Archives for 2016

swallow the moon plus a quick & brilliant garden idea for you

July 8, 2016

How are you, you fine person of a people? At this moment I am sitting comfortably in a our very chilly concrete-floor T.V. room, in the happy company of Handsome (he is home early, feeling a bit sickly) and Klaus, the World’s Best Pup.

When the weeks pass by without much blogging, perhaps it seems like I have nothing to say or nothing is happening. In my life lately, neither is true.

zinnias & honeybees

I have so much to say that the words swim violently in my head. To relieve the pressure I use a dictation app on my iPhone and email myself scattered, un-punctuated, stream-of-consciousness essays. These are on all sorts of topics. I do this mostly while running an easy pace on the treadmill or while carrying baskets of laundry upstairs or down. It’s messy but offers some relief.

As for how much is happening, the answer is so much that often the minute I realize “Hey this is a great thing to blog about,” that moment is passed and we are on to the next wonderful, beautiful moment.

I’m not complaining. Life is full to bursting with beauty, activity, and good vibrations. Better to fully Carpe the Diems than to stop that delicious flow in order to braid together a few sentences, right?

Except, of course, there’s that well-worn quote…

We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospect. ~Anais Nin

In lieu of writing I try to thrust onto the web an Instagram image here and there, or some less artful but more day-in-the-life Snap Chat moments. This is all lots of fun, but I crave to write. And I am slowly but surely whittling down my stack of projects and commitments so that more passionate domesticity, hobby farming, and writing can once again take center stage.

Ted Talks are big in my life these days. How about you? I have this great little blue tooth speaker that can travel with me all over the house, so I can listen to a string of lectures while cleaning the kitchen, prepping food, ironing Handsome’s shirts, sweeping and mopping, anything like that. Even goofing around in the gym has proven to be a great background activity for filling my brain with smart people’s words and ideas. Lifelong learning, you know. Three cheers for that!

The gardens. My gosh. Oklahoma’s heat, humidity, and generous rainfall have been pure luxury for our flowers and edibles! I am in heaven here. My tomato vines are reaching in tall, rib-opening poses toward the sky, breathing deeply and calmly ignoring the protective cages we built around them. So far they are only bearing hard, green fruit, but there are hundreds of them. Literally hundreds. One of these days I will walk downhill and need a wheel barrow to collect my treasure.

I got my wish for abundant flowers this year too, and because I am pretty sure God loves me He has even allowed me a gluttonous supply of basil. I am spoiled.

Okay, some photos and short stories before we close up for tonight.

We recently hosted our first sunset yoga at the farm! Already looking forward to more. Klaus agrees. — We recently hosted our first sunset yoga at the farm! Five women total, not bad for a first try and little notice. Klaus is already looking forward to more. (If you are local and interested in joining us, drop me a line!)

Favorite breakfast lately! Plain quick oats stirred together with a runny egg or two, maybe some skim cheese. Delicious and zero sugar spike. Try it. — Favorite breakfast lately: Plain quick oats stirred together with a runny egg or two, maybe some skim cheese. Delicious and zero sugar spike. Try it.

Living on a farm, shiny floors do not happen every single day. So when they do, I celebrate. No shame.

Maddie's edible garden is doing so great! Here she is checking her potato basket. Love this girl. — Maddie’s edible garden is doing so great! Here she is checking her potato basket. Love this girl.

Our tomato vines are sky high and our pond is overflowing. Good stuff.

You guys. It's just a stock tank full of flowers. But it's also a small, happy dream come true and lately one of my favorite views on the farm. — You guys. It’s just a stock tank full of flowers. But it’s also a small, happy dream come true and lately one of my favorite views on the farm. I like to layout and read at that end of the pool deck, right next to this abundance.

We actually ventured away from the farm on a weeknight this week and managed to catch this gorgeous sunset over the downtown Oklahoma City skyline. — We actually ventured away from the farm on a weeknight recently (rare) and managed to catch this gorgeous sunset over the downtown Oklahoma City skyline.

Okay, time for this brilliant cheap gardening idea:

You can multiply your tomato plant supply for FREE. Just save the longest, thickest suckers when you do normal pruning. Root them in a glass of water and once the white fleshy root threads appear, plant the shoots in soil. BAM. More plants. I have “Herbsnthings” from Instagram to thank for this idea. So excited to have a staggered harvest!

tomato rooting snap

Thanks as always for checking in. A thousand other things are happening here. Work stuff. Goals stuff. Healthy stuff. Family stuff. Just like you.

We all are just trying to swallow the moon whole and shine from the inside out.

XOXOXOXO

summertime, pleasure seeking, and you matter so much

July 3, 2016

We have arrived at the exact point of summertime where I know the season is here to stay and therefore I am terrified it is almost over. I find myself trying to slow the moments and squeeze more life out of every drop given to us.

The gardens are gaining confidence. The animals are fully shed and fat and happy. Our fresh egg supply is luxurious, as are the basil plants and lemon verbena. We rise early to work hard at our respective jobs then enjoy unheard of relaxation near or in the pool almost every afternoon, only to retreat into the air-conditioned house for summery meals and sometimes movies or board games; then we climb upstairs and fall into the deepest sleep you can imagine. Smooth, cold cotton bed sheets feel like heaven after a hot day and a good, scrubby shower.

pink zinnia with bumble bee june 2016

The days are spent with rhythm and routine and are lovely over and over again. Every little ritual carries a heavy volume of meaning, too.

One afternoon recently Maddie wondered aloud whether the bees know how important they are. We had been discussing the pollination drama, and she was quiet for a long time before posing this question. That thought stayed with me for hours, and for weeks actually. The bees work so hard, are so constantly industrious, and yet so small and easily missed individually. Most bees will ignore you flatly if they are left free to work. Fuzzy little noses to their sweet little grindstones.

Maddie’s thoughtful question got me wondering also whether the bees find as much pleasure in the world as we do, to balance all that industry. Then I wonder whether the reason we seek so much pleasure is that we are sentient creatures acutely aware of problems and awful possibilities, causing us to need the respite, or are we actually created with an appetite for pleasure so that God can see us happy?

Sometimes I feel guilty for having so much to enjoy day-to-day. But a simple thing has helped ease this: I am never happier than when I see my children happy. I want both of them, with or without me, to find a long view of the world, of course, and to be on good, safe, responsible paths; and at the same time I want both of them to constantly forage the Universe for pleasures big and small, of every variety. I wish for them heavy appetites for soulful nourishment and pleasure-seeking. I want them to dwell as long as possible in the lushness and bright, colorful, brimming-with-life energy of summertime. Whatever that means to each of them privately.

I wonder along with Maddie whether the bees know how important they are, as small as they are. And I wonder how many people know how important they are, and how totally okay it is to seek pleasure in life. I hope so.

“Waste not thy liberty.”
XOXOXOXO

six months of garden class under our belts

June 23, 2016

I so desperately wanted to title this post “White Trash Wednesday” but today is actually Thursday. Oh well, haha. : )

Today is Thursday! That means, as it has meant most weeks since January, Gardening with Maddie. To celebrate six months together, half a year of exploring the wonderful world of plant science and creativity, we visited a very cool local snow cone shop called “Trailer Trash Treatz.” We indulged in tall styrofoam cups loaded with sweet, cold perfection. Her flavor of choice was Wedding Cake and mine was good ol’ Pina Colada. We ordered both “trashy,” which means they hide a small scoop of ice cream in the center of your extra syrupy shaved ice then wedge a square of cheesecake on top, plus of course some heaps of whipped cream and a fresh strawberry too. I mean obviously. All of the slushy goodness melds with the creaminess and it is quite heavenly. Both snow cones were works of art, and the bar for such a treat has been permanently raised. Wow. Not to mention the shop itself was a pleasure to visit, really. So colorful and quirky. So lighthearted. I feel like I could be good friends with the decorator of Trailer Trash Treatz. Behold:

TTT front porch

TTT wall art

TTT hipster cups

While we lingered over sugar and enjoyed the frosty air conditioning, Maddie and I discussed the learning work we have done so far as well as gardening goals and dreams and the related work ahead of us. We agreed that our first six months together flew by unbelievably fast! I am so proud of her enthusiasm, of her willingness to get dirty (literally!), of her ability to absorb lots of gritty information just in the course of long, casual conversations, of her overall penchant for plants. She has a deeply rooted appreciation for symbiosis in nature, and she is beginning to show signs of true passion for localvorism. (Tear rolls silently down my mud-flecked cheek.)

Maybe the best part is that this weekly effort is playing a small role in helping Maddie carry on gardening legacies from both sides of her family. Really cool. In fact today after snow cones she and I drove to both her Dad’s garden (the tomatoes!!) and her Nanny’s garden (hydrangeas!!). I was so moved to watch her point out the special parts of each space, the secret areas and childhood memories, why she loves little things. She named a few trees and shrubs and was able to rub the fuzzy grey-green leaves of sage between her fingers to correctly identify it.

Although in the latest weeks of winter we spent a fair amount of time planning a flower bed and brainstorming all sorts of eye candy, things shifted. One little hands-on project at a time revealed that she is more interested in growing edibles, specifically herbs. So we’ve focused our time and her budget on that so far, knowing that as summer winds down Oklahoma will invite us once again to that spectacular display of fall color. We will be working hard in her flower bed soon enough.

For the remainder of Summer 2016 our goals are in four parts:

Maintain her container gardens, including herbs, veggies, and a few flowers.
Harvest the edibles and host at least two family dinners using those items. So far we are thinking pizza (for all the basil, oregano, tomatoes, etc.) and ice cream (chocolate mint!)
Visit nearby public gardens that we had previously visited just as spring was starting and monitor the changes since then. We also have a list of private gardens to visit, so she can see different design styles, work disciplines, etc.
Do a handful of art projects related to the garden.

All of this should keep us plenty busy until September, especially with a week of vacation or camp thrown in here and there.

maddie at ttt

What a fun day. I love White Trash Wednesdays that are actually Thursdays with Maddie. And I love gardening. And I love friendships that grow in actual soil.

Over and out.

XOXOXOXO

happy international day of yoga!

June 21, 2016

Ahh yoga. I feel like I love you for reasons I am just beginning to understand and perhaps in ways that make you scoff at me privately. Except that scoffing’s not really your thing, is it? You don’t mind me being a complete amateur. You welcome everyone. Oh yoga, you peaceful, sweetly smirking, soft-gaze-having beauty with only positive vibes. I groove you.

I first felt truly curious about yoga while reading that very famous Liz Gilbert memoir. You know the one where she eats all the carbs in Italy, searches her soul after railing against God, then has a trans-continental romance? Such a fun read. Gilbert made yoga seem like an experience. A journey, not just a workout. She made it feel like prayer. But during that chapter of my own life, the whole thing felt incompatible with church. I had a lot to sort through and my own kind of language and balance to discover in the midst of heavy doctrine and even heavier personal crises. For quite a while yoga was a sneaky indulgence that I was content to treat just like a good stretch here and there. But in the back of my mind was always this idea that God was in it, that He in fact created both my mind and my body and therefore didn’t mind one bit that I might try to strengthen and nourish them both. My reins began to loosen on my own soul.

Fast forward several years to when I started running. (HALLELUJAH!!) Once my body was wide awake and on a daily basis filled with adrenaline, delirious with exertion, I discovered the need to remain pliable and comfortable. I started reading about yoga for runners and became pretty good at the most basic post-miles stretches for calves, hips, and hammies. Pigeon pose, haha! The fact that it had a name was enough to make me happy.

In the midst of all this, a few blogging friends turned me on to yoga as a meditative endeavor. They introduced me to Yoga With Adrienne, whose mantra find what feels good is just so soothing. These videos were so fun to explore that soon I found Tara Stiles, PsycheTruth, and much more. (My You Tube favorites are about 35% yoga channels.) The breathing, posturing, and simple guided meditations did for me all the classic favors you hear about: I felt grounded, connected to myself, relaxed yet invigorated, pliable, strong, full of fire (like in my belly!), calm, all of it. And while I have yet to enjoy a spiritual breakthrough during yoga or even cry really hard like so many people report, I have had those experiences while running. By the time I unwind on the mat I’m generally in a pretty good place, haha. Even if I start in a good place, though, I always leave the yoga mat feeling more focused. More purposeful and less scattered around, as my mind tends to be. Yoga quiets me.

morning glories yoga day june 2016

This has been my experience so far, and I am so grateful for all of it. So excited to see what’s next bodily and spiritually. And today is International Yoga Day! To both mark the occasion and spend time with some cool folks in my life, this evening we are opening the farm at dusk. We will gather with quilts and mats in the grassy area between the bonfire and the vegetable garden and watch the sun set behind the horse pond. We will stretch our muscles and breathe deeply, inhaling blessings and exhaling peace. We will ease through some pose sequences that are thousands of years old and remind each other that we are both physical and emotional creatures, capable of more than we once thought possible.

If you are practicing yoga to celebrate this fun day, enjoy!! Consider yourself connected to us here at the Lazy W. If you are only curious about it, let me urge you to explore. Like anything in life the experience is largely what you invest in it. Open yourself to what beautiful things might happen. Maybe you will have a spiritual breakthrough! Or maybe you will realign your back or relax your shoulders and hips. Or maybe you will discover some hidden energy in your intestines or rid yourself of too much and finally get a good night’s sleep. I’m excited for what might happen for you! And I am really excited to see my friends tonight at sunset.

“Allign your hands with your heart.”
yoga mantra
XOXOXOXO

friday 5 at the farm: joy of gardening lately

June 17, 2016

Hey hey it’s Friday!! Another work week in the books, another special weekend chomping at the bit. In case I don’t get a proper Father’s Day post up by Sunday, if you are a dad to anyone on the face of this earth or beyond, please accept my love and hugs. The world needs more excellent fathers, just like you. xoxo Happy Father’s Day weekend!

While I actually have mounds of gardening news and information to share (The Members’ Tour! The front field progress! Lessons learned!) today I just need to celebrate. Since it’s Friday, maybe just a quick list of five ways gardening has been extra joyful for me lately:

Members’ Tour: GAH you guys. To say that I was inspired is such an understatement. The ideas and affection that flowed from that day could fill a library. To say that I was honored, yes for sure. I still can’t believe I was invited into this gorgeous circle. But humbled. Oh man was it a humbling experience. I cried bitter tears afterwards but am all better now. Whew! Can’t wait to have a few hours to sit and write.
Maddie’s Learning Curve & Friendship. As you know, most of my Thursdays since January have been spent with my new partner in crime Maddie, exploring the mysteries and wonders of plant science. Well, also plant silliness. We have so much fun. I am blown away by the progress she has made in her own front yard herbs-and-veggies paradise, and I am so thankful just to know her as a person. She and her Mom (our dear friend Mer) helped us out during the garden tour last week, and Maddie made me SO PROUD.
Bartering Services! Fellow Oklahoma blogger Cassie from True Agape recently posted an offer to trade her technical expertise (personal coaching, social media help, or blogging advice) for some garden design work, and I jumped on it. Though she and her family live in Tulsa, she was keen to work out a trade via technology communication, and it has been great fun. This is the first time I have done such a thing for someone I don’t really “know” personally, although she and I have worked together before on a few blog projects. Do you remember me writing about how non-running spouses can support their beloved runners? That was for Cassie’s blog! And I promoted her children’s book and marriage advice e-book too. Usually friends might trade a garden idea here and there, but to have a sketch of her flower bed and measurements, to be set loose with the invitation to “create some curb appeal?” GAH, so cool. I thoroughly totally completely loved it. It took lots of self control to not ask if I could impose myself to help do the digging and planting, haha. By the way, I asked for Cassie’s help in making this electronic space look nicer and work better for readers, and that invitation doubles for you. If you have any suggestions for the Lazy W blog please send them my way! I am once again in face-lift mode.
Flowers: Do you remember me saying a few months ago that I really wanted to increase our flower supply here at the farm? Well, wish granted. Or actually… Work rewarded. Although it was not much work. My gardens are casual but blooming profusely, and I am so happy. Most years the edibles far outweigh ornamentals, but not this year. It’s been refreshing to walk through so much color.
Jocelyn is growing her own tomatoes, herbs, and even cacti, all from seed!! I clearly saved the best news for last. xoxo Do you know what’s extra funny about this? The fact that she planted her treasures in containers that can be moved indoors to evade the elk and bears, haha! This is not a problem known to Oklahoma gardeners. Do you know what’s extra sweet about this? The fact that she is excited for the smells. When she told me this my heart skipped a beat.