Darkness Falls

Today is Mabon 2024, also known, in the northern hemisphere, as Autumn Equinox. Some pagans believe Mabon is the day the Holly King faces off
with the Oak King and it is a day of harvest celebration. Today, as the sun sits center with the equator, we are gifted with an equal number of light and dark hours. Then, as the days march towards December, we enter the darkest time of year and the Oak King reigns.

The dog and I took our daily walk down by the Mohawk River. In nature, one cannot ignore the changing of the seasons as the declining green bursts into moments of red, yellow, orange and brown. The fallen leaves float gently in the quietness of the river and all around the crickets and katydids are singing.

I, too, am celebrating the harvest. The backyard garden is still robust with tomatoes, eggplant, herbs and flowers, and pumpkins. Even the Brussels sprouts I almost gave up on are growing little sprouts in the armpits of the branches. Bees are also worshipping the last of the rays of sunlight as they harvest the nectar from the pumpkin blossoms, the nasturtiums, and the wild golden rod and asters. I've been sharing tomatoes with the chipmunks all summer and now they are allowing me to harvest some too. This is why I am a Pagan. I feel much more at home with a religion that is not just about humans.

I am also preserving the harvest. Today I made pints of German red cabbage, pickled cherry tomatoes, and crabapple infused vodka. More crabapples are slow cooking into butter. I threw nasturtium blossoms into white wine vinegar to make an infused concoctions for winter salads. It turned a gorgeous orange. I started another batch of red cabbage for tomorrow. There is about a bushel of local apples to do something with soon and lots and lots of green tomatoes still on the vines. I am preparing for winter like any good beast should this time of year. 

Born in early October, I have always been an Autumnal witch. Comfortable in the shadows of a late year's waning sun, I love this time of year, her softness, her darkness. This year, however, I am also realizing that I am entering the Mabon of my life, the youth of my senior years. I am officially a crone now. My youngest child is in his last year of high school and will be off to the Marines come summer. Next autumn, for the first time in decades, I will have no dependent humans to directly care for in my home. This feels both interesting and bittersweet at the same time. I feel like I am wrapping up a major project, and soon, I will embark on a new adventure. I feel both ready for the next stage and, significantly unprepared at the same time. I have a lot to do to finish this project and it can feel a bit overwhelming at times. It is why remembering to celebrate a season can be so therapeutic, a necessary semi-colon right before a major life change.

So, today on this beautiful Mabon afternoon I will not worry about completing my projects. Instead, I celebrate autumn in moments of slanted sunlight, the blush of red in the maple's canopy, the yellow leaves of the cotton tree floating in the Mohawk River. I will watch the squirrels play ghost in the graveyard in the cemetery next door and the bees sipping sweetness from the crimson chrysanthemums. I will breathe in the scents of dying flora, the autumn flowers and eat an apple fresh from a nearby tree. I will place the mason jars of preserved harvest on my shelves and fill another basket full of vegetables fresh from the garden. 

Stay Tuned...

 Bringing back the blogging 2024.

No Photos/Just Blah Blah Blah

 Hello...where do I start?

Terrain Vague No. 1 is no longer in my life. I sold my house and pretty little garden lot last May and have moved to a new state. I have a new job, zone, house, village, situation. It can happen so quickly.

I recently learned the village I now live in has a community garden and I do plan to try for an allotment there. I also have a good size yard that is mostly grass. I’ll garden there too. I’ll have to relearn northern gardening tactics having gone from a 7a-b (microclimate) in KY to upstate New York’s zone 5b. In fact, yesterday, 5-6 inches of fresh snow fell upon us.

I also hope to find a Terrain Vague No. 2 at some point. I have an idea of one that might be a future post.

I’ve been feeling down the past few weeks. I’m sure it’s a cocktail of seasonal depression, relationship and job challenges, middle age/existential crisis, lack of vitamins B12 and D, yearn for spring and the life transition itself. I’m overwhelmed. I feel homesick. I’ve reached the point where I question my actions. Did I do the right thing moving here? Did I mess up my destination? Will this start to feel comfortable? 

 I traded in a lot to take a chance on this something new. It’s hard starting over again. I’m sure digging in dirt will help me in my search for answers. 

So, I’m back to trying to make sense of life and all the vagueness that comes with the future, I’ve become a Terrain Vague myself: My original path has been forgotten and my potential has not yet been created.

Snow for Days

 

"You will find me if you want me in the garden

Unless it's pouring down with rain..." ~

Einstürzende Neubauten

I spent a little Sunday afternoon time over at Terrain Vague today. I had a bucket of compost to drop off and my son wanted me to check out the avant-garde snowman he spent all weekend building; it's rare to get so much snowman worthy snow in our southern city. 

The temperatures are finally climbing out of the deep-freeze and the garden is half snow/half mud. I have a few things overwintering in the greenhouse and they look sleepy, but very well indeed. I checked on the ootheca (praying mantis egg case) I found on the Yule greenery and placed there last month. The snow on the roof made the greenhouse all grey and cozy. I gave everyone a little water and tucked them all back in for a few more weeks of cold.

All I can say is I am ready for spring. I am yearning for that old dirt-under-nails showdown in the garden. Back at the house, I've started a couple of seeds already: Slow germinating hot peppers and chives, but I am waiting for the spring sun to warm up the greenhouse and then my seed sowing quest begins. This year I want to fill every space of Terrain Vague with plants. I hope to grow a good percentage of our vegan diet on this lot. I want to attract more wild things. I want to focus back on the goal I set out to accomplish when I obtained this forlorn Terrain Vague back in 2019. She deserves to be restored into something beautiful, a natural refuge for wild things and for me. 

Window Greenhouse: Our 1 Year Anniversary

 

Here’s a post I’ve been meaning to write for some time. I’m coming up on the one year anniversary of my old windows greenhouse build at Terrain VagueNo. 1 (and 2 year anniversary of having the lot) and I realized I never shared this project on the blog. I’m still not done with her, but I thought I’d catch up with a post about her birth and her first year. My hope is to do more greenhouse update posts this year. Well, actually my hope is I’ll get her finished soon.

Building a greenhouse from old windows has been on my to-do list for decades. In my old life (pre-divorce), I saved a barn full of beautiful, old oak windows which, sadly, I wasn’t able to retrieve. So, around the time I got the TVNo1, I started scavenging windows from the curb or cheap from the Habitat Restore. I stored them until the day I finally decided I had enough to the job (I ended up with way more than I needed).

Next, I selected a site and prepped it for the build. And that’s when procrastination set in...again. See, I have rudimentary building skills and I had no idea where to start. I watched some videos on building greenhouses from windows and some on building sheds, but I struggled with confidence. I just couldn’t get the courage to begin. This is where my then new boyfriend stepped in and said, “Let’s just do it!” 

And, with that, we framed it in together using my vision and that was the push I needed to do the rest myself. And, the relationship with my poor guy survived our first project together!

It took me over a month to get it to a point I could use it. It also wasn’t cheap, however, it was far less than a new build would have cost, mainly spending for wood, greenhouse roof panels and screws. I also can’t say it was easy; I had issues ranging from cuts and bruises, shitty screws, broken windows and rain...so much rain! I used my living room as a wood shop (lacking a garage or electricity at the lot) and I had wood dust everywhere. 

  

And, fortunately, there were many elements I did find on the frugality side, such as a can of exterior paint in grey for $9. I found a lovely vintage louvre door that made up part of the north wall for $12 at a local Salvation Army. The door was so heavy I nearly couldn’t get it in, but my 13 year old son helped. It allows for perfect summer venting. I also found some glass bricks at Restore for around $2 each and I used red bricks left behind from the old house that sat on Terrain Vague for flooring. I even found an eclectic “Y B Normal?” Sign that fit a gap perfectly.

This greenhouse has been a labor of love and I can truly say I really enjoy spending time there. The other day I was watering some overwintering fig trees I have stored inside her and I noticed it was 76 F whilst it was just 48 F outside. It doesn’t quite warm up at night or on an overcast day just yet because I still need to finish the top part and fully enclose it for winter. We are Zone 7a and probably micro-climatic in this urban environment to 7b, so it’s usefulness is between  November to April and this year I’m going to try more seed starting there. I wasn’t organized enough to try cool crops this year, so I have  autumn plans too.

Well, this is just a quick update so I can now bring the greenhouse into some future posts. Here’s a bit of timeline of the build. 

I still have a way to go on her, but I love this space and love spending time there. Building a greenhouse mostly alone was a great achievement and a jump out of my comfort zone. I can’t say I’ve learned to be a carpenter, but I did learn I can accomplish my dreams if I just get out and do it. Who cares if there are mistakes and imperfections? To me, it’s perfectly mine.

 

IDC-Week 3

I told myself I was going to do these weekly on Tuesdays. I did the first one on a Tuesday. Then, the next Tuesday came and then the next, so here I am three weeks later reporting an IDC on a rainy, gloomy Thursday.

So, here it goes:

Plant Something: Oh, so many things planted! Several types of calendula, nasturtium, winter squash, sunflowers, daisies and echinacea seeds (greenhouse); sage plants and more onion sets; marigold, zinnia, basil and cilantro seeds (direct); potatoes; dahlia bulbs; two types of clematis rootstock; black hollyhocks (roots); transplanted the goji berry shrubs to permanent locations. I am sure there are lots more, but my record keeping skills need improvement. Hopefully I can be more accurate and specific next IDC update.

Harvest Something: Just a few cuttings off of the Egyptian onion patch to use like scallions.

Preserve Something: Nothing really much to report here either. I did freeze some extra veggie burgers I made. Does that count? I also froze a portion of winter squash chunks and another of puree for future cooking projects. 

Waste Not: I am really trying to make portions to feed 2-3 people (depending if boyfriend is eating with us or not) and not more than we can eat reasonably. I hate wasting food. Same goes for buying produce and bread: buy what we can use only. I compost all veg scraps and coffee grinds (we eat vegan at home primarily). I recycle what I can (and am reminded by my son that recycling still has a huge carbon footprint. I explain that is why we focus on reuse and reduce whenever we can, but he is right and I need to improve here). I used scraps of wood from other projects to complete recent house projects. Saved some cardboard for miniatures projects (another hobby of mine). Line or rack drying clothing (I don't have a dryer). Reuse jars for other things, wear clothing more than once, hang up towels, reuse things for potting. I used scrap wood (including some really high quality oak obtained from a cooper for free) to build a new raised bed at Terrain Vague. Used pots I have scavenged to plant seeds and potatoes in (including big tree pots...if you can find them, they are perfect for gardening in pots). Picked up some cinderblocks abandoned on the sidewalk. I will use them for raised beds and plant in the holes.

Want Not: BF helped me move some awkward washer plumbing lines in my old 1880s Shotgun house. I now have a laundry room! I bought a washer with the stimulus money and for the first time in nearly 5 years I do not have to go to the laundromat. I was so grateful and happy for the help. I am not shopping much (like most people), but I still have some improvement to make in that area too. It took the strength of mental elephants not to buy a fab pair of Sex Pistol Doc Martens online. I am really only going to the grocery store, hardware or Dollar Tree (not many other places to shop anyway), and these trips are only for necessities. I already decided a Pantry Challenge is going to happen in May because I have more than enough to sustain us for months.  I recently cleaned and inventoried the pantry and I can do quite a bit with the stockpile. I guess in some ways it is a blessing I am not a minimalist despite my serious attempts in the past few years. I am also going to include shows, books, music I am engaging in in this category. I am watching (or re-watching the first season to catch back up) Ozarks on Netflix, Vegan as Fork and Homegrown Garden on YouTube, and listening to Wye Oak and Blond Redhead on Spotify. I do not want for entertainment for sure. I guess I should mention I found TP and bought a pack. I miss the library and thrifting and will never take either one for granted.

Frugal Five: I decided to add this category because it is another thing I used to participate in and enjoyed. I want to be 100% debt free and am working towards that goal. Now, more than ever, I see the importance of getting out of the rat cycle of debt. It's helpful to see ways I am saving money and putting it towards my future freedom.

1. Make my own coffee 
2. Paid off my last divorce debt/loans (the big one) :)))) 
3. Reading through my stack of library books (checked out before the big Shut Down in March)
4. Cook and bake from scratch including breads.
5. Barely driving anywhere these days, so gas is lasting for two weeks in my car.

Eat the Food: Making all sorts of new or favorite things at home. In the past weeks, I have made Turkish bread (and then again to use as pizza crust); lentil soups (two types); cabbage rolls; and various others soups and stews to make sure what veg I buy does not go bad. I also cut up a monster heirloom pumpkin I bought cheaply at the end of the farmer's market season last fall and made curry with it. For Easter I made a carrot cake from soft carrots in the refrigerator. 

Community: I respect 6 ft social distancing. I wore my mask while working in the field. I have to say the second one here is really hard for me. It makes me feel claustrophobic to wear a mask, but I have been facing my discomfort for the community. I also sent fabric and money to someone I know to make customized masks for son, BF, co-workers and myself. I wish I could sew myself. I go to stores with little traffic or late at night (before closing which many are doing early here...way less people around). I wash my hands often and use sanitizer. I shared some extra onion and garlic sets with a neighbor. I let another neighbor borrow my weed whacker. I up-graded my Netflix to include another TV so someone unemployed I know can watch too. I heart a lot of Facebook and Instagram posts. Sent a fun care package to a family member.  I bought a $5 Dollar Tree giftcard for a stranger I watch bullied by another customer (yeah...I wanted to say something to the rude person, but decided to just quietly let the victim know I saw what happened. It's BS!) 
I support my state's governor and his decisions and listen to his updates via NPR. I support the library.

Skill up: Watching tons of YouTube and reading books on cooking, gardening, witchery, cemetery symbolism, and building ponds and sheds. I am also focusing on basic haircutting tutorials as my 13-year-old wants me to cut his hair. Yikes. I also learned many new skills from the BF while we were moving the washer lines and other major house projects he is helping me with this month. I am also getting ready to download and learn many different apps the library offers and I haven't taken advantage of before now. Other things I would love to focus on: German language, Spanish review and practice, reading nature signs (I did order a book about this subject), rocks and fossils, and building a outdoor bread oven. #foreverapolymath

Naturalista Activities: I decided to add this one as well as it pertains to my major goal with Terrain Vague (create a wildlife refuge in the city and being a naturalist in general). Eventually, if I ever commit more to the blogging, I would like to do a weekly post about just my naturalista activities. Until then, I have been working in the garden and have observed many animals there such as sparrows, doves, robins, Dekay's brown snakes, 5-line Skinks, many insects, stray cats, and a raccoon! Animals at Terrain Vague No. 1 makes me so happy! I also found some interesting rocks I am working at identifying (this could go in Skill Up too).
Son and I also have been spending time at the riverside which has been a welcome relief to being at home. We also completed the shape of the wildlife pond. Now to just collect rocks and buy a liner (sadly, the price of the latter skyrocketed due to not being essential).