The true meaning of Tre' AWEN

K and I picked the name AWEN with out really knowing its origins, we then added the word Tre' to it since we are a group of 3 families working and reaping the rewards of the greenhouse. K looked up the word and this is what she found. It instills in me even more the meaning of all of us being together. We are meant to work together and function together, we were called together to be part of each other.

This is the symbol of AWEN

The Awen


by Katinka the Broc'h



Repeatedly referred to in the bardic writings is lore relative to the origins of its alphabet, its relationship to trees and the secret name of God.

Writing was invented by Einigid the giant, son of Alser, for the purpose of recording praiseworthy deeds. They were first carved on wooden staves called coel bren. The first three letters were obtained by Menw the Aged, who observed light falling in three rays.

This is the sign known as Awen, which is said to be the name by which the universe calls God inwardly. The Awen is said to represent the letters OIU, from which all the others are obtained. The O relates to the perfect circle of Gwynvyd, the I to the mortal world, Abred, and the U to the cauldron of Annwn. they relate to earth, sea and air; body, mind and spirit; and love, wisdom and truth. The word Awen also means not only this combination of letters but inspiration and soul as well.

The three foundations of Awen are:

To understand truth


To love truth


To maintain truth.


It is said: 'No one without Awen from God can pronounce these three letters correctly'

Friends

Isn't it great to have friends, I realized along time ago that if you treat people the way you want to be treated then you will have a great bunch of friends. So this goes out to all of my friends, thank you so much for who you are and what you do. I appreciate all that you do. You know who you are. Keep being the great person that you are, do not change for me ever. I love you just for what you are.


Thank you for being you
Eve

Will wonders never end!

Another beautiful day here, weather was good and friends were better. So you ask yourself what were the wonders that will never end? Some of you believe that you don't get something for nothing, well we can prove you wrong. What we were given today was and is amazing. Many , many Golden Rain trees, hundreds of lilies, sedum, heather, monkey grass, crape myrtles, etc.
The following pictures are what the trees and plants will look like, some of the trees are already 6 foot or taller. Just this evening alone we planted 100 of the lilies, and Tony planted 3 of the trees, more tomorrow will be dug up and replanted at K and Tony's.
Yes we were given all of that today, yes we had to do the digging, but please a small price if any to pay for what we are receiving. Nothing was asked of us at all and it took many times of offering our services for other gardening work before it was accepted.

Golden Rain tree in full bloom.

Crape Myrtle in full bloom

                Sedum

Plowed garden area in front of the finished green house

Work table

So all in all in was and is a great day. Watch for more pictures tomorrow.

Lilies

Water Barrels

Wow what a day, it started out great, heading to Lowes for parts to build the water barrels, who knew there were so many types of faucets! Do I get the cute little ones or do I get the industrial size never to break ever in my life time size? Okay I put the cute ones in the basket, now I go get the parts that I need to attach the faucet, also so many sizes and styles, you would have thought it was a week before the prom and I needed a dress and a date! Okay, find what I think will work, so it is off to the adhesive section, again I get what I thought I needed. Do you see the pattern building here, I am getting what I think is needed, did I mention that I brought Chuck and Christal with me. So then we get to talking about what they think is needed and of course I start putting my stuff back and taking their suggestions. Back and forth I go , this aisle then back to the other aisle, never anything in the area that I am already in. SO I am leaving Lowes with the industrial size faucets, adhesive, thing ama jigs, and other stuff. I am tired and hungrey, stop at Golden Corral for brunch, head home, get a call from Shelley, rush over to K's to meet Shelley and K. Alright, we are ready to install faucets into rain barrels as well as overflow pipes. Okay the paddle bits we have are not working well for the size hole that is needed, Shelley makes it fit. Malydia shows up and makes the other 2 fit, we have applied adhesive, wait for 24 hours ! What my stuff said wait only 3 hours, why did I not listen to myself instead of others. Okay on to the next step, the overflow hose, it will not fit on the attachment to the barrel! Again , not the one I picked out, it was C & C's idea. So long story short, okay it is already to long to make short, "follow your own ideas instead of others if you want your plan to work"!  It was still a great day.

Pictures of the covered greenhouse and more

Greenhouse covered, doors will be put in soon

                 

Front view of tube tables

                                                      Close up of the planting tubes

Side view of tube tables

Well as I mentioned earlier the greenhouse is completely covered in plastic now, yeah.

The stands for the plants are being built and one picture will give you an idea of what some will be.

Friday and Saturday will be a day of setting up the interior and moving plants from the inside of the house to the new greenhouse home. Busy wonderful days ahead.

"Leave behind the passive dreaming of a rose-tinted future. The energy of happiness exists in living today with roots sunk firmly in reality's soil. "

We are also in the process of deciding what types of flowers we will be going with since we pretty much have all of the veggie plants taken care of. So if there is something you would like please let us know so we can consider it.

Ms. Irene Johnson aka grandma in the door entrance of the greenhouse

2 Months of gardening information

Thought you all would enjoy the gardening calendar, thanks to The farmers Almanac.
So the 5th and 6th of March oyu will find us int he greenhouse transplanting the seeds we have already started.

You could say that according to the calendar is where you will find us.

March 2010


1st-2nd. A Most Barren Period, Best For Killing Plant Pests Or Doing Chores Around The Farm.
3rd-4th. Favorable Days For Planting Root Crops. Fine For Sowing Hay, Fodder Crops, And Grains. Plant Flowers.
5th-6th. Excellent Time For Planting Root Crops That Can Be Planted Now, And For Starting Seedbeds. 7th-9th. Poor Planting Days.
10th-12th. Any Root Crops That Can Be Planted Now Will Do Well.
13th-14th. A Barren Period, Best Suited For Killing Pests. Do Plowing And Cultivating
15th-16th. Good Days For Planting Above Ground Crops. Fine For Vine Crops. Set Strawberry Plants. 17th-18th. Cultivate And Spray, Do General Farm Work, But No Planting.
19th-20th. Favorable For Planting Crops Bearing Yield Above The Ground.
21st-23rd. Seeds Planted Now Tend To Rot In Ground.
24th-25th. Best Planting Days For Above Ground Crops, Especially Peas, Beans, Cucumbers, And Squash Where Climate Permits. Plant Seedbeds And Flower Gardens.
26th-29th. A Most Barren Period, Best For Killing Plant Pests Or Doing Chores Around The Farm.
30th-31st. Favorable Days For Planting Root, Fine For Sowing Hay, Fodder Crops, And Grains. Plant Flowers.



April 2010

1st-3rd. Good Days For Planting Beets, Carrots, Radishes, Turnips, Peanuts, And Other Root Crops. Also Good For Cabbage, Cauliflower, Lettuce, Kale, Celery, And Other Leafy Vegetables. Start Seedbeds.
4th-5th. Barren Days. Do No Planting.
6th-8th. Favorable Days For Planting Beets, Carrots, Turnips, Radishes, Onions, And Other Root Crops. 9th-10th. Excellent Time To Kill Weeds, Briars, Poison Ivy, And Other Plant Pests.
11th-13th. Favorable Days For Planting Root Crops, Extra Good For Vine Crops. Set Strawberry Plants. 14th-15th. Poor Planting Days. Break Ground Or Cultivate.
16th-17th. Favorable For Planting Beans, Corn, Cotton, Tomatoes, Peppers, And Other Above Ground Crops.
18th-19th. Poor Days For Planting, Seeds Tend To Rot In Ground.
20th-21st. Plant Tomatoes, Beans, Peppers, Corn, Cotton, And Other Above Ground Crops On These Most Fruitful Days. Plant Seedbeds. Start Flower Gardens.
22nd-25th. Grub Out Weeds, Briars, And Other Plant Pests.
26th-28th. First Two Days Good For Planting Corn, Melons, Squash, Tomatoes, And Other Above Ground Crops. Last Day Favorable For Planting Root Crops. All Days Favorable For Sowing Grains, Hay And Fodder Crops, And For Planting Flowers
29th-30th. Good Days For Planting Beets, Carrots, Radishes, Turnips, Peanuts, And Other Root Crops. Also Good For Cabbage, Cauliflower, Lettuce, Kale, Celery, And Other Leafy Vegetables. Start Seedbeds.

As soon as it is available I will post the report for May and June.

Pictures are sure to follow

Voice our concerns

Today was a learning day, it was a day of learning that prices are going up and customer service is going down. For me I do not want to tolerate it and just walk away, I think we all as consumers should voice our concerns. When we blindly turn and walk away we then accept what it is. Should we do so ? We do not need to get angry, we need to politely and patiently address it. Only we can bring about change by our voice.
We all should thnk about it and decide are we going to let it happen to us? Money is getting harder to come by, do we just go along with the "program" of  " it is what it is". With so many on unemployment why do we tolerate employees that really do not work for the little pay they get any way, maybe someone will actually work for minimum wage .

I for one will start addressing issues from bad customer service, I will also start addressing why some charge so much more then others for a like item.
As in the below quote:
"There's only one corner of the universe you can be certain of improving, and that's your own self."


Life is a process. We are a process. The universe is a process
 
Opportunities multiply as they are seized, they die when neglected.
 

Greenhouse projects

The first day of the month brings forth new projects for the greenhouse such as building the tables/racks for the plants in the greenhouse. So four of us set out today for what we thought was an easy mission to purchase the supplies needed for the tables. We left home at 10 A.M. and went 25 miles away and we returned home at 3:30 P.M. . Does that tell you if the mission went easy? First stop plumbing supply house to retrieve the pvc needed, decided to check Lowes on their price for pvc. We called them on 2 occassions and received no customer service. Given that it was just around the corner, what the heck, jump back into the vehicles go to Lowes, how hard could it be. Let me tell you this, prices are going up and customer service is going way down. As we were checking prices and asking for assistance, which we got very little of if any, we had to change our design plan and in the few minutes it took to to do this, Lowes  raised the price on our pvc pipe to almost double what it was, yes you read it right, it was $8.45 when we entered the store and while we stood around the corner in the next aisle reworking our design it went up to $15.01 in 10 minutes. Well some of us said what the heck, we will go back to the original store and get it there, of course me beign me said, not going to do it, found a store manager, explained the situation and righted a wrong. Yup we walked out of there with the price we saw when we entered! Okay so you are thinking that is the end of the lowes saga, well no it is not. When we finally went to check out, everything seemed to go smoothly, Tony is walking out of the store wondering what in the heck did we buy that added up to $500.00, okay so we were also wondering the same thing. After reviewing the receipt it was obvious that the one box of screws was added up 12 times, we purchased 12 hinges, not 12 boxes of screws. So of course back into the store we go, okay Tony and K go, Christal and I head to Builders Discount in New Bern. It was looking like everything was going to get better, the weather was great what could go wrong, all we needed was 12 boards. We all arrive there, only one of us count and one of us pay, if you are familiar with the place you will then know that upon leaving someone checks your receipt and counts what you purchased. We almost made it , we got our 12 boards but Tony only paid for 10! Back into the store we go, we are all getting tired, but moods are light and friendly. By this time though I am starving, I mention this and K suggest Mongolian house restaurant, great idea K, yeah we are going to sit down , relax have lunch, after I get diesel. The pump was so slow you would have thought it was molasses flowing! Okay finally arrived at the restaurant to see Tony and K coming out of the restaurant, nooooooooo, go back in. The restaurant had to close because some idiot ran into the water main in town !  They had no water. I do not want water , I want tea! Ok, Ok, find another restaurant, finally sit down,  eat , drink and be merry. We all filled up and headed home, made it safe, rough journey that ended great.

Greenhouse is nice and warm, still looks great, go upstairs to look at all of the seedlings, K has mentioned that she is worried that they are not doing good, I said no worries , we have more seed if we need to start again. Wow, did I say WOW, we have tons and tons of seedlings, I am glad we all love veggies , we will be selling off some of the plants. If this was something for K to worry about then I do not want to see how many it would take for her not to worry.

More blog to come.....