☼ Forest & Field Happenings ☼ Plus ++++

My families' life has taken a turn towards the bit crazy, busy.  My scientist son who was already to rock n roll for the summer up at college had a bit of an accident.  While having some fun with his bros, play soccer, he broke his leg last Sunday.  So I was on the road back and forth, spent a night in a frat house, sat at a hospital while my boyo had surgery, brought him home and, settled him into the living room.  Of course, this all happened after we had emptied our bedroom readying it for painting and flooring.  So we are all sleeping in the living room.  Gardens are on hold, while my hands are full with renovations and nursing care.  But that is just as well since the spring has been pretty frosty.  

I am flowing with everything and taking advantage of the situation.  My days with my boyo are numbered as he prepares himSelf for adult life that will surely take him away from Maine.  I am being In Joy with the time I have with him.  This may be my last chance to really care for him on this deep mothering level.  He is healing well and fast.  He is determine to get back to college and take his class that starts in June even though he can't bear weight on his leg for 5 more weeks.  So the blog is on vacation for bit until I catch my breath.  Plus, I want to give all the time I can to helping my son.

☼ Forest & Field Happenings ☼ FEDCO + Canoe

I could call this post forest and far afield happenings!  It has been busy around here the last 4 days!  Friday I went to the FEDCO pre-order sale(...Open to the public this weekend!!) I spent Saturday planting my 10 elderberries to create a hedge in a wettish area, some replacement rhubarb, 3 honeyberries as an experiment, & one Motherwort which has been a helpful herb for me as of late.  I got around to some mulching with buckwheat hulls, my new favorite mulch.  Also, did some raking and prepping beds.  Meanwhile, DH was completing machine maintenance to get ready for the summer of work.

Sunday we took the day off!!!  We took our little canoe to nearby China Lake.  This is a pretty heavily populated lake so it can be busy and noisy.  But, this time of year with the ice just barely off the lake it was pretty quiet.  We had never canoed this lake but have driven by it 100's of times.  It was pretty neat to see the sights from the water.  We took a picnic that we had while floating about.  Spent nearly 4 hours on the lake which we only realize when we came ashore.  The loons made several appearances as well as "singing" their haunting song!

Monday was back to work!  DH had some wood to stack and then he rototilled my gardens for me.  I got my peas planted and some flower seeds in for my beneficial insect garden edges.  early afternoon we took a break in the sun that lasted the rest of the day.  Both of us usually seek the shade but after this long winter the sun was an elixir of pure pleasure!

Today I need to get my onion seedlings in the ground.  I may get some other early seeds planted. So much to do.....!  Spring cleaning, set up my tree house, put away winter clothes, organize my attic....the sewing room my just be in limbo for a bit... well, at least until a rainy day.  I better get cracking!

~~~~~~~~~~~My Lively Life~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fiber Art, Weaving, Hand Spun

http://www.etsy.com/shop/injoyemporium

Hand Made Eco and Upcycled Cutie Buntings, Clothes, & Toys

http://www.etsy.com/shop/InJoyEcoCutie

Vintage Collectibles, Buttons, Clothing & MORE! 

http://www.etsy.com/shop/injoytreasures

Sea Glass & Copper Wire Ornaments with things I have gathered

http://www.etsy.com/shop/InJoyGatherings

My Blog~~Makings, Musings, &  Lifestyle on the Land:  

http://injoyemporium.blogspot.com

www.facebook.com/injoyemporium

http://instagram.com/injoyemporium

http://www.pinterest.com/injoyemporium

"Be Joyful because it is humanly possible"~~~Wendell Berry

☼ Forest & Field Happenings ☼

It has been pretty rainy and cold around here lately, but, better than snow!  There was a brief bit of clearing so Runa & I got out for a walk.  Spring in Maine is a slow affair.  The world feels like it is at a stand still, somewhere between life and death.  It takes quiet to feel the earth waking.  It is easy to become distracted by all the things to do.  There are dead things everywhere, branches, remains of gardens that were forgotten in the fall. I found a dead porcupine that just look as if old age had taken him.  The scent in the air is not fresh, there is too much mud and rot.  Nevertheless, I felt the awakening today.  I hushed the to-do list and went to a still place in my mind.  As I walked, I opened to the aliveness around me.  I could feel the ripple of life pass through my body.  I took the time to relish this inbetween time before the soon to come hustle and bustle of gardens and lively life!

Last of the Snow

Raven Offerings

Slow Greening

Garlic

Soon Enough

 I try to see something new each day. The art of seeing is essential to any creative work in my humble opinion.  My favorites are the ones that stop me in my tracks!  Like so many folks I have a very busy mind that I struggle to quiet.  By creating this practice it has given me many opportunities to pause and be with a new wonder.  I love to wonder about wonders.  These little seeings can be just the jolt my creative process needs to get out of a rut.  But mostly, they provide a pause which is that moment of peace I need to heal from a frustration. These seeings are grounding for me and bring me to the present.  I will admit to laughing out loud with joy over some of my discoveries, they are a moments of childlike wonder!  

"When you realize how perfect everything is you will tilt your head back and laugh at the sky"     ~~~Buddha

~~~~~~~~~~~My Lively Life~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fiber Art, Weaving, Hand Spun

http://www.etsy.com/shop/injoyemporium

Hand Made Eco and Upcycled Cutie Buntings, Clothes, & Toys

http://www.etsy.com/shop/InJoyEcoCutie

Vintage Collectibles, Buttons, Clothing & MORE! 

http://www.etsy.com/shop/injoytreasures

Sea Glass & Copper Wire Ornaments with things I have gathered

http://www.etsy.com/shop/InJoyGatherings

My Blog~~Makings, Musings, &  Lifestyle on the Land:  

http://injoyemporium.blogspot.com

www.facebook.com/injoyemporium

http://instagram.com/injoyemporium

http://www.pinterest.com/injoyemporium

"Be Joyful because it is humanly possible"~~~Wendell Berry

Pause & See ~ haiku

spring! peepers, puddles

sprouting, flowing water, mud!

to do list can wait

orah

 I try to see something new each day. The art of seeing is essential to any creative work in my humble opinion.  My favorites are the ones that stop me in my tracks!  Like so many folks I have a very busy mind that I struggle to quiet.  By creating this practice it has given me many opportunities to pause and be with a new wonder.  I love to wonder about wonders.  These little seeings can be just the jolt my creative process needs to get out of a rut.  But mostly, they provide a pause which is that moment of peace I need to heal from a frustration. These seeings are grounding for me and bring me to the present.  I will admit to laughing out loud with joy over some of my discoveries, they are a moments of childlike wonder!  

"When you realize how perfect everything is you will tilt your head back and laugh at the sky"     ~~~Buddha

~~~~~~~~~~~My Lively Life~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fiber Art, Weaving, Hand Spun

http://www.etsy.com/shop/injoyemporium

Hand Made Eco and Upcycled Cutie Buntings, Clothes, & Toys

http://www.etsy.com/shop/InJoyEcoCutie

Vintage Collectibles, Buttons, Clothing & MORE! 

http://www.etsy.com/shop/injoytreasures

Sea Glass & Copper Wire Ornaments with things I have gathered

http://www.etsy.com/shop/InJoyGatherings

My Blog~~Makings, Musings, &  Lifestyle on the Land:  

http://injoyemporium.blogspot.com

www.facebook.com/injoyemporium

http://instagram.com/injoyemporium

http://www.pinterest.com/injoyemporium

"Be Joyful because it is humanly possible"~~~Wendell Berry

Sewing Thread Solution ~ Tuesday's Tip!

Spring has sprung with all it's new activities like raking!  Before I go too far down the rabbit hole of spring life I wanted to be sure to share with you a great thread organizing solution I devised this winter!  If you sew you know that thread organizing can be quite a challenge.  I use a lot of different colors with my puppet making.  I tried to keep things organized in these shallow drawers.  Hard as I tried, in the flurry of creating, they would turn into a jumble. Also, I often ended up purchasing duplicate colors because I couldn't find what I needed in the thread chaos!

I had been thinking about some shelving for my sewing room this winter when I came across this baker's rack on Amazon.  I "saw" a solution!  A bunch of wooden thread racks hanging from the back!  I found the thread racks at Joann's.com, on sale (they seem to be out of stock right now).  The bakers rack was easy peasy to put together.  I only needed a rubber mallet and my self...no enlisting DH for help!  The rack is nice and sturdy.  The shelves are adjustable.  Mine came with a bamboo wood butcher block that I like too.

Here is the fun time organizing my threads by color groups!

Super Tidy!

I lowered the utensil bar to hang the lower thread racks with the "S" hooks that came with the unit. I hung the top racks from the upper shelf using some 14 gauge wire.  I love this solution!

Also, purchase this shelf unit at Amazon for all my puppet felt.  My sewing room right now is a bit messier but, I am in a creating mode!  But, now I can spend less time and money finding the right thread color and the felt square that I need!  Do you have any great studio organizing solutions?  I would love to hear about them!

~~~~~~~~~~~My Lively Life~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fiber Art, Weaving, Hand Spun

http://www.etsy.com/shop/injoyemporium

Hand Made Eco and Upcycled Cutie Buntings, Clothes, & Toys

http://www.etsy.com/shop/InJoyEcoCutie

Vintage Collectibles, Buttons, Clothing & MORE! 

http://www.etsy.com/shop/injoytreasures

Sea Glass & Copper Wire Ornaments with things I have gathered

http://www.etsy.com/shop/InJoyGatherings

My Blog~~Makings, Musings, &  Lifestyle on the Land:  

http://injoyemporium.blogspot.com

www.facebook.com/injoyemporium

http://instagram.com/injoyemporium

http://www.pinterest.com/injoyemporium

"Be Joyful because it is humanly possible"~~~Wendell Berry

Pause & See

breathing earth & pine
what is greater joy than this
grounded by sunshine

Orah

 I try to see something new each day. The art of seeing is essential to any creative work in my humble opinion.  My favorites are the ones that stop me in my tracks!  Like so many folks I have a very busy mind that I struggle to quiet.  By creating this practice it has given me many opportunities to pause and be with a new wonder.  I love to wonder about wonders.  These little seeings can be just the jolt my creative process needs to get out of a rut.  But mostly, they provide a pause which is that moment of peace I need to heal from a frustration. These seeings are grounding for me and bring me to the present.  I will admit to laughing out loud with joy over some of my discoveries, they are a moments of childlike wonder!  

"When you realize how perfect everything is you will tilt your head back and laugh at the sky"     ~~~Buddha

~~~~~~~~~~~My Lively Life~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fiber Art, Weaving, Hand Spun

http://www.etsy.com/shop/injoyemporium

Hand Made Eco and Upcycled Cutie Buntings, Clothes, & Toys

http://www.etsy.com/shop/InJoyEcoCutie

Vintage Collectibles, Buttons, Clothing & MORE! 

http://www.etsy.com/shop/injoytreasures

Sea Glass & Copper Wire Ornaments with things I have gathered

http://www.etsy.com/shop/InJoyGatherings

My Blog~~Makings, Musings, &  Lifestyle on the Land:  

http://injoyemporium.blogspot.com

www.facebook.com/injoyemporium

http://instagram.com/injoyemporium

http://www.pinterest.com/injoyemporium

"Be Joyful because it is humanly possible"~~~Wendell Berry

Hello Spring!

FINALLY!  We have an emerging spring!  The ducks are able to make it over the snow to the big pond.  The phoebes have returned with their lovely buzzy name calling.  I saw a Gyrfalcon yesterday, a fairly rare bird in these parts.    Runa found a Long-Tailed Weasel swimming in our pond.  After she pestered it for 20 minutes it finally escaped the pond and I hope decides this is not the place to raise a family!  It is so exciting to be moving more freely about, outside.  I am trying to spend as much time in the sun as I can....before the bugs arrive.  Some folks call this mud season, and yes, there is plenty of delightful mud, but I call it pre-bug season!

This is the pond yesterday...

...and today...pretty sure ice will be out by tomorrow!

though we still have ice on the morning puddles...

1st time in 2015 the laundry is outside!

Vern & Runa enjoying spring :)

Today

BY BILLY COLLINS

If ever there were a spring day so perfect,

so uplifted by a warm intermittent breeze

that it made you want to throw

open all the windows in the house

and unlatch the door to the canary's cage,

indeed, rip the little door from its jamb,

a day when the cool brick paths

and the garden bursting with peonies

seemed so etched in sunlight

that you felt like taking

a hammer to the glass paperweight

on the living room end table,

releasing the inhabitants

from their snow-covered cottage

so they could walk out,

holding hands and squinting

into this larger dome of blue and white,

well, today is just that kind of day.