ON HIATUS

Merry Meet, everyone!

I know I have not been here in forever and several moons. So much going on in my world and I am struggling for balance. Even work (though non-paying) has begun to see a decline.

Everything stems from my horrid OCD and not being able to put stuff just 'anywhere' in the new studio. The process is taking WAY longer than I want and the path has become depressing at times.

Add job issues for hubby and minor health issue for me and I've had to make the decision to step back from everything Social Media wise for awhile.

So with this post, I am taking the entire month of May off from ALL social media obligations and just learning to breathe again.

I will be back in June in time for Mid-Summer and hopefully have found balance again.

All my Blessings
Rain

A Gift

Seriously. Who could resist this face at their door?

I tried... Really. I have not wanted another inside dog since my Sheltie passed over several years ago. Although I love animals, when it comes to 'inside' I am a cat person. I love my two kitties.

So when this little guy showed up at my door almost two weeks ago, I tried everything possible to either find out where he came from or a home for him. Nothing came to fruition. I did know one very important fact... if the dog was still here when Bob got home on Wednesday night, he was permanent. My husband is a big softie. Bob came home on Wednesday night. By Thursday morning he had designed the new kennel... which included taking over the front deck I was finally getting to where I wanted it as a 'sittin' spot'. 

Meet Honey Butt:

Honey appears to be a Brittany Spaniel puppy - not even a year old. He may have a tad bit of beagle. He is loving and a big cuddler. It's a race to see who gets the recliner first. He's housebroke and leash trained. Right now he is experiencing separation anxiety. I'd had him for over a week without any accidents in the house (except one the first day). While I was gone over the weekend, and left him with Bob, he piddled twice in the living room... right in front of Bob. 

He needs to know we will come back when we have to go awake so we have a training program in place.

I am finally getting to a point where I can resurrect the blog. Today, we are spending the whole day in the garden. Progress reports as well as other goodies coming soon.

I'm still looking for books to review or authors to have as guests. Is there someone you'd love to know more about? Let me know in the comments and I'll see what I can do about setting them up as guests.

Creative Blessings!

~Rain

BLESSED NEW YEAR!

Welcome to 2016!
I can not believe we are here already. Time flies so fast these days. Or maybe I'm just so busy.

I have a couple of new things I'm bringing to the cafe this year. I think I may have finally found something I can work with. I hope you'll share your thoughts as I traverse this new path.

One of the things I'm adding this year is book reviews. If you have a book you would love for me to review, please leave a comment with your email and I will contact you.

I will update more in the next day or two.. but right now I must fly! Bob came home on January 7th and we are still trying to find a routine. Now that I have a shiny new office and he has a Man Cave, the routine will come in record time.

Blessings!
Rain

SACRED SPACE - New Indoor Space

As we approach the Turning of the Wheel, I am ready for the rebirth. I am almost completely moved into the new office/ studio. All of my witchy goodness has a permanent home. The new metal and glass altar sits beneath the East facing window. Below the table is a large steamer trunk to house my supplies. The steamer trunk belonged to my mom and has house various things over the years.

Next to my altar I have a new bookcase to house my massive book collection. I will be able to find things and have all my research books at my finger tips (rather than in a separate room of the house).

Finally, my antique wardrobe to house the most often used supplies. This was a treasure find at a consignment auction last year. Although everything else in the space is white, I chose to leave this in the original state though at some point I may recast and replace the decorative pieces that have broken or are gone all together.

I had hoped to have this all in place by Mabon but a fall the day before delayed my progress. But everything is here now, to stay.

How did you celebrate Mabon? Have you changed your altar to coincide with the season? I'd love to hear from you.

Blessings!
~Rain

SUPER MOON Eclipse

By now you know I love a Full Moon. I've always felt as if they recharge me, much like a good thunder storm with lots of wind but in a quieter form.

By Monday morning, the Super Moon will have passed through the lunar phase.  You can get complete information  HERE

If you're up for a cocktail or two, check out the Yahoo Page on creative drinks.  I'm not sure I will be awake to see the show but for the few hours prior when the moon seems close enough to touch I will relish being on a blanket in the back yard being drenched in the glow.

Blessings
~Rain

GARDENING - Looking Good!

I am really liking the Container Corn from Burpee. Although I did have a bit of a scare last week. Heavy winds and rain attempted to demolish my bales. Corn was laying over and I thought for sure I'd lost them. I gave everything a day to dry up a bit then I went out and stuffed them a bit farther down in the bale. As you can see, they are doing well. Here's a close up of Tassle and Silk:

Silk peeking out on that center stalk about 2/3rds of the way down.

Tomatoes are doing well:

If you look almost center of the picture, near the bottom you see an Amish Paste getting ripe. Now if they would just all do that at once so I can put up Spaghetti Sauce!

Plum Tomatoes finally setting fruit. They are also loaded with blooms. And when these fizzle out, I have a volunteer. This little guy came about when my MIL and I were tying up the vines, a couple broke off. I tossed them into the leaf compost in the center of the bales. 

Potatoes are going crazy. Even the Sweet Potatoe vines are spreading out.

Onions are starting to die back. They seem a bit small. Wondering if shoving them down in the bale a bit farther will help.

In spite of the heat and the tiny plants, I have green beans! LOL These will definitely be a fall replant in a couple of weeks:

Finally seeing Banana Peppers. I could use these to produce a bit heavier though as I only have 2 jars left in the stock-up.

2 yellow banana peppers peeking out at the bottom left.

My best producer this year has to be my cucumber plants. Both the Pickling and the Burpless are going gangbusters:

I am picking an average of 4 a day from each plant.

Last weekend I put up 11 pints of bread and butter pickles. I prefer them on a burger. In fact, The Rodeo Bar inside the Adolphus Hotel in Dallas TX serves B & B pickles on their burgers. Yum!

Since I'm the only one who eats pickles here, I'll probably gift a jar or three around the holidays.

How is your garden growing? Leave a comment and let us know how the Goddess is blessing you!

~Blessings

~Rain

GARDENING - Strawbale Improvements

Merry Meet, everyone!

Things are looking a bit better in the garden. I thought we were having a lot of rain but according to the garden not so much. These were taken a couple of weeks ago between rainy days. The potato plants are improving. The reds are even beginning to flower. The sweet potatoes (bottom right corner) are coming along nicely.

I took this picture of the cucumber plants (picking cukes are taller than the salad cukes) right after my mother-in-law helped me tie them up. Then I turned on the soaker hose. As you'll see next week, they were very happy for the drink.

First sign of banana peppers. Still not so much as a blossom on the bell peppers though.

The cherry tomatoes are looking pretty pathetic. The plants look healthy, just not producing much. I'm thinking aside from water, I am going to have to break down and feed. I've never had to feed my plants before but strawbale gardening is a totally different way of doing things.

I have peas! While these are nothing to really crow about, and will make better bunny food, I am pleased to see them producing. I will plant a fall crop and they will be much happier.. as will the green beans:

Regular tomatoes, both the Amish Paste and the Big Boys are growing nicely. I am seeing fruit on the Amish Paste. I'm sure the Big Boys will produce when they are ready...

I'll have pictures of the cucumbers I've picked next week. Was all set to make bread and butter pickles this morning (Sunday) to find I didn't have any celery seed. So that's on my list for Monday.

How is your garden doing? Too much rain? Not enough? Too hot?

Share your ups and downs with us.

Blessings!

~Rain