Geesh, it has been too long! I’ve had a busy month so far; let me share a bit about what I’ve been up to.
So, first many of my weekends have been spent on the family farm. Wisconsin had an usually wet Spring which meant we were trying to bring in the harvests up until this week. Then of course there was the equipment problems that put things back another week. The amazing thing about farm work is that you are usually late or early but hardly ever on time. There is a flow that you just have to sink into. If you stress too much about the date on the calendar, you might loose yourself in the worries and mini crises. There is always work to be done, and it always gets done.
Speaking of work, the community garden finally finished off the 2014 growing season. We had decided to have our closing date correspond to the last farmers’ market, November 15. Well, Wisconsin weather decided to get super chilly this year right around Samhain. The garden beds were frozen solid. It made for an exciting Saturday trying to clean out the beds. We also planted a cover crop of Red Mammoth Clover. Due to our planting time it might not work out quite like we hope. It’s all a big experiment! I’m so proud of the Crowley Station Community Garden this year. We managed to get the garden built and producing food. There is a solid team in place for next year. I hope that it continues to flourish and provide an example for what Madison can do with community gardens.
I’m also serving on the planning committee for the Winter Garden Summit in Madison. This year we are focusing on Garden Leadership. It’s going to be awesome! The event will be held in late February. Stay tuned for details.
There have also been a lot of small projects I’ve been working on. I’m trying to finish this braided rug that has been in progress all year. There are holiday presents I’m making for friends and family. Don’t forget all the baking for holiday parties. With all the rushing to and fro I almost missed the most exciting thing of all. . . it snowed! We only have an inch or so, but nothing is more beautiful than snow in Wisconsin.
You are surely thinking that snow is snow is snow, but you’d be mistaken. I’ve lived in the prairie where the snow is really just tiny ice particles that blows in your face. Here in the hills of Wisconsin the snow is large and fluffy. It softly, gently falls to the ground and covers the world in a big, voluptuous blanket. The world becomes more rounded and insulated. Walking through the woods you feel sheltered. The snow forces you to take slow and meaningful steps as you walk to the barn or home from work. Safety comes from the awareness that the season brings in the deep, cold snow. All that you want to do is slow down and contemplate the world and your place in it.
And that is exactly what I’m going to take time to do for the rest of the season.
Esoteric Moment 