It's all in a name

I’ve always wanted a labyrinth in my back yard (haven’t you?) but every time I mentioned it to DH he kind of changed the subject or gave me an “uh-huh I’ll file that under never” look. Now don’t get me wrong. DH is patient and kind and handy and almost perfect -- all that this girl wants in a man. But the labyrinth just wasn’t going to happen. Flash forward a few years and our dear friends approached us with a proposition: they were giving their son a dirt bike, but there wasn’t a good riding space in their subdivision. Could we help? DH revved to the idea. Must be the woeful imbalance of estrogen-to-testosterone in his life, but before you could say “grab your helmet” he was mowing trails into our fields. Our friend, his son, my DH, and our herding-obsessed dog are having a delightful summer biking through the tall grass and occasionally taking a jump over the septic mound. Life is good for the men.

And, I got what I wanted, too. Dubbed the “serenity trail” on non-dirt-biking days, I filled the paths with wind chimes and sun catchers. Now when my friends visit, or when I need to clear my head, I have peaceful paths to follow. Not exactly a labyrinth, but the trail circles around and overlaps, so it works for me. This year I’m transplanting daisies and sprinkling wildflowers around the edges in hopes of adding beauty to serenity. I feel like Miss Rumphius. Won't you come walk with me?

The down side of free range

A little way down the street from us is a sprawling farm. The yard is lush with overgrown trees, peonies, and daylillies, depending on the season. There are usually two big fat white ducks waddling around, a few cats lounging about, and around 10 free-range turkey hens in the yard. The turkey hens are a continuing source of amusement for us. They line up along the edge of the yard, dash across the road, and then disolve into cackling laughter on the other side. Within a minute, they've lined back up and are ready for the mad dash again. And, I cackle with laughter every time I see it. So, if you wonder why the turkey crosses the road, it really is to get to the other side. And if you wonder if all teenagers are dumb enough to play chicken in traffic, I can tell you that the turkey teens do. But the other day was a sad one, because one of the "girls" didn't make it. Free-range reduced to road kill. So maybe full-access free range isn't the way to go after all, especially when there's a busy road nearby that's just too tempting not to cross.

Love your mother

(Photo by Meredith Buckingham)

Today's the day to take a walk, recycle a can, hug a tree, plant a seed ...

My Earth Day 2008 resolution is to improve my recycling system to include throw-aways generated on the second floor of my house. OK, before you raise your eyebrows in dismay that I'm not recycling shampoo bottles, laundry detergent containers, and the cardboard boxes from new toothpaste and rush to judgement and say, "oh, puhleeze, bring it to the bin like you do everything else," just give me a break. I do a great job on the first floor ... milk jugs, newspapers, magazines, OJ cartons -- you name it. But, I've never nailed a system for upstairs and those items just get tossed. I feel pangs of guilt when I do it, and pangs of guilt now. But enough! I'll get this under control. I believe that every little thing you do counts, and is better than doing nothing, but most of us can't do everything. So these are my baby steps.

Does this post have anything to do with artful crafting? Not really, except I am inspired daily by the great outdoors and what Mother Nature brings me. While I've been pining for spring this year, I really delight in all the seasons and all that comes with them. I'm out walking about 350 days a year (Ok, some days it's a really short walk!) but I look up, look down and stop to smell the roses. Walking helps me sort things out. Nature helps with colors, textures, and patterns. So, today's my day to say "thanks!"