In our garden the month of August is a month where the inherent potential in a handful of heirloom seeds (which were planted in the spring) reaches a crescendo of potential. This crescendo of potential is unlocked when heirloom seeds are combined with living soil, water, sunshine and love. That potential is expressed in a broad spectrum of colors, fragrances, textures, forms, tastes, nutrients and symbiotic relationships that nourish much more than just our physical bodies.
In August we harvest heirloom tomatoes, peppers and herbs daily. And when they pile up in our cellar, pantry and fridge to the point where we have no room for anything else, we make Pizza sauce, fermented hot sauce and an array of other fun and flavorful recipes to store for the winter!
As I observe all the beauty around me in the garden, create with the abundance that is provided in the kitchen and observe our many garden visitors, pollinators, protectors and soil builders I feel a deep sense of gratitude. This is a feeling that satiates me on a soul level and brings peace into my heart and mind.
Let us now explore some of the moments that I have found to be nourishing in the month of August (as seen through my lens)
Hopi Black Sunflower beginning to open up in our garden (with an appreciative bee hovering waiting to enjoy some nectar and pollen).
bumblebee drinking clover nectar in our garden
The floor of the boreal tundra in northern Newfoundland in August. In August the resilience and abundance (in the form of cranberries, Labrador tea, lowbush blueberries, gooseberries, cloud berries and an array of lichens).
Close up of the floor of the boreal tundra in northern Newfoundland in August. In August the resilience and abundance (in the form of cranberries, Labrador tea, lowbush blueberries, gooseberries, cloud berries and an array of lichens).
close up of a Cloudberry in northern Newfoundland
close up of the seashore with mussel shells and lichen covered branches in place called Gunnar’s Cove in Northern Newfoundland.
Here is a video clip I also recorded on that same shoreline, while sitting beside a campfire listening to the gentle waves in the protected cove meet the gently flowing waters of a stream that eagerly flowed through the pebbles and seashells into the ocean nearby
Close up picture of a Canadian Pitcher Plant (Sarracenia purpurea.) As I was trekking through the northern Ontario wilderness admiring lush diverse forests, productive beaver ponds and stark bogs speckled with miniature trees with a large amount of character, I was surprised to discover a patch of pitcher plants thriving (eating mosquitoes and black flies). when I was visiting northern Ontario another year in the late autumn I noticed that even when covered in snow, these cold hardy insect eating plants seemed to be doing just fine. Since then I have learned that there are several carnivorous plants native to Canada (such as the butterwort plant and the sundew plant). I wonder if these plants could be propagated (with care and respect for the parent plant/ecosystem) and given a home in a carefully managed soil micro-climate in a garden/permaculture design for adding diversity, managing pest insect populations and of course the benefit of an intriguing and beautiful plant to a garden space?Has any one here in Canada (or in the States) attempted to grow cold hardy carnivorous plants outdoors? (or seen/heard of anyone else having success growing them in their garden).
a cluster of Canadian Pitcher Plants (Sarracenia purpurea.) in Newfoundland
close up of a bumblebee on a Canadian Pitcher Plant (Sarracenia purpurea.)
wild flowers of Newfoundland in August
close up of a wild Iris in Newfoundland
close up of pine needles emerging in northern Newfoundland
Pink hydrangea flowers with morning dew (Ontario)
super close up of Pink hydrangea flowers with morning dew (Ontario)
hydrangeas starting to change color and show their autumn beauty
unknown flowers that a client asked to have removed from their yard and so I dug them up and planted them in our yard :)
arizona blanket flower
Reindeer lichen (Cladonia rangiferina) in Newfoundland
Lichen on a Granite boulder in northern Ontario
Lichen and Moss growing together on the forest floor in Newfoundland
For those interested in more information on the ecological roles, medicinal uses and wisdom that Lichens and Mosses offer us, check out:
Praying Mantis hunting grass hoppers in our Amaranth patch. Check out the spines on the leg used for pinning, grabbing, dismembering, ripping and puncturing the exoskeleton of prey, man I would not want to be a grass hopper in our garden!
sweat bee enjoying some goji berry nectar in our garden
a bumblebee hovering, about to enjoy some goji berry nectar
a pollinator I noticed enjoying some goji berry nectar (but he/she was too fast to get a pic of on the blossom)
Anise Hyssop with various pollinators enjoying the nectar in our garden
Anise Hyssop with various pollinators enjoying the nectar in our garden
Anise Hyssop with various pollinators enjoying the nectar in our garden
more mantises hanging out in our garden
more mantises hanging out in our garden
more mantises hanging out in our garden (this one was looking right at me)
Paw Paw (Asimina triloba) fruit beginning to size up in our garden
Paw Paw (Asimina triloba) fruit beginning to size up in our garden
Bhut Jolokia (aka “Ghost”) peppers starting to ripen up in our garden
White Peruvian Habanero blossoms (with ants pollinating them) and a young pepper starting to size up in our garden
freshly harvested heirloom peppers from our garden
freshly harvested heirloom peppers from our garden
heirloom tomato blossom close up
the back of a heirloom tomato blossom close up
a “Indigo Apple” heirloom tomato starting to form in our garden
a “Black Beauty” heirloom tomato starting to form in our garden
“Indigo Apple” heirloom tomatoes starting to size up in our garden. I like to grow many varieties of heirloom tomatoes that express high levels of Anthocyanin in the fruit and leaves as these varieties are resistant to disease and frost
“Indigo Apple” heirloom tomatoes starting to size up and increase their levels of Anthocyanin Biosynthesis in our garden. I like to grow many varieties of heirloom tomatoes that express high levels of Anthocyanin in the fruit and leaves as these varieties are resistant to disease and frost
“Indigo Apple” heirloom tomatoes starting to ripen in our garden.
“Indigo Apple” heirloom tomatoes starting at different sizes and levels of ripeness. Some are starting to size up and increase their levels of Anthocyanin Biosynthesis and the ones in my hand are ripe.
Ingredients that went into our heirloom tomato pizza sauce (including Heirloom tomatoes (striped one is an unamed F1 heirloom developed by Brad Gates, the purple/black ones are my own variety which is a cross between Beefsteak and Indigo Apple tomatoes) Basil, and Egyptian walking onion bulbs)
a ripe “Indigo Apple” heirloom tomato sliced in half
a ripe “Indigo Apple” heirloom tomato sliced in half showing the flesh
turning heirloom tomatoes into pizza sauce
spreading some heirloom pizza sauce on some homemade sourdough pizza crust
Above, Homemade sourdough crust pizza with garden fresh ingredients. Another recipe from my recently published book. Recipe for the dough shown below:
Elderberries beginning to initiate Anthocyanin Biosynthesis in our garden
simmering some ingredients to make a potent elderberry syrup
some of the finished elderberry syrup
jars of elderberry syrup with the wooden mixing spoon (showing evidence of extreme anthocyanin exposure! ;) ) Elderberry syrups such as the on shown in the pics above not only serves to optimize immune function (increasing the adaptability of one's innate immune cells, fortifying/cleansing the blood with potent antioxidants and increasing the number of innate immune cells via providing the molecular building blocks for increased rates of mitochondrial biogenesis) but also offers moderately strong nootropic benefits. I keep it in air tight little jars in the freezer to keep the beneficial myco-nutrients and phytonutrients at peak levels until it is needed. I hope this inspires you to try creating some of your own medicinal preserves. I believe that each step we take to boycott big pharma and embrace Mother Earth's medicine cabinet is a conscious choice to move into health sovereignty and realign our creative energy with the regenerative capacity of the living planet.
Okay lets get outa the kitchen and go back to the garden!
More Mantises!? You bet! :) I am only able to harvest such a bounty of veggies and herbs thanks to the valiant efforts of garden defenders such as these beings
close up of the geometry in a mantis’ wings
this image shows a close up of one of the flowers from the image above starting to break down (one of the first signs of fall arriving) revealing the fractal geometry in the veins of each petal that is so similar to the geometry of the dragonfly’s wings
a leaf that has begun to decompose, revealing the sacred fractal geometry at it’s foundation (sitting on a kale leaf)
super close up of the same thing in the image above
the first signs of Autumn’s Abundance arrive, Golden Rod begins to bloom
Bluebeard blossoms close up
honey bee enjoying some Bluebeard nectar
at the end of august I begin to see Whispers Of Autumn and I feel grateful. I never cease to be amazed and impressed by the way the genius of nature's graceful balance and geometry reveals itself in the autumn. Each leaf has a story to tell about the season that is ending and they whisper of what has yet to come. Each and every leaf offering wisdom (to those who observe closely and listen to the language of the trees). Each magnificent brush stroke of the Creator that dances on the autumn breeze offering nourishment for the soul (to those willing to still their mind, be present in the moment and accept that gift with an open heart.)
Ok that is it for me today! I hope you enjoyed that little flashback to the moments I have experienced in the month of Autumn which I found to be nourishing to my spirit.
I wish you a productive, hopeful, inspiring, healing, invigorating and joyful remainder of September my friends.
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August offers me a rush of reminders of how we, no matter what our outward physical situation is, are each offered the keys to tap into abundance, healing and pathways to perpetual learning on this earth if we just open our heart and use the senses God gave us to perceive the truth he has woven into the natural world around us.
Prayer without action to back your stated will and intent is hollow and will likely not result in manifesting that which you seek to experience and share. Prayer (deep hearted genuine intent and a clear vision grounded in integrity and compassion for your fellow beings) combined with a willingness to engage in actions that work towards manifesting that prayer/vision into reality are a different story altogether however. Those thoughts and visions become the scaffolding for what will become reality in the future, such visions are raised up on the lifting tide of the great dawn that is upon us now.
When I still my mind and listen to the messages my heart delivers me from my eternal soul, I am reminded that Creator of all things invites us all to look to our elder species and listen to the whispers on the wind spoken as the autumn leaves dance on the breeze, learn to read the skies and understand the language of the waters, rocks and soils of our Mother Earth and you will be given all the guidance you need to thrive in the times ahead.
More wonderfully, incredibly beautiful photos bringing joy to my spirit and a smile to my face.
Thank you Gavin.
Thank-you for all the beautiful pictures! The pic of the inside of the tomato looks so good. I need that for a sandwich! 😉