Timothy Glenn on Zany Mystic Tonight

Just a heads up for Timothy Glenn fans: Tim will return to Zany Mystic tonight, Saturday, September 30th at 7 p.m. Pacific time. Details here.

source https://laurabruno.wordpress.com/2017/09/30/timothy-glenn-on-zany-mystic-tonight/

Garden Update: The Good, The Bad, and the Undetermined

Despite last week’s heatwave into the mid-nineties, which we had not reached all Summer, signs of Autumn continue to reveal themselves. A cool breeze here, crunchy leaves there, along with more squirrel activity than I’ve seen since Spring.

It’s also the start of Fall bulb planting season, and — since CPL (crazy plant lady) ordered those bulbs before what turned out to be a slightly dislocated rib causing all the neck and upper chest pain — I’ve got a lot of bulbs to plant. Not the 1,000 I planted in Goshen in 2015, but 200+ daffodils, alliums, irises and fritillaria are nothing to sneeze at.

About those fritillaria …

I sure hope they’re worth it! I ordered them as groundhog, rabbit, vole and deer deterrents. If the flowers and leaves smell even half as potent as the bulbs, they might also become Laura deterrents. Oh. My. Skunks. Seriously, those bulbs smell like skunk times ten. They won’t make you sneeze, but they might make me gag. Crown imperials are so stately, though finicky, and fritillaria meleagris (the checkerboard droopy tulip looking things) look so dainty. Let me tell you, they don’t smell dainty! And that’s the point. I hope they keep groundhogs at bay as much as people claim they do, because Kalamazoo Kal appears to have found the front yard gardens.

I can’t prove it’s him. Yet. But I strongly suspect, because a) I’ve seen him right across the street, eyeing our front yard; b) a possum moved into his former home under the backyard shed; and c) something has had major kale munchies on the side of the driveway that Kal used to zip past on his way to and from the backyard:

That kale is in a pot between lemon time and day lilies, away from the rest of the edibles. I noticed evidence of kale poaching several weeks ago, but I didn’t really care, because that kale was puny compared to my femur length kale leaves tucked behind the weeping birch tree on the other side of the driveway.  It’s also too close for comfort to the neighbor’s septic tank, so I figured whatever wants to eat over there, have at it, as long as it keeps that critter away from the rest of the garden.

That might not have been the best plan. I think someone now has a fever for the flavor of lacinato. Last night, I got a warning as I sometimes do that I should protect my main crops of front yard kale. Instead of hustling out with deer repellent spray, I spent an hour and a half on the phone and then dove right back into novel preparation. Characters, mirror moments, structure, genre, how to do this, how to craft that. Very productive time, I might add!

Unfortunately, someone found the golden goose. A completely unprotected brassica heaven, without the eagle eye view from the dining room table. Whatever ate this kale came up on the house side and munched a lot of leaves at least two feet above the already raised bed. It could be a rabbit, but I do suspect it’s Kal, even though he’s been warned –repeatedly– that the forbidden side of our yard means a trap. Don’t make me do it, Kal.

It’s not terrible yet, but the house side has been seriously gnawed, and if this critter continues like it has with the sacrificial kale, we’re going to have a problem. I suspect Kal due to groundhog’s notorious love of kale, but also due to some interesting timing. I had just yesterday decided those fritillaria stink too much to plant them all. They’re expensive, so I didn’t want to throw them away. I offered quite a few to a friend, but today, I needed to skim the top of that offer in an effort to deter (and thus spare) my worthy adversary.

Several synchronous gifts followed. This friend reminded me about planting garlic, which I already have scheduled to do, but she sent me a site with perennial vegetables in case my sea kale seeds (which I misplaced) didn’t sprout. I’ve procured and not received sea kale several times this year, so hopefully the third time’s the charm. Someone in Kalamazoo offered me one as a gift, but they dropped off the radar as soon as I accepted. Other locations had run out of sea kale, and I have no idea where I put those seeds! I thought of taking a root division in Goshen, but it was sooooo hot and muggy the day I visited. I also at that point, thought I had a plant waiting for me in Kzoo.

In any case, thanks to my needing to explain why I was tweaking the number of fritillaria, I now have 2-3 sea kale root divisions, ramps, another rhubarb and one (that’s all you need!) Egyptian walking onion en route. So thank you, Karen! And thank you, critter, although I will specify right now that this sea kale is not the thank you. You can munch on the dandelions, the sacrificial kale, and be glad I haven’t asked the cat to spray.

Another synchronicity about this suspected Kal violation is that just this morning I got inspired to change both point of view and the protagonist/antagonist structure of my novel. I’m still brainstorming, but I had a major aha moment right before I discovered the early morning mischief. The breakthrough involves creating a surprisingly sympathetic villain protagonist who finds himself caring about his adversaries. How do I show that sort of thing? What does it feel like? What sort of emotions and conflict might that fuel? Enter Kal into my prized front yard garden. Even if it wasn’t him — but oh, you fat rascal, I know it was — the suspicion gave me great insights into character, conflict and motivation.

I walked to the nearby landscape store to get bulb fertilizer since I got my initial batch of 50 daffodils and a reblooming “Mother Earth” iris. While there, I ran into an edible gardener (gardener of edibles?) who actually offered me a groundhog solution besides, “Oh, you just have to trap them. That’s the only way.” “Here, let me show you what I use. It smells like vomit!” Sold! Actually, I did buy it and sprinkle it around the kale. I also sprayed the deer repellent around the edge of the garden. I wouldn’t put it in a perfume, but obviously, this guy has not experienced fritillaria!

Anyway, I got the bulb fertilizer so my daffodils actually bloom in the lawn’s poor soil, and I spent two hours planting eleven daffodils. I need to wait for some rain, or it’s going to be a long, slow Fall bulb season! Daffodils are the best gift you can give yourself, though, imho. One time planting brings decades of Spring cheer, and unlike tulips, nothing wants to eat them. I’ll view this batch first thing in the morning, as I open our bedroom curtains. The others will get scattered around the front and back yards, in spots that won’t get watered during regular garden season.

I also got the reblooming iris planted within easy view of the front window, and the root of a miniature aster by the mailbox volunteered to clone itself in a nearby spot, as well. You can see some of the current garden in bloom, along with newly planted beets and lettuce, and just imagine the deep purple aster and reblooming iris of I forget which color towards the right of this photo:

Speaking of asters, this one made it from Goshen! Once it finishes blooming, I will plant it out back by the shed, between the larkspur and clematis. In Goshen, this one grew to about four feet tall, so I look forward to prolific blooms next year:

All in all, the garden’s doing well. Two rhubarbs have established themselves in the 20-gallon Smart Pots out back, and today I noticed we even have a full sized strawberry trying to ripen before frost sets in:

The late Summer planted lettuce has finally taken off:

And a clematis who’d nearly given up the ghost before we moved in has recovered enough to bloom a second time this year:

So far, the kale muncher has left most of the collards alone:

And to top it all off, the shrub the former, former owner told us was a reblooming lilac is, in fact, blooming right now:

I have been so preoccupied with writing prep and sessions that I really have done very little in the garden of late. That will, of course, change as I plant the remaining 190+ flowering bulbs, garlic and perennial vegetables. Fortunately, my neck-rib-chest bizarre injury/initiation seems to have healed enough to get these babies in the ground. I get glimmers of how colorful the yard will be next year when this year’s newbies start coming into their own. With any good luck, those skunky fritillarias will do their deterring, while I do my writing, and Kal and I will continue this uneasy, yet somewhat comical dance of wills.

Wishing you and yours brilliant colors and abundant harvests — on whatever level!

 

 

 

 

 

source https://laurabruno.wordpress.com/2017/09/28/garden-update-the-good-the-bad-and-the-undetermined/

Sync Winks and Faery Portals

I happened upon this post again last night, and I had to giggle. The faery portal door I fell into in our Goshen house, the one that reminded me of sitting by the fire with David as we grow old, now happens to stand right next to our fireplace. This post was from April 2016, before we had any idea where we’d move or when. I’m reposting it today as things continue to unfold here in beautiful, synchronous ways.

So often, we don’t know the exact way or precisely how, but dreams, “accidents,” synchronicities and visions wink, wink, nudge, nudge us in the right direction. Keep the faith! There IS a beautifully intricate plan somewhere, somehow, even if you can’t see it for yourself in each and every moment.

Laura Bruno's Blog

I’ve been having one of those days already, and it’s just 7:22 a.m.! Due to a combination of yesterday’s late afternoon chocolate, a hot upstairs, new fan and the sudden absence of our heavy comforter, I had trouble falling asleep last night. My intuition was screaming at me to use that excuse to read the Kindle version of Sharon Blackie’s “If Women Rose Rooted,” since I had downloaded it in Pennsylvania but not had a chance yet to begin reading it. My Kindle sat on the floor next to the bed taunting me all night, but for some reason, I refused to give up on sleep and read.

At one point, after about my fifth bathroom break, fan fiddle, and prowl around the upstairs, I decided to go downstairs, still sans Kindle, and turn the full house fan on with just a few minutes of AC. We have super steep…

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source https://laurabruno.wordpress.com/2017/09/27/sync-winks-and-faery-portals-2/

Yes, You Can Build Muscle Without Steroids: Here’s How

When you want to learn how to build muscle naturally without steroids or drugs, who better to ask than a guy who has been bodybuilding for 30 years? Cris Ramis, a holistic fitness coach in Westcliff-on-Sea, U.K., explains how to build muscle naturally without drugs in this interview for the Natural Healing Show on UK Health Radio. […]
Source: https://catherinecarrigan.com/yes-you-can-build-muscle-without-steroids-heres-how/

source https://cscarrigan.wordpress.com/2017/09/26/yes-you-can-build-muscle-without-steroids-heres-how/

How Your Astrology Affects Your Health

Did you know your astrology can affect your health? Maxine Taylor, Georgia’s first licensed astrologer, explains how in this interview I did for the Natural Healing Show on UK Health Radio. Maxine Taylor is a pioneer in the field of astrology.  In 1968, she became Georgia’s first licensed astrologer.  She then spearheaded the establishment of […]
Source: https://catherinecarrigan.com/how-your-astrology-affects-your-health/

source https://cscarrigan.wordpress.com/2017/09/25/how-your-astrology-affects-your-health/

September 2017 Specials

I can’t believe there are only five days left in September, but here we are!

Laura Bruno's Blog

Today’s the last day for the August 2017 Specials, which you can find by clicking here.

September brings a new option due to so many requests for some kind of package special, as well as a return of emailed property readings. (At this time, the Property/Home Readings are the only type of email reading I’m offering, but I’ve had so many requests for those, in addition to the always available Property Clearings/Blessings, that I decided to bring them back this month.)

SEPTEMBER 2017 SPECIALS

Three for Two

Three hours for the price of two: save $222. This package can be used in whatever increments you choose — hour, 40-minute, half-hour or 20-minute sessions — and for whatever services you’d like — Medical Intuition, Life Coaching, Soul Readings, or any other related service. $444 if prepaid on or before 9/30/17, and yes, you may purchase more than one package…

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source https://laurabruno.wordpress.com/2017/09/25/september-2017-specials-2/

What It Really Means to Be Excellent at Yoga

What does it REALLY mean to be excellent at yoga? Does that mean you have to be able to stand on your head and twist yourself up like a circus freak? Suzanne Dulin, founder of the Sadhana Catalog and Sadhana Community Facebook group, explains the many profound health benefits of yoga and meditation that do not […]
Source: https://catherinecarrigan.com/what-it-really-means-to-be-excellent-at-yoga/

source https://cscarrigan.wordpress.com/2017/09/24/what-it-really-means-to-be-excellent-at-yoga/

Yes, Organic Products Can Improve Your Skin: Here’s Why

You may wonder, “Can organic products REALLY make my skin look better?” The unequivocal answer is: YES! For many years I have been a customer of Sally Bs Skin Yummies. When I became co-host of the Natural Healing Show on UK Health Radio, one of the first people I wanted to interview was Sally Larsen, owner, founder and […]
Source: https://catherinecarrigan.com/yes-organic-products-can-improve-your-skin-heres-why/

source https://cscarrigan.wordpress.com/2017/09/23/yes-organic-products-can-improve-your-skin-heres-why/

Timothy Glenn ~ The September 23, 2017 Hype

Tim sent this post to me as an urgent update due to the number of emails and panicked inquiries he’s received about today. Although YouTube has “suggested” various videos with extremely paranoid sounding titles while I research other things like how to outline my novel or how to trim my own bangs, LOL, I’m happy to report that precisely no one has sent me a panicked email or requested an emergency session because they thought the planet would explode today. Thank you for having discernment!

Just in case you’ve stumbled across scary mainstream media claims or have anxiously wondered about this planet rocking and rolling with everything from earthquakes to hurricanes to fires to imminent eruptions, I’m posting Timothy Glenn’s latest piece here.

On the one end we’ve got conspiracy folks claiming geoengineering made all the recent events; on the other we’ve got doomsday predictions of the End of the World as We Know It due to Planet X/Nibiru crashing into Earth. We’ve got people screaming either for or against the idea of Climate Change, Global Cooling or Global Warming. Oh, and don’t forget about the Flat Earthers or the Anyone-And-Anything-I-Can’t-Control-Is-Evil-Crowd. Who’s right? Who’s wrong? To what extent does it matter? To what extent does your own energy, prayerful intention, intuition and creativity determine which reality you experience?

Lots of people in lots of places have recently lost their homes. I send huge love, prayers, Reiki, support and synchronicity to any and all facing that challenge right now. I have heard from many clients, friends and relatives in such locations. Everyone I’ve heard from has felt protected and experienced only minor challenges themselves, although they deeply feel for those people and the land areas less fortunate.

For my own part, I took today off from phone sessions, but I did do clearings for five properties, as well as a Reiki Healing Attunement for David and me. I also planted some Spring bulbs on this Autumn Equinox. I asserted and strengthened boundaries, worked on my book … life feels good. I wish each and everyone whatever form of blessing and abundance feels right and holy to you and a Happy Equinox, whether Spring or Fall. Here’s Tim:

The September 23, 2017 Hype

By Timothy Glenn

The mainstream corporate propaganda machine is at it again: distorting facts and fabricating narratives. Their target this time is Christian researcher David Meade, whose work I have occasionally cited over the last couple years.

He has been grossly misrepresented as having proclaimed that “Planet X” will arrive on September 23rd of this year, and collide with the Earth. This is being hyped as another doomsday prediction on the end of the world.

Not.

Get a Grip

Since the messages, emails and phone calls have been coming in, it seems best to dash off this article. First of all, please remember the wise words of admonition on the front cover of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (in large, friendly letters): Don’t Panic.

Second, please feel free to disregard anything coming from “official” sources. In fact, the more official the source, the more suspect the narrative. Officialdom still hasn’t gotten around to telling us the truth about the JFK assassination, and has been caught in thousands of lies in the interim. Saddam Hussein’s weapons of mass destruction are now for sale on Craig’s List, if you’re interested.

Signs in the Sky

According to David Meade’s biblical research, the 12th chapter of the book of Revelation describes a specific alignment in the constellation of Virgo. Since it involves the moon, this would pinpoint a specific day.

This “sign in the sky” would serve as a harbinger of the coming 7 year “great tribulation”. A sign in the sky is just that: a sign, not an event.

Not David Meade nor any legitimate Planet X/Nibiru researcher has ever made the claims being spread by the corporate legacy media.

Official Disclaimer

I am not a Christian, nor a Christian apologist, and am not affiliated with any kind of a religion. The recommended procedure is to remain open to all, honor all, and take it all with a pound of salt. Do your own research, share your data, transcend belief systems, allow your illusions to dissolve, and above all: quit giving your power away to known liars and deceivers posing as authorities on Reality.

The Game

When it comes to the so-called “news”, you are being gamed. These people are nothing if not predictable. They follow the same patterns again and again. The System does not want you to be aware of approaching celestial phenomena which will drastically alter life on Earth, any more than the System wants you to realize what a bunch of lying scumbags they are. They are predators, and they see us as their prey.

In scenarios such as the September 23rd hype, their game is to ascribe outlandish claims to legitimate researchers who have never made any such claims. And then when nothing happens, the System has discredited those researchers and others like them – at least in the eyes of those gullible enough to believe that the “news” is within a million light years of being a credible source of information.

People, Get Ready

Reviewing the various models presented by Planet X/Nibiru researchers, the Earth is starting to rock and roll as forecasted. September 23, 2017 is merely a punctuation mark in the warm up exercise for the Shift of the Ages.

The prophecy of “the angry sun” is looking more accurate every day. The sun is being affected by the incoming celestial bodies, and Earth is being buffeted by the solar winds caused by coronal mass ejections, etc. Do you really think your SUV’s are causing all this? Well, if you’re going to get ready – then first, get real. Pan the camera back and see a bigger picture.

Timothy Glenn
http://soulpurposereadings.com/

source https://laurabruno.wordpress.com/2017/09/22/timothy-glenn-the-september-23-2017-hype/

How to Heal Your Inner Kid with Bicycling

After being invited to co-host of the Natural Healing Show on UK Health Radio, my very first guest was Ramajon Cogan, author of the Amazon No. 1 bestselling book Sedona Mountain Biking: The Rise of the Gnarly Crew. For those of you prone to jealousy, for many years Rama ran a bike shop in Sedona, […]
Source: https://catherinecarrigan.com/how-to-heal-your-inner-kid-with-bicycling/

source https://cscarrigan.wordpress.com/2017/09/22/how-to-heal-your-inner-kid-with-bicycling/

Lyme Book Update

Some people have inquired about the collaborative healing Lyme Disease book project between Catherine Grace O’Connell and myself. Although we remain in contact, at the moment, it seems that life has sent each of us in different directions. When Catherine was ready to start working on the project in 2016, I needed to finish up several other projects; when I started writing the book in early 2017, Catherine’s other work ramped up so much that she couldn’t do any writing at that time. Then, David and I had the whirlwind of our house purchase, move out, and still ongoing relocation.

Around the time of our move, Catherine and I decided that we will support each other’s work and writing, but not write the book together, since we currently have very different foci. She started the “Fierce 50” campaign, which helps to connect women over 50 to their most empowered selves, while simultaneously building bridges with the millennial generation, and she’s also busy with her Kat and Kaehler radio program. Meanwhile, a huge motivation behind David’s and my move was to get us into a compatible location where we could both thrive and I could write fiction again. I’m happy to report that’s already happening, as I recently began work on my next novel.

With all its complexities and multiple layers, I find Chronic Lyme Disease most responsive to some very unusual strategies of healing. In early 2017, I started writing about these in a non-fiction format; however, I’ve since decided that non-fiction is not the best avenue for delivering these concepts or triggering healing. Instead, I feel inspired to interweave my Lyme insights into a novel, where hopefully, the story itself will bypass much of the devastating resistance and stuckness I see with Lyme disease and other “medical mysteries.”

Over the past 13 years, I’ve known and worked with some of the most incredible people who’ve found Lyme a worthy (though unwelcome) adversary. I hope and pray the power of Story helps more people to help themselves, as well as provides entertainment, inspiration and healing to readers from all walks of life. At some point, Catherine might write her own story, or I/we might write a non-fiction book on Lyme disease. For the foreseeable future, though, that’s my update: non-fiction Lyme book, out; novel with a Lyme connection and all sorts of metaphysical goodies, in. Thanks for your interest and support!

source https://laurabruno.wordpress.com/2017/09/21/lyme-book-update/

‘Twas the Weekend ‘Fore Autumn

Ahhh, how far we’ve come since this time last year! I stumbled on this poem I wrote about our yard in Goshen … synchronously on the day I travel back to Goshen for the first time since our move. I hope everyone’s enjoying the change of seasons this week — whether to Autumn in the Northern Hemisphere or Spring in the Southern Hemisphere.

Those interested in the Photo Version can find it by clicking here.

Laura Bruno's Blog

The Weekend ‘Fore Autumn

‘Twas the weekend ‘fore Autumn and all through the yard,

All the plants were a’thriving, including the chard.

The bees dined on asters; the cushaw had grown.

The mums nearly bursting, the yard freshly mown.

Thai basil hummed purple; eggplants danced in the breeze–

The garden so fragrant, it drew many a sneeze!

Sweet potato vines covered the sides of the trough,

And on sedum and zinnias, butterflies sipped on and off.

For the first time in years, the holly had berries.

Boltonia blossoms delighted the faeries.

As Fall Equinox split the light and the dark,

Those flowers all giggled at anything stark.

The Robinhood roses had been blooming since June–

So hard to believe ‘twould be Halloween soon!

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source https://laurabruno.wordpress.com/2017/09/19/twas-the-weekend-fore-autumn-2/

Reiki Master Teacher Certification Class in Kalamazoo, MI

Just a heads up that we still have some spots available in the first Reiki 3 Master Teacher Class I’ll be teaching in Kalamazoo, MI. Reiki always sorts the classes — synchronously selecting each day’s students, whether a very small or very large class. I’m always curious to see who else winds up in each class!

Laura Bruno's Blog

The next Usui Shiki Ryoho Reiki Level III Master Teacher Certification Class will be taught on Saturday, October 7, 2017 from 10-6 at a private classroom in Kalamazoo, MI. If interested, please contact me so that we can discuss your previous training and make sure the RMT training makes sense for you at this time. Students must have at least Reiki Level 2 training in order to register for this class. Pre-registration is required. $650 ($50 discount if prepaid by September 15, 2017).

Taking this class also entitles participants to audit, free of charge, all additional Reiki Certification Classes taught by me (Laura Bruno), space permitting. Many students value this chance to observe earlier levels from a Master’s perspective. A very high percentage of my former students now teach their own Reiki classes all around the US. Class size is limited, so please contact me soon if you have interest…

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source https://laurabruno.wordpress.com/2017/09/18/reiki-master-teacher-certification-class-in-kalamazoo-mi-2/

An Impromptu Photo Shoot

Yesterday afternoon, I was taking one of my usual walks, admiring the magnificent trees and clouds:

I happened to wander past a field and copse where I know a groundhog lives, probably one of Kalamazoo Kal’s relatives. I suddenly thought, “It’s funny how often I’ve mentioned groundhogs — Tucker Rat Boy, Kalamazoo Kal — but never posted a photo of any of them on my blog. Of course, when I looked up, this friendly gal was out munching dinner in the autumn colors:

And then …

I thought, “Well, she’s very cute, but it’s just not Kal. I can never get a clear photo from the dining room windows due to the screens.” When I got home, I started reading on the BioMat in the back room, as I so often do. By now you’ve probably guessed who showed up for an impromptu photo shoot through the screenless part of the sliding glass door:

 

More of a grimace than a smile: “Here, take your stupid photo, will ya?” And then he ran the 20-yard dash to his hidey hole under the shed. I really need to stop writing about Kal now. Every time I mention him on my blog, he shows up. He’s a cute, not-little guy, and he does keep the dandelions nicely munched out back. He and the cat provide endless hours of entertainment between stalking and whistling … but I’d still prefer he remain on a strictly dandelion and clover diet, preferably across the street. As far as groundhogs go, he’s a good one — much better behaved than Tucker Rat Boy, who now lives about twelve lots to the West of us.

In any case, for anyone who’s ever wondered, that’s Kalamazoo Kal.

source https://laurabruno.wordpress.com/2017/09/15/an-impromptu-photo-shoot/

Garden Update: Misty Morn, Faery Godmother, Cat Familiar, and Osage Orange

I’ve been in hermit mode here — doing intuitive sessions, taking walks, exercising, cooking myself on the BioMat and completing an astonishing breadth and depth of studies before I shift my focus to fiction writing on November 1. With Samhain on October 31st traditionally celebrated as the Celtic New Year, it somehow feels appropriate to return to fiction after what became an 8-year hiatus. Synchronously, it’s also the start of NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), which I might do again this year — not to finish a novel in that time, but to tap into the collective discipline of word counts and new writing habits.

Today’s misty morning captures my overall mood the past couple months:

With David still finishing up things in Goshen during the week, I usually have the days and nights to myself from early Monday morning until Friday evening. Initially, I filled that time with setting up the new garden, but a neck “injury” aka kundalini adjustment aka cosmic realignment took me out of that habitual physical hard work. My neck feels fine now, but the intensity of “stop me in my tracks” pain when trying to do more gardening forced me into extensive BioMat time, pondering the shift back to fiction.

I ended up with quite the curriculum presenting itself, and I’ve felt like a graduate student with most of my time focused on reading, research and integration, all of which will inform this next phase. I had grown accustomed to alone time in Goshen, but I never felt alone, because the yard was such a buzz of pollinator, bird and squirrel activity. Also, the constant train horns and influx of factory workers across the street reminded me that despite any magical boundaries, civilization was never far away.

By contrast, our new house and lot create the illusion and experience of seclusion. If I don’t walk to a nearby store or restaurant, I can go an entire week without encountering anyone in person. Cars drive by, but the trees shield my view of that, even when sitting on the garden bench. I thought I’d be taking the bus downtown more often while David’s gone, but my neck made that less appealing until I settled into and committed to a new routine. Through the gifts of that process, I eventually recognized that this liminal time has opened to prepare the way for the new. Barring some kind of dedicated silent retreat, I will likely never have this set of circumstances and opportunities again. The courses of study revealed themselves, and I feel both inner and outer shifts as a result of this entire process.

We did, however, have an interesting visit this weekend from the original CPL (crazy plant lady) of our yard. She rang the doorbell on her way home from church on Sunday so that she could tell us how pleased she was every time she drives by the yard. She was literally giddy with joy to have a gardener not only continue her legacy but add to it. We invited her inside to show her some of the upgrades, which received her enthusiastic seal of approval. Then we showed her the backyard, where this clematis finally began to bloom after waiting all summer:

She told us varieties of trees and special upgrades she had given the house and gave us the inside scoop on even more reasons to love our new home. She’s a cute little old lady, but feisty! David and I agreed we’re glad to be on her good side, as she had very little use for the people she sold to and from whom we bought out house. She had watched in dismay as those owners had hacked away her holly and neglected the weeping cherries. She’s thrilled to see flowers and veggies growing in the fabric pots and might come by to pick up some yellow irises this fall, since they need division. We returned a decorative stepping stone she had dearly missed for a year and a half, and promised to invite her over again. Fun times! She’s like a Faery Tale character! Best to stay on her good side … but we are very Faery friendly here.

We got the lowdown on the shed, and I told her about how the neighbors’ cat has adopted our yard for groundhog patrol. She seemed impressed, as she had never seen a cat in this yard before. Interestingly, after a one day, two pop out appearance of Kalamazoo Kal, I had asked the cat to keep a closer watch on the shed. I’ve since seen the kitty go into the Kal’s hidey hole and patrol the general area. On Sunday, I noticed that someone had placed a block of wood right in the way of the hole, and I asked David if he had done that. Nope! Then today, I saw that it’s turned to make access even more cumbersome:

Good kitty! This morning, I could smell that the cat had laid claim to this area, scenting it just enough to have groundhogs keep their distance. Mostly, the cat just naps near the back door, hanging out with me while I read on the BioMat, but it continues to amaze me just what a great job s/he does with the groundhog patrol.

Another odd ball thing about this yard with its faery godmother previous owner and the non-resident, no-name-given cat familiar is the osage orange:

Just look at that lumpy, warty, lime green fruit and tell me it doesn’t remind you of something from the Brothers Grimm?! I half expect the shed to turn into a candy covered cottage whenever one of these bizarre orbs drops through the evergreens. Our neighbor had warned us about the enormous thorns on the osage orange trees behind our property. We don’t have any on our property, but she said her one of the five inch thorns had pierced all the way through her husband’s sneakers when he was cleaning up the ones in their yard.

So there you have it — magical studies in a misty land filled with solitude, surrounded by thorny trees of strange fruit, with occasional visits from a faery godmother who still protects this land, a cat familiar who’s not my cat, and as the veil parts on the weekends … my true love. I almost don’t even need to write fiction, eh?

 

source https://laurabruno.wordpress.com/2017/09/14/garden-update-misty-morn-faery-godmother-cat-familiar-and-osage-orange/