storm kettle

we lost our electricity for a day, so we had to use the kelly kettle to boil water for tea.

happiness is a warm cup.

lucie, having her cup.

phoebe, having hers.

this way and that

this way, a redwood sunset

that way, a full moon over the horse farm

this way, a ladybug

that way, a spiraling spirea

lucie, a wwoofer from france, enjoys the morning sun

sprouts

sakura, sakura

flood

we woke up this morning to a raging kitchen creek.

 

 

to live

terrarium

mushrooms growing in the terrarium, a good sign.

first signs of spring

nano

our goats are an odd couple. charlotte is white, nano is black. charlotte is big, while nano is small. charlotte is quiet, nano is talkative. charlotte is mellow, nano is sprightly.

alder

alder spans the space between earth and water.

the seeds fall into the water, from the bank's green edge, and float downstream to germinate. alder wood is oily and water resistant, so it's great to use for making bridges, or rafts and is often used to make clogs. the bark makes a lovely red dye, and the cones will give a black dye. the inner bark will produce a dull yellow. crush the leaves into a paste to alleviate muscle pain, or to spread on burns, like aloe. hang fresh, young leaves, which are quite sticky, in the kitchen or chicken coop, like a flytrap to catch insects.

alder trees have fairy doors in their trunks just above the water line, and often you might see a crow or raven fly away from the branches in a hurry. that would be an alder fairy, changing its shape, so as not to be seen.

alder is also known to be the best kind of wood for use in hugelkultur, which is what this wood will be used for.