Life is Better on the Farm

JUNE IS HERE !!!...
and that means the quarter is over, graduation is at hand, no more classes until August / September, more time at home, papermaking, flowers, gardening, visiting friends, road trips, no one's schedule by my own. Although educators are miserably underpaid (even though 98% of the nation thinks we get an extended vacation with pay...quite a misconception, I'd like to clarify here), having time in the summer to regroup and get away from the office is definitely a perk.

The first week of this sacred solstice month has been quite a busy one. Beautiful Eliza, (see photo w/Myra, my sister)valedictorian of the 8th grade class at Warren Elementary, was officially promoted to high school in a sweet ceremony on Thursday evening, June 1st. In an insightful address to her classmates, delivered with poise and grace, she challenged them to put aside petty differences and live their lives in gratitude and adventure. Despite what she considered to be a bad hair evening (Plan A, her plan, failed, so she had to go to Plan B, aka, mom with the curlers and comb in hand), I believe she and her friend, Katie, who also chose a simply elegant look, were the two most stunning young women of the evening. (Somehow, 8th grade girls with piles of "hairsprayed to death fake curls" on the tops of their heads look quite artificially groomed through the eyes of this mom who greatly prefers natural beauty.) Tom Jackson, my sister, Myra, Sharon Johnson, and I represented her farm family, and as Grandma Ruth would say, "We were proud as punch of that girl!" Following the promotion ceremony, all the 8th grade class got together for one last dance at their school. I understand tears flowed.

Over the weekend, Eliza, Myra, and I hung out---the Shook Girls had a great weekend of play and shopping. Friends came over Saturday and Sunday evenings, and we all celebrated the end of the school year in good fashion. Eliza and her best friend, Desiree, hung out Sunday afternoon, as well..It's a great sisterhood connection those two have--friends since they were one year old.

In gardening news, Applachian Will and Grace, aka, Tom and Tanya, took the tiller to the shop to get it fixed after a couple of unsuccessful attempts to get it started. If we get the plot below the barn tilled and planted by July, we'll be doing quite well. BUT the kale, lettuce, and onions in the upper garden have been providing us with good salads and onion breath. The squash and tomatoes are thriving as well, and the volunteer dill will be great for pickles if we ever get some cukes planted. Tonight, I'm fixing fresh, organic broccoli from the garden, and I can't wait.

My Witches' Calendar reminds me that June is "make a wand" month and time to focus on creating the magic I want to manifest in my life. Summer Solstice is fast approaching! I'll get started on the wand, and I'll start thinking about the magic part. Life experience has taught me time and time again to be quite specific in the requests I send out to the Universe, but I'm up for some good magic in my life---just got to decide what kind of good magic! I love making wands as well. Maybe I'll make several and get them out over the farm to bring in someone to cut the fields or bequeath me a huge tractor so I can cut them. Better still, maybe I'll whip up some magic for winning the lottery. If I do hit the big one, I promise to share with my friends...

(Art: Jennifer Hewitson from Llewellyn's Witches' Calendar - June)