Farmer Tom

I call him "Farmer Tom." In addition to the edibles we eat, he's given away hundreds of dollars worth of bouquets to neighbors and passers-by at the lot. I like calling him Farmer Tom because that means I'm the Farmer's Wife. A role I like!

Here's a quote that fits us. It's from Extreme Simplicity, by Christopher and Dolores Lynn Nyerges.

In our view, "thinking like a farmer" means looking for
every opportunity to use your own land (even if it's a small urban lot) to
produce as much of the food.....and other userful materials that it possibly can."

Early summer at the lot

View of lot, while I'm standing on the wall across the street

A friend asked for more photos, so here they are! Taken this morning, after a delightful bike ride. (It's bike to work day!) We've mowed the lot twice this season. We meaning Tom. :-) He also tends the flowers. I admire them and love them. That's important, too!

Spring at the Lot

Here are a few flower photos from the house lot. These are a few weeks old, so much more color and bloom now. At the bottom is a picture of the clearing work that Tom is doing.

Tulips that we did not put in. Last year they bloomed. I'm hopeful for this year!

These crocus are another gift from former residents.

I think this is squill. We put this bulb in last fall. (We = Tom)

Some tiny, tiny daffodils that Tom put in.

He's been taking down a few trees that are either dead or in the way of the sun. The limestone chunks were buried in the back. We think "they" just dumped it at the back of the lot when they cleared the house, or it could possibly be from Banneker across the street.

Ground Breaking

Tom and I, along with friends, celebrated our ground breaking on February 1st. That's when we celebrate the first day of spring, and we thought it would be an appropriate ceremonial start.

Photos by Anna. (Thank you!)

Although it was a warm and sunny day (in the low 50s), the ground was frozen and covered in snow.

Friends brought things to honor the ground breaking, like this bird's nest and pine bough.

And cornmeal that we all sprinkled on the snow.

Tom and I always throw out lettuce seeds in February (usually on Valentine's Day), and we did so this year at our new lot. It's pretty amazing how they'll melt through the snow and actually grow!

Two sculptures on the lot that Tom has made from found materials.

Special thanks to all our friends and family in attendance, either in spirit or in the flesh!

Solstice at the Lot

Tom spent yesterday, high noon, at the lot...watching how the sun falls onto the property.
How cool is that?!!!?

Trees and Boxes

Tom has been clearing scrubby/dead trees on the lot and making a house model out of carboard.
More coming soon, including pictures.

From Alexandra Stoddard

Alexandra Stoddard is one of my (Steph's) favorite authors. I love how she approaches life and design. Here is a quote from her most recent newsletter. The quote rings true for me in our home creation process:

"The number one question asked us is, 'When will the renovation be over?' This is not a question to be answered with any accuracy. The restoration of our cottage will be finished when the necessary work is done. In the meantime we are enjoying life to the fullest, we are finding joy in our work and in our relationships with others, and we feel richly blessed by great people, known and unknown to us, who let us know that we are making a difference in their lives."