A new month...a new beginning....

         Asters. They grow like wildfire all down around the old birdbath in the backyard...in all the areas where I don't mow if I don't have to, because it's near the edge of the pond and I have planted tons of Shasta daisies and lilies and all manner of flowery stuff that will fill up the spaces.When I first clicked on this picture, I thought it was a picture of my feverfew that grows along the front of the house, but it's not. I don't think.  lol

  A cool overcast morning here on the Prairie. Not supposed to rain today, but showers possible tomorrow. I need to get out there and cut more lemon grass to dry, more anise hyssop  leaves and flowers for tea, a little more garlic chives,. as I think the regular chives I cut last week are finally dry and can be put in jars.  They are saying that next week we are headed for a cool down, and I guess it really is October now and so there's no stopping that train.  I just hope that it will stay warm enough for my gazillions of flowers to turn into green beans out there.  And ripen a few more tomatoes. I mostly just don't want to bring in a lot of green tomatoes. I am not going to can chow chow this year, because I have so much of it left from last time.  I might try pickling a few tiny green tomatoes if there are any. My friend Cathy does it every year and says they're great. 

  I am really ready for things to wind down though. Might just be the exhaustion talking right now, as I have been going at a dead run the past 4 days.  I am whipped.  Too much running, not enough home time. Too much crappy food, not enough nutrition.  I have become such a creature of habit that days like these throw such a monkey wrench into my world it's unbelievable.  I laughingly told a friend of mine this morning that I needed a day home on a prune juice fast.  But that's how I feel. My system gets derailed so easily these days...that path of health and wellness gets pretty narrow sometimes, doesn't it?  Enough rest, enough nutrition, enough time for myself and I will be good as new again.  (But I am still ready for some of the garden stuff to be done. LOL)

 I am sitting with my neighbors husband tomorrow, so am trying to get a few things done around here...little things like laundry and granola and some shopping maybe. Just a tad...I have this list of things I need to stock in my pantry...things like bottled lemon juice and white beans and canned pineapple.  Maybe some tuna and canned salmon, just for an added protein source.  The Food preservation and Storage class is moving right along and I am learning a lot of things about emergency storage and general food planning for my family.  I need to pick up a 15 month calendar to get going on my Food Plan for next year for growing, storing and preserving. This tool will help keep things spread out so that I can afford to do them too.  One of the things I love most about Ms. Astyk's writing and methods is that there is a lot of margin for error, and I loved her forever when she talked about ..."no matter how organized I try to be and how much I try to do, there are going to be those times when I have tomatoes rotting on the counter..."   That happens to me when the produce is pouring in and the to-do list gets taller than I am and I cannot possibly keep up.  It hasn't been TOO bad this year, just because I cut some corners (in my mind-- apparently lots of other people do this all the time)  like simply freezing most of the peaches and blackberries, planning to make them into jam and salsa later in the year when I don't have any thing more pressing to do.  Normally I do what's right in front of me, right then, because if I don't I might not ever do it. lol  I am becoming more flexible...


  I am going to be sitting with the 2 little boys that are my friends grandsons again in a couple of weeks. That will be fun, as well as the opportunity to make a little extra cash. I am planning a trip back to North Carolina for a Native American AA Convention that I have attended for years (though not in the last 7 since moving here).  My friend is coming with me and we will have a wonderful girls weekend.  SO I am trying to stockpile the cash for that trip. lol  If I am mindful, it will be easy. And maybe I can make some money at this weekends flea market that my neighbor and I are doing too...not to mention the decluttering of the house. win/win  lol  

 All in all a slow moving, late starting Monday. Still in my jammies.  But, thankfully, today is not a race.  I don't really have to go anywhere, or do much if I choose not to. However, that said--if  I do slouch around all day, I won't be happy with that either, and will probably not feel good too. I need to move these old bones some, or they tend to stiffen up and ache. Especially in this weather....cool with impending rain. 

  Happy October, all.



Namaste.