Blog

Wanda Farm Tour

Wanda Farm Tour

The Land Conservancy’s  “Women’s Learning Circle” gathered at Wanda Farm (Harvard, IL) this past Friday! Joe took us for a hayride to visit their pasture-raised pigs, cows, and chickens.  Beyond learning about rotational grazing, Joe spoke passionately about caring for animals in ways that not 

A Painted Stool Steps Up Bedroom Decor

A Painted Stool Steps Up Bedroom Decor

Okay, I  REALLY can’t stop painting walls and furniture.  The other day, I made over this unique stepping stool that currently functions as a bedroom plant stand. It used to be white, but when I swapped my bedroom rugs, I realized that it needed to 

Summer Cats Luxuriate, and So Can We

Summer Cats Luxuriate, and So Can We

I had to post this picture of Marbles, because it embodies the essence of Summer.  For me, the internal productivity pusher struggles to embrace the lethargic, sun worshiper of my truer spirit.   Our cats, Marbles and Ninja are such good reminders to just soak up 

New Monarch Butterfly Stickers

New Monarch Butterfly Stickers

Show your love for the prettiest Monarchs in all of the land with this waterproof vinyl sticker! Sticker measures 3″ x 2.41″ and costs $2.00

A True Story

A True Story

Oftentimes, the deer like to play with the rope of our tree swing. They nudge it with their noses.  It’s real, prime time exciting stuff! The other day, one of them climbed through the loop and got momentarily stuck.  For a split second I imagined 

Harvesting Asparagus

Harvesting Asparagus

This afternoon, I had the pleasure of weeding and harvesting the neglected, upper meadow asparagus patch. For those of you who have never toed around in an asparagus patch, let me paint you a word picture before you look below for a more visceral vision. 

Announcing the 2023 Artists in Residence!

Announcing the 2023 Artists in Residence!

This land that we call Spring Bird has also been called Siloam, Torkel Korling’s Arboretum, a dairy farm, and has been/is occupied Potawatomi, Peoria, Sioux, Ho-Chunk, Miami & Kickapoo Land.  While this land that we call Spring Bird has had many identities, it has always 

New Tree Painting!!!!

New Tree Painting!!!!

I live in the woods and am surrounded by the most glorious old oak trees.They offer so much to the natural world, but they also nurture my spirit, giving me inspiration and protection. I painted this neon tree painting on my patio, during a course 

Quiet Please and Thank You

Quiet Please and Thank You

I feel gratitude each time I turn down my gravel driveway. I’m grateful to be home. I’m grateful that my home is a woodland, and I am grateful for the “Quiet Thank You” sign that reminds me to be silent.  If guests are staying at 

Blue Birdhouse

Blue Birdhouse

My neighbor’s husband made this birdhouse, which my neighbor gifted to me awhile back.  In fact, a nest of baby birds hatched within its walls last summer.  I finally got around to painting it this past week, and here it hangs – on the patio 

Cultivating Log Grown Shiitake Mushrooms

Cultivating Log Grown Shiitake Mushrooms

When the mushroom spawn arrived, our patio became an inoculation station. Fortunately, sunshine also made its glorious appearance – lighting and warming our tasks. We were working with shiitake spawn from various strains and logs from red oak, white oak,  and sugar maple, which Pat 

Welcoming Spring!

Welcoming Spring!

This excerpt from Dan Deacon’s song, “When I Was Done Dying”, captures my feelings about Spring which dawns today in the northern hemisphere.  This season smells like a fresh new playground ball mixed with ice melt. It feels like sticky, squishy mud, and it looks 

First Steps in Mushroom Cultivation!

First Steps in Mushroom Cultivation!

This month, Patrick has been harvesting oak and maple logs for shiitake mushroom inoculation! For now, he is stacking them (about 100 logs) in the shade of these yew trees.  At the end of the month, we will be drilling holes in them, stuffing the