Visitors in the Garden

Good and bad. The bad are stink bugs ruining my tomatoes. Among others....leafhoppers, aphids, and cabbage worms. The damage isn't extensive, but I'm trying my hardest to not spray anything.

On the other hand,this morning I saw 4 wasps eating a bad bug breakfast :-) A few days ago I saw a lacewing, but I accidentally sprayed him with my homemade insecticidal soap. I'm not sure whether or not he survived. I'm just happy that I"m attracting beneficials.

Other helpful visitors include my brother and momma.This was two weeks ago, so the plants are 3 times bigger than this!  I'll have a better update hopefully tomorrow.

Restoration

Mother's Day has always been uncomfortable for me. I've never been able to relate to the cliché imagery the holiday is marketed with. I'm not a warm fuzzy kind of gal. I anticipated that my heart would soften this year with the arrival of my daughter. I've been a teary-eyed emotional wreck all week thinking about how blessed I am being a mom. My Canary makes every day seem like Mother's Day, Christmas, and my birthday all wrapped up into one
. 
My heart did soften, but not just because of Stella.Things haven't always been picture perfect for my mom and I. Actually, sometimes, they've been extremely rough. Sometimes it seemed like our relationship would always be a challenge, but lately it's been amazing. I can't really explain how it evolved. 


Here's a secret, I've known for years that my firstborn daughter, Stella, would be what sparked the complete restoration of mine and my mom's bond.  I didn't know when or how it would happen, I just knew it would. It was a glimmer of hope God gave me in my adolescence. Call me crazy, it's okay. It has taken this experience for me to realize how great my mom's love is for me and despite her weaknesses (cause, ya know, she's a human too!) she is the perfect mom for me. God knew what he was doing! 
I'm telling you all this because sometimes things seem so hopeless. It seems like no one cares or understands. It's hard to accept that things happen the way they do and to find peace in the truth that all things work together for good. BUT, God cares, understands and thankfully redeems our broken hearts and relationships and I want you to have hope, too.


Finally, on Mother's Day, I can say with a bright smile and pride that I honor and love my mother. I am overflowing with praise and thanks for my beautiful daughter, God's vessel for bringing us closer together.

A First Glance Review of "Four Season Harvest"

I really wanted to wait until I was done reading this book cover to cover to share a review, but I've finished the first two chapters and I can't wait any longer to tell you about this great book by Eliot Coleman! 

Did you know that most of the US has more winter sunshine than southern France where it's a traditional and common to have a winter garden? I didn't! Here in Florida we're very blessed and it's much easier to have a year round harvest, so I know it may seem pretty pointless that I ordered this book, but I'm a book junkie and I figured there might be really great information and ideas. I was right!

 Eliot and his wife live in Maine and enjoy fresh, organic vegetables year round. They don't use any fancy, expensive heating systems, but rather, the core of their winter gardening technique is utilizing sunlight and protecting plants from wind. a few of their practices include using cold frames (raised beds with glass lids), succession planting (planting crops multiple times), planting seasonally-hardy vegetables, and hoop houses. There are many informational diagrams, tables, and illustrations. Every page has so much to take in! I'll share more as I continue to read. Here are two great quotes.

"The best short statement to describe our approach to the four-season garden is a quote from Buckminster Fuller in his book Shelter (1932): 'Don't fight forces; use them.' "

"In our grandfathers' day, people celebrated the seasonality and variety of the home garden. They knew that one cabbage tasted best fresh in June and that another made the best sauerkraut. This was the pea for eating fresh and that the one for drying. They were familiar with fifty different apples and twenty kinds of pears. They knew when these were ripe and which blended best for cider or complemented the flavor of this or that cheese. We can recover such civilized living again."

**If you've been having problems commenting, I have no idea what's going on, but try commenting under 'anonymous' and just leave your name in the comment :-)

Disclaimer

If you're going to friend me on a social networking site, follow my blog, or spend any "real" time with me... here's a little disclaimer:

I, like most people, like to research and make well informed decisions for my family. Unfortunately, there is an abundance of conflicting information, advice and opinions. There are unreliable and reliable sources everywhere in all kinds of forms: websites, books, articles, doctors, friends, and family. I  pass on any reliable information I find, so that someone can be inspired to  dig deeper and make the best possible choice for themselves. Actually, I hold back a lot of it in fear of offending people. If a friend of mine hadn't shared the valuable information she had with me I'd completely different parent. It changed my life, and I am trying to do the same for someone else who may be peeking in at my life.

Our culture breeds "sources" that spread ideas that require the least activity, commitment, and time. It's hard to sift through all of the parenting techniques and traditions.  I understand though that there are exceptions to everything and ALSO that no one can do 100 percent best at everything. Also, what's best for you may not be best for me and vice versa. Shoot, sometimes we don't even KNOW what's best and just go with what makes the most sense for our circumstance. Go with your instinct and trust the Holy Spirit to guide you, pray to God about every situation, always ask questions and always be seeking out several different sources of information and support for each topic.

I apologize if I have made anyone feel degraded, stupid, or like a bad parent.