Tag: nature
Creating Winter Spaces
This image is the cover of the “Winter 2022” Issue of Woolgathering. It’s the final issue of Woolgathering, my nature magazine devoted to our connection to the seasons, and it should be landing in mailboxes today! This year, I featured chairs on the covers of …
Generous Turkey
As a second grader I stood in front of an enormous Tom turkey during a field trip to a turkey farm. He strutted and stretched his wings, wobbled his gobble, and looked at us menacingly with his multicolored bald head. Who was this creature? I …
Woodland Mushroom Ornaments For Sale
Phew! I managed to forage these green mushrooms just before the first real snowfall of the season! It is well known that woodland mushrooms are lucky. These ornaments are no different. They are guaranteed to bring good luck to their new homes! Besides being lucky, …
Leaf Art: Printing
It’s fun to creatively engage with Fall leaves! Beyond marveling at their beauty or collecting them for inside adornment, there are more simple ways leaves can inspire beautiful creations. For instance, you can actually print with your leaf. In this case, I painted the leaves …
An Open Letter
This letter was originally published in the 2022 Fall Issue of Woolgathering: Dearest Spring Bird, Let it be known that on this day and this day forward, I pledge allegiance to your land and to all who grow, inhabit, dwell, live, thrive and worship there, …
Planting Jonquils like Tasha Tudor
Tasha Tudor was on my mind as I planted a mere fifty jonquil bulbs in the “island” between the house and the cottage. I used my little trowel and hacked away at the hard earth trying not to disturb the oak roots. I thought about …
Planting Acorns
When propagating oak trees, the very best is to plant an acorn in the fall – directly in the ground and allow it to grow. Unfortunately, over winter, your planted acorn may be feasted on by rodents, and the acorns planted by birds and squirrels …
Succulent Propagation
Propagating Succulents! Another trial run in plant propagation. This time I wanted to attempt propagating this particular succulent. (I don’t know its name.) In the past I have propagated jade plants and aloes, but I had yet to try snipping a leaf from a succulent. …
Dyeing With Walnuts!
Walnut Dyeing! It’s been a couple years since I boiled walnuts for fun, but the green orbs were calling to me this year. About three weeks ago, I collected 15 lbs of fallen walnuts. This was easy to do because we have plenty of black …
Happy Labor Day to Farmers
Happy Labor Day! Today, I am grateful to all of the people who grow our food. Farming is intense and laborious work – especially if you are practicing regenerative farming techniques. Farmers farm because of their deep connections to soil, environment, plants, and animals. I’m …
Making Mint Tea from Homegrown Dried Mint
I dried some mint for tea this morning! This was my first time doing so, and I am fairly content with my results. We grow mint at several locations not only because it is a yummy herb, but because it spreads easily as a ground …
Making Hammer Prints From Garden Flowers
This was a fun process to explore on this beautiful, sunny day. Artist Janelle Rae (former artist in residence at Spring Bird/current creator of the honeysuckle meditation hut featured in the blue bench meadow) recommended making hammer prints with the zinnias that we are growing. …
The Dog Days of Summer and The Urge to Sploot
In last week’s Woolgathering Podcast, I mentioned the Dog Days of Summer, and then immediately admitted I didn’t know the origin behind that phrase, which I understood to mean the really hot days of Summer that occur towards the end of the season. So, I …
Cornelian Cherry Juice
This is cornelian cherry juice. Pat made it by boiling cornelian cherries (with pits) in water for about a half an hour. Then he strained it and heated the juice with sugar until the sugar dissolved. (This is the ratio: 5 kilo cherries – 6 …