And On It Goes

 The trees at sunset

 And in the morning

On Christmas day... 

cancel all planned activities

and the next...

 the trees stand tall, the weather ever changing.

Old Man Winter is the boss, in this part of the world and he's not likely to let you forget it.

Such a Busy Year... Almost Time For Dancing

Dancing Men... $25.

Cranberries and Icicles... $30.

African Copper... $25.

Funky Fold Forming... $25.

Crystal Spirit... $35.

Jasper Spiral... $30.

Little Cats... $25.

Leaves... $18.

Music Crystals... $30.

3 sizes Copper Hoops... $18. , $25., $30.

Muses 2... $25.

Sterling and Peridot... $30.

Inspired by Cave drawings... $35. 

Scarlet Cheer... $30.

Just a tiny sampling created in our Desideratum studio this year...

Love one another and Keep smiling, 

Gwen and John

Garlic Planting Time and Studio Work

So excited to plant my garlic this year!!! well it has been years since I planted any.. and that crop from way back when, wasn't anything to get excited about.  I don't even think I planted it at the right time of year.. 

I pulled apart enough bulbs to have about 60 cloves to plant. I was careful not to keep any for planting that were cut into or the skins were removed. (we ate those) . I just didn't want to take any chances of them not being in great condition as they sat in the cold ground for the winter.

They were just so darn pretty.  

I had a bed of compost all ready for them in the new garden spot we picked out at our new little Old homestead house.  We mixed it into the soil pretty well... this soil is very sandy and dry so I'm hoping the compost does it's job of improving its condition.  Planted each little clove about 6-8 " apart and deep enough to have them covered by another 2". oh and I sprinkled some bone meal throughout the space. I had some so I used it... better there than in the cupboard.

All tucked in for the winter. marked the rows with some leftover sticks from one of John's projects 

Then put a thick layer of straw on top.... Please Grow!!! I put them in one corner of the garden plot so I would not forget where they were because I don't want to trample them when we put a fence up next spring... yes we will need to do that as the deer are very plentiful here.. several walk through the yard every day, browsing what ever they pass by.  They have eaten many things they were not suppose to... Never trust a pretty face.

***

also was working in the studio.. very busy summer season.. we actually sold out of quite a few designs.. first time that happened... below is a few that I have been working on.... although it was pretty hard to stay at the desk when we had a fabulous fall like this year. gorgeous leaves and weather... it was super!!

Best to Everyone from Desideratum!!!

Waiting for the Milkweed Seed Pods to Ripen and Other Things of Fall

I've been watching these curious beauties for when to harvest as I have promised some to friends.

This is the stage they are presently.  Milkweed seeds are so large and so unusual... almost ready I think.

 I was so excited this year to be able to have the time to make pickles.. 

Started off with Chow, made with green tomatoes and onions. They turned out Yummy!!!!!

The Mountain Ash berries are fully ripe but seems that the birds are waiting for later in the season to devour these. after all so much is available for them right now and they know these will keep... anyway after a few frosts they will soften up

 Also managed to find a basket of cucumbers and a big bag of onions and made some Lady Ashburnham Pickles...

 After they sat overnight sprinkled with pickling salt , I drained them and added the mustard and celery seed.. and vinegar of course

 Now they are bubbling along with the turmeric and mustard powder added. they smell so good! the whole house if filled with it 

 wow.. I can hardly believe we will have them this winter with our potatoes

A shady spot now has planted in it 2 new Big ferns. gave them some compost and bonemeal... soon I'll add some wood mulch. Oh I hope they grow.. I love bushy big ferns... (my mother's name by the way... I guess Grammie liked Ferns too!))

Black Eyed Susan's are blooming so cheerily at the end of the walk.  I was so excited to cheer up this old forgotten little homestead, I planted things all summer... and we are preparing the land for next year, to be ready to plant more.

This very old tree up on the back of the property line has some apples I want to harvest. I can't believe how big the apples have grown in the last month. only thing is these apples are about 25' up in the tree. there is another apple tree intertwined with it that is an August Apple tree, but they fall off so easily that the deer have eaten almost every one of them.

The new rock wall is almost done in the front of the house.  We hauled lots of compost to fill it up and will be ready for spring as soon as I mulch it with a thick layer of straw. 

It has been a beautiful summer and fall .. couldn't ask for better..

Fallen Leaves...from the studio of Desideratum... Happiness to all!!

It's Green... and Summer is Here..... at long last

The land has its' green finery on.  Wow I love this time of year!

 Everything feels fresh and new.  

We took a walk down the road and had a gaze across a section of the Saint John River valley stretching west.

 ...on the way there, we went through this green glade.

I never tire of the floral gifts that nature offers.

Hosta just new for this year from a root from my younger sister.. such a hardy plant.

oh so excited!!!  Lots of new perennials for the new little old house, to be set into the garden ... can't wait to see them become their full selves.

an invitation to have tea under the oak that is hard to resist.

 chives.. they have a medieval charm to me

and the precious old fashioned bleeding hearts and bachelor's buttons.

so pretty... Lupins appearing anywhere they want

I don't know this flower that was growing by the roadside

wild grapes above and fragrant yellow lilies below

Giant Ichneumon Wasp, he's a good guy.. sat on this leaf for several hours resting

check that tail piece out! part of it's reproduction apparatus.

Yellow Spotted Salamander, he's a good guy too. He can live to be 20-30 years old can you believe it!

 he was about 4-5" long.. so gentle and quiet.. hardly moved at all....

 found him in the garden and took him back to be my garden helper.. he likes slugs..

 that is a good friend to have!!

 ...kind of has a little seal face, don't you think?

Now take a deep breath and make a wish... have a fabulous summer.. 

Time for me to plant flowers and make more jewelry . 

cheerio!!