fine days.

i have not been putting any effort into the internet this summer, because i have been doing fun things. usually i forget the bring the camera. i will try to remedy this, futurewise.

so we picked some blackberries from our dear friend cecelia's landlord's back yard.



the thickets are so overgrown that aaron brought his DR mower, and whacked the crap outta them blackberry canes to make us paths, which saved us many-a thorn-scratch, and let us access the sweet, ripe, high standing fruit. thanks, honey.



pink fingers and many somersaults later, we have plenty of fruit for jam, which thrills me deep.









a good day.

beltane.

we had a potluck to celebrate spring, as well as our recent meat-glut.



lentil salad.



meat plate.



peanut butter cookies.

we also ate grilled kielbasa with kimchi and caramelized onions, sesame chicken with peppers and onions, and a quiche. items we bought for this meal: french lentils, brown rice, stoned wheat thins, butter, flour, sugar, black pepper, salt.



this baby shrew came to visit, poor fella.



also, i may have gotten a touch too much sun. plus side: my sunburn is pretty neat looking.

what we waste.

the stand-by frozen foods dumpster. this is a picture of what we did NOT take home with us. all of these cardboard boxes are full of frozen meats, strawberries, pizzas and pre-packaged processed entrees. we filled our car in two runs, filled our freezer, my parents' storage freezer, and supplied the local baptist food ministry with more frozen meat than the pastor could rightly deal with. he was greatly appreciative, all the same.

why do we waste? what makes products, materials and commodities so easily discard-able? especially when it is commonly said that so many people are in desperation?

i fear for the wellbeing of a society so unwilling to be resourceful. i fear that we are stuck in a negative cycle of consumerism, of 'sell-by' dates, of the excessive production of processed foods, and the overpowering voracity of the economy versus the human needs of the people whose paycheck it represents.

i try to avoid talking about this too loudly, but it is plain: i don't understand any of it. i am baffled by the greed, the exploitation... baffled by the waste.

friday.

a giant antique rug from our friend jon's trash. i couldn't get a photo without at least one of my little critters in it, so i thought i'd post one with all of them.



a horn case:





and a grain scale. i'm planning to use it for a hanging produce basket in our kitchen.



i love helping people clean out their barns. so many treasures!

straggler.

another little loudmouth to feed:












this little rooster had escaped at the farmer's union after being removed from a box of baby hens. after catching him, the fellas who work there were puzzling as to what to do with him. i offered to take him, and they were greatly relieved. win, win! i like him very much. hopefully he never turns evil on me, i'd hate to have to eat him.

high wheel.

we helped our friend jon clean his barn attic. he collects antique bicycles. i stole some evidence:



ordinary.



hard tire safety.



sociable tricycle. (!?!)

round abouts.

apple bark grafts.



sinkhole.



over-winter brussels sprouts.



egyptian walking onions.



georgian crystal garlic.



hablitzia.