Just A Little of This 'N' That

I sat out in the patio with my morning coffee, just enjoying the early morning mist in the trees, and the call of robins and chicadees.

I spent about 6 hours working out there yesterday, mostly working my compost pile, and piling it into my garden trenches.

I build compost all summer by throwing all organic matter into trenches and decomposing it right there, alongside plants. I picked this habit up when I noticed that the plants that were the most happy lived in the compost pile.

I layer partly decomposed grass, straw, and leaves over the top of my growing berms, as a mulch, so there is a rich habitat. It reduces weed-growth and holds in moisture, so weeding and watering are kept to a minimum.

I've seen too many 'sterile looking' gardens, where the surface of the soil is so weed-free and smooth that the plants don't thrive.....I believe the 'community' of intensive gardening, with all kinds of mixtures next to one another, promotes vigorous plants. It's like they talk to one another, and set up defenses together. One type of plant will repell insects that will hurt another type. You learn these relationships, and pretty soon you'll build growing beds that thrive.

We've got our projects planned for today. George is going to paint the walls in his study. I'll calk the little windows in there, then he'll put up some shelves for all his books.

I'm also going to load up the van with all the collected junk we've put out behind the garage, and take it to the dump - mostly old boards, tires, chain-link, bricks and broken garden pots.

I've noticed that whenever you collect junk, the bindweed will find it, and pretty soon the roots will find a way over into my garden. This blossom will be a 'white morning glory'.

So, I've got some work ahead of me today - George will help me get this stuff to the dump.

While I'm working, I'll have time to think about our Ruhi class, the study classes we've held here for 3 years. We like to serve lite refreshments and tea, and I've got to bake something.

We served this chocolate-strawberry cake, from Sheri's, awhile back.

The Ruhi Class is a two hour class, one of the three core activities of Baha'i Community life - Ruhi study circles, devotional gatherings, and children's classes. In this last photo, taken last Sunday, Wynne is presenting a bouquet of flowers to the winner of a contest - memorizing quotations. Tim and Barry were tied for first place, and Tim took the flowers home.