people and frogs

I am very much in a place of appreciating the people who have come to be a part of the land here with us lately. I am reminded about how the native americans believed that no man/woman could own land, but as I watch people here I see that nature owns a place in all of our hearts.  I really needed the encouragement that I am receiving lately in all of these people that are passionate about veggies, dirt, and caring for the earth.

This past week we released the tadpoles/tiny frogs into a pond nearby. Zoe and Bill have come from Chicago to play here, dig in some dirt, engage with some plants, help with the gray water planter, watch the Venus transit, help put gutters on an outbuilding connected to used poly-tanks for water for the plants, finish the chicken enclosure, jam out around the campfire, oh, and so much more.  Zoe made vegan banana peanut-butter "ice-cream" that we ate as a break last night from our bottle and cement planter. I have recently learned that it takes way too long to try to harvest my own sand . . .there is a quarry in a local town that I bought some sand from and things are moving so quickly now!

We have had other interesting visitors as well lately including Carlisle who, along with a friend, got a hydroponics project going at his college nearby. He sketched this out for me and I have all sorts of plans running through my head now . . .

Billy has some experience with bikes and has been fixing up one that we found on the curb. It has also been interesting to hear about his explorations into some of the grasses that are around the property.

We are getting ready to take off to Tennessee tomorrow to help a friend of mine to build his survival model Earthship. Taura is driving with Phoenix and I. I met Taura at Independent Scholars in Moline when I talked about Earthships. She said that she was surprised that someone around here was interested in them and I am now trying to convince her that she and her boyfriend don't need to move to California to live in a co-op/alternative community and explore Earthships and permaculture . . .

 Beautiful thistle at mooncatlife with a red-winged black bird behind. I love the sound that red-winged black birds make. We live close to the river, as well as the fact that there is a lot of clay in the north-west corner of our property, causing water retention that these marsh birds like.

  Flowers, peppers, chives, mulch, and free river rock

We officially have the double-hammock up. Siesta and a good place for watching the sunset.

 Releasing the tadpoles with Bill and Zoe.

 If you look closely you can see a frog who has made this broken jar his home. We are reading The Borrowers to Phoenix right now. I can just see a tiny Arriety peeping into this frog's home.

 Ducklings and momma. This is at the nearby pond we dropped off the tadpoles at. Phoenix thought it was adorable to watch the ducklings speed across the water.