We Just Adopted Heidi - Schnauzer

Asleep after playing ball

Playing Ball

She knows her name

Meeting Daddy

Slowly Emerging

David and I are soooooo thrilled with our little girl schnauzer, Heidi.

She is a Pet (capital P pet) -- a little skittish, naturally enough on account of being 7 months old and first time away from all she has known, but tail has been wagging on many an occasion and she is happy to see me when I come back in from shoveling 3 feet of snow. She likes a slow approach but will gently lick my hand, and will come towards me with tail wagging if I call her in a certain way. Initially, she shies away from being picked up but once I have her up she snuggles right in.

She slept through the night without a peep and didn't want to come out of her cage in the bedroom this morning, but when I carried her down stairs, she recognized the kitchen and ran around like it was home. Then while I was putting on my coat to take her outside, she went straight over to the wee wee pad and made fairly good use of it - missed a bit, but hey! - lots of praise brought a wagging tail. I just have to remember to be fully clothed for the outside before I attempt bringing her outside next time.

So it's after 11am and I am still in pj's, partly because of the snow shoveling and mostly because I've been a besotted ball thrower and fetcher all morning :-) She loves her red ball - much more than her bunny at the moment.

Later when she started tearing up her new wee wee pad, I clapped my hand once and said no and she immediately stopped and came right over to me and sat down - I gave her more high praise needless to say and she just stood up and wagged her tail. She is just soooo good humored. Afterwards I went up stairs and got her her crate and blanket because she seemed to want to settle down and she immediately curled up on her blanket just next to her cage. I left it open for her in case she wanted to go in but she is happy just next to it with her blanket.

We've not set up her big crate yet because we are still shoveling the snow to get to the garage to take it out, and when she has had a bath, she can have access to her new cozy bed. She stinks from the ride for two days in the puppy bus, but we don't care - she is too cute.

More to come later - right now, this crazy dotting Mama needs to take a shower and get some real work done.

Love to all,

Olive

Here one moment, gone the next

Winter, it appears has arrived in one cold, blustery, whoosh and autumn's warm yellows and reds have been suddenly stripped from before my eyes. The now skeletal trees seem to be shivering in the cold and dripping wet -- their garments laid like carpet on the ground around their feet. How can it happen so quickly? I've not even had a day to walk the railroad trail filled with its golden autumn light.

Fortunately, however, I did manage to spend one warm afternoon last week clipping back the garden and beginning the preparation for winter. Hostas were trimmed, shrubs pruned, and I took cuttings from my geraniums as well few other plants. I hope to root and cultivate them for next spring.

I also harvested the last of my chard and some beets. We also had quite a crop of cucumbers and eggplants, some of which I pickled. I also stole a few stalks of rhubarb for jam even though I had been told to leave it for one year after planting before harvesting. I just couldn't resist those long red stalks. The flavor was incredible.

Like many in the north east, our tomatoes this year were not such a great success; so much rain in the early growing season caused them to succumb to a bad blight. Still, it was a great first year: In addition to the eggplant, chard, cucumber and beets, the beans, peas, spinach and arugula, though fleeting were divine and I've learnt lots for next year.

So, out comes the crock pot for soup and stew to warm my chilly bones. Yesterday began with parsnips, potato, chicken and onion, with thyme, paprika and tarragon - it was incredible and a perfect start to the winter.

Back Home - Back to my Garden

I am back. Back to my blog, back to my website, back to making time for catching up. I've been editing, counseling, traveling to weddings, hosting visitors and doing lots and lots of gardening. The gardening has been my salvation. It is meditative and nourishing in more ways than one. And, it's been growing like crazy. Can't you tell? Take a look at my last blog photos to see the difference. In a little while I'll be adding a photo album of some more before and after photos. Bye the way, the snap peas are sooooooo sweet I could eat them like candy. It is a real joy to gather dinner from my garden. Not much beats it.

Inch by inch, row by row . . .

. . . so go the words of the beautiful "Garden Song" by David Mallet -- and so goes the process of laying down our vegetable garden.

Thanks to J&M Eco-Landscaping we are on our way. They started by taking out the grass and laying down some mesh to prevent the good organic soil we will use from washing down into the sandy soil below. In a few days we will add the border and irrigation system.

We want to give our vegetables the best possible start and we will continue adding nourishment with our own compost as the year progresses.

The anticipation of eating from my own garden has me almost giddy with excitement and at the same time I am reminded of the patience I must develop as I watch my garden grow.

Nature is such a perfect teacher. As we worked in the garden on Sunday, I saw shoots of daffodils and irises coming up. The inevitability of seeing green shoots in the Spring reminds me that growth seems so effortless for plants and yet we humans seem to struggle so much to grow. A tomato doesn't worry about what it might become or what it might achieve. It doesn't think about growing, it just grows.

Spending time in the garden is for me a perfect meditation. While I prepare the soil and take care of the plants and seeds I put in the ground, I become quiet and patient, and when I connect with nature in those unique moments I find a key to the truth of who I really am.

And the Garden Grows

Today, in addition to starting my blog, I joined Facebook. What an adventure!!

I've decided that since I find a lot of my inspiration in my garden, I've begun by adding a Garden Photo Album to my Facebook page. It shows before and after pictures of the work my husband and I have been doing in our garden over the years. Little bit by little bit, we add some new features each year.

This year we will be adding a vegetable garden. Juan from J&M Eco-Landscaping is helping us. He specializes in organic landscaping and gardening. I love the idea of growing my own vegetables and not using any pesticides or chemicals in the process. Juan uses completely natural products that are safe for my garden and the environment.

Check back here to watch the progress.

By the way - if you like Juan's website, let me know.

Fresh Start - New Beginning

Today is the first day of Spring, 2009. It is also the first day of my blogging life. I sit in my studio, watching the robins peck at my lawn looking for a feast while I peck away at my mind to dislodge the fear and anxiety that has, until today, kept me from starting this blog.

So here goes, no more procrastination!! As the robin builds a nest, I build my blog.

For years, I've been studying and absorbing teachings on spirituality and inspiration and I feel compelled now to share my understanding and the inspiring thoughts that come to me. Spirituality for me is not merely a new idea that has become a trend in society, it is a commitment to be conscious of every thought and action in every part of my life. I may not always be the successful at this, but my commitment is to strive towards full consciousness.

As I've stated in my website, "I believe that the space we occupy in the world, physically and spiritually, is more powerful than most of us understand." And, as we begin to understand this, we must learn to make conscious choices in every area of our lives - be it - cooking, gardening, cleaning our home, shopping for a new car or new furniture, or picking out a gift for a friend. Everything we do involves making choices. We can make conscious choices or unconscious choices. We may not always be able to choose exactly what we want or need, but we can begin the process of being thoughtful about how we choose when we realize that the whole world benefits when we make a conscious choice.

I also believe we have a spark of divine light inside that is fed when we make a conscious choice. Sometimes we need inspiration to find that light within and encouragement to let it shine out. That is why I began BODHI LEAF ONLINE -- a sanctuary of inspiration and transformation. My intention is for it to be a place for you to rest your mind, with the intention of helping you find your own inner wisdom.

I invite you to explore Bodhi Leaf Online, and to join me in my blog where I will be sharing information that I have found useful and inspiring. It might be a great recipe or garden idea or a website that provides great tips and information or services that I believe are helpful.

Offering Inspired Solutions is my passion. It has been for years. One of my greatest joys is to watch another soul unfold their highest potential.