NEW BLOG

 We've moved to our own website/blog.

Prairie Magic

Sitting outside in the prairie grass, watching the songbirds, the warmth of the sun on your skin, listening to the wind whistle through the grass - it's a balm for the soul and works its magic in lovely, comforting ways.

It's even nicer when you breath in and realize it's a Monday morning, and you're not sitting in a cubicle. Being self-employed is sometimes a struggle. Steady financial income and health insurance are not guaranteed, but the the real income of being in control of your time, organizing your work-life, being connected to and invested in your product, and enjoying every minute of your life are income that generally do not get counted. And, those are priceless.

Coffees in the Garden 3.19

 It was hard to imagine that just 4 weeks ago it was -11F as I sat in the henbit sipping my delicious vegan peppermint latte. 

Usually, Fridays are workdays, but with spring break, our homes are booked up and I had the day to work in my garden. I'm contemplating the sanity of my trail system (both in my garden and over in Hope and Faith's gardens). It's a lot of work building the trail system with hand tools only, and I'm not sure if it will work out the way I hope it will (no more mowing...or at least way less mowing). Since I love the idea of a cottage garden - with a prairie and wildflower twist - I think I'll just see what happens. 

Process

 

Working on the trail system at the Stone Turtle. 

It's a slow process. The garden. The painting projects. Life. Everything, really. I'm not a very patient person. Who is, though? Especially in today's world of instant gratification and highlight reels. I mean, we're bombarded with the finished products whether you're on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, or the countless other platforms out there. It can make the process feel so much harder - and much longer. 

The last year of Stone Turtle adventures has helped me make peace with the idea that everything is a process. My business, whether it's photography or the vacation rentals, will never be "done." It will always be a work-in-progress. Doubts always fill my mind; Can you even advertise for something that's not done? Is it good enough when everyone always just sees the glamorous (sometimes fake) end results?

I'm living my life slowly, intentionally, and in the present never-done moment. It's peaceful and disconnected from the always connected world of notifications. I'm present in the flow of my work, the birdsong and my thoughts. It's a place to evaluate priorities and assess how I, and my life, am aligned to what I believe. This is what the last ten years of process have taught me. To be okay with the process, to trust it, and to accept that everything will never be done. And, that's beautiful.

And, it's something I wish to share with the people who stay with us at the Stone Turtle. It's the reason guests won't find wi-fi or cable TV in our vacation rentals. Hope will never have a microwave. The garden will never be "done." 

~D

Our treasured Hackberry Trees

On our farm, we have many hackberry trees (Celtis occidentalis). They are a member of the elm tree family, but seem resistant to the diseases that often trouble elm trees. Furthermore, they are drought tolerant and not bothered by the high winds that we tend to get. In the fall, the small fruits turn to a deep purple color and they are popular with winter birds, especially the cedar waxwing, mockingbird and robin. The tree also attracts many butterfly species including American snout, hackberry, mourning cloak, and tawny emperor. These small fruits are also popular with me. I love to snack on them while doing chores. But be careful not to bite on them too vigorously – you might chip a tooth. Behind their peel is a wonderfully fruity tasting tiny layer of fruit flesh before your teeth hit the very hard seed. But what an explosion of taste you experience!

Homemade laundry detergent using Soapberries

Western Soapberry Tree- Sapindus saponaria var. drummondii

We are so lucky to have an abundance of the Western Soapberry trees on our property. I have admired the beautiful translucent  berries for many years. It wasn't until I met Jackie Dill on one of her wildcrafting excursions in Coyle, Oklahoma, that I learned these berries can be used as laundry detergent soap. Through more research I found out that Native Americans and pioneers used the soap berries. To this day, they are still used in Mexico.

Jackie Dill's recipe was to either use 6 berries in a laundry bag in your washer or to boil 40 berries in 6 cups of water to make a liquid soap. The liquid soap needs to be used within a week or so otherwise it will go bad. If you decide to boil the berries, it is easy to get the black seeds out and they can be used as beads. I used the beads to make earrings and necklaces.

If you use the berries as soap or shampoo, please be sure to test them first because they can be an irritant to some people with sensitive skin. Also, the berries are poisonous to humans- so don't eat them! My goats, however, love to eat them whenever they find them.

What we love about the laundry soap is that it is perfect for the zero-waste lifestyle enthusiast.

Feels like October

It's starting to feel like fall in Oklahoma. Cooler temps call for some awesome hot chocolate (of which we've shared some in our vacation rental, Faith) and movie nights! And, because Halloween is near, you know we have Hocus Pocus on DVD.The perfect end to days spent exploring the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge or Medicine Park.