Chilly

On New Year's Day, the temperature was around 50 degrees (F) and we had the windows open in our little bungalow, letting warm breezes sweep through the house and listening to birdsong.

It's gotten a little colder since...

In fact, here is the frost that was beautifully crawling over our car yesterday morning.

 Although this is our first winter season here in our new county, we keep hearing over and over how strange the weather is. Is it global warming? Planetary shifts? Results of the earthquakes moving stuff around? All three, I'm guessing. Either way, I won't complain.

I've been researching permaculture type gardening lately, a topic that Terry was interested in years ago and we've done many information binges on, historically finding a block when it comes time to figure out where exactly we'll plant all of our lovely ideas. Luckily, now we live in a little forest glade with a big, beautiful backyard that is just calling for a stone-lined meditation spot and a beautifully intricate garden with lots of yummy herbs, fruits, and vegetables. There's even a low spot by a stream that runs through our yard that is calling for melons and other damp-loving viney delicious things.

With the weather being like this though, I wonder when the time to start will be. Unpredictable temperatures will inspire me to use the little plastic starter greenhouse I picked up from Big Lots yesterday for $4 or so - I got two of them, along with a shovel, a rake, one of those soil aerating things and some organic potting soil. Whenever I get to the point where permaculture resources tell me to make charts and lists and such, my brain starts to scramble so I'll do the intuitive thing, I think, and see if it works. I have high hopes, but am also aware that mistakes could be made. No pressure. :)

I've also been obsessed lately with learning the energetic principles of different plants and trying them out. Carrying mint in the wallet to attract money. Putting rosemary and/or thyme under the pillow to make for restful sleep and ward off bad dreams (which worked like a charm, literally, I must say after trying it for a few nights so far,) and burning a little cedar (smells like yummy cinnamon) and lavender to induce sleep. Delicious. 


I think I'll like figuring out the herbal thing, and will keep you posted on what works.


Wishing everyone reading this a continued beautiful start to this intense year.