Thoughts for 2010

This year in the garden we are planning many changes. Just as in life, we are applying the hindsight of trial and error, keeping the aspects we know work well and trying new ideas of inspiration. One key element that never changes with our garden is the knowledge that it provides. It gives us food, income, much needed therapy and the pleasure of doing what we love. But more importantly, it centers me. In my garden I am more at one with my higher power than any other place in my world. I've witnessed, first hand, how amazing it can be when, as I call it, cosmic cooperation is on my side. It's a lot to receive from pulling weeds and squishing bugs, I know.
Whether it's getting everything done on my list for the day (which is rare!) or it's the right person showing up to buy lettuce exactly when I need to see them. Some people call these moments coincidences or random. I believe in neither. In my garden everything happens for a reason. Things are meant to be as they are. For example, the past two years we have been late getting some crops planted. We thought we were behind, when our timing was perfect. While many other gardeners were losing their zucchini blossoms in the hard rains of early summer, ours were sprouts getting a good soaking in and we ended up being some of the few with zucchinis up to our ears. I don't take things like that for granted and I can't call it luck. I am humbled when I think that our struggles that kept me from doing as I had planned, actually was a saving grace.
With that, I need to express my sincerest thanks to everyone who helped us in (and out of) the garden last year. You gave us your time and energy and kept our garden growing while our family faced major life changes. I was so thankful for the few moments of solace and serenity I had in the sanctity of the garden and it's all because you chose to help keep my passion alive and growing, and to all of you, I am grateful.
In the spirit of growing, we are offer we are offering garden plots for rent. We have 18'X10' and 18'X20' plots available to gardeners without means. We've gotten enough community response to feel this is a good way for our garden to grow. Plus it's a lovely bit of shire and the view deserves to be shared. There will be kinks to work out since this is a new adventure for us but we are very eager to try. If you are interested and would like more information please call us.

Thoughts for 2009

As for our name and how that came to be.  For starters, I Think Galadriel is the most beautiful combinations of letters put together in sight and sound.  For more obvious reasons we are Lord of the Rings fanatics.  Winter of 2006 we settled in with the box set and watched it for the first time(we are late bloomers in some of life), but we watched it precisely when we were meant to.  We had just made the full switch to an organic and all natural diet and gave our microwave the boot.  All of which were some of the best life choices we have made.  Announcing this new life style, on the other hand, was tiring.  The same information over and over to friends and family and lots of confused looks.  At that time there was no one lose to us as “hard core” as us (and for the record, I don’t think we are hard core…yet, we are still on the grid after all).  So, there was this constant awareness if being “different”, which makes you feel alone.  Watching Frodo and Samwise struggle up Mt. Doom just made me feel better.  Those movies brought much needed comfort that winter, how could we not become slightly obsessed with the happiness felt when watching? I did read the books that following summer but I like the movies better because I can Knit while watching and the music is fantastic. 
It is easy to believe we have a touch of hobbit and elf within ourselves when so much of that story is relatable to who we are and what we do.  But Bilbo, from the extended version says it best “But where our hearts truly lie is in peace and quiet and good tilled earth.  And yes, to others our ways seem quaint but today of all days, it is brought home to me…It’s no bad thing, to celebrate a simple life.

Amanda Feuerborn