Good morning from the mountain, My Mom is in the hospital
today and I would ask for your prayers, we do not know if she will need surgery
or not, we are praying not of course.
This made us get up at an unholy hour before six had even come close to
reaching its mark, but I needed to get as much done as I could just in case my
mom needs me. The hospital she is at is
about two hours from my door. The hospitals here in Arkansas are very strange,
they are very small, and each seems to only do a few things. The one she is in is in Batesville, Arkansas,
it is called White River Medical center it has a little two hundred and some
beds.
The boys and I stated out this morning picking onions,
garlic and some potatoes, and then replanting.
We also cut about a wheel barrel full of fresh weeds for the animals, before
the humidity and rising temperature drove us back to the house. Just check out these photos, garlic that
dwarfs the onions, and so more potatoes that I missed the first round. I like spring potatoes to be small and
tender, but they will be alright. Elijah
was very proud of them, he must have spent ten minutes telling his dad how he
helped to plant them and now they are all grown and sun burnt, which is green
on a potato. Then Elijah was startled
by our little bird, Yellow.
Our sweet little garden bird is doing such a job of pest
control for the bigger bugs and she is so delightful, she comes up the front porch
and shows you what she has caught and if you place a bug up there she will come
and take it. I am sure we would not being doing so well with the corn and pumpkins
if it was not for her. We also delighted
in the squash bees buzzing about, what a treat we were given this morning. From our front door we awake to look out at
the sunflowers almost nine feet tall and pumpkin plants covered in blooms behind
that and the corn which is so tall it looks as if it could reach the sky. The ears are coming along so nicely and no
bugs, thanks to our yellow warble.
I wonder if this was how it was before we all messed things
up, the birds and bees working with man to make a lovely garden, the worms in
the soil, making the soil loose and easy for the roots to follow. We welcome this beautiful orchestra of nature,
providing only good. Our garden provides
us with food wholesome and safe to eat.
Our bird friend Yellow and her mate and their baby’s safe bugs to eat,
that have no chemicals on them as well. The
squash bees, our bubble bees and the other four or five varieties of bees and
of course our honey bees have a safe place to forage. They have helped us to have a wonderful
garden.
No bad for a one day harvest, so much more to pick and
plant, it is an everyday event that brings us so much joy. I can see clearly that Elijah at only eight
years old has gained a ton of knowledge that he can repeat and teach to others. I am very proud of him; he understood that
root crops wild or domestic are important.
He started talking about curly dock while we were digging up the garlic
and how he was going to make root beer with it and the sassafras. I foresee a busy fall for us, I blame myself
for explain to him where real soda comes from, and his desire to make it as well. I have Barbara to thank for the gallon jars,
gosh they are nice and I can see fermenting many pickles and kimchi in
them.
I was also gifted some old canning jars from my neighbors
Bill and Pat, they are lovely people, and I was as grateful for the help as
jars are very pricey. A dozen new, can
run anywhere from about nine dollars to well over twelve. If the price were not bad enough they are
very thin, and the shatter so easily.
You cannot use them for canning if you have ever used them for freezing. The biggest problem I have had with the new
jars is that the bottom of the jar breaks in the water bath canner. I would complain about them being made in
China, but they are not they are made her in the United States. The quality is no longer there and it is truly
a shame.
I was able to pick up some cloths for Michael that a
different neighbor was parting with this aloud me a few minutes to wander off
to a local yard sell, I saw nothing at the sale, save a few people I knew. But
along the road I found some ripe black berries that I picked for the kids for a
little lunch time treat. I spent too
much time in the heat and ended up taking a two hour nap after I prepared lunch
for the little ones. I also called and
checked on my mom who is doing better.
She can now hold down water, we are hoping to only here good things.
One more thing I learned about today, Armadillos, care four identical
babies, they carry their babies for eight to nine months and can even pause
their pregnancy four up to four years in times of low food or drought. They can
smell insects two inches under the ground.
I wish they would eat the grubs that become Japanese beetles instead of
my eggs. They can contract leprosy just like a human and are used to learn more
about the disorder. I will try to
remember this the next time we need to shot one for eating eggs. At one time they had plenty of bugs to eat
and they should have plenty here, but they are groomed from other places where
the bugs are gone and the ground is sterile.
Yet another victim of the poisoning of the ground, they too must adapt
to the changing world.
Be Blessed
Shekhinah
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