I've been knitting a lot of things, toys, a big shawl scarf, mittens, and today a hat. I've been working on some new charts and some new patterns.
I started out with the same general pattern as my basketweave hat so long ago (2005?) and then just changed it entirely after the rib with a hand drawn knitting chart of a truck.
Well, it is January, that time of the year gardeners the world over start looking at their seed stores and starting things in little pots in hopes that they will grow into big strong transplants.
The chickens had their first eggs in about a month.. it has been that cold.
I checked on the front bed with the carrots and parsnips planted last September. The parsnips (Hamburg rooted parsley) are about a pencil's width but still have green tops. The carrots are a bit larger than that - nearing on index-finger size, but they are supposed to be short Oxheart version. Both of the seeds were sourced through Victory Seeds. Mark has said I should dig out that entire bed soon and put greens in for the year, as it keeps warmth and moisture from the brick wall behind it. I had forgotten there were a few vines of Jackson Wonder Lima Bean in there, as well - and pulled those out just now. There were about six dry good seeds there and about six that had started to germinate, and the rest were a loss. So - the germinating seeds are in a pot indoors here.
The picture below is a pod of Shackamaxon bean that was the same story. That was about a week ago when I cleared vines out of the main garden, and they are now starting to grow. One has a taproot four inches long - and they will need to be repotted as soon as the second gets above the soil.
So now I'm growing heirloom landrace 'rescue' beans... I'm kidding, really. But we have been keeping the same varieties alive for years with my hobby. I studied the articles of Joseph Lofthouse with his 'landrace' seeds that changed to adapt to his location in the mountains of Utah. We have been growing the children's children type seeds of our plants for long enough that these really are 'pea ridge adapted' for Tennessee. These Shackamaxon were from northern New York and are the survivors of several plantings, some which did better than others - over the years here. The ones that we planted in July seemed to always do the best and be the most prolific, but not until they were at least two month old vines or more.
There is such limited space and such limited time as well. What to grow out this year? Last year I didn't have time for much, but still got some Shackamaxon and a good crop of Whipporwill peas out of it. I think using the main bed to grow lots and lots of kale and mustard was very useful for cooking - although I did not save any seeds off of them. I had planned to look for seeds from the arugula/rocket and it was attacked by some sort of fungus halfway through. I have more seed for that this year and did enjoy eating it. Our purslane came back up from self-seed but then the weather never did get great for it, and it died back without making much of itself. The lemon balm, however, went EVERYWHERE as did the lemon-scented basil. I collected heads off of the basil and the perennial lettuce and will see if any of that is good seed.
The 'rescue' beans, sprouted after a week
There is another pot that was started today, will check back on them in another week
I saw a lady
walking with her Manx cat
I wasn't sure who was walking who
as they nearly danced
the cat weaving in and out between
her high-top sneakers
she placed each foot down carefully
as if to some melody I could not hear
as she talked on a cell phone
wandering down
the stretch of rural road
as they have done
it was obvious to me
so many times before
dance, weave, step, purr
they were rhythm intertwined
the cat would have had its tail up
if it had one
the love was obvious
the day was ordinary
and still - when I reach that little stretch
of road with the wide fields, bare trees and grasses
I think of them
dancing - in their little slice of world
that for that moment
I shared
Happy New Year 2021
Even when the others do not see
the mathematics in the bend of the grass
feel the soft spray of seeds brushing your cheek
the golden light filtering down
the deepest red in the leaves
still clinging to the branches
the pale blue reflected in the smear of rain on the road
Travel the bright road
ahead of you
see what has been laid out
for it is given
and even the hard rocks under
the soft soles of your shoes
speak beauty today
Be open
see the mathematics in the light
even when the others do not hear
messages are still being spoken
to the ones who listen to sunlight and see wind
Bits of village behind Clifton Castle, docks and bridges
See the other developments of the village in front of the castle here
The Wandering Trader has shown up and his llamas are wandering everywhere
setting up foundations for smaller apartments and shops
every little building will have some sort of sign and info about what is used for, chairs, desks, beds or work equipment inside
I didn't get a lot done, but at least these buildings were finished... some views of it in the sunrise and from above during the day
stick a chicken in the oven and sit down for a while
This is another example of scale.. this is a ship 'The Maple Leaf' that I saw something like it in a picture, and since the first castle had a ship, I gave this one too. It would be better looking at a grander scale, but then it wouldn't fit into the landscape, either.
So this is what Stage One of the landscape looks like.. more to come
