anything. A fith-fath is also called a poppet or a dolly, though it doesn't always look figure-like unless your spell is specifically aimed at affecting another person..."

Ummm, huh? Fith-fath is a poppet? She must have been drinking the same kool-aid as Alex Sanders because I fail to see how someone with {apparently} 30-plus years of experience can get shape-shifting and effigy-making confused with one another.

Then a few pages later she does the same thing with fetches:

"You make a fetch (like you make a fith-fath), but they are not a representative of humanity..."

I have heard fetches being anything from some type of guardian spirit to a visible projection of a shape-shifter, but never anything to do with fetishes or effigies {of course I could be wrong so please feel free to correct me if I am!}.

I have yet to finish the book and I suppose I will grit my teeth and plough through it eventually. It is possible that if this kind of shit didn't irritate me so much, I would probably say that the book isn't a shabby read, even though it is clearly for Wiccans and I am not one myself.

...BUT...

This kind of shit does irritate me to no end. Really, there is no excuse for published authors at this point to make such big fuck ups like this. I think it is safe to assume that they now have access to viable sources to do their research and that if they don't use them they are just lazy.

Spreading misinformation and profiting from it is just bad, m'kay?

Sláinte!

Laurel

Lulzy Jacks

2011-11-01T06:34:00.006-04:00

Not very skeery are they? ;) One is made from a buttercup squash, the other from a turnip. Pictures of our other Jack-o'-Lanterns and Samhain mischief to come.

Sláinte!

Laurel

Samhain Blessings...

2011-10-31T08:30:00.002-04:00

{altered royalty free photo}

Tangled in root and thorn
Caressed by bracken and moss
Pools of blood and scratched flesh
A vessel of decay will go back to the
Land of Forlorn where
I will be blessed.

Midnight compass and guiding fire
Witching stang in black earth
The Antlered Brow rides high in the
Hunt for Souls...

Come catch me Wild Hunter!

I welcome the vibrant yelps of Your
Red-eared hounds
I relish in the trouncing hooves of Your
Frothing steed
I beckon the sounding of Your
Hunting horn.

Soon Death will find me and
I will return to my
Ancestral Home.

{from Samhain 2005}

*********

We wish all of our readers a wonderful Samhain & Hallowe'en! May your loved ones who have past be close to you, and the ones who still live be even closer.

Sláinte!

Aymi & Laurel

P.S.

of course some music! ;)

One of the Best Hallowe'en Costumes Ever...

2011-10-27T05:37:00.007-04:00

I think even the most serious witch secretly likes to dress up around this time of year, even if it is just to frolic at a secular party for a wee while. I am going out as a Raging Granny this year but lookie at this costume!

I heart Emma Goldman

There are some other pretty awesome costume ideas over at the website, Take Back Halloween.

Sláinte!

Laurel

Almost there...

2011-10-26T04:57:00.005-04:00

I forgot how long it can take to nest in a new place, but things are coming along. Hopefully everything will be unpacked and all the perennials replanted in the next few days so I can shift my focus to Samhain and projects that have sat on the back burner for a tad too long.

Sláinte!

Laurel

Some Final Harvests, a Graveyard Picnic & Crunchy Leaves

2011-10-15T10:59:00.004-04:00

Well, the movers are coming on Monday. Here I am down to the 11th hour and I still have some packing and garden chores to attend to. So what better way is there to procrastinate than to blog about them? ;)

I ended up digging up all of my perennials and they are now over all the new place. I am just going to bury them for the Winter and figure out where they will go after we have planned the new garden layout.

{not the most photogenic lot, but it is the Autumn after all. I suppose I wouldn't be looking my best either if I was disturbed and uprooted either! This is about a third of the perennials dug up}

I still have a few edibles in the ground such as turnips, beets, carrots and greens. There are also some plants that I need to collect seeds from. There is even the odd flower too!

{borage}

{last of the tomatoes}

{some pumpkins that were harvest a couple of weeks back and allowed to sit in the nice warm sun}

{sunflower harvest}

{the results of our last three tatter plants being harvested}

{a rather princely tatter}

{!!!}

{???}

{i luvs my purple carrots, even if they don't all come out purple!}

{someone needs to put their pants back on! :D)

Besides hauling off all the perennials off to the new place, we took some time to head off to the country to relax. We had a picnic in the family cemetery...

... and then we headed over to my Aunt Linda's for tea and a hike in her woods.

*********

Well, I suppose I should go and be productive or something. Keep your fingers and toes crossed for me. ;)

Sláinte!

Laurel

Luverly of the Week: Sounds Like Fall

2011-10-15T08:30:00.000-04:00

Joe Young of Sounds Like Fall

Joe Young is the man behind the brilliant music of Sounds Like Fall. He only has two albums out that I know of. Hopefully there will be more to come!

His albums are...

Early Recordings

The Wolf is at the Door

And this is one of my favourite songs by him, Wildwood Ashes. The perfect song to be listening to while curled up by a fire on a blustery Autumn day. :)

Sláinte!

Laurel

Cutest Donkey Ever! :D

2011-09-24T09:53:00.001-04:00

Moving 'Stead

2011-09-22T07:17:00.003-04:00

{royalty free photo}

The home that we are currently renting is being sold, so we have been busy looking for a new place to put our roots til we're ready to finally buy our dream stead. We have found a little house where there will be enough outdoor space to take all my perennials to and to have a respectable veggie patch as well.

So, things will probably be extra slow around here while we make the transition.

Sláinte!

Laurel

Wendy Babcock's Memorial & After Party Today

2011-09-15T06:39:00.006-04:00

{cover of the Spring 2010 issue of McClung's}

Today there will be a memorial service and after party for Wendy Babcock. Both events will be in Toronto: the memorial will be held in Allen Gardens Park {@ Carlton & Sherbourne} from 6 to 8 pm and the after party will be held a Buddies in Bad Times Theater {12 Alexander Street} from 9 pm to 2 am.

Dinner will be serves at the memorial, and there is also parental/guardian supervised child care and play area available at the memorial.

The after party is for folks 19 and over, where there will be performers, DJs, and music.

Both events are free, but folks are encouraged to pay what they can at the after party as a donation contributing to a plaque and park bench to be placed in Allen Gardens in Wendy's honour.

There is also another way that you can contribute financially to a cause in Wendy's honour...

Taking a plunge for Wendy

Those close to Wendy Babcock say she would never have jumped out of an airplane. But on Sept 12 Babcock's friend Lia Grimanis says Babcock was by her side as Grimanis glided to the ground after a skydive north of Toronto.

Taped to her arm was a picture of the two women, taken during a recent dirt biking trip. “Here’s to Wendy!” Grimanis shouted after she landed her "honour jump" at the Parachute School.

Babcock, who was found dead Aug 9, was a passionate local advocate for sex workers and a prominent voice for trans rights across Canada. She was well known on Toronto’s frontlines, ensuring that the city’s most marginalized street people don’t fall through the cracks.

“I wish she was here to see me today,” Grimanis said, choking back tears in a video of the jump. “Wendy would never have gone skydiving with me. She was absolutely terrified of some of the things I do. I was her scariest, most badass friend.”

Like Babcock, Grimanis was once homeless after she fled an abusive home at a young age. She is now a successful Toronto businesswoman and daredevil adventurer. Grimanis runs Up With Women, a non-profit organization she started to help homeless women and children rebuild their lives.

Her skydive kicks off a campaign to raise $10,000 for the new Wendy Babcock education fund for homeless youth.

She says any donations made through Up With Women between Sept 12-30 will be matched up to $5,000. All funds raised will be donated to Eva’s Initiatives, the group administering the fund.

The rest of the article can be read over at xtra! You can make a donation to the Wendy Babcock education fund over here.

Sláinte!

Laurel

In Praise of Summer

2011-09-11T07:01:00.007-04:00

I had meant to share this video in my last post because it pretty much sums up the feelings that the end of Summer conjures up in me.

IN PRAISE OF SUMMER
Mawl i'r Haf

Summer in paternal pride
Begets the trees' pleasing shade:
Forest-master, wood-watcher,
High tower, hill-thatcher,
Regal ruler, virile member
Blows the world from an ember.
Summer, source of wondering words,
Dwelling of each spreading wort,
Balm for growing, in a welter,
Ointment, bewitchment of the woods.

By god! Blessed is the hand
That gives growth to branches hard!
Earth's four quarters are impelled
To generate, on sweet impulse
Out of the earth, verdant crops,
Birds that burst to flying flocks,
Hay meadows, blown by breeze,
Hives, humming swarms of bees.
Foster-father, loving help
Of earth's loaded garden heap
And webs of leaves, a leafy graft.
A source of never ending grief:
How soon August comes, the brawler
Who tears down my lovely bower.
To know that all this green and gold
Must depart in mist and cold!

Tell me, Summer, to what place
Do you creep to hide your face --
When you leave, sowing woe
To what country do you go?

Summer answers: "Poet, cease,
Lest your praise should turn to curse.
Fate invites me, fate repels;
Spring surrenders, autumn rebels.
I must grow in but three months
Crops enough to fill your mouths,
And when the rooftree and the leaves
Are bundled close, like harvest sheaves,
I must escape the winter wind,
And enter Annwn , leave the world."

Blessings, tuned by every poet
Fall on you, as you depart:
Farewell, king of idylls;
Farewell, lord of the idle;
Farewell, cuckoos fledged;
Farewell, June's fields;
Farewell, sun climbing
And the plump, white-bellied cloud.

Bright captain sun, you shall not reign
So highly; drifting snow will ruin
Your handiwork. But meagre hopes
Will plant a garden on summer's slopes.

- Dafydd ap Gwilym, paraphrased by Giles Watson.

Giles Watson's YouTube channe l is a treasure trove of beautiful poetry, rich with Pagan imagery, folklore & mythology, agriculture and nature. Pretty much all of my favourite things! ;)

I Sing the Smith is probably the one that I love best...

Giles Watson also has amazing photography and poetry over at his Flickr accoun t, and some of you may also recognize him from when his A Witch's Natural History was published in The Cauldron.

When you get a moment, go check him out. :)

Sláinte!

Laurel

Galloping Towards Summer's End

2011-09-10T07:37:00.002-04:00

{probably the last monarch butterfly I will see this year}

The robins are starting to leave and the last few nights and early mornings I have been greeted with a chill in the air, cold enough to see my breath. We are bound to get some more warmth, but Summer is definitely coming to a close 'round these parts.

I did my first big wild tobacco harvest a few days agp and I am quite happy with how I did given it's my first time growing it. The plants we had in the ground got a lot bigger than the ones in containers though, so that is a lesson learned for next year.

We are still enjoying a steady harvest of most of the pretties we are growing.

I have been coming across the occasional oddity {below being this week's favourite...}

{a triad of entwined hobo turnips}

The pumpkins are getting ready to turn orange...

And the sunflowers are really going to town!

Frost and falling leaves are just around the corner!

Sláinte!

Laurel

Luverly of the Week: Forest Floor Fungi by ilya_ktsn

2011-09-04T08:00:00.001-04:00

photo by ilya_ktsn

This photo was taken in the beautiful Algonquin Provincial Park. Here are a couple more by ilya_ktsn:

Amanita muscaria

"wild mushroom"

And you can see the rest of the beautiful set here.

Sláinte!

Laurel

Green Tomatoes Can Be Yummy Too...

2011-08-31T09:19:00.002-04:00

While our tomatoes are ripening at a steady rate {I have noticed that heirlooms tend to be a little more friendly to the homesteader, ripening a bit at a time instead of all at once} we still have plenty of green tomatoes to enjoy as well.

A few years ago I posted some recipes for green tomatoes and here are a couple more for folks to try too. :)

Fried Green Tomatoes
{inspired by the recipe on page 71 from The Heirloom Tomato Cookbook}

6 large green heirloom tomatoes {we used Old Timers}, sliced 1/2 inch thick
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 cup red fife wheat breadcrumbs
1/2 cup unbleached flour {we are loving the flour from these folks!}
1/2 cup dried & powdered goat's cheese {we easily dried some of the hard batch a friend made for us}
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
enough veggie oil for frying {we used a nice sunflower oil}

Put dry ingredients in large bowl and mix together well. In another bowl pour buttermilk. Dip tomato slices first in buttermilk and then pat in dry mixture on both sides. Fry in a deep pan {everything tastes better in a cast iron pan ;) } for about one minute on each side. If using a heavier oil, you might want drain a little longer on paper towels.

*********

Green Tomato Mincemeat
{from my Granny's recipe box}

6 cups green tomatoes {we used Pink Lady, Old Timer, and Yellow Pear}, chopped
3 cups apples, peeled & chopped
3 cups brown sugar
3 cups raisins
1 1/4 cups cider vinegar
1 cup mixed candied citrus peels
1 cup candied cherries
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp mace
1/2 tsp dried ginger
1/2 tsp black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a large kettle {we used a slow cooker}. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered until thickened, about 2 hours {we just let ours cook for about 4 hours on the slow cooker, first on high for about a half an hour and then lower for the rest}. Pour into hot, sterilized jars and seal. Or cool, and pack into freezer containers and freeze for up to 1 year. Makes about 6 or 7 cups.

*********

Sláinte!

Laurel

Tatters!

2011-08-28T10:32:00.006-04:00

Yesterday two potato plants were pulled up and by the looks of it the Norlands are ready, but the Burbank Russets have a while to go. With some proper tatters I can now finally celebrate Lughnasadh {and just in time for blueberry season too!}. :D

Sláinte!

Laurel

Canucky Musical Awesomeness :D

2011-08-24T09:00:00.005-04:00

Some more films for your enjoyment:

Log Driver's Waltz

This lighthearted, animated short is based on the song "The Log Driver's Waltz" by Wade Hemsworth. Easily one of the most often-requested films in the NFB collection, Kate and Anna McGarrigle sing along to the tale of a young girl who loves to dance and chooses to marry a log driver over his more well-to-do competitor. Driving logs down the river has made the young man the best dancing partner to be found.

*********

{this next one will probably raise some hackles because of some of the historical claims and the parts where "The Celts" are lumped into one homogenized group. Please keep in mind that I am posting this film for its musical and cultural value.}

Celtic Spirits

In this feature-length documentary, two Cape Breton musicians visit Ireland and Scotland in search of their musical roots. Diving deep into Cape Breton music – from the past and present – Celtic Spirits also offers an intimate look at life in the region.

*********

Sláinte!

Laurel

More Sad News

2011-08-22T09:31:00.005-04:00

photo by mattjiggins

I am sad to hear that Jack Layton passed this morning after battling with cancer. I lived up the road from him and his wife Olivia Chow when they were both Toronto City Councillors, and they were lovely folks.

Jack would tip his hat at the ladies with his big grin and help older folks with their bags. I would have figured him to have just been a normal working class fellow if I didn't follow city politics or was not involved with activism.

Both Jack and Olivia could also be frequently seen enjoying the festivities at events such as the Kensington Market Festival of Lights and Toronto Gay Pride.

That was while ago though, and he was probably more popularly known as the leader of the Canadian NDP and more recently the Leader of the Opposition in the Federal Government.

Jack also wrote an excellent book Homelessness that is a must read for those who care about housing and homeless issues in Canada.

My warm wishes to his loved ones and supporters. He will be missed!

Sláinte!

Laurel

EDIT: I thought that I would add the last letter that he wrote to Canadians {courtesy of rabble.ca}.

Dear Friends,

Tens of thousands of Canadians have written to me in recent weeks to wish me well. I want to thank each and every one of you for your thoughtful, inspiring and often beautiful notes, cards and gifts. Your spirit and love have lit up my home, my spirit, and my determination.

Unfortunately my treatment has not worked out as I hoped. So I am giving this letter to my partner Olivia to share with you in the circumstance in which I cannot continue.

I recommend that Hull-Aylmer MP Nycole Turmel continue her work as our interim leader until a permanent successor is elected.

I recommend the party hold a leadership vote as early as possible in the New Year, on approximately the same timelines as in 2003, so that our new leader has ample time to reconsolidate our team, renew our party and our program, and move forward towards the next election.

A few additional thoughts:

To other Canadians who are on journeys to defeat cancer and to live their lives, I say this: please don't be discouraged that my own journey hasn't gone as well as I had hoped. You must not lose your own hope. Treatments and therapies have never been better in the face of this disease. You have every reason to be optimistic, determined, and focused on the future. My only other advice is to cherish every moment with those you love at every stage of your journey, as I have done this summer.

To the members of my party: we've done remarkable things together in the past eight years. It has been a privilege to lead the New Democratic Party and I am most grateful for your confidence, your support, and the endless hours of volunteer commitment you have devoted to our cause. There will be those who will try to persuade you to give up our cause. But that cause is much bigger than any one leader. Answer them by recommitting with energy and determination to our work. Remember our proud history of social justice, universal health care, public pensions and making sure no one is left behind. Let's continue to move forward. Let's demonstrate in everything we do in the four years before us that we are ready to serve our beloved Canada as its next government.

To the members of our parliamentary caucus: I have been privileged to work with each and every one of you. Our caucus meetings were always the highlight of my week. It has been my role to ask a great deal from you. And now I am going to do so again. Canadians will be closely watching you in the months to come. Colleagues, I know you will make the tens of thousands of members of our party proud of you by demonstrating the same seamless teamwork and solidarity that has earned us the confidence of millions of Canadians in the recent election.

To my fellow Quebecers: On May 2nd, you made an historic decision. You decided that the way to replace Canada's Conservative federal government with something better was by working together in partnership with progressive-minded Canadians across the country. You made the right decision then; it is still the right decision today; and it will be the right decision right through to the next election, when we will succeed, together. You have elected a superb team of New Democrats to Parliament. They are going to be doing remarkable things in the years to come to make this country better for us all.

To young Canadians: All my life I have worked to make things better. Hope and optimism have defined my political career, and I continue to be hopeful and optimistic about Canada. Young people have been a great source of inspiration for me. I have met and talked with so many of you about your dreams, your frustrations, and your ideas for change. More and more, you are engaging in politics because you want to change things for the better. Many of you have placed your trust in our party. As my time in political life draws to a close I want to share with you my belief in your power to change this country and this world. There are great challenges before you, from the overwhelming nature of climate change to the unfairness of an economy that excludes so many from our collective wealth, and the changes necessary to build a more inclusive and generous Canada. I believe in you. Your energy, your vision, your passion for justice are exactly what this country needs today. You need to be at the heart of our economy, our political life, and our plans for the present and the future.

And finally, to all Canadians: Canada is a great country, one of the hopes of the world. We can be a better one -- a country of greater equality, justice, and opportunity. We can build a prosperous economy and a society that shares its benefits more fairly. We can look after our seniors. We can offer better futures for our children. We can do our part to save the world's environment. We can restore our good name in the world. We can do all of these things because we finally have a party system at the national level where there are real choices; where your vote matters; where working for change can actually bring about change. In the months and years to come, New Democrats will put a compelling new alternative to you. My colleagues in our party are an impressive, committed team. Give them a careful hearing; consider the alternatives; and consider that we can be a better, fairer, more equal country by working together. Don't let them tell you it can't be done.

My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we'll change the world.

All my very best, Jack Layton

Bounty & Beauty {From the Garden}

2011-08-16T09:01:00.009-04:00

A part of me wishes that I could pause time to stay at this time of year. Even with sharing, donating, selling, swapping and preserving, we still have a crazy amount of fresh food and medicine from the garden.

When I first got into gardening, this time of year would stress me out. I would see all of this bounty ready to be harvested and I would think "WTF am I supposed to do with all of this?!?!". It still can be a bit overwhelming, but with some good planning that stress is no longer there. Plus, if I do find myself in the middle of the garden with that stress creeping up on me, I've gotta laugh at myself...I could be in the checkout line instead. Now I appreciate the hectic harvest for the blessing it truly is. :)

Here are a few photos of what has been going on in our little dirt patch!

The tomatoes have been a tad slow, but are coming along nicely.

{yellow pear tomatoes}

{old-timer tomatoes}

All of the hand-pollination has been paying off.

{acorn squash}

{small sugar pumpkin}

{strange zucchini}

We have been getting beans galore!

{either purple mustache of soggy creek or purple french climbing pole beans from devon. not sure, because they both look a lot alike and i was dumb and didn't put markers down. >:( }

{purple mustache pole beans & tanya's pink podded bush beans underneath}

The sunflowers are starting to show their pretty faces!

There have been all sorts of other pretty flowers too.

{wild tobacco}

{nasturtium}

{goldenrod from one of our wild parts of the yard}

{heavenly blue morning glory that ended up being pink}

{tri-colour morning glory}

{cardinal flower}

{daydream cosmos}

{balloon flower}

And here are a few shots of what we have been harvesting lately...

{beet greens, kale, nasturtiums, spinach, chard, arugula and different types of lettuce}

{purple mustache and french climbing pole beans, strange zucchinis, old-timer and pink girl tomatoes, and of course a sunflower}

{nasturtiums, carrots, turnips, beets, kale, squash & pumpkin blossoms, peppermint, and bush & pole beans}

Sláinte!

Laurel

Luverly of the Week: "For You" by Victor Bezrukov

2011-08-15T11:40:00.000-04:00

{photo by Victor Bezrukov}

a huge loss that has come way too soon.

2011-08-12T08:16:00.028-04:00

The last few days I have been riding out an onslaught of emotional extremes...from shock to deep sorrow to bitter regret. And there are many others who are probably feeling similar emotions over the loss of Wendy Babcock.

On Wednesday in the wee hours I got a call from a friend to give me the news that had died. At first I thought that it was just a twisted joke or a hoax. Then I spoke with others who had spoken to the police and coroner, which both confirmed her death. A small part of me still hoped that it wasn't real. Then after the media started, I had to accept the truth.

Police have said that foul play is not suspected. For this I am relieved. This doesn't change the fact that her death is a tremendous and terrible loss for those of us who loved her on a personal level, or who were inspired by her and her work. For me it is both.

I can't seem to be able to muster the words that would be worthy to commemorate her or to display why so many loved her and were inspired by her. She sure enjoyed having her picture taken though, and there are plenty that I think depict these reasons.

She was a riot- Once she started her antics, even those in the foulest of moods would be in a laughing fit.

{from Wendy's Facebook}

Her winsome smile- Many will say that Wendy always wore a smile, and I think it was to a large degree to hide the sadness she felt just underneath the surface. But she loved to make others feel welcome and at ease, and one would feel that way once she flashed her pretty smile.

{from Wendy's Facebook}

Her warm heart- Even if she didn't have a penny to her name, Wendy would find a way to help someone she saw in need. And even though she was often going through a hard time herself, she would almost always be there if you needed someone to talk to.

{from Wendy's Facebook}

Her incredible strength- I think most can't really fathom what it is like to face the hardships that were piled onto Wendy, yet she kept on fighting.

{Wendy & Val Scott on the cover of Xtra!}

Her tireless advocacy- Wendy lived, ate, and breathed for social justice. She was especially dedicated to harm reduction and advocating for those with mental health issues, the homeless, drug users, sex workers, and reforming the child welfare system. She kept a fire lit under our asses to help us keep up with her.

{photo by John Bonnar}

Her outspokenness- She had no issues with being public and expressing her views, some of which were unpopular. She put herself out there, regardless of how it may have effected her personal life. Even in more low key situations, Wendy would take the time to try and educate folks and challenge ignorance and intolerance wherever she saw it.

{photo by John Bonnar}

Here are some beautiful writings by others:

RIP Wendy Babcock

Wendy Babcock: Advocate, activist, mother and friend

Remembering and Celebrating Wendy Babcock

Wendy Babcock turned pain to inspiration

Rest well my sister...til we meet again.

Sláinte!

Laurel

Kanehsatake 270 Years of Resistance

2011-08-09T15:47:00.009-04:00

I am sure many people in Canada will remember the Oka Crisis. I was too young at the time to really appreciate the situation, and the media coverage I did see was not from the First Nations' perspective when it was happening.

Kanehsatake 270 Years of Resistance helped change that when I watched it in my early 20's. I just watched it again recently and it is still raises the hair on the back of my neck. Here is a little description of the film:

On a July day in 1990, a confrontation propelled Native issues in Kanehsatake and the village of Oka, Quebec, into the international spotlight. Director Alanis Obomsawin spent 78 nerve-wracking days and nights filming the armed stand-off between the Mohawks, the Quebec police and the Canadian army. This powerful documentary takes you right into the action of an age-old Aboriginal struggle. The result is a portrait of the people behind the barricades.

Sláinte!

Laurel

Places I Have Loved: Sweetman's Garden

2011-08-03T10:40:00.009-04:00

I have written about how Sweetman's Garden was at one time it was at risk of being compromised by the City. Thankfully it is safe. Well, for now at least.

It truly is an enchanting place, and I thought that I would share some photos I took when I visited there last week. I hope you all enjoy the little tour!

On the other side of this little cedar hedge is a whole other world...{the witchy part of me certainly appreciates this symbolism ;)}

The garden also has a program for kids to grow veggies :D

Sláinte!

Laurel

Happy Lughnasadh & Lammas!

2011-08-01T10:23:00.008-04:00

{royalty free photo}

On Tuesday of the feast at the rise of the sun,
And the back of the bountiful fruits to the east,
I will go forth with my basket under my arm,
And I will pluck up the fruit.
While the harvested fruit is in my grasp,
I will raise mine eye upwards,
I will turn me on my heel quickly,
Rightway as travels the sun
From the airt of the east to the west,
From the airt of the north with motion calm
To the very core of the airt of the south.
I will give thanks to the Hosts of grace
For the growing crops of the ground,
They will give food to ourselves and to the Tribe
According as They disposeth to us.
Macha, Airmid, Flidais and Bride,
Gods, Ancestors, and Nature Spirits kind.
~ {Laurel's} adaptation of a Reaping Blessing from Carmina Gadelica

May you all enjoy the bounty of the season!

Sláinte!

Aymi & Laurel

A Different Approach to Community Gardens

2011-07-29T07:34:00.005-04:00

This is a neat Peak Moment episode featuring an interview with Judy Alexander {she was in another episode a few years back called How Much Food Can I Grow Around My House? which is definitely worth a watch also} from the Local 2020 Food Resiliency Action Group in Port Townsend Washington, US.

Her organization's approach to community gardens is probably a little different to the ones we generally think of here in North America. It seems to work quite well, and being so hooked on the idea of community, I really dig this "model".

Sláinte!

Laurel

Quite Verdant

2011-07-28T13:33:00.003-04:00

I am finally getting around to updating on how our garden is growing. Overall things are doing well and the last couple of weeks has involved plenty of harvesting and fertilizing with comfrey.

We usually make comfrey fertilizer the old fashioned way, but discovered this quicker method about a month ago and have used it a few times. I think we are going to retire the longer, stinkier method.

We have yet another volunteer tomato that has popped up, this time it is growing out of our compost bin. :D

The flowers have been going ape shit...

{daylily}

{devon sweet peas}

{more devon sweet peas}

{yes, even more devon sweet peas}

{burbank russet tatter flowers}

{norland tatter flowers}

{tatter flowers are a great addition to a bouquet!}

One of the few disappointments so far this year is our cantaloup not germinating and just having a couple melon plants pop up. They are still rather puny and I don't know if we will get anything off of them.

However, the winter squashes, pumpkins, and zucchinis are all flowering and getting some assistance in the pollinating department.

And even though we have been getting so many hot days, the peas are still happy.

{a perfect pea for peace}

{beautiful purple devon pea}

We've harvested our first tatters!!!

{squash, zucchini & pumpkin blossoms. contender bush beans. norland & burbank russet tatters}

Here are a few more random shots...

{beets, carrots, turnips, nasturtiums, pole beans, potatoes, and wild tobacco in this bed}

{purple mustache pole beans}

{french climbing pole beans}

{tomatoes, zucchinis, winter squashes, sunflowers, and wild tobacco pictured}

That is all from our little patch of dirt for now. :)

Sláinte!

Laurel

Toronto's Mayor is Flushing the City Down the Shitter

2011-07-26T07:32:00.002-04:00

{artwork source}

A little while back I heard that the Mayor of Toronto, Rob Ford was proposing to cut funding to Riverdale Farm. My heart sank because I know the value of this place and I have a bit of a personal attachment to it and its surroundings.

I used to go to the Market there regularly and I would go to the Farm for a myriad of reasons...whether it was because I was feeling down, needed to be around the critters, or just to pass through while I was going to another place up the way for more "esoteric" purposes.

Then I began to hear of other cuts he intends to make. Some of these things include HIV/AIDS prevention projects, school breakfast programs, libraries, day care subsidies, drug prevention programs, public parks, fire and police services, snow removal, affordable housing, and other important services.

What really pisses me off is that he promised that no services would be cut while he was seeking election, AND he is couching these cuts as simple "efficiencies". He has talked about some fucking "gravy train" all this time, but the truth is that if there was any gravy to begin with, it was rid of thanks to Mike Harris and Mel Lastman in the '90s.

I have no intention of living in Toronto again, but it is my home town and many people I care about still live there. And it looks to me that Rob Ford wants to placate the fat cats and let the middle and lower classes sink. The thing is though, these cuts will make Toronto a real shithole for rich and poor alike.

He should be tarred and feathered.

Sláinte!

Laurel

Luverly of the Week: Amanda Palmer

2011-07-25T08:39:00.002-04:00

{photo source}

Amanda Palmer is one cheeky lass and I love her for it. Check out some of her stuff on YouTube and I think you will love her too. :)

Sláinte!

Laurel

Urban Cheesecraft

2011-07-25T08:28:00.003-04:00

I saw this on Etsy. I hope you enjoy watching! :)

Sláinte!

Laurel

Urban Cheesecraft from Etsy on Vimeo.

Back

2011-07-22T07:27:00.002-04:00

Hi folks! Sorry it has been so long since I last posted. I went away for most of last week and this week I haven't felt much like sitting in front of the puter.

I ran away to the woods to hang out with family last week, and besides the mosquitoes, and deer & horse flies it was very nice.

This is Ernest Grey {Ernie for short, of course}. He is a rescue from All Heart Pet Rescue in Powassan, where my Aunt got him last year. He is one of the coolest cats I have ever met and I was trying to plot with him on how I could sneak him home with me. I don't think he was too interested though...he has it awesome where he is. Besides, I don't think Ellios would appreciate it too much.

{he is a rather smug looking fellow...}

{...but his heart is really as soft as his paws.}

{Ernie & Niko relaxing on a warm afternoon}

There are a lot of beautiful gardens in the area and I was smitten with one place in particular {a friend of my Aunt's, who is one of the Master Gardeners in the area}...

{the sign has been partially blurred for privacy}

My Aunt's gardens are beautiful too, but I spent more time exploring the forest on her land and came across a few old faces ;)

{an old corn grinder?}

Not too far of a walk from my Aunt's there is an old logging shoot. A local told me that some folks go down it in rubber tubes. I don't know if he was pulling my leg or not, but I am pretty sure I wouldn't.

I will have garden updates and other stuff posted soon.

Sláinte!

Laurel

Stepping Out for a Few

2011-07-10T10:44:00.011-04:00

I am going away to civilization {read: the woods!} for a few days, so things will be quiet 'round here til then. See you when I get back.

Sláinte!

Laurel

Just Some More Garden Peektures & YumYums

2011-07-07T09:47:00.001-04:00

This is just a little update on how the garden is doing. Things are pretty much doing well, although we have had some issues with many of our brassicas this year, with various little buggies nomming them.

There have been hours of hand-picking off eggs and larvae and misting with a homemade insecticide. I have been pretty good at keeping my weeding vow {well, the black bindweed & hairy crab grass come out when seen}, bust as you can see from the photos below, I have left the rest in typical sentimental/lazy gardener fashion. ;)

Here are a few of the beds we have in our two veggie patches:

{bush beans, blue hubbard squash, turnips, greens, radishes currently in these two beds}

{potatoes, beets, carrots, turnips, nasturtiums, pole beans, bush beans, melons, cantaloupe, & wild tobacco in these beds right now}

{pole beans, sunflowers and pumpkins in this bed}

{the growth of the zucchini plants are now noticeable each day}

{our first tomato! it's an "old-timer"}

{russet burbank tatters}

{egg turnips & radishes in the blue container, norland tatters in the other}

{speaking of nightshades, I found some bittersweet growing underneath one of our trees}

{devon mangetout pea blossom. so pretty!}

{devon mangetout pea. we have been harvesting plenty!}

{wee hobo turnips. aren't the cute?}

Yesterday I had a huge craving for greens, so I made a quick saute and it was pretty damn good.

{another shot for beks to show her the pretty pea that was grown from seeds she sent me}

If you wanna give this a whirl...

1 tbsp olive oil
2 young turnips, cubed
Chives
Lamb's quarters
Giant red mustard
Red Russian kale
Swiss chard
Pineapple weed
Apple, chopped
3 tbsp Chive blossom vinegar

Saute turnips in olive oil for about 5 mins. Add everything else and saute for about 3 more mins and nom!

Sláinte!

Laurel

Luverly of the Week: Lanyon Quoit by midlander1231

2011-07-06T07:22:00.003-04:00

{photo by midlander1231}

"Lanyon Quoit is an ancient Cornish Dolmen dating back to Neolithic times (3500-2500 BC) so it's probably around 5000 years old. It is presumed it was used for ritual activity. Originally it was aligned exactly with North,South,East and West, not now however as it was rebuilt in1824 after collapsing in a great storm. It originally stood higher too (apparently it is recorded that a man astride a horse could ride under it) but some of the original stones were damaged in the storm and not reused. If you visit Cornwall and want to see the Quoit it is on the Madron to Morvah road from Penzance."

~quote from midlander1231's photo.

Grow-It-Yourself {article by Yan Roberts}

2011-07-06T06:34:00.002-04:00

I have mentioned the fine folks of Piebird B&B and of Soggy Creek Seed Co. a few times on this blog. Sherry and Yan are but two of the gaggle of people doing amazing things in my area, but they sure do stand out.

Recently Yan wrote an article for Alive & Fit Magazine, called Grow-It-Yourself. I found the online version a little hard to read {my eyes aren't what they used to be!}, and I figured that I wouldn't be the only one. So he has kindly given me permission to publish it here for our readers to enjoy.

I think that it is both provocative and inspiring, and the words need to be said. I think that is does target a specific group of people, ones who already have some type of land available to them, and the assumption that they enjoy at least a relative amount of food security.

I will post my own thoughts in more detail later. :)

Sláinte!

Laurel

*********

Grow-It-Yourself
by Yan Roberts

Growing your own food is learning the subversive art of self-reliance. Taking action and being in charge of the things that you put into your mouth has somehow become radical. Today, being a simple gardener in a highspeed culture is deeply subversive. Quietly walking away from the grocery store and happily growing as much food as you can is the biggest thing us little peaceful people can do. You have permission to break from the norm.

One hundred miles is still too far--but it was just catchy enough to encourage people to make the first step, serving as an entree to our acceptation of being in a relationship with our food. We don't yet have enough producers in our community for us to be promoting the local food movement as the end-goal viable solution. Everything you need to grow the food you eat is within the distance you can throw a beet.

Get some seeds, start with something small--the best opportunity for you to change the world, your community and yourself is in a package of seeds. Plant your own seeds, work your own soil and eat your own food.

Every time we line up in the grocery store checkout aisle, especially when the line is long and the magazines especially puzzling, each of us is given the choice to either continue brutalizing the human enterprise with our addiction to steady supply of faraway foods or to abandon the shopping cart and flee the store without anything.

Local food has become a distant metaphor for us to weight the harm done by our plates, for us to casually tally up our gains and losses--"well this potato only endured a four hour drive so I feel pretty good about myself." We all know now that far-away-foods are a source of strain to Earth and a moral discomfort to ourselves, the movement of local-food gave us that understanding. But the danger before us is that many buy local carrots, three bunches a year, and then feel real good as though something significant has been done, the world will be alright again.

All good ideas are reducible to us; humans are clever that way. We can take a good idea and turn it into an ideology that is somehow hollow compared to the original. What we haven't changed about our eating is our expectations; we still expect other people to grow for us, which would be less detrimental if we has thought to alter the economic farming mode. We had six decades of mass production that turned a carrot into a commodity. Economically we made most of the family farms extinct here at home and then we even went so far as to outsource food production entirely. The more conveyer belts we added, the cheaper and cheaper the carrots got--we seriously undervalued food, while undermining entire environments and economies at the same time.

We need o have a connection into the process of food. Understand the value of a carrot, understand the amount of work and uncertainty and heck, even the tremendous amount of joy that went into that carrot. No significant local food system will establish until more of us understand what food is and what exactly it takes to grow it. We need to individually establish a relationship with food beyond simply eating it.

Okay, I am an optimist. I use the ancient technique of optimism as a navigational tool for distinguishing which solutions will bare the eventual triumph of good. How do we get out of this jam?

All living things are fed, each bit in nature, each of us. Even all the structures of our humanity are kept alive by us feeding into them. "So how," you may ask, "do I stop feeding our food system (before it does the world more harm) when it's the one making the food? How do I cut off its food supply when the supply goes to me?" Well there, you just nailed it...cut off the supply to yourself, cut off your current food supply and you will stop feeding the whole system.

What we put out into the world on a daily basis is our art--every activity that we do expresses to others something about our grasp and our understanding. As we grow and explore life, what's important to us changes and calls out. Make your art out of dirt, seeds and vegetables.

We live in an accelerated time with increasing disenchantment of the current ways. There's a collective unwillingness to continue pretending that we don't know what it is we should be doing. When gardening, you hardly ever wonder what you're hungry for. Full of hope you speak with your hoe, you speak with your hunger for change.

Other civilizations had decades of droughts kill off their food source; we gave ours up willingly when we traded a bag of community for a sac of globalization. We chased away family farms with sticks and rock-bottom prices. We spent half a decade stuck in traffic somehow wrongly convinced that it took less work to mow high-maintenance lawns than tame butterfly-filled backyard veggie plots. Now that we again see the need for growing and getting that food knowledge back, it would discredit those generations of farm-absence if we returned to exactly the way things were. We need to incorporate the changes the world and ourselves have undergone in the time since our society left the farm--we have added the weight of additional morals, a broader understanding and a greater consciousness. Instead of meat, fleece or milk, let's raise our animals for their love and happiness. To many, organic gardening means a reliance on manure from a saddening industry. It's curious to what how plants and people deal with the same problems. The plants wouldn't ever care to correct any of the crookedness of their surroundings in the way we humans try. Do only what plants would do. We both know they are not going to borrow a pickup truck and haul manure from offsite or buy bags of sterile topsoil for their seeds. Here at Piebird, we grow a lot of comfrey which has four times more nitrogen and potassium than barnyard manure. Comfrey's nutrients are mined from deep in the subsoil, tapping into leached reserves unavailable in other plants.

Bring nothing into the garden from off-site. No bagged nutrients, no overpriced stuff from the sea, no dust from volcanoes or salty bloodshed on our beets. Mining nutrients from elsewhere os no better than the strangely uncouth foreign policy of our nations and is indeed a great deal worse. Plus, a garden is a good place to practice those good human skills we can utilize in the other hours of your life--practice making do with what you have around you rather than shopping for what you need. Besides a new hoe ever couple of years, our food costs zero dollars; open-pollinated seeds are saved, soil is enhanced by many buckets of brewed compost tea to keep the microorganisms up.

One thing we tell our gardening workshop participants here at Piebird is, "you can spend less time growing your own food than you currently spend shopping at a grocery store" (especially if you add in all of the hidden time associated: taking out the trash from all of the packaging, sorting the recycling, flipping through the flyers, coupon-cutting, waiting in line-ups,etc). Utilize the processes of nature rather than work against them. Some people perhaps enjoy the noise of rototillers or breaking their back digging dirt. I must tell you that it's much easier to leave the soil alone and leave it to the earth worms--they'll do a better job than you. One earthworm can digest over 35 tons of matter per year. You can build amazing soil fast by creating a habitat for underground life with humus and mulch.

Get growing! Every mouthful of food that you produce yourself will take a truckload of strain off the global food supply. Now is the time to cause your commotion! This is the spring that all other springs were trying for. Happy compost piles everywhere will be purring like housecats. Start your small peaceful revolution with a handful of seeds.

Quackers & Shithawks FTW!

2011-07-04T08:50:00.004-04:00

A friend sent me these from Epic Fail.

Sláinte!

Laurel

Sweet Things

2011-06-30T05:32:00.002-04:00

{Honey Cake, Little Gifts & Garden Pretties}

I know it has been a long while since I have done a post of much substance, I will eventually when I have more time to sit in front of the puter. I do hope that some eye candy and a yummy recipe will make up for it in the meantime! :)

{swamp rose}

{goat's beard}

{feverfew }

{viper's bugloss}

{various wildflowers from around the property}

{mini roses}

{flowering giant red mustard}

{flowering peas for peace}

{flowering older-timer tomato}

{hobo turnip trying to live up to its nomadic reputation ;)}

Last week I noticed that we had tomatoes growing in the container on our doorstep. I am not sure how they got there {my better half and my roomie both swear that they didn't put them there}, they just kinda appeared out of no where. My guess is we had a visit by some nice folks with guerrilla gardening tendencies.

I have been putting off moving them as I am sure whoever planted them sneaks by to see how they are doing. The container is getting a little crowded though.

Someone else left a nice little gift a little while back. I was out having a morning coffee when I noticed a female robin {she is a local nester known around here as Mrs. Eyebrows} with a blue thing in her beak. It was an egg shell that she put on one of the garden beds and flew off.

I thought that it was a nice little gift that she left for all the worms and nesting materials, but it turns out that female robins often carry egg shells after they have been hatched. They drop them off somewhere away from the nest or eat them.

{egg shell upper right}

Since she didn't eat it, the egg shell is now with other wild pretties on Flidais' part of my deity altar. :)

Elder Flower Honey Cake

I had a huge craving for honey cake and used this recipe as a source of inspiration. My egg lady hadn't made her weekly round yet, so I had to wing it without any. This is the concoction that I came up with:

4 tbsp milk
6 tbsp honey
2/3 cup soft butter
2 2/3 cup unbleached flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
2 pinches of sea salt
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
3 tbsp dried elder flowers

I put the mixture in a 9-inch pie dish and baked it at 350 for about 35 minutes.

Sláinte!

Laurel

Standing Alone Trilogy

2011-06-27T09:58:00.004-04:00

These are three interesting films that are about the Blood elder, Pete Standing Alone.

Sláinte!

Laurel

P.S. there is some footage of rodeos that I personally find very disturbing and cruel, otherwise I enjoyed the films.

*********

Circle of the Sun

This short documentary by Colin Low is an invitation to a gathering of the Blood Indians of Alberta - as the Sun Dance is captured on film for the first time. The film shows how the theme of the circle reflects the bands' connection to wildlife and also addresses the predicament of the young generation, those who have relinquished their ties with their own culture but have not yet found a firm place in a changing world.

Standing Alone

Pete Standing Alone is a Blood Indian who, as a young man, was more at home in the White man's culture than his own. Confronted with the realization that his children knew very little about their origins, he became determined to pass down to them the customs and traditions of his ancestors. This film is the powerful biographical study of a 25-year span in Pete's life, from his early days as an oil-rig roughneck, rodeo rider and cowboy, to the present as an Indian concerned with preserving his tribe's spiritual heritage in the face of an energy-oriented industrial age.

Round Up

This short film traces Pete Standing Alone's personal journey from cultural alienation to pride and belonging. As a spiritual elder, teacher, and community leader of the Blood Indians of Southern Alberta, Pete works with the youth to repair the cultural and spiritual destruction wrought by residential schools. At age 81, has come full-circle in his dedication to preserving the traditional ways of his people.

Full Moon Herb Harvest

2011-06-24T08:15:00.003-04:00

The day after the beautiful full moon we had last week I got busy harvesting herbs in the garden. A good part of the morning was spent getting offerings ready and conducting rituals, with Airmid being the focus.

{makeshift altar to Airmid behind the shade bed}

I like to harvest herbs for fertility, healing, blessings, and general protection around the full moon whenever possible. By the end of it all I had almost six baskets full of various herbs.

{spearmint, peppermint, lemon balm, chives, lady's mantle, sweet woodruff}

After prepping herbs for later use {mostly hanging or in paper bags to dry}, I made a few different concoctions.

{herbal honeys & vinegars}

I made a few other pretties besides the pictured ones, but that will be another post. The pictured ones are dandelion vinegar, chive blossom vinegar {I got the recipe from a local dietitian Nancy Guppy of Chapman's Landing Cooking Studio}. Also pictured is a lemon balm/hawthorn/heather sedative honey {lemon balm from my garden, the hawthorn was wildcrafted last year, the heather from Richters, and the honey from Board's Honey Farm} and an elder flower & berry anti-viral honey {both the flowers & berries from Richter's and the honey again from Board's}.

If you have never made an herbal honey before and want to give it a try, check out this helpful video by Susun Weed.

Sláinte!

Laurel

Luverly of the Week: Cedar Waxwing Courtship

2011-06-24T07:51:00.003-04:00

{Original photo by Minette Layne}

There was quite a bit of this going on around our house a couple of weeks ago with a pair of Cedar Waxwings. I think that they are nesting in one of our large trees.

Cutie-patooties!

Sláinte!

Laurel

Midsummer in the Forest & by the Rapids

2011-06-21T04:45:00.002-04:00

I got back a couple of days ago from the annual "crazy lady Midsummer weekend" at River Run {both Aymi & I went last year}. Even though I decided to stay off the rapids this year, I am still have a wee bit of recovering to do. Hehe.

It was a weekend of long nights around the fire with music and drink...

...and early mornings rising with the sun to get in as much time as possible to soak in the gorgeous scenery.

I am glad I decided not to raft this year as it gave me a chance to toddle off by myself and do a little ritual...

...and after leaving the appropriate offerings, I wildcrafted some much-needed pretties from the forest and river.

A little more than half of our gaggle decided to raft, and at around lunch time the rest of us were bussed out to meet up with them for lunch.

I forget what this particular set of rapids has been dubbed, but I know that they are mellower than many of them on the route.

After going on them last year, I much prefer to admire their beauty from the shore! ;)

Sláinte!

Laurel

Merry Midsummer

2011-06-21T03:21:00.010-04:00

{photo by blinking idiot}

Summer set lip to earth's bosom bare,
And left the flush'd print in a poppy there;
Like a yawn of fire from the grass it came,
And the fanning wind puff'd it to flapping flame.

~ from The Poppy by Francis Thompson

We hope that our readers have a chance to get out and enjoy the first day of Summer! May it be a sunny, merry one for you all. :)

Sláinte!

Aymi & Laurel

Irish Folks Battle w/ Shell

2011-06-16T08:23:00.003-04:00

Seren over at the Tairis blog posted about this earlier, and I thought that some of our readers would be interested {and pissed off!!!} about this as well.

There is a documentary called The Pipe that came out last fall about the struggle that the residents in Co. Mayo Ireland are having with Shell.

The documentary can be seen over here, but I think that I am on the wrong side of the Atlantic, as isn't viewable in my area. Here is a trailer:

And to find out more information about the struggle check out Shell to Sea website.

Sláinte!

Laurel

Salad Fixins and Other News & Views

2011-06-16T07:30:00.001-04:00

Yum! :D

{salad fixins: bloomsdale spinach, giant red mustard, dancing with lettuce, red oak leaf lettuce, chives, crop circle radish, sun arugula.}

We finally finished digging up the rest of the beds. In one of them we transplanted some of our tatters that were in containers, as they were getting a tad crowded:

{crowded norland tatters}

{new tatter row: w/ burbank russets & norlands}

Other warm weather crops are starting to spring to life:

{blue hubbard squash}

{purple mustache pole bean}

And everyone else is doing fine and dandy. Here are just a few more random shots:

{mullein in the perfectly wild mess in the front}

{columbine in the front}

{peas for peace}

{devon peas}

{cupani sweet peas}

{flowering lady's mantle}

{more columbine, but this time in the back}

*********

I am doing a large herb harvest today which I will post about later some time after the weekend. I am heading off tomorrow to our annual crazy lady Midsummer weekend, at River Run.

Sláinte!

Laurel

Hey Bully!

2011-06-14T07:54:00.003-04:00

This is another great song with Lake of Stew {the band that will be at the Piebird Picnic on August 7th}. The video kicks ass too! :D

Sláinte!

Laurel

Dealing With Wild Critters {in the Garden & on the Farm}

2011-06-12T09:30:00.001-04:00

{photo by Daniel Acuna}

I was listening to a CBC program talking about a Toronto man who allegedly tried to kill a family of baby raccoons with a shovel last week. Hearing some of the comments from folks who called in condoning this type of cruelty got me into a frothing rage.

I lived in downtown Toronto for over a decade, so I have a pretty good understanding of just how many raccoons live there and what type of mischief they can cause. There are measures in place and actions that can be taken to deal with them and to try and make one's property not so tempting.

It seems that many people fail to realize that the urbanized raccoons are partly our own creation. Raccoons have been adaptive enough {just like crows!} to thrive in our urban settings. But they are not the problem; if anyone is, it is us humans. We spread like roaches and then complain when wildlife "infringes" on our territory.

Raccoons are a part of the GTA landscape, and if folks don't like it, perhaps they should GTFO. And as far as the cruel assholes are concerned, they can go drown in the filthy waters of Lake Ontario {the raccoons sure as hell are not responsible for that now, huh?}.

********* rant done *********

Having a stead in a smaller Northern Ontario city has its own challenges. We do get raccoons, but also have visits from skunks, squirrels, chipmunks, and we have and deer in our immediate area. If we lived in a more remote part of town we would also have wolves, bears, foxes {and apparently cougars as well!} to potentially deal with.

When it comes to our garden, the most challenging critters {besides earwigs} have been squirrels and chipmunks. We like to put seeds and nuts out for them every day to keep them out, but if we happen to forget, we will pay for it with them digging up our seeds, nomming our peas and beans, or wreaking havoc on our tomatoes and sunflowers. As long as we put out yum yums for them I find that they are very agreeable neighbours.

Fellow Northerner Medusae had a recent battle with raccoons in her garden and she put vinegar around it and apparently it is working quite well at keeping them away. Here is a short article with pretty good tips on how to keep raccoons out of the garden and here is an interesting Nature of Things show called Raccoon Nation.

I have seen folks use many different methods to keep deer out of their gardens. One of my friends urinates every day around his veggie patch, and a farmer friend hangs Irish Spring in pantyhose around her lettuce. Others will grow deer resistant varieties of plants {Soggy Creek has an heirloom cabbage that is supposed to do the trick!}, or have REALLY high fencing.

My Aunt has lots of deer that come by her property, yet she can even have tulips and roses while all of her neighbours' gardens are mowed down to the roots. She will be cheeky and say that her success is because she "has an agreement" with the deer, but it is probably because she feeds them all Winter, and the big patches of pansies and lettuce she plants for them to eat.

My other Aunt has a healthy population of black bears around her. Having a big dog helps, but she still cannot keep a bird feeder in the summer and her garbage has to be locked in the garage until it is taken to the dump. With some common sense bears should pass on through.

Having livestock can create a whole new list of challenges. Obviously having guard critters can help {one friend keeps a donkey for her goats!}, locking cluckers and other poultry safely into their coop/shelter, electric fencing, and keeping areas well lit are all supposed to help. These are great articles to check out: here, here, and here.

Please do feel free to share what you do or methods that you have heard about. :)

Sláinte!

Laurel

Cover Crops Workshop

2011-06-07T17:45:00.016-04:00

Hi folks! I got this in my email and thought that I would pass it along here on our blog in case there are any Ontario farmers among our readers.

Sláinte!

Laurel

Managing Your Cover Crops for Healthy Soil: Summer & Fall Field Work

Offered in partnership by the Ecological Farmers of Ontario (EFO) and FarmStart.

Cover Cropping is one of the most important tools we have for building up soil organic matter and fertility and managing weeds on organic farms. This practical two-part workshop, led by Ignatius farm manager Lorne Jamieson, will introduce you to different kinds of cover crops and demonstrate how to do the required field work. From ploughing in an old hay field, to discing and cultivating and planting a variety of cover crops, this workshop will provide you with the knowledge you need to manage your own fields. If you have new land that you want to put into production or are looking to start using cover crops on your farm, this is the workshop for you!

Part I: Introduction to Cover Cropping & Summer Field Work

(July 9th)

This first session will introduce cover cropping and the required tools and implements, and demonstrate typical summer field work. Topics will include:

Why cover crop?
Different cover crops and their specific characteristics
Field equipment and when/how to use it
Demonstration of ploughing down a hay field
Demonstration of discing, cultivating and planting a summer cover crop (i.e. buckwheat)
Looking at a variety of cover crops at different stages of growth

Part II: Fall Field Work & Winter Preparation

(October 15th)

Come back in the fall to learn about the second phase of field work and preparing the ground for winter. Topics will include:

Choosing the right winter cover crop for your needs
Demonstration of working in summer cover crops (i.e. mow, plough, disc, cultivate)
Demonstration of planting a fall cover crop (i.e. rye, oats)
Discussion on frost seeding, compost/manure application, soil testing and amendments

When:

Part I - Saturday July 9 (rain date Sunday July 10),12:30pm – 4pm

Part II - Saturday October 15 (rain date Sunday October 16),12:30pm – 4pm

Where: Ignatius Farm, 5420 Highway 6 North, Guelph

Cost: $120 (includes both days); $100 for Ecological Farmers of Ontario (EFO) members

To register: Click Here

For More information on FarmStart Programs please visit www.FarmStart.ca

Luverly of the Week: Horse Feathers

2011-06-06T10:00:00.003-04:00

photo by Alicia J Rose

I LOVE this band. They are awesome and that is all that there really is to say about Horse Feathers. Here is some of their pretty, pretty music for your enjoyment. :)

Sláinte!

Laurel

Kinda, Sorta on Schedule

2011-06-06T09:15:00.005-04:00

We've been a tad behind getting all the beds dug and planted {third year in a row, I'd say we're well on our way to making that a trend}, but we only have one and half to floof up and three to plant. Not so bad I suppose.

In the beds that are done we currently have:

Hobo Turnips
Giant Red Mustard
Dinosaur Kale
"Devon" Peas
Peas for Peace
Blue Jay Bush Beans
Contender Bush Beans
Tanya's Pink Podded Bush Beans
Purple Mustache Pole Beans
French Climbing Pole Beans
Russian Mammoth Sunflowers
Henri Wild Sunflowers
Autumn Sunset Sunflowers
Acorn Squash
Buttercup Squash
Blue Hubbard Squash
Small Sugar Pumpkins
Strange Zucchini
Pink Lady Tomatoes {which was accidental, I thought it was an "Old Timer"}
Old Timer Tomatoes
Roma Tomatoes
Yellow Pear Tomatoes

{an overview of the finished veggie patch. pictures of the other to come}

{peas, kale, mustard, and hobo turnips}

{tomatoes and zucchini in this bed}

Once we finish the rest of the beds we will be planting cantaloupes, melons, nasturtiums, more pole beans and sunflowers, and probably more hobo turnips. There is enough room in one of the already cultivated beds for more tomatoes and some basil too.

We finally got the plant part of our order from Richters, and considering they travelled through the post, I think they look pretty good. They just need some time to settle in.

{patchouli}

{common foxgloves}

{munstead lavender & wormwood pictured}

{common comfrey}

We've got a whole bunch of stuff growing in containers too, which seem to be doing well.

{giant red mustard}

{mixed lettuce & cupani sweet peas}

{red russian kale}

{crop circle radish}

{egg turnip}

{johnny-jump-ups}

We recently planted wild tobacco {Nicotiana rustica} and tatters {Norland & Burbank Russet}, along with some flowers, herbs, and other veggies.

{burbank russet potatoes}

{norland potatoes}

The "garden" and "lawn" in the front was quite neglected last year when we moved in, and I suspect it had been that way for quite a few years before that. It is still pretty though and there are a whole bunch of useful and luverly plants that are growing in the front.

{chives and not too sure}

{white columbine}

And I will be able to do my first real harvest of herbs soon{by the looks of it: lemon balm, spearmint, peppermint, thyme, oregano, motherwort, chamomile and sweet woodruff}! :D

{sweet woodruff}

Sláinte!

Laurel

Happiness for me is...

2011-06-04T07:30:00.003-04:00

Knowing that I am loved, imperfections and all.

{royalty free photo}

Having dirt under my nails and sweat on my brow.

{photo by Lauren Mitchell}

The smell of rotting leaves and woodsmoke.

{royalty free photo}

Moving with Fate.

{royalty free photo}

Mastering a useful skill.

{photo source}

Crows cawing in our yard for their morning yum-yums, and the sound of them laughing as I bring it out.

{photo by North60}

Snorgling under a mountain of blankets with my furball and my better half in the heart of Winter.

Frolicking in the woods and then having a picnic on a bed of moss underneath and old tree.

{royalty free photo}

Seeing old farmsteads revived and used as farms once again.

{photo by Gregg Obst}

Witnessing random acts of kindness.

{photo by ~maya*maya~}

Getting lost in a pile of good books.

{photo by Lin Pernille}

Seeing elders pass on their wisdom to eager young-folk.

{royalty free photo}

Horses! The whisker rubs, the long rides, the whinnies, the smell of hay. Even scooping up their muffins for the garden compost pile. Everything about them makes me giddy.

{photo by kelsey_lovefusionphoto}

Saving and sharing seeds. It's like giving a middle finger salute to the corporate thugs who think that they can patent and own life.

{photo by kt.ries}

Remembering just how much influence my Grandparents had on me and being told that in many ways I am like them.

*********

What is happiness for you?

Sláinte!

Laurel

A Picnic w/ Musical Food ;)

2011-05-31T07:38:00.006-04:00

The luverly folks over at the Piebird Bed & Breakfast are having their 3rd Annual Picnic Marathon on August the 7th in Nipissing Village, Ontario.

You can bring your own garbage-free lunch or have vegetarian yummies made and grown by Sherry & Yan of Piebird. Lake of Stew will be playing their fun music too!

Lake of Stew || Sweet as Pie [official music video] from Dare To Care Records on Vimeo.

Tickets are available online for $20 advance and will be $25 at the gate. Vegetarian lunches are $10 and will only be available for advanced purchase online.

Sláinte!

Laurel

Hen Party Recipes

2011-05-26T09:30:00.001-04:00

The cluckers of my egg lady have been laying like crazy for the last few weeks, which has meant more eggs for us. So until our egg lady finds more folks to take em, we'll gladly take the extras!

There has also been an increase of hen parties with my fellow crazy ladies, so I have been using them as my guinea pigs to try various recipes with eggs in them. Here are some winners:

Mushroom Hunter's Omelet
{From Best-Ever Vegetarian}

For each serving:
2 tbsp unsalted butter, plus extra for cooking
4 oz assorted wild and cultivated mushrooms {such as young cepes, chantrelles, cremini, portobellos, and oyster mushrooms}, trimmed and sliced
3 eggs, at room temperature
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Melt butter into a small pan, add the mushrooms and cook until the juices run. Season with salt and pepper, remove from pan and set aside. Wipe the pan.

Break the eggs into a bowl, season and beat with a fork. Heat the pan over high heat, add a pat of butter and let it begin to brown. Pour in the beaten egg and stir briskly with the back of a fork.

When the eggs are two-thirds set, add the mushrooms and let the omelet finish cooking for 10-15 seconds.

Tap the handle of the pan sharply with your fist to loosen the omelet from the pan, then fold and turn out onto a plate. Serve with warm crusty bread and a simple green salad.

*********

Herb Stuffed Eggs
{From Natural Foods Cookbook}

6 hard-cooked eggs, shelled and halved lengthwise
3/4 cup plain yogurt {you can always try making your own! :D}
1/4 cup ground sesame seeds
1 tbsp chopped parsley
1/4 tspn marjoram
Sea salt or kelp to taste
Toasted sesame seeds

Remove the yolks for the egg halves and mash in a bowl. Stir in the yogurt, ground seeds, parsley, marjoram and salt or kelp.

Pile mixture back into the whites and garnish with toasted sesame seeds.

Serves 6.

*********

Camembert & Shitake Mushroom Quiche
{From LCBO}

1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh shitake mushrooms
3 oz Camembert, rind removed and diced
5 oz Neufchatel cheese, diced
4 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1/4 tspn cayenne pepper
1 tbsp finely chopped basil
1 frozen 9 inch deep dish pie shell {I made my own for this recipe}

Preheat oven to 375 F. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter; saute garlic and mushrooms until softened; set aside. In a large bowl beat together cheeses until mixture is fairly smooth. Stir in remaining ingredients. Pour into frozen/or homemade pie shell. Bake quiche for 25 to 30 minutes or until quiche is golden brown.

*********

And here are a few more yummies with eggs:

Sweet Woodruff Icecream
Papyns
Tansy Pudding
Egg Salad Tea Sandwich

May Eggs

*********

Sláinte!

Laurel

Luverly of the Week: Calm Beach After the Storm by Jenny P

2011-05-26T05:19:00.004-04:00

Photo by Jenny P

This is a beach in my area that I like to go hang out at when I get the chance. It is usually nice and quiet when I go there. :)

Sláinte!

Laurel