Recently

Recently I received the latest catalog Wild Garden Seed: organic seed from Shoulder to Shoulder Farm 2024. As the owner of Plants of the Southwest did with her catalog one of the owners, Frank Morton, of this source of seeds wrote an article he labeled "Age". 

Age can only be seen as a blessing, 

an ever more privileged state of being. 

Every living thing strives for it, 

endures and overcomes to achieve it.  

It is a wish we all carry,

that we experience 

the humbling grace of aging.  

It’s the simple quest of life.   

As I age and Shasta does as well 

I seem more in tune with both of the our limitations due to our age. Shasta sleeps more than she use to. And my balance is not as good as it use to be thus I am much more careful as I walk about especially on the walkway through the park across the street. It is sorely in need of replacement but obviously the city of Cotati's park crew has other priorities for the allotted dollars.

In spite of the age related limitations I continue to grow some of my food and delight in doing so. Shasta and I walk daily every morning albeit not nearly as far as we use to. Shasta is VERY clear about how far she is willing to walk!

Right now it is a bit too cool to sow seeds outside in the soil, except of course the sweet pea seeds, so the seeds are sown onto mostly 4" pots then set on the heat mattress in the greenhouse.

  

Sowing the seed,
my hand is one with the earth.

Wanting the seed to grow,
my mind is one with the light.

Hoeing the crop, 
my hands are one with the rain.

Having cared for the plants,
my mind is one with the air

Hungry and trusting,
my mind is one with the earth.

Eating the fruit,
my body is one with the earth.

WENDELL BERRY

The neighbors crabapple tree 
 in full bloom.
Its canopy pretty extends
over the shed on my property.

Pink Pearl apple tree
beginning to leaf out.

Aquilegia formosa (Western columbine)

I recall hiking with Dwight and observing this plant growing in a seep.Lovely I thought and have been growing it every since. The ones residing at PageRefuge are along the north end of the house. The conditions seems to suite these plants since they are flourishing. All of the plants are sending up stocks of flowers. 

The pink flowers at the top of

this picture are "Heart's Delight"

Ribes var. glutinosum sanguineum.

Eschscholzia californica var. californica (Coastal poppy)

Today is wash day yet I have been able to do an outside of the house walk about checking out what is blooming. It is such a delight to engage in the land here and her abundance. And as I do so I enjoy a hardy belly

Companion Planting

Companion planting has, in my adult life, been a focus when establishing a vibrant, healthy environment for fruit trees and berry bushes. Recently I planted three bareroot raspberry bushes from Grow Organic along the west side of my house. Then the herbs purchased from The Growers Exchange in 4" pots were planted on the optimal day for them to thrive.

1 Borago officinalis (Borage blue)
1 Melissa officinalis (Lemon balm)
1 Symphytum officinalis (Comfrey ‘Common’)
2 Tanacetum vulgare (Tansy)

My "go to" guide for planting companions is Carrots Love Tomatoes: Secrets of Companion Planting for Successful Gardening 1975 by Louise Riotte. My copy was published in 1975 so I have successfully used this guide to plant MuRefuge, SantaFeRefuge and now PageRefuge. These gardens have flourished.  

The blackberries have been planted on the north side of the shed a few years ago. Thus I decided to plant the raspberries on the south side since Riotte suggests planting them no closer to one another than 600 feet. She goes on to say that this provides some space for avoidance of contamination of either one with viral disease.     

        Borage blue (Borago officinalis) provides organic potassium, calcium + other natural minerals that are beneficial to plants. "Grow this herb in orchards" as well as a border for strawberry beds. Honeybees like to feast on the blossoms."

        Comfrey is high in calcium, potassium and phosphorus as well as  rich in vitamin A and C. The leaves are fabulous to spread on raised beds or put in the compost pile since their carbon-nitrogen ration is similar to "that of barnyard manure."

        Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) also called "bee herb". Melissa is Greek for "honeybee". If the leaves are using for making a tea to drink, the tea calms the nervous system and stimulates the heart. Some believe it will even "dispel headaches or migraine".

               Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare) is a good companion to both blackberries and raspberries. "It deters flying insects, Japanese beetles, squash bugs" as well as "helps repels flies and ants".

Tansy in the foreground
and Comfrey nearest to the fence.

Borage 
Lemon balm
Tansy (nearest corner of the house)

Cercis occidentalis (Western redbud)
with flowers opening
and the contrast with the
white wall of the house is stunning.

And changing the focus from plants to birds, I have noticed at the bird feeders what probably are fledging birds. Obviously one parent or another has brought them to the feeders in my backyard. To me they are just so cute. They do not seem as skittish as their adult parents since they remain still as I approach. 

As I get organized, plant, and write this post, I enjoy a belly

Spring, 2024

This picture was sent to me by
my dear, dear, dear friend, Rosa,
who resides in the mountains
East of Santa Fe.
March 17, 2023

After enduring huge amount of snow in the Winter growing up in Iowa, Spring is my favorite time of the year. It is in the Spring when everything begins "popping", as Shasta's Auntie T says. In Iowa it was Memorial Day before flowers appeared. And the first were the lilacs. The plants here are certainly "popping" with many of the bushes and plants are in full bloom. Celebrate Spring by taking great pleasure in the wide array of the flower pictures below.

 Ribes var. glutinosum sanguineum (“Heart’s Delight”)

                                   

 

Penstemon eatonii (‘Firecracker’ beardtongue)

Lamprocapnos spectabilis (Bleeding heart)

Ribes speciosum (Fushsia flower gooseberry

May the sun be shining where you are. Shasta is fully enjoying the sun as she enjoys a "sun bath" then moves to the shade to cool off; once again returning to the sunshine.

And while we bask in the sunshine may we also enjoy a good belly

Tasty Addition

Earlier this month on the optimal planting day for "fruit" I planted three Heritage "everbearing" red raspberry bareroots from Grow Organic. The North American Maria Thun Biodynamic Almanac 2024 is the guide I use for all my planting, transplanting, pruning, etc. here at PageRefuge.

After about a week after planting the bareroots, green leaves are now evident. 

While living in Santa Fe, New Mexico, I made a weekly (or sometimes more often) trek to Plants of the Southwest. It was here I first learned of these Heritage red raspberries. From this source I bought three and planted along the sidewalk going from the back patio to the garbage bins through a gate to the front driveway. 

Along the adobe wall
the raspberries were planted
behind Dwight and the
covered raised bed
at which he is pointing.

These are not tall and needing support but rather bushy plants. The ripe red raspberries almost never reached the house if I was picking them. Most I picked were popped into my mouth . . . a very "Tasty" treat!!!

In Carrots Love Tomatoes: Secrets of Companion Planting for Successful Gardening by Louise Riotte, the author suggests not planting raspberries 

near blackberries. So the site I would have preferred to plant the raspberries would be in the same area as the blackberries. The planted raspberries now reside in the area on the west side of the house where the previous owners had a hot tub. 

Cercis occidentalis (Western redbud)

is one of my all time favorite trees.

While living in Tucson during one Easter break my office mate, her cousin and I hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon National Park.

This is where I first encountered this spectacular tree. FYI the above Western redbud is also planted in the area previously occupied by a hot tub.

These plants in 4" pots came
from the Growers Exchange:
2 'Common' Comfrey
1  Lemon Balm
1 Borage Blue
2 Tansy

This author suggests planting the heirloom Borage (Borago officinalis) or Starflower which provides organic potassium, calcium and other natural minerals that benefits plants. This edible heirloom provides "clusters of sparkling blue flowers that look like stars fallen from the sky". 

A volunteer in the bed
just to the East of
the patio.
The seed packet for Borage
so more can be started . . . soon.

Well, I think this is a Borage volunteer but I cannot be 100% sure until is blooms. The leaves look so much like Comfrey (Symphytum officinale) to me. In my humble opinion one's garden cannot have too much Comfrey. Of course, the gophers love it too. 

She also recommends planting Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis), or "bee herb" since it attracts bees and Tansy (Tanacetum vulgar) that deters flying insects, Japanese beetles, tried cucumber beetles, and squash bugs as well as flies and ants. My plan is to plant one of the Tansy near the blackberries and one with the raspberries.

This day, as this post is written, the sky is clearing of clouds to allow glorious sunshine. May each of you reading this post engage, as I have when surveying my flourishing garden, engaged in an emotional releasing belly

 

Miracle

Remember, remember the circle of the sky

        the stars and the brown eagle

the supernatural winds

breathing night and day

from the four directions

Remember, remember the great life of the sun

breathing on the earth

to bring out life upon the earth

life covering the earth

Remember, remember the sacredness of things

running streams and dwelling

the young in the nest

a hearth for sacred fire

the holy flame of fire

              PAWNEE/OSAGE/OMAHA INDIAN SONG

Planting seeds, no matter the size, is nothing short of a miracle. These small seeds hold the potential, when planted in dirt, to sprout and grow into plants. Take these Silvery Fir Tree tomato seeds:

One seed will sprout and grow to about three feet tall. This determinate

(having exact and discernible limits to its "form") tomato plant I learned about when reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life. Barbara Kingsolver, her daughter and husband wrote this book when living in the East where they grew their own food. I find this two inch early ripening red tomato very tasty. I roast and fill quart jars then place them in the freezer to enjoy in the winter.

The sprouting tomato seeds
setting on the heat mattress
with the temperature set for 80 degrees.

I am so fortunate to have had such a talented husband.  He built the "mini greenhouse" that sits on the West side of the house. The top opens and can be propped open with a metal "stake".

Now the tomato seeds have sprouted. More seeds have been scattered: 'Wild Garden Lettuce Mix' in the large white 6 pack, Arugula Wild Rocket "Rocky" and Chervil in the two 4" pots. The mattress temperature setting has been decreased to 70 degrees. With the cool weather the ambient temperature is chilly thus the lid to the greenhouse remains closed. Of course, to confirm all is still working and the heat mattress remains at the set temperature, I check out the greenhouse at least daily sometimes more.

When the clouds do not cover the sun, Shasta loves laying in the sunshine. She is such a "happy girl". This Sunday past she celebrated her 12th birthday.

IF she is not outside in the back yard, the "bushy tailed rodent" turns up in search food. There is not just one squirrel but many that frequent the back yard. Shasta is one busy girl keeping them at bay. She seems to embrace "her job" and does so with zest. And the squirrels move FAST when Shasta shoots out of the door in pursuit.

Lepechinia fragrans ‘El Tigre’ (Pitcher sage)

As I look out the North facing window the sky is overcast and dreary, to me. However, I am delighted to have a hardy belly