Lesley Land

  I actually started my garden nearly a month ago planting seedlings. Of course, I have to buy plants too because I don't have the patience to grow everything from seeds. Above is a strawberry plant I found that has the cutest pink flowers!  I am growing a few plants this year that I have never grown before. Onions, cantaloupe, pumpkins, bok choy and a plant I happened across called pineapple ground cherries. I didn't know what that was when I bought it, but after looking it up online I went back and bought another because it sounds delicious!  Both are doing well and already have lots of berry pods!  Of course, as always lots of peppers. Although, no bell peppers this year they just never yield much for me. Also, no NM green chile because it is so plentiful at the stores during harvest time and I can buy it already roasted. It is just too hot to roast my own chile in August! This year is cayenne, jalapeno and serrano peppers. I am looking forward to making tabasco s...

 Unlike last year which was hot and sunny, this year Ostara was cloudy, but at 60 degrees not cold. I set up my altar around noon with plans to leave it until around 4pm when the wind was supposed to start. I had planned to have high tea out there around 3pm and even baked a blood orange cake for it yesterday. As almost always my weather app lied and the wind started around 2. At about 2:30 the goddess apparently decided her visit was over and sent a gust which toppled 2 of my stone eggs and my copper bowl and sent them rolling off the table! The eggs and bowl were unharmed and I had planned to scatter the flowers anyway, so it sort of all worked out. I don't follow any set ritual. All my rituals are what I find intuitve to myself. This altar was pretty much the same as last year because that one seemed to work well!  I use the copper crystal pyramid in the center of almost every altar I make. It is one of my favorite pieces. For years before I got it I had a spiral copper pen...

Last year my seedlings didn't come up. I have a feeling that had something to do with me. Last Spring was a confusing time, COVID was a new thing that came and changed our lives and so many things about it were unknown then. Anyhow, I am sure that I probably watered too much or not enough or did something wrong!  I was unsure if I would try again this Spring, but I guess I feel more hopeful and so today I started my seeds in their little greenhouses. Hopefully, they will decide to sprout for me this year! If so, it will be mainly a container garden. The soil in my yard is just too hard for me to dig into and most of the places that aren't full sun all day don't have enough space to lay out a garden. Seed packets often say the plant likes "full sun," but I know for a fact that does not mean New Mexico full sun because I have never had a plant grow in full sun!  Oh, and I am scheduled for my first COVID shot on Monday. I'll admit that as much as I want this shot...