Spent many hours today outside in the sunshine gardening. Our herb garden was looking rather unkempt and needed some lovin'. So I weeded and top-dressed with an entire compost bin of finished compost (10 cu ft). We planted the dwarf nectarine and top-dressed the fruit trees in the "orchard" (does 4 trees make an orchard, lol?). Also made up the hanging baskets and cleaned up the ceramic pots around the front of the house. I can't believe what a difference it all makes. It looks great! I have a few empty spots in the herb garden for the annual herbs like basil and borage, cilantro and calendula, and for things that didn't make it through the winter (my lovely rosemary bush! boo hoo hooooooo it was *huge*, too!!!! and the stevia plants and lavender)...
At the moment the herb garden contains: sage, hens-and-chicks, nasturtiums, lavender, marjoram, jerusalem artichokes, sorrel, oregano, parsley, chives, mint, two blueberry bushes, rue, lovage, yarrow, comfrey, a desert king fig tree, dwarf plum nectarine, an artichoke, several chamomile plants, several lemon balm plants, a thriving border of forget-me-nots and violas. The hanging baskets have trailing lobelia and nasturtiums in them. The fig tree (and persimmon tree) are both just starting to bud; the cherry tree is in full bloom, and the apple tree and plum tree are leafing. Everything's coming along great!
Rowed 8.5 kms today. Took yesterday off rowing but we did go for a short bike ride through the nearby provincial campground. Last week it was 5 days of rowing, 2 tai chi classes, and the short bike ride. I'm starting to (*gasp*) kind of look forward to daily exercise. I even remarked to dh a few days ago that I could probably get into the habit of rowing in the mornings and then managing a second workout in the evenings sometimes! When I rowed competitively (a lifetime ago it seems!) we did 6 mornings and 5 evenings a week. Intense, but awesome. I'm realizing lately that exercising is something I'm going to have to continue *daily* for the rest of my life. No escaping it, so I'd better find things that I enjoy doing. I'd *love* to take kayak lessons and get out on the local water, cycle more, even get back into running. Maybe one day I could even do a mini-triathlon, but I realize I'm nowhere near that right now. Something to work towards anyways.
At the farmer's market yesterday I spoke with a local farmer who's just had her second child about 3 months ago and is trying to farm with a baby in a sling and a preschooler scampering about! I'm going to volunteer on the farm, a few hours each week, in exchange for some veggies. WAHOO!!!! What a deal! I can't wait. AND the beauty part is that if I need to bring my kids along with me, it shouldn't be a big deal. (not to mention my 11 yo is probably mature enough to babysit the preschooler (as in, keep him happily playing & out of mom's hair for a little while). I'm so stoked about this opportunity. We already get a farm box from another local farm, but more local organic veggies is great! And I'll be gaining valuable farming experience, which I feel I'm sorely lacking, and will come in handy when we really start farming the acreage in earnest. (fencing is the priority over there at the moment)
Other than getting my hands dirty, I'm planning on doing a green smoothie feast for a few days at least. I had 2L today (lunch & dinner) and am hoping to go a whole day tomorrow... Maybe a week total. I need to create some mental space around my relationship towards food right now and experience a little healing.
Namaste'
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