A Day in Nature’s Garden

Hey everyone! It’s Michael, for those of you that don’t know Lacy and me personally I will be making an introduction post here soon.

So, as you may know, I recently underwent shoulder surgery and thus I am out of work for a little while. So far day one of being home by myself all day has been more torturous than I thought it was going to be. However, I did find one ray of sunshine in an otherwise wet and cloudy day (speaking both literally and figuratively here).

After a few too many hours spent cooped up inside playing old school Zelda, I glanced up and noticed that the rain had finally relented and decided to don my sling and go for a walk around Odinskeep (the name I have given the land on which our house, Brigit’s Hearth, sits). So I  walked a bit in the back yard, saying my hellos to the several varieties of oaks and the large Black Walnut (Juglans nigra). I checked the Walnut (whom you should help name) for any signs of fruit only to see that the hot year has delayed the nuts from forming past buds so far. I also looked over the wild grape vines (Vitis rotundifolia) that surround the old Walnut to find that all the grapes had been plucked off in the early stages by the birds, squirrels and our two wild rabbits, somewhat disappointing. So I continued my walk.

Now, Odinskeep is bordered in the back by thicket of Oak and Pine woods and today I decided to take a look around. Immediately after stepping in I found myself on a path that, based upon the tracks, is frequented by deer, a cat and what appeared to be a raccoon. I followed the wandering paths back to an old fence and then I turned back, intending to go back the way I came. But then I saw another path and a cardinal flying along it, so I followed him. Soon I found myself in a small clearing, staring up at the towering trees all around me. As I turned to leave I noticed the thing I should have noticed first, a massive tangle of Muscadine vines extending easily 15 feet (about 5 meters) up and hanging thick with ripe juicy grapes! So, like any sane person, I gathered the few bunches that I could without fearing the safety of my newly patched up arm, thanked Dionysus and the local land spirits for leading me and left. As I left I found myself surrounded by birds: titmice (Baeolophus bicolor), cardinals and chickadees.

As I left, encouraged by my find I decided to pluck a few leaves from a few of the Basil plants that survived the hot, dry few months in which we planted and then the monsoons that followed. One of these leaves I “sacrificed” to our rabbit Caledfwlch and the other I gave to our Laxmi murti (embodiment of deity), since Holy Tulsi  is sacred to her.

I also grabbed a handful of Patchouli leaves from our Patchouli “tree” which is the only thing that has thrived in the crazy weather we’ve been having.

All and all it was a pretty good haul.