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Farm Journal - 2025

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lighter:
We put a $100 fine jar in place, for those who bring up topics no one will ever agree on.

Maybe try that?

Lighter

sKePTiKal:
Well, Hol is working her own path. And lately, that's taken her away from here for shorter trips. One way to alleviate the head-butting sometimes. And with B gone too, till June, lets me build the evidence that I'm not senile, frail, or totally unmotivated... so that the next time I say: "I don't WANT any help, I want to do it my way, in my own time"... she'll back off.

But in common, we're both elbows deep in planting season. The land-forming that her friend has done at her place, has let her expand & plan to further expand planting spaces. My garden is prepped to minimize the weeding this year... seeds started... raised beds built, place & filled... and I'm moving on to the herb beds. Mowing is the next chore to begin again... with pruning, continuing to remove trees for winter wood & firebreaks... and the ongoing organization of space, with B moving in.

When it turns consistently hot, I'll be in the studio (in a/c) sewing. Something... don't know what yet. I've got maybe another two weeks of warm but not hot weather to do some more of my own work around here outside.

It's been very nice to have my solitude back. My creativity is waking up again and my senses are sharper. Able to process what's around me better. The herbs I planted last year, have mostly survived the long winter. I lost a clump of bee balm to the drought; the artemisia died back - I thought - but it looks to be rejuvenating itself. The lavender grossos survived; they need more soil, but that's on the list. I have a new batch of seedlings to go in, too. This year - I've added about twice as much soil as I did last year. It's truly needed. Exciting to see that the marshmallow and Elecampane have made it!

I'll probably start some more feverfew later on... a few other things. Mullein is native here and I have two sizable patches growing to harvest already. Adding elderberry this year. I should FINALLY be at a place, where I can start adding some spring bulbs and more flowers. The dahlias I saw at the nursery on Hol's & my expedition were calling to me. It "feels" like we might be reaching a plateau with projects around here and designs/layout. I still need to address the issue of an elevator, but a) the contractors are under stress this year and b) I need to make sure my design ideas are FUNCTIONAL and c) we still have plenty to do, to finish other projects.

lighter:
Hi, Amber:

I love reading about the herbs, and gardens!  Also, the sewing intrigues me.

I'm picturing you stating/holding boundaries, in every direction, with zero charge or drama.....just calm assurance, and knowing.

Good luck on the construction end, particularly if contractor is out of sorts. 

How's B doing?

Lighter

sKePTiKal:
He's busy; the morphine increase seems to manage the muscle spasms pretty well. He is facing years of pack-rat "maybe I'll need this someday" piles and dealing with it there, rather than here. He's closing multiple chapters of his previous lives before finally settling in here. Altho, given the last visit was 6 months, he was pretty danged comfortable.

We touch base daily while he's away - but basically we both do our own thing independently.

sKePTiKal:
Spring is being leisurely and hanging around for a whole season (instead of 2 weeks) this year. It's been really pretty, if on the cool side - but that's IDEAL for me to get some work done! Bugs haven't sprung up yet. Now, if the pollen would just get it over with... pine pollen is still yet to come and that might knock me down awhile. Don't know yet. I need to get some more children's claritin; the adult dosage knocks me out just like benedryl.

Almost all the herbs are planted; I still have a lot of clean up/ transplanting etc to do there. Too early to plant much in the big garden - and I'm not sure I'm strong enough yet to manhandle the tiller.

Hol & C got the structural redo of the studio powder room done last week. We finally have a vanity IN the bathroom, instead of outside of it! Plumbing has moved, new lighting, drywall - and two of the walls are painted in the same peachy pink as the rest of the room. After painting the trim today, I'm hanging a large-scale, black & white line art wallpaper. It's an intertwining pattern of roses & skulls; a bit of homage to Hol's previous life as a tattoo artist. I believe the paint will help the roses "read" pink - won't know till it's up. And I'm starting to look at art now... Aubrey Beardsley, Arthur Rackham, Maurice Sendak... "of" the era but not the familiar poster images of the big guys like Mucha. I'm also looking at new artists... just looking so far.

Hol will be taking off this evening to go help C with the house he's rehabbing through the weekend. I'll have my good buddy Knuckles for company. And all the kitties. They are healed up enough that I can start exposing them to the outdoors. Lucy might take to it; Pickles is almost too much my velcro cat and a scaredy cat... to want to be out much. But she does play and run vigorously with Lucy. Whatever - they're cats; they'll find their own level of interaction. They're big enough now (tho still small kitties) to take care of themselves. And they have the 3 big boys to mentor them, take them on tours of the best hunting grounds and where the nightly patrols go to "guard mommy". LOL. Freddy is still the general and most times can be found occupying B's porch chair, napping but he will take a patrol or two in inclement weather. Doesn't bother him like it does the other boys.

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