Moving in to a new level

It has been almost a year since I have used and posted on this blog and I am really over due for a long up date. But not today..

Life has been so busy,  on June 1st we graduated the 2013 permaculture class from Leon County Extension. Eighteen new permacuture designers in our community!

Now...... I total open my heart to the universe as to what comes next for me in the world of permaculture.

I want to teach on a level where my Earth Activist Training and my spiritual connections can be better applied.
My own work on the farm has taken me to a new level and is growing stronger everyday. I need to post new photos soon.

My spiritual work has also developed to a higher level as we have moved deeper into the age of enlightenment.  The awakening of so many people has given me hope for the future and a healthy fear of those of power and domination. As an activist and an anarchist I feel it is time I use all I have learned to stand up for what I believe.

I have set aside things that take my energy, this summer my plans are to reconnect my spirit and the Earth. New adventures await!

Spring Photos

Spring and Winds of the Shifting Times

May 19 and 20, 2012

It has been little over a month since I returned from California and my trip, the workshop in Social Permaculture and the experiences are so vivid and on my mind. It was some powerful work I did there and I have been able to teach some of it to my permaculture class taught through the Leon County Extension office. We have just wrapped up the spring quarter and I am once again so impressed and blessed with the students and what we are doing for our community. Will, Anna and Wendi are such wonderful people and I am truly enjoying this experience and have a lot of gratitude for what we are creating together.
Life is moving faster that ever before. I can hardly believe that it is the middle of May already. Sitting on my front porch (Wednesday) drinking my coffee thinking of how the morning showers use to come in June and July. The feel in the air is charged with energy and renewal as well as a healthy chunk of hope and rain for the garden. A friend of mine said in our student discussion group, "when the end times come you will not be able to know the seasons" it really feels like nature is taking her own and setting her own pace. I am enjoying it and watching the animals both wild and those on the farm. I am keeping a close eye on what is coming for us in the near future, for no one really knows.


I am still working at Ace and keeping the garden center beautiful with the help of Nelda, which I am very grateful for, she is a real charm and a blessing. I have begun to fall into that place on this job where I feel my contributions are significant, but also feel totally disrespected (by management) in my work and rarely acknowledged for my knowledge, wisdom and skills. I know my purpose there is much more than what I am able realize right now, but I am waiting for what it is I need to find or do there and why. I have been sent there for something? I love the customers and most of the employees. I really hate the drama and tension, the power games. Those that I help in the garden center come back to me again and again and give great thanks for my knowledge and skills. I had a customer ask me Wednesday if I was going to stay there to help with their gardening questions. My answer was "for a while, I am not sure where I will be called".

I have not been back to the Crystal Connection since I came back from California and I really miss working there, the customers and my Crystal Connection family. I drop in now and then and love seeing the customers coming to the new store. It is different but feels good. Business has been slow and Sunshine, Stan and Kelly are there. I hope that in the future business picks up and I can get back to work there. But I have been busy doing readings as well as with farm and work at Ace. There never seems to be enough time to do all the things I need or want to do.

On the Farm
We hatched out 20 chicks from our eggs and they have moved from the house nursery to the rabbit cage in the chicken pen. These will be used for food. We are presently hatching out more, last count was 23 and a few more tonight. We weaned the Goat kids Saturday and are milking three goats twice a day, about 1 gallon per milking. I have talked to a neighbor about making soap and lotion from our milk as well as using some honey from our bees. I am very excited about having soap and lotion from our farm. We are very proud to be able to eat a lot of what is from the land. Besides from making cheese and butter, I am now making yogurt from the goats milk. I gave Jamie milk for Wiley last week. Friday we harvested and extracted 9.5 gallons of honey. That makes 15.5 gallons this year so far. There is a big black bear that has taken out two of our neighbor’s hives. Fortunately it has not found it’s way to our farm, yet. We have set up the area with dogs and our hives are very close to the house, hopefully he/she has gotten it’s fill of honey and won’t be seeking our well protected hives.

We sold trees on our other farm to get the money to put a new roof on our house. It was not an easy decision to make but it will benefit us all in the end. I have never walked the land on our tree farm that I inherited from my Mother. The land off I10 was given to my grandfather by his mother. It holds deep pain and family wounds for me. But the day before we cut 19 acres I walked the land with Noah. He had told me about the stream and the beauty for years and I was brought to tears at the landscape, he has always called "Ferngully". They are not cutting the area around the stream, just the planted pines that are about 27 years old and we will replant by hand for the future. There are plenty of pines there and we will preserve the hardwood for the wild life. But a new roof has to be put on the farm house soon. A huge tarp is protecting it for now till we get this done.

We have had only one foal born this spring, a little colt that is really special. He has dark front feet and white back feet, his hooves are also the color of his hair. He is off one of Noah’s special mares and we have hope for him. Noah has gotten rid a few horses, two colts from last year and a gelding we got as a rescue but hopefully a few more in the next month or so.


In the Garden
Oh My, what a beautiful garden I have! My permaculture sheet mulched spirals are so awesome. The squash and zucchini are just lush and green. I am harvesting tons of beautiful squash. My beans still haven’t grown even though I have been diligent and planted them four times. But the cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, onions, basil, even the collards and mustards are so happy. I found a new way to water with flat sprayer hoses and set up my drip irrigation on the outer beds. But I haven’t had to use any of it for the past week, thank you rain! Even Noah is impressed even though he will not say so, he pulled the tractor up a few days ago so he could take photos from the bucket. It is really hard to get good photos since the spiral is hidden under the lush green of the vegetables. I have been playing with sweet potatoes, even though I totally ignored my red potatoes, I am excited about the vines of the sweet potatoes and can’t wait to see what becomes of my attempts. I planted them in a sandy area that doesn’t get as much attention as the spirals, but I am drawn there everyday. I still have garlic and tomatoes in my small garden and planted some sweet potatoes there as well, Noah tends that one when he is feed the animals but we will see what it produces from the rich composted soil where we had a horse pen a few years.
On my way back from California I met a really nice man originally from Kenya (Africa) now living in Seattle Washington, he told me about his Kiwi trees/vines and I was surprised and impressed with what he told me. A few weeks ago we got kiwi at Ace and I bought two pots that have both male and female plants in one pot. You need a pollinator to produce fruit. I am really excited about seeing what I can do with the kiwi and if it will be happy in my garden. The orchard is bright and green, I don’t think we will have plums this year for some reason but I expect lots of pears, grapes, oranges, lemon, figs and persimmons. The deer has all but eaten my nectarine tree.
　
In the Spirit World
For several days I have been really feeling and hearing the shifts happening. Moving closer and closer to the Summer Solstice I feel that the Web of Life and Illusion is being pulled to it’s limits. There are strands that are letting go and others that have become so tight and stretched that when the winds of time blow across them they sings. I first heard it outside my window and when I went outside to hear it was not there. I really started listening in deep meditation and it is becoming stronger and I am hearing it often now. You can see it in the world too. Things are being revealed. Things and people are letting go and others are running in fear. Others are making huge decisions in their lives. The ones I truly am afraid of are those that have no clue as to what is happening and when their world comes crashing down they will become dangerous. You hear everyday of people just flipping out more than ever before. Some end their lives and the lives of others. Some are just simply taking them selves out either intentionally or physically releasing through illness. Regardless it is happening all around us. I feel more connected and engaged with the world that ever before, because I know I have a mission in this new world. I don’t always know what it is, but I wake each day with wonder and gratitude. I do find those moments of fear and try to understand what and why I must question things. But I also trust in the Divine and that the truth will be revealed. As we had this discussion a few nights ago, "put on your oxygen mask first, before you try to help others" tighten up your seat belts because this next six months may be a really bumpy ride. I don’t know what is coming but I am very grateful to be here. My advice is, "Find you grounding cord and hang on, we are headed though the rabbit hole and what is in Wonderland may be something we never dreamed of. But I also honor those that choose to pass to the otherside, either for fear or because they just can't deal with the changing world. There are also others that need to help those here on this side of the veil. let us give thanks and gratitude everyday for the life we have here and to be alive in these time of great change.

OK, I have tried to post the photos but my computer does not want to download.... so I will try to post the photos on a new post.　

Dawn at Golden Rabbit Ranch and Redwoods

April 16, 2012
My awakening of Morning came before the sun, I gazed out the window of the yert that hangs off the side of a mountain, I can not remember how high Star said it was in altitude here, but we are pretty high up. What I saw was a Crescent Moon not long before dawn, it just felt as if I could step out the window and touch her, so beautiful. I must have fallen back to sleep and just as the sun reached to top of the mountains I jumped off the floor and ran up the hill, I saw it but did not get my camera out fast enough to catch what I saw. It took my breath away. I sat in the meadow and watched the sun bath the world as everything came awake. The bird song and rush of colder wind swept me into a place of gratitude to be on this sacred land, yet I felt the fragality and the strength of this place. Later as I stood on the porch, I asked Charles if he heard the music from the next hill over. He told me the only music he heard was the birds song. That is not what I heard, it was voices light and soft, singing in perfect harmony.

We ate oatmeal and I said my good-bys. I drove down the hill and by Star’s house to take a photo of her street sign when I saw a huge jack rabbit, it just stood there and stared at me, almost as if it was waiting for me. I moved to grab my camera and it jumped into the brush on to a trail leading to Star’s house. You know what I think, don’t you?
Off to the redwoods! I found the River road and got to Armstrong Woods state park right as they opened at 9am. I was the second car in the lot and it was almost full by the time I got on the trail. My first glimpse of the massive trees sent me into a state of trance and tears ran down my cold face as I walked the trail alone. It took me about a half hour before I could totally embrace where I was and what I was seeing and feeling. I found a place where two huge redwoods stood side by side and a natural curve between them. I stepped into the curve between the trees. I could feel the pulse of the earth and trees, I could feel the life I was seeing and feeling. I wept for a while. Not tears of sadness but of pure gratitude that I was allowed to be here in the grace of this place. That my life’s path has opened and lead me to such beauty and enlightenment. It was not just this moment in the redwoods but life as a whole. I felt lost as to how to return such honor but also knew I was welcomed here with my gifted sight, to see the true heart of these woods. I felt the woods whisper their message to me that I was welcome here. I felt the connection of family and the collectiveness of survival over the thousands of years these trees have stood. I felt the family of birds and furry ones that lived in these trees and those that walked the woods to admire their massive beauty. But I also felt the others that lived deep within the earth and heart of this place, the spirit of this land. I took my time and walked the trails. I chatted with other visitors and shared the awe of my experience there.
I could have just stayed there and never left. I thought of home and family, of my place in this world and why I had made this journey. I knew if I stayed much longer I would never leave.

Heading for home
The little river town near the woods called Guerneville was a classic hippy haven sitting on the Russina river, complete with gift shops, a few dinners and local old burnt out hippies playing checkers around the fountain in the park. I ate Pacific fish and chips, bought some tie dye and a few small trinkets. I found a Hemp shop that was closing and had a 75% off sale, some I bought myself some, since I don’t own any hemp clothing. It was the perfect opertunity for me to unload the rental car and repack all my bags to prepare for the flight home, that took me about 45 minutes to stuff everything back into some travel fashion. I made my way back to the airport just in time to return the rental car, check my bags and get on the plane. Alaska airlines runs the puddle jumpers out of Santa Rosa with twin engine prop planes, not a bad ride but a little bumpy. I had changed into a long skirt for travel and I guess they thought I looked suspious because the patted me down and went through my computer bag with swabs like I was carrying some explosives. I was kinds laughing at their seriousness but I guess better safe than sorry.
My seat mate on this plan was a delight, a young man from Africa now living in Seattle Washington, traveling to Australian on business. We chatted about everything from the high tech world of wireless mining (his business) to growing Kiwi trees in Washington state. One day he will be living on a farm doing permaculture because of the conversation we had in the short hour and a half. I was very curious about the landscape on our trip south to Los Angeles, there were desolete spaces of dry bare mountains bordered with farmland, then not far from Los Angelas there was a mountain range with snow tops. We were flying low due to the size of the plane so I could see a lot of what was below.
The lay over in Los Angeles went slow and when I checked my carry on I felt I needed to go back and get it, the flight was packed and there were a lot of roll ons going to Miami. Sure enough my carry on bag got lost and I had a nasty 5:30 am conversation with an attendent in MIA about my bag, when I got to Tallahassee neither one of my bags were on the plane. I was too tired to deal with it but was concerned, I let American Airlines deal with it my brain needed a rest.
I walk into my house and everything was different. I was not expecting to see the living room totally changed. I hated the light brown sectional couch Noah had found at Goodwill, mostly because I really like the old one and he didn’t. It is ugly and uncomfortable to me. He had also bought a rug for the floor which I do like. A new used coffee pot and a kirby vacuum cleaner. Oh, of course our income tax money was back….and I was gone so things got changed, duh. I just really felt unhappy in the moment, I was too tired to sleep. He did get ride of two horses and not bring any more home, that was positive.
So instead of sleeping Noah and I spent the day extracting honey. This was the first time we had done it all by ourselves with out David’s help or extractor, because now we have one of our own. It was a little awkward but we managed. We need to learn the set up a little better, but we got 6 gallons from the first harvest and it is rich and golden.
I went back to the airport and got my bags in the afternoon, bought feed and my schedule from Ace and finally fell a sleep watching the news, so Noah had to do the feeding alone. It will be good to have a full day to catch up and Leslie and the kids are coming this weekend. As usual when Noah cleans the spare bedroom gets trashed and there is no place for them to stay this weekend. I havemilk to pasturize and lots of things to do.
But all and all it was a WONDERFUL trip and I am looking forward to sharing new things I learned with my friends and class.

Last day of class

April 15, 2012
I could not down load the photos from the April 14^th post so I messed with it until I totally ran out of time. It is a lot of pressure to be trying to keep up with the daily post and down load the photos as well as keep up with the hours of class, and socialize with the students. I must say this has been one of the most pleasant workshops I have ever done. The subject has been Powerful and the students really rock. I have had a few moments where I just sat back and processed the energy or either laughed my ass off at something so silly, like Beth’s jokes. This morning I really got into the conflict around consensus process when the facilitator totally lost control of the meeting. She learned a lot!
Last days are always emotional when you totally rock with your affinity groups, the teachers and the class as a whole. This was no exception, but I did not cry as I have in the past because the content of this work and the connections we have made will be through out a lifetime. Each of us has made serious pledges to continue on with this work. That doesn’t mean we will be in contact with each other per say but taking these skills out into the world is more important than promises that we will stay in touch. Many of us will cross paths again in some way, we all felt that.
We spent our morning talking more about difficult people and in meetings with difficult people. More role playing. I had to ground and draw out something that attached it’s self to Kiki after the mornings exercise, we were late for lunch because this was pretty serious. I did have a chance to process this with Starhawk later in the evening. Our closing ceremony was very touching and as we sat around the fire we build with all the stuff we wanted to dumped. For me I chose a piece of bark that a worm had chewed the figure of a snake into the center. This meant shedding the skin of the physical and the past for transformation but the snake also means power and for me has a special magical identification. We dumped what energy we had left for dealing with difficult people and stuff we processed over the class and prepared ourselves to go back into the real world.
If I would change anything about the class I would not let this been the last subject, it is the hardest but also brings up stuff students need time to process before they leave their teachers. Several times I asked Kiki if she was Ok and she assured me it was gone, I wonder if anyone else had some lingering energy of the work that was working it’s self out through people?

　

After I was packed and helped Starhawk and Charles pack up the last of the stuff, I followed them back to Golden Rabbit Ranch for the evening. Stavo rode with me but insisted we put the top down on the Eclipse, it took three of us to figure out you pushed a button on the dash, who knew??? It was pretty cool to ride through the mountains up to Starhawk’s ranch in a convertible. When I first got there I took a walk around the land and sat with the energy. It was late and I was tired and after a while I went inside for wonderful conversation with Charles, Shakti Sara, Julie, Stavo, Aresh and Kate and I crashed on the floor of Charles’s Yert for the evening. Starhawk and Carla(?) came in right at dark and we shared a meal of leftovers. We talked for hours about life, some about the workshop, a lot about dogs and animals. Sleeping on the floor was OK with me but the busy little mouse that shared the Yert and the fact that I had to pee and really did not want to get up made a restless night for me.

　

Ckicken Run and Passion Show

April 14, 2012
Last full day of class and the subject is "Difficult People". It was a wonderful day, full of information and Permaculture. We proved as a class that we have learned a lot about the subjects as we once again did a lot of role playing and discussion about difficult people and situations we have had in groups of all sorts. Process and more process and then we went out and played another role as we built a chicken run. This detailed hauling lots and lots of wheel barrows of compost into an area that the monks here will use as a chicken yard for the summer months. Our role was to stay in teams and be the best worker with in that team. It was impossible to do what that asked of us in teams in 45 minutes. About 10 minutes into the exercise as I was shoveling compost into wheel barrow after wheel barrow that we were revolting and working together as a whole group. Starhawk had already called me an Anarchist and Charles confirmed that when he realized I was going against the rules of the game and organizing everyone to work together to get more work done. I was very happy they all followed in, it was a mutual dicission and when the exercise was over we accomplished a lot more work and were given a thumbs up from our teachers for going against the system to get the job done. It was what they hoped for.
I never really identified myself as an Anarchist but I guess I am… I kinds like it!

　
　
Then I took on the role as MC for the Passion Show for the evening. I had two other that were in my group that also volunteered and we share the stage. We had 16 wonderful acts from singing to poetry, as well as so dance and stories. We even played this really cool game with cups. It was a lot of fun. I took several photos and video. But it is very late and I have to pack up and leave after class tomorrow. I will try to post one more time before I head off to another adventure, not sure what but the big Redwoods are on my to do list.

Home and finishing my Blog

I got home almost a week ago and things have been moving fast as usual. Back to work, farm and life. This past weekend all the family was here and we had a wonderful time catching up and went to the music festival in Monticello.This is the first time I have turned on my computer so please forgive me for not finishing my blog from my trip. The internet connections there were just so sketchy that it was difficult to complete my post. I
Hope you have enjoyed my ramblings...

Friday the 13th Communication, Oh My!

April 13, 2012
Friday the 13^th was all about Communication and a powerful day of awakening. We cast our morning circle with total silence, I must say I am totally impressed with this class and what they can do in a moment with total silence. The synergy was rocking at the moment. We started our class by making the bio-char and then worked in class with the many forms of communication in groups and what works and does not work. Lots of games and role playing as well as discussion. Then we geared up and went into the garden to build a Key Hole garden… oh my what a mess. Our affinity group completely fell apart. We were given roles to play, most did NOT fit our personalities and we completely fell apart in a big way. One student was crying the others nurturing, one anger then another. The leader (in an assigned role) was totally clueless as to what was going on and I was running around building a key hole bed, in the cold windy rain. Wow!
Then we sat in our affinity group. I suggested the ground rules since most had never processed in affinity groups before, we agreed on the rules. It took us a while but we worked through it until we huddled together for a part of the afternoon class. It was an emotional exercise and really proved we could create total chaos and resolve it with the tools we have been given to communicate. It felt really good when the other affinity groups checked in that they too had an emotional experience trying to build a Key Hole in a small space while we were role playing really difficult roles.

　
The evening class was all about ancestors. We invoked our blood ancestors by naming our families as far back as we could. Then we broke up into small groups and talked about where our families came from and what they did for a living. Later we talked about groups that define who we are. This work was so very powerful and in communication it gave us more information about who is in our groups. I loved it, but I love ancestor work any way.

Working with Power and trip to Golden Rabbit Ranch

April 12, 2012
Rain and cold! We snuggled into a large room for our first day of real class with a good nights sleep I was ready. We started off working the Elements of the Talisman in the "Empowerment manual". We went outside is a moment of sunshine and called to the Elements, I chose fire since I really have felt a call to the power and my place in life right now. Our morning session was about "Power" with-in, with and power-over, leadership in groups and roles we play in groups of both collaborative and hierarchical structures. It was a great start to this class and I felt a kinship with many in this class. I am so happy to be here doing this work. A student beside me made the comment that we all seem to be connected since we read the book and are practicing the group process. I said to her, "This is just the first day of class". This is the first class of this kind ever and I know there will be very challenging moments. And that is what this work is about. We played lots of games and role playing to experience other sides of group process and power.

Trip to Golden Rabbit Ranch
Even though the afternoon was rainy and wet we took a field trip to Starhawk’s ranch. I was so excited to see things I had read about in her books and talked to her about over the years. Her land is steep and on a mountain top, lot of vertical slopes. We saw her hydroelectric system, her solar power, her gardens and Belgium fence. Her olive trees and rosemary, we saw Charles’s yert. We even took an adventure around her land and concocted stories about what we saw and found in the woods. It was a cold and challenging day, but we picked flowers and admired the beauty of the land.

By evening class we were totally wiped out. The evening class continued in deep discussions and exercises in power and leadership roles. We actually were going to make Bio-Char but ended up charging the barrel with things we wanted to rid the world of on paper marked and drawn with bio-char markers and went off to bed . it was poring down rain and very cold. I woke up with a screaming headache at 5:30am.
There are only 20 students in this class and the personalities and dynamics is starting to play out. This will be interesting, once again there is a nice mix of ages, back grounds races and ages. I am enjoying my affinity group. We have one woman from Ireland and another from Belgium, but she has lived all over the world and grew up in Australia. Also a really nice gay man I just adore and a crone that has many power dynamics to deal with. My roommate is half Japanese and I really adore her too. We actually moved into a room by ourselves and enjoy wispering late in the evening.
I am having some real issues getting on the internet but I am gong to keep trying to keep updated.

First view of the Pacific and Seals!

April 11, 2012
I am having a really hard time getting on the WiFi network here, too much stress to do so and so little time. But I will try!
When I am on the road and in workshops, I usually run a day behind so please pardon me while I catch up. These workshops are very intense and it takes tons of processing to do the work. As we start at 7:30 am for breakfast and if we are lucky crash by 10:30 pm with little down time.
My trip to the Pacific Ocean was one of those winding scenic routes where I followed the Russian River through the mountains at 25 mile an hour curves, I enjoyed it and thoughts of how many mountain county roads look the same, but for the huge massive redwood trees. The redwoods were not as huge as I thought but I have been told where to go to see the really big ones you read about.
About 10:00 am my curvy scenic route through the mountains ended at Jenner, California, which is also where the Russian river ends and flows in to the sea. I found the perfect spot to stop. Oh My Goddess! The cliff was 100 feet high, below me was where the river ran into the sea…the banks were lines with seals! It just took my breath away to see such beauty and seals, which I love, right there sunning themselves.

　
I found a road that took me down near the water, Goat Rock Beach, now how perfect is that? The weather was rainy, cold and windy but I made my way to the beach. I was met by a huge lone Raven. She watched me as I watched her, we sorta developed an agreement that we were alone on this beach but could support each other for the moment. Her words were private to me but completely understood.
I walked for maybe a hour and a half, climbed rocks and took lots of photos. The rocks that just stood as statements of power and yet felt so natural to this place, I was the guest and tourist here. I felt honored to be there. The wild flowers once again have caught my eye on my travels and I was just fascinated by how many things were in bloom despite the cold. The beach was so different and I played in the surf and collected lots of rocks. I asked some surfers to take my photo.. yes I am really here!

I drove a little farther down the coast but knew my time was short and I needed to make my way to the Black Mountain Preserve. The drive up the mountain seemed for ever and the winding road just went on and on, what seemed straight up. Looking down and wondering how people could live here. I finally arrived, cold and wet and very tired. Found a room with a heater and it took me a long time to warm up. Dinner was incredible, the food by far is the best I have ever had at a workshop intensive and the room and facilities are very cozy and comfortable. It was so good to see Starhawk and Charles and catch up before our class started at 7:30. Our first class was more about information and forming affinity groups.

New Adventures and California!

April 10, 2012
Well… you can say I am a really bad blogger. I confess it has been months since I last posted on my blog, Southern Style Permaculture, but I have been really busy.
No Joke! I hit the ground running in the fall with a Spiral Fall garden and then I took on another job at Woodville Ace Hardware store, now working full time in the garden center. That consumes most all my free time. I am still working at Crystal Connection two days a week and doing lots of readings. We also have baby goats and a spring garden planted. The Café I sold in 2006 was finally paid off in December and I had to seek full time employment to pay the mortgage on the Cottage as well as keep up with the bills. My semi-retirement is over! Back into the full time workforce has been an adjustment for me but I am doing it, and loving it for the moment. I am where I need to be for this time in my life, the Center of things is always charged with energy and I am really charged. My physical, mental and spiritual energy is at a all time high. In some ways I am vibrating at higher level than ever before. And I am handling the stress pretty well as long as I can get 7-8 hours sleep, I eat very little and drink lots and lots of ice water between the time I go to bed and get up at 6:00 am to tend the farm. My dreams are as they have been for years, down loads of information that I will remember when it is needed. The few dreams I do remember are very vivid and clear, they usually have profound messages embedded.

Passion for Permaculture First
In February, I started teaching a Permaculture design class at the Leon County extension office with Will Shefal, Anna Lee and Wendi Bellows, another designer. Our class is the third county extension office in the United States to teach a Permaculture Design Course! And I must say I am loving this, even though I was totally taken by surprise at what this was going to be when we first discussed a class. This class has just wowed me, the students and teachers, the level and amount of information, is everything I could ever dream as for really taking Permaculture to another level. And you will soon learn my focus and position in this class is on Spiritualism and Community/ Social Permaculture. Yet, I am also doing hands on demonstrations and teaching. In February the class came to our farm and set in the second of the sheet mulched spirals. This one mirrors the one I built in the fall. Our year-long course is set up in four seasonal blocks and we have completed the first (Winter block) and started on the Spring Block a few weeks ago. We have between 25 and 27 students. Our students are mature, well educated, professional adults with a powerful amount of knowledge and experience to add to the class and the concepts, they are serious about the work. Some are and have been practicing Permaculture for years and most all have land and gardens already dedicated to the work. They have already started their designs and we (teachers) are all very impressed. I am IMPRESSED, I have said that?

Current update Trip 12:30 PM EST
I will check in a little on a personal level before I get to the current and present adventure. I am sitting in the Miami International Airport waiting for a flight to connect me to Los Angeles the to Santa Rosa, California!
Did you know that the Miami airport floor is painted with sea amebas and urchins? Just another observation of connections, water and microorganisms…

On a Personal and Spiritual level
Life is moving very fast. Every thing is speeding up. TIME has never felt like it does right now. There is a real urgency to work faster and harder to make the deadline. Even though we don’t really know what that is. As I move deeper into the spiritual work from my personal commitment and practice, to Faery Seership, to our Circle and working with Clients. Every day there are more signs from the Earth, to the Stars, to the energy of Spirit, to alignments of every sort that are screaming.. WAKE UP! It is 2012 and we are HERE!!!!
In my world I am dealing with things that are hard and difficult everyday. People that can be very difficult and others that don’t have a clue as to who I am and what I do (or can do) or why. I feel anger, hate and fear all around me. It has been many years since I have found myself in a position of such "Oppression". I have found that RESPECT is very important and even more so than ever before, even though I feel there are people in my world that don’t respect me, and yet others that totally respect me for who I am and the work I do. Please don’t think I am not truly grateful for those that give respect and love to me daily. At times I fall back on the wise words of my many teachers, when this power game gets to me. Here are a few ingrained words, Gary Harrington once told me, "Beware of the dream stealers, they will steal your dreams if you let them". Trinity, "Other become angry with you when they are afraid they can’t achieve what you can" and Libby Clark, " Your opinion of me, is none of my business!" For years people have come to me about finding their path in life, their purpose for being here on earth, at this time and place. I always tell them, "I can not tell you what your path is, but I can help you find it, if and when you are ready. This I do know, when you are on your path, your world opens up for you and life becomes joyful and beautiful. Things happen! You see and feel the threads that connect all things and things fall into place. You may not get what you want, but you will get what you need. This is where I am right now, more than ever before.


How the current adventure began
About 7weeks ago my friend Lisa Wyndance gave me Starhawk’s new book, "The Empowerment Manual" on a Monday night. On Tuesday I opened an e-mail about the first Advanced Social Permaculture course in California, taught by my teacher and mentor Starhawk and Charles Williams from EAT. I sent the e-mail to Will Shefal at the Leon County Extension office asking if this was possible and with in an hour the trip was being arranged. In lieu of being paid for teaching the class they gave me the funds to take this workshop. Wow, I have just been so blessed, it blows my mind. The support I have had from my family, friends and class has been powerful. A few months ago I just had this random thought that I was going to California, I have never wanted to go to California or had a real reason to go, but here I am.

The Trip Update 6:00 PM PST
The flight from Miami to Los Angeles was very difficult. About an hour before we landed I got very sick. I had a really bad headache and cold sweat and thought I was going to throw up, but just a good case of dry heaves. My seatmate was a really nice, woman about my age and she talked me to the bathroom when the flight attendants got me settled and gave me ginger ale. I have never gotten sick on a plane and this felt more like an energy hit. I grounded the best I could at 30,000 feet and called to my spirit guides to get me on the ground. It took me sometime to get some food and ibuprofen. And everything here in LA smells and taste awful, or maybe it is just me. But I just love the Alaska Airline desk attendant, he has made me laugh several time since I have been sitting here. I guess LA has it’s personalities. The more I think about when and where I got sick in the air, the map on the plane put us flying past Texas and New Mexico. I wonder about somethings I have heard about the crystal grids that have been activated and need to check into that when I get home.

On The Farm
Noah has had to take on more since I work every day and mostly into the evening. I had two days off in March and still planted a garden and set seeds in the green house. We had nine bay goats born starting on Valentines Day. Leslie took one to Panama City with her and is raising her with her dogs and has her house broke. We lost two, but the ones we have are so damn cute you just want to pick them but and hug them. We have two Saneen goats Noah is milking. I have made butter, mozzarella cheese and ricotta. The chickens are laying and fresh eggs every day are our staple food, or mine anyway. Noah has 44 eggs in our new incubator, these will be raised for meat and put into the freezer.
The horse situation is still the same or worse. The rescues have totally recovered and a few weeks ago we got two more. Noah is working harder than ever managing the horses but there has been none sold or given away. We are down on dogs since a few found new homes and no puppies this spring, thank you.
The garden is planted, tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, okra, cucumbers, squash, zucchini, egg plant, onions, garlic and beans so far. Last week I was upset that the rabbits had eating my beans. When the next day I saw evidence that the rabbit was eaten by a hawk, by the disturbed ground and the hair. So I planted more beans. I still have herbs and planted more. The green house was full of stuff when I left, one is sweet potatoes, I am excited about. Water is still an issue, even with the sheet mulch the garden seems to suck up more than we can provide. I know it is better than in the past but is still an issue.

Finally I arrived in Santa Rosa, California 9:30 PST
Cold rain slapped me in the face. I was not really expecting that. I was tired and grumpy when I found the rental car and baggage claim area with in the same small room. The rental car assistant waited since they closed at 9:00. Another woman besides me was renting a car. Then the exhaustion of the trip set in. I thought I had paid for the car, I only reserved it. I had the money but not $465 on my card to secure the car and deposit. I was standing there with no car and no place to stay for the night and the nearest room was $120, I was not going to pay. I finally came to an agreement to rent the car one day and come back in the morning to fix the problem. Which I did and I ended up sleeping in the back seat of an Eclipse. Not a pleasant experience and that is all I will say. I am a real trooper. But early Wednesday morning I washed my face, had my coffee, fixed my issue with the rental car and was on my way. It took me about an hour to get to the west coast. And as everything works out it was worth everything.
PLEASE check check out my next post!

Intro to Permaculture class

I just wanted to let those following my blog that I will be teaching a FREE short Into to Permaculture class at Ace Hardware in Woodville on November 17, 2011 from 6:30-8:00 PM. I will be showing Starhawk's DVD on The Growing Edge and hope to get some local people involved.

Yesterday I took a awesome Permaculture class with Paul and Rebecca at Just Fruits, there were a lot of people there that are wanting to know and do more. The networking has only begun...

My fall garden is pretty but not very productive. I made a big batch of Bio-Brew that is going  on today. It has been so dry and watering everyday is difficult, but as we say... try and try again!
Happy Gardening
Sissy

Fall Garden and Sheet Mulching

Sorry I have been having a hard time posting due to internet issues, my post is a few days late.
October 5, 2011
　
Whoo Hooo the fall garden is PLANTED!
In the Garden
And I have been a gardening fool! I had Noah smooth out my permaculture beds and then spent two days filling the sandy soil with old hay, manure and anything of organic matter I could rake up out of the horse and chicken pens. I collected and hauled two truck loads of cardboard and striped off all the tape and labels. To me this was boring and hard work as I stood at the bed of the truck for what seemed endless hours with a huge pile of tape and plastic that was not going into my garden. I took one afternoon and layered all the cardboard into my new sheet mulched garden and wet it down, careful not to walk on it as little as I could. The next morning was our first cool day, the temperature was in the low 50’s when Noah piled the first of two flat beds trailers full of compost and we started spreading it. The first we spread with the tractor, the rest I did by hand and a wheel barrow. The cardboard had started to dry and the wind picked up on Saturday morning. I chased around getting enough compost over the cardboard to keep it from flying away into the other side of the garden. He brought the next load and I waited until Monday morning to spread it wheel barrow after wheel barrow into a spiral. Then on Tuesday morning I hauled another load on the little trailer to finish the spiral. I was getting very excited as I finished off the beautiful spiral with mulch in between the rows on the walk way and raked down the bed. The moisture in the bed is really incredible, the compost is holding the rich black soil and it really is in contrast with the sand in the rest of the garden. I set up a sprinkler in the center and wet it down several times.
I also set up two wooden boxed for my salad table and one to plant carrots. I layered the bottoms of the boxes with leaves I raked from the yard and sand. Then I filled in the compost and worm castings. I topped it off with fine compost I screened to give the seeds a strong start. These boxes too are holding the rich compost moist.. I set the boxes on the south side of the green house to catch the sun, throughout the winter this spot will stay warm and protected. I hope they will not be too hot there because they are too heavy to move. We have raised tomatoes and peppers there in planters every year and it seems to be a good spot.
This morning on my run, I saw maybe 15 deer out playing and feeding. They came closer to me than ever before and some ran in the woods along the road beside me. It was a nice morning to be out and seeing all the deer made me feel nature was calling me to plant. I left the sprinkler run on the spiral while I ran and came back to do my morning chores and then started planting. In the boxes I planted heirloom carrots and mixed salad greens. In the spiral I planted, collard greens not my buy but Noah’s, hybrids I am sure. Then two kinds of heirloom mustards greens, two kinds of heirloom broccoli and two kinds of heirloom cauliflower, heirloom snow peas and plenty of rooms for cabbage and Brussels sprouts when I find what I want.
Now I need to search out mulch from whatever source I can find and start lining the walk ways into the spiral. When my young plants start coming in and the first thinning is done I will mulch the young plants from the mulch in the walkway. I actually located a place in Bradfordville that sells oat straw for bedding.
All this seems to be a lot of work and I have worked like a dog for more than a week and the cooler weather has inspired me. What I am doing is building and amending my soil with sheet mulching. This permaculture technique has been used in gardens all around the world that has poor sandy soil and this give the garden a strong foundation. It is a lot of work but in the end it will pay off, or so Noah says "time will tell if it works". The way I look at it is that everything we do to improve the soil will pay off in the long run. It is much better than planting in dead sandy soil that has very little to support vegetables. But each season until the soil has been totally amended the process will have to be repeated again and again. Hopefully after a few seasons the rich black compost and mulch will state to give more to feeding the soil and building a micro-organic base with fungi and worms that will be healthy again. The cardboard works two ways. It creates a moisture trap to change the microclimate of the spiral, it traps both air and water, instead of running through the the sand it slows it down and it breaks down in time feeding the soil too. It also prevents the weeds from creeping through if done right. The garden spiral pattered also serves several purposes. It is beautiful for one. Everyone knows I love the symbol of life and spirit. But the areas actually gives more space than rows when it is done right, just walk it a few times and you will see how much room there is in a spiral than if the same space were in rows. Several years ago I planted my corn in a spiral and the rest of the garden in rows. My family laughed at me. But even though I didn’t plan it out well enough to give some width for the corn to set out the storm roots, it was the only time I have ever been successful in growing corn and we had plenty to eat and in the freezer. The corn I grew with Ken this year in the experimental beds grew well, but it was field corn and even though we did eat some of it, it was more for the animals and not for the table. It grew tall and produced two ears per stalk but our experiment was for the double dig and heavy trenched rows of compost. Point is I love the spiral and I have plans to do the spring garden in front of the winter garden in the same pattern but turning in the other direction. The spiral also creates a microclimate, it catches the light and air as it spins through the bed. It creates a trap for moisture as well instead of the rain just pooling up in the rows, that is when it does rain. I just love it and it feel so good to see it done. Eventually I will set up my irrigation system but for now I am just looking at it and the sprinkler does it’s job.

　
　
On the Farm..
More excitement here too. Last week we brought in 4 rescue horses. It is so sad to see what can happen to incredibly beautiful horses when someone totally loses it and starves them almost to death. It is a long and sad story I will not go into. But for the past week we have been very careful to feed and care for these neglected animals. I can see some slow results already but it is going to be a long haul. Horses that have been starved so badly can colic and die if you give them too much feed to fast to bring them back around to a state of health. There are times where horses just start losing weight and then there are old horses that just get old and poor no matter what you do. Personally I blame the feed that we are forced to feed horses. The GMO corn has effects on them as well as us but we really have very few choices. These are all very good well bred paso fino blood lines and once were top show horses. Where we go from here I do not know, but we will see, for now we are just saving their lives.
Last week we had a new foal born. She.. yes she is so cute and mom will eat you up as she let me know a few hours after she was born, she walked up and nuzzled me, mom tried to eat me. I got out of there before I could tell if it was a filly or a colt but Noah identified her. We have one of our yearlings going to a new owner in West Palm Beach this weekend and had a wild ride to the vet on Monday to pull coggins test. We haven’t been to Tom Bevis’s clinic in several years and never pulled our big horse trailer in there. We got turned around and went down a few wrong drives, but we made it. Both horses we on their first trailer ride. Coggins test have to be pulled on horse to sell them and when they travel through inspection stations.
So there was even more excitement on Monday. I was tired after a day working with horses, shoveling compost and such and I had a meeting at 7pm. Noah was working with two young fillies, we had loaded them into the trailer, lead them around to eat grass. I had put one up and Noah took the other into the back yard while I took a shower. I came out of the shower and heard dogs barking and looked out the window to see Noah in real trouble. He has three huge American bull dogs in a pen near the house. One of the puppies weighs over 100 pounds and his mother and brother not quite as big, but big. They had broken out of the pen while Noah had the filly on the lead and were trying to catch her. That is what bull dogs do. Noah was having a time trying to hold her and catch the dogs before the bite her on the legs. She was whirling and dancing on their heads but it was more than any of them could handle. I did not stop of even hesitate. I ran for the door in nothing but a towel and it was on my head. But managed to get out in the yard with Noah, the filly and the dogs. I garbed one and he tried to bite me. We went round and a round. Noah tried to tie the filly up to the plum tree so he could catch a dog and I tackled one and then grabbed another. The one that had the collar on was not the problem. I drug one over and put it in the pen but before I got back to the filly it had gotten out again. I sat on one and garbed another by the tail. About this time we were getting a upper hand on the madness and Noah was able to calm the filly down and grab a dog at the same time. It seemed like it when on for 30 minutes but I am sure it wasn’t more that 30 seconds, but in the end no one got hurt and everyone was safe. It wasn’t until the next morning I realized I had jammed my thumb and it was swollen for a few days. But if I had not been there, it could have been a serious situation. Noah now has a huge chain on the gate and the bar secured. I had told the naked dog and horse fight story to my circle on Monday night and they were just rolling in laughter. Noah really wished he had it on video, me naked chasing the huge bull dogs and tackling them in the dirt to keep them off the dancing filly, with him flying around the plum tree trying to secure her. Well one thing for sure there is never a dull moment on our farm.
Happy Gardening, feel the shifts in the earth as we turn the seasons, fall is here and things are a changin".

EMS and Heroes…. August and September 2011

EMS and Heroes…. August and September
It has been a while since I have posted because I have been really busy with commitments that I made months before I went to Canada and Earth Activist Training. But there will be a time in the near future where I move to another phase of commitment, which will be focused on Permaculture.
Here is what I have been doing…
In The garden
I finally got all the feed bags and stakes out of the permaculture beds. The sun had broken them down to a real mess because they do not have UV inhibitors to protect them. I should have thought of that or tested that before I set hundreds of them in my beds. But that is what permaculture is about test and more test. And the bags are here since we use them everyday and I am all about recycling anything I have on the farm. They did contorl some of the weeds and grass but at a huge labor intense cost to me, the farmer.
I pulled up all my summer crops and composted them. The grass has taken over so much of the garden. Noah tilled up ½ of the garden and he is still tending his peppers. I have purchased cover crops for the tilled section of the garden and have plans and materials for two box planters, one as a salad table for salad greens and another for carrots, which I hope to winter in the green house. The herb garden is about reached it’s peak and I have seeds to harvest and others that need to be covered with leaves to prepare for winter. My plans in the permaculture test beds are to use the tractor to smooth the mounds and sheet mulch with cardboard, create my winter garden with a spiral of compost and mulch once the seedlings are up. Since I pulled up all my irrigation system, I will have to redo that as well. The soil is still very dry and we are more than 20 inches below our normal rainfall. But the cooler weather and rain today is a blessing. Fall is on the way!
On the farm
We have been working very hard of Farm Management. We are down to 30 horses and have moved most of our horses around to make feeding and care more manageable. We are still waiting for one more foal to be born and have been advertising horses. Managing the horses is and has been a huge part of our work for the past few months. Let’s just say, we are doing the things we have been talking about for a while now, it is not easy when you have such a large farm with many projects going on and working jobs outside of the home too.
I have been doing a fair amount of canning. I learned to can meat, something I have wanted to do for a long time. I made jelly and jam from wild hog plums and crabapples. I strung and dried peppers. We harvested our early fall honey a few weeks back and our hives need more attention. The worm bins are full and happy, but I need to harvest soon before I set out my fall crops. I am waiting for the wild Sumac to turn red and I will harvest from the woods to store and make teas soon.
I am a better goat farmer today than I was last week. While I was in Canada Noah purchase 4 African pigmy goats. A buck, a doe and her two young kids. We did not vaccinate them when we brought them here, we did not know if they had been vaccinated by the previous owners…another lesson learned the hard way by busy farmers. Last week one of the kids came down with Tetanus. I knew the moment I saw her that I needed to act fast. 30 hours of constant care and administering anti-toxins and forcing fluids did not save her. It was very sad and as the book said, not a pretty sight to see and experience. Please vaccinate regardless of who owned goats you purchase, with as many horses as we have and knowing that tetanus lives in anaerobic soil it is only a matter of time. Lock Jaw is not curable. Vaccinations go for farmers too.
More goats..we made the trip to Marianna last Thursday to pick up our Saanen Goats from my friend Lisa’s mother. We got two does and a buck. We had gotten two does from her last fall and I had intentions of having myself a milk goat and was really looking forward to that this summer. The doe we thought was bred was not and she died suddenly in August of bloat. And I always thought goats could eat anything, isn’t that what the old folks say.. it is not true. Noah has been wanting this mean ass billy goat for a while now and I had been trying to put him off. Marie, Lisa’s mother had told stories of how mean he was and even though she called Diego, I renamed him.. in Spanish..The White Devil. Noah really, really wanted this huge muscled up Saanen goat, even as we stood at the fence with him butting it, I was asking, Are you sure? He lead him into the trailer and we loaded up a milking stand and lots of supplies she wanted to give us and then in the bargain we got a honey extractor and some hive box parts. We were all set for the next stage of our goat farming adventure and supplies to repair our bee hives too. We got home just before dark and it was almost 9:30 before we got everyone settled and the farm fed. The girls unloaded fine and so did the buck but when Noah went to release him into the round pen with the colts he tried to hook Noah several times. It took a few days to get his attention but now Noah has a halter on him and can lead him around the yard to eat grass. We just turn out the does to roam and eat when we are home. Every one seems to be happy. I will have a while before I have a goat to milk but I’ll be ready, Thanks to Marie.
Water, water every where..not a drop to spare
That Thursday night we realized we had a problem with our water pump, again. We have talk extensively about the sacred water we have on this land and how our survival and our farms survival depends on this precious water supply. This year we have been through several pumps and thank the Goddess Noah is damn good at repair and trouble shooting the old system. I can only hold the flashlight and trace the known water lines. The old system had been here for a long time and we do our best to insure that it keeps going. We can survive almost anything as long as we have water for ourselves and our animals. We put our Emergency System to the test for three days. It was Saturday before we had water again. I was very proud to set up a composting toilet in the bathroom which did not meet the approval of Noah, Leslie or the grandkids that came in on Friday. But I was happy to get a chance to use my skills. We were able to get enough water to sorta keep the horses watered until Saturday morning when we decided we needed to fill all the water containers and fix the problem which seemed to becoming a puzzling task for Noah. After hauling 6/55 gallons drums of water we figured over 700 gallons to assure everyone was going to have ample supply, he fixed the pump. The problem was a broken hose in the Oak Garden that we had checked several times but not discover till Saturday. He also replaced the new ½ horse pump with another new 1 horse pump. But we were back in business in time for me to finally get a shower and go to work on Saturday afternoon.
We had another test of the Emergency System on Saturday. As we were unloading the last drums of water we looked up to see a Jefferson County Sheriffs officer coming behind Jamie (our youngest daughter) down our drive. When we went out to see what was going on, Leslie, Trent and Summer met us in the drive. I heard Leslie tell Jamie, Trent had called 911. Our grandson Trent (7 years old) had a difficult time this summer when he was at his fathers and ended up in the hospital very ill on his return (I blogged this back in July). I insisted that Leslie teach him to call for help if he needed it. Well I guess he waited till he got to Paw Paw and Me Maw’s to try it out. He called 911 several times, Leslie which was sick and was asleep on the couch and Trent had gone into our bedroom to make the calls. We were all pretty upset but the deputy was very nice and understanding. He got down on his knees and looked Trent in the eye and asked him some very serious questions about if he needed help. And now that he knows what to do, at least stay on the line and tell the dispatcher that you were just testing the system or if someone really needed help. It is a very long way to our end of the county when there maybe someone that really needs help on the other side. It really sacred Trent and gave us a nervous moment too since he was following Jamie all the way down our road. At lease we know if we call 911 they will come. More lessons learned for us all.
Now for the Hero
We have two critters on our farm named Angus, one is our beloved 20 year old African gray parrot that lives in our house and is considered family. And the other is an old American bull dog that belonged to Noah’s father. Angus (dog) resides in his dog pen out near the goats and the new stalls we build for the horse last month. He is now considered a hero on our farm! When we went to pick up the goats last week, Marie was ready to give them to us because she had encountered a rattlesnake in her goat barn. I too have been seeing a lot of snakes around our farm but they were mostly black snakes. I do not fear snakes but have a healthy respect as long as they stay where they belong, they have a job too. This time of year the rattlers move a lot so I have been told that August and September is breeding season. In the spring I killed one in the dog pen that insisted on trying to enter despite the barking dogs. I just do not understand why a snake would want to enter a pen full of barking dogs? While Noah was feeding on Tuesday a huge rattle snake entered Angus’s pen, he didn’t just kill the rattle snake but he ate half of it before Noah got back to the pen, head and all….and lived! Noah told the story that he was protecting the goats and the horses, which I truly believe to be so. The name Angus came from Noah’s ancestors, Angus Maloy was a famous paddle boat owner that ran tours on the Wasicca River in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. You may know some of the history about and around our discussions of the closing of the Maloy Landing road by the Jefferson County commissioners and our fight with Nestle’s bottling company wanting to draw water out of the river. Last week the Commissioners voted on the aquifer protection laws for the county but Nestle’s had backed off more than a month ago. We will not let down our fight and hopefully in the near future have Maloy Landing road maybe reopened so our children and theirs may enjoy the river landing their ancestors loved so.
Into the world of magic
The Fall Equinox is only a few days away and I will be celebrating the harvest with my beloved Circle of friends in ritual on Friday night. On Saturday we will be joining our community for a public Mabon ritual at Lake Ella. A few weeks ago we taught Elements of Magic in a weekend intensive that brought 8 new students into the knowledge of Magic with Air, Fire, Water, Earth and Spirit. Our work in the community is very important as we feel the shifts in the world, the seasons, as well as in the cosmos. Life is changing fast and the world we live in, just listen to the news. Those of us that feel and embrace the connections of life on Earth are working for unity and enlightenment as we evolve through these changes. If we join together on a higher level of awareness we use our knowledge and skills to prepare the future generations to survive. Last night I watched my youngest grandson in Urgent Care as he was being treated for an ear infection. Even though he did not feel well, he charmed everyone with his crystal blue eyed gaze. Watching these children grow and seeing the natural magic in their eyes is awesome. And I am not just saying that because he is my grandson, you are seeing them too. There is a difference in the children being born today, they are our future and we need to teach and protect them, but most of all give them a world of natural balance, community and unity to grow in. I am very proud of my youngest daughter, she has developed her own skills in using cloth diapers, natural foods and alternative medicines where she can with her first born. She is a stay home mom and works hard at it, she has come a long way in sustainability for her family.
Into the future
Yesterday as I was doing my duties of irrigation in the demo gardens at the Leon County Extension Office, I finally met Will the Extension Agent that is teaching Green Gardens and Homes and who’s focus is on sustainability and permaculture. I was so excited to meet him and we had a nice chat about the programs he is working on and I showed him my mess of slides from Earth Activist Training and some of my projects. I signed up for his class but missed the first one because I was hauling goats that night. Hopefully we can share more of our interest in Permaculture and work together in the future on projects to share our knowledge with community. I know my approach and training may bring a little different flavor to permaculture than others but it will take us all to make permaculture a household word and practice in our community.
I am almost ready to get all my photos and material together to get started, just a few more commitments I need to complete. As I have said before I am passionate about Permaculture and my intent is to share it with as many people as I can.


Have a Happy Harvest as the Wheel of the Year turns,
Sissy Taylor-Maloy
Certified Permaculture Designer
(Whooo Hooo! That felt really good!)

As August coming to a powerful end

August 23, 2011
　
Mercury has been in Retrograde since August 2nd and I have been in my Mercury energy, it goes direct on the 26th. Since my zodiac sign is at the mercy of the Mercury and when he goes into retrograde I take heed, I learned years ago to take this time to RE…re-evaluate, rethink, redo, readjust and re stuff. My world has not been one of rest but of reflection of life in general, my marriage, my home and my family. Things have been stressful and I have spent a lot of time thinking and rethinking ways to redo things. I am not to say that I am not happy and my life is not full of love and joy, it is, it has just been a good time to reevaluate things.
　
The first thing has been my garden. I spent weeks ripping out grass and weeds. I pulled up all the feed bags that were totally deteriorating…. what a mess! Rethinking what I am going to do next since, I have lots of ideas and experience and now training. I resurrected my tomatoes and now the last of the eggplant that has been through a rough summer of neglect and drought. The afternoon rains have kept them alive and they are struggling but still have some poor fruit and green leaves. Time to make up some Bio-Brew!
　
The corn is drying on the stalks and the beautiful orange corn reminds me of the Indian corn that you get around the fall holidays to decorate the table. The cows love it and I find great joy in tossing it over the fence to them. The goats don’t seem to care much for it but they seem to be a picky bunch anyway. A few days ago we lined the chicken nest with pine straw. Since we moved Roger and his one hen into the goat pen we built roost and laying boxes there as well. We set them up all nice and cozy and those damn goats ate the pine straw. That is so strange, they will not even eat the hay we give them and the little bit of green vegetation that grows in their pen but they eat the pine straw?
　
My last master gardener’s class a few weeks ago gave me lots of food for thought on what I want to do next. It was my favorite class so far. We had several speakers, instead on one long lecture on something that I find.. just very boring. There was so much information coming from maybe five different speakers that I really need to go through my notes and make my own notes. One of the speakers talked about pesticides and herbicides and it really got me on my high horse once again about organic foods, what we eat and such. Yesterday I sat down and watched Food Inc. again. And after thinking about all the crap we eat and how it is all controlled. I really want more than ever to produce all my own food and meats. As I eat my fresh eggs for breakfast, I count my blessings to be so fortunate to have this life. I sat for two hours last night cutting and preparing pears from our trees. Today I made Wild Hog Plum jelly and put up six quarts of fresh pears. Noah and I are talking about what to plant next week after the new moon and what we want in our fall garden.
　
Not only that I am very concerned about what is happening on the cosmic level. I feel every shift and every turn of the days and nights of the ninth wave. We started the fifth night last Friday, August 18 and I could feel it as if someone set a key into a huge lock and it went click. I know that over the next few weeks as we move closer to the sixth day we are going to feel the effects so much more, just turn on the TV and watch the news. And personally I do not feel we are seeing and hearing it all, just the tip of what is really happening in the world. And then there are the two comets coming, Elaine and Honda the first that will be here on Sept. 23-26, right at the Fall Equinox. There is the destruction of our world tree right at our front door and many people are not seeing and knowing it, but they are feeling it on some level or at least lets hope so. Not everyone will embrace the beauty of what is happening and some will not survive it. There is too much fear in the world, and others feed off that fear for their own personal gains. If you haven’t looked at this go to www.calleman.com read back through the months since the ninth wave began in March 2011.
The energy of those that are tuned in are starting to ramp up and the energy of those trying to escape or use it for their own profit are too. The anger and hate, the destruction and breakdown is happening on all levels. I just keep telling people to get right with yourselves and hold on. Be prepared to open your mind and your heart to the changes you are about to see in the world. Take care of yourself and yours first, there will be a time to help others in the world.
　
Permaculture Design is still on the top of my list, even though I have not actually put it into action yet. I must try to fulfill obligations that are already on my plate. I keep talking and telling people about it every day but for now my lectures are on hold, even though I am itchin to get on with it. I am planning to really look at start doing some talks in the fall and winter, maybe using public library or common space. But I also want to be working on my own projects too.
　
I am so drawn to write. Writing a book will be a huge part of my next journey. I don’t know where to start and I have been in that place for a long time. For years I have had so many of my friends and sometimes just total strangers tell my I need to write a book. I don’t even know where to start, other than I know I am a great story teller and I have had so many adventures to share with others. I have ideas how I would like to share my knowledge and experiences and I am truly passionate one day doing this. And then here am I in this world of total cosmic disruption, how will I ever find the time to sit that long to make this happen? That little voice says, be careful what you wish for….
For the next month I will be focusing on my fall garden and holding on to life. We will be Elements of Magic class in early September, then a public ritual for Mabon and Pagan Pride Day. And our own Circle’s Mabon ritual where we spin the Wheel of the Elements. I don’t know where I will be by the first of October, hopefully knee deep in rich composted soil and happily tending the garden. I am looking forward to the cooler temperatures and the crisp fall air, I love that smell. We are already starting to feel the churn of the tropic air as a Tropical storm/hurricane dances through the islands and will run up the eastcoast of Florida this weekend. The fall Hurricanes are always more intense and bring lots of needed rain. We are still way below on our rainfall but you can’t tell it by the grass that is growing out of control. I noticed the huge elephant ears yesterday that by this time of year are usually two to three feet across, they look like they just got started in their growth. It has been a difficult year. It is time to harvest the last of our honey and set the bees up for the fall and winter season, we leave them plenty of honey to make it through the winter but I love the fall harvest. The deer are having a field day in orchard and in Noah’s oak garden but it is still coming along. Our other rooster Robby seems to be much better for our hens, since Roger has gotten so mean that he jumps on me when I go into the pen and his hens were so eaten up with someone constantly pecking their butts and tail feathers. I have taken to tossing sticks and things at him and he goes over to the corner and screams at me, I am contently threatening "Rooster Stew" to him, but more like I would harvest his rooster legs and feathers and feed the rest to the dogs. Do people eat roosters? I sure hate getting spurred! Since we moved him in with the goats all the hens seem much happier and yesterday we got 16 eggs.
Last weekend we did some serious rearranging and reevaluating (Mercury energy again) of the farm. It all started the weekend before with some very serious discussions of the future and making the farm something that is more sustainable in nature and business. Farm management is not our strong hold and we are really not very good at it, even though we have been running a horse farm for over 25 years. Our horses are eating us out of house and home and they are the ones suffering from the high cost of feed and poor sandy soil. We are up to 35 horses and they have got to go. We have a full geriatrics unit and have already had three babies this year. Noah and I are getting too old to deal with this many horse, and frankly it is a luxury we can no longer afford to take care of efficiently. We are down sizing and getting pretty serious about it too. Leslie our oldest daughter came from Panama City and we spent the entire day on Saturday washing, trimming, worming, photographing and identifying the horses on the first wave of our sales list. We are building a catalog and sales list that we will put on the internet and in other publications. We are also looking to give a few away and send some to auction. We are actually doing this, after many years of just talking about it. It is time. Our focus has changed too. We are more into sustainability and talking care of ourselves and our family. We will always have horse of some kind JUST not so many. We are moving more to things we can eat like chickens, cows and goats. I guess if you really needed to, you could eat a horse. The day may come again where you will have to ride one to get to where you want to go.
For now I am in the spiral of life, moving in and out of the energy, up and down as the spiral spins and turns, facing in and out as I go. Waiting for the Planets to move and the weather to change. The equinox will bring changes in all the worlds. I list to the spirits as they guide me though and hold fast and true to what I know.
My blessings go to my beloved friend Bonnie, now in Nova Scotia attending her very first witch camp in Vermont this week. It has been a long awaited adventure my friend and my thoughts have been with you since you left home last Thursday. I hope you are having a wonderful time and as we say, What we do between the worlds, changes all the worlds, So mote it be."
On my way to work I hear about the Earth Quake….wake up and feel the Element of Change in our world!

Summer time Blues and Dog Days of Summer

August 4, 2011
Posting on August 5, 2011

Oh to the Summertime Blues…. Well I won’t really call it that, but some Blues singer did or was it Rock and Roll.

Tuesday night after I recovered from being Bear Caught (heat exhaustion) I had pretty much recharged and spent the heat of the day inside. That evening I did something stupid, something we all do it from time to time, it is painful and really stupid. I accidentally kicked the door jam going into the bathroom in the dark and totally jammed my little toe. I don’t think I broke it this time, I have broken my little toes so many times that I am surprised either of them have bones. Damn don’t you hate that.. when it happens? So, I am limping around and my little toe and the whole side of my foot is black and blue. Toes are pretty important and when they are hurting, it really messes you up. Arnica and soaking in Epsom salts, my cure for the day.
Yesterday I got up early watched the sunrise, pissed I couldn’t run. Sat on the porch drinking coffee, playing my flute and watching a heard of deer in the front yard. Two bucks, one little spike and the other in a full rack of velvet. I love their fuzzy antlers. Later I went into the woods with the golf cart and picked blueberries, since the deer have eaten most of them, I used the golf cart to get to the tops of the bushes. Then I did the same for the purple scupine grapes and the wild hog plums. I came home with buckets full of fruit and berries and the rest of my day was spent in the kitchen. I made up juice to make jelly next week. Then made Skillet Eggplant Parmesan for dinner.
　
Last night I had a nice long phone conversation with my beloved friend Bonnie from Nova Scotia. Her summer visitor, family, students from Spain and houseguest have all left and the family has their house back for a while. I just loved being there with her and the family, doing all the things we did, meeting people and seeing the sights. And yes, I will go back to Nova Scotia. I want to express my gratitude again for having this experience this summer. Being able to go to Canada for a month, spending a week with Bonnie, taking the adventure of traveling and going to Earth Activist Training. All that I learned and all I did and saw, I am so grateful. I just can’t stop thinking about all the really cool people I met and energies I touched. It was just Awesome! My gratitude goes to all those here at home that made this happen for me, my friends and family that supported me and gave me money and most of all held down the fort while I was gone. Thank You all again!

This one is for you Bonnie! My Altar for Canada! Nova Scotia to Florida direct line!

One the Farm
My weeds are still taking over, the grass is out of control and the mowers broke, damn… it is too hot to do anything about it anyway. The pears are almost ready to be picked before the deer eat them all. I am antsy and want to be doing something with permaculture, as I sit in my chair with my foot in a big pot of Epsom salt, you know you can use it on your plants too. I have tons of books to read and things I could be doing in the planning department. I want to be outside! Just love eating fresh eggs for breakfast and topping ti off with a warm pear right off the tree.
Speaking of Hot, not only is it dog days but Mercury is in Retrograde and now is the time to RE>>>>things, redo, reevaluate, remodel, rethink, re..re..re…relax… Oh that is not easy for me, so the universe tosses me a black and blue toe and says…SIT!
More Permaculture

I have been looking at Fungi. Even as hot as it is there are mushrooms everywhere, all different kinds. I found a little pamphlet at Borders on common mushrooms and the poison ones too. Noah and I have had fun looking at the different ones that grow around the yard and at the barn, their spore prints, gills, stems, cap size and color. I am just too afraid to try them since most of them appear to be the poison ones… or I just would like for someone to tell me they are edible. Better to be safe than dead or really sick., I’m not taking chances. Oh, I know what your thinking, no I am not looking for the little psilocybe mushrooms….oh no, been there and done that back in the 70’s. I know what THEY look like and horse poop does not support the spores, it has to be cow poop and a certain kind. In high school I did a book report on them and did my research well. At one time I was the one that knew where they grew in this area. I have developed a whole different kind of love and respect for mushrooms. Now, I just want to grow my own to eat and use them in my garden and in my compost pile. Thanks to permacultue, I can see what beautiful benefit they have to the natural system of all growth and decay. And yes, I want to know what wild mushrooms are edible and which ones will kill you. Noah has been looking on the internet for spores to inoculate wood with, to grow your own and to add to the compost piles. I would think we would have a pretty good growing season here for them.

Oh to the life of those hot steamy summer days where we sit in a cool spot, thinking of all those things we should be doing, but then just sit there and think about them some more.
This weekend is our Grand children’s Birthday party. Trent will be 7 on August 10^th and Summer just turned 2 on July 29^th. We are going to Panama City for their party on Saturday.

I know at least two of the are going to make you really sick, but that are so pretty! DO NOT EAT WILD MUSHROOMS unless you know for sure what they are, the ones that look edible are the ones that will kill you. I want to learn!!!

You Do Not have to look at this one....it is still black and blue after three days....