Midsummer Beauty

"Always press your bare feet to the ground and listen to what the earth says and what it has to give you for the day. She always has something, but you have to listen to receive it" from Radiance of Tomorrow a book I just finished last night by Ishmael Beah.

made my first gif today! (And yeah it looks like she totally got me, but I swear there was no tongue involved!

I started off my day today well rested. The energies from the Full Moon and eclipse seemed to be clearing and I mean literally, as I felt a desire to clean and move energy around today! My day started off with some flower art that you see above, relating to this wonderful quote I came across in the book I finished yesterday (which was a very good book, I cried plenty of times and it touched my spirit.) As I was weeding and clearing, of course our dog Luci came and gave me a good nuzzle. I captured it on my Instagram stories and decided to make a .gif, it was such a cute moment!

chop and drop comfrey

I set about the homestead, doing one section at a time. Because I do all of the clearing by hand it is quite laborious. I went in with my Japanese rice knife (serrated sickle) and chopped down the plants that I didn't want (in this case smartweed, a few extra sacred datura (they reseed easily and tho I love them, 1 or 2 is enough), and some plants that I am unfamiliar with but decided to take out). Comfrey, as we have talked about many times before, is one of the mainstay Permaculture plants as its roots go faaaaaar into the soil collecting (trace) minerals and nutrients which then collect in the leaves. To say it has a strong root is an understatement and the "chop and drop" method of cutting its leaves multiple times per season and placing them directly on the soil as a mulch that will slowly decompose (or making a compost tea out of them) is highly recommended.

Goumi, Tulsi, Asparagus, Wild False Indigo

The comfrey is on the other side of this bed which also contains the plants in the description below the picture (plus a few others ;)) This is a bed I did a walk through of earlier in the season via a DTube vid if anyone recollects that ... it has filled out quite a bit, which is exciting!

Shots of the Homestead

cosmos

Zinnia

cockscomb (it reseeds! I love the red hints)

can you spot the hummingbird photobomb

Ini worked on the High Tunnel all day framing out one of the end walls. It was a gorgeous day that started off a bit cool and then warmed up with a beautiful blue cloud-filled sky with plenty of sun. I was kind of worn out from the weeding, cleaning of the yurt and chop and dropping so I read Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achabe.

Veggies & Beauty

the most beautiful corn silk.. i am in love!

purple pod pole beans

As I walked around the garden I truly felt blessed ... Sometimes homesteading life feels very difficult and at other times, I can see all of the beauty surrounding me (that we often have a hand in) and I feel so grateful. It leads me to give thanks!!

cup plant - it holds water!!

another gorgeous butterfly on the now blooming anise hyssop!

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Ini on the line... in his own words “Many hours of slack lining have prepared me for this moment where the high tunnel asked me to do a kilt pole dance. I agreed.”

And..... kittens!