Hiatus Highlights

“Yes, I will give to those who give of themselves, untold Joy and Bliss; and what is more, I will lead them by the hand along those petal strewn paths of Eternal Joy.” 

~Sri Sathya Sai Baba

I am somewhat ashamed to admit that I have severely fallen behind on my 2-3 posts a week goal here at oHo. Professional and popular bloggers will tell you the importance of sticking to your blog schedule when you first start out to build discipline and storyline, etc. It can be rough at first, with the inevitable doubts that arise. Does anyone even read this anyways? What is the point?

My absence here has less to do with those doubts and more to do with the slow takeover of my normal life. There have been doubts, yes, but there has also been part time jobs responsibilities, relationship crises, healing, and a TON of garden work. You cannot expect to have summer vegetables without back-breaking labor in spring, nor life without some stumbling blocks.

We've put in several gardens here at the house including a trellised front-yard bed, lush container gardens and a spontaneous alley garden that Ron has nicknamed "the ghetto garden" plus we've installed a full-fledged, fenced-in vegetable patch over at a friend's,  There have been so many great moments and highlights from the past several weeks that I just wasn't able to share with you all: al fresco dining, potting benches, drying herbs on our new herb rack, peonies in bloom, taco night, cupcakes and a strawberry pie surprise from my neighbor (Thanks Lyric!), thrift store treasures and the soon-to-be launching of my vintage etsy shop, The Fickle Fern.

Now, I am about to begin a two month job working as Costume Supervisor on National Geographic's Killing Kennedy. I am excited to be jumping back in to the film business and working with my friends again, but I have a feeling, from experience, that there won't be as much time for blogging. I will if I can, but chances are, by the time I am back, summer will be in full swing and I'll be super excited to document riverside picnics, grilling parties and tomato harvests.

See you all in July!

Happy Montage Monday | The Earth, The Sea and The Sky.

I hope you all had a swell weekend!

The weather was great here in central Virginia despite a little drizzle Sunday afternoon. I spent as much time as possible outdoors, either sitting on my back deck (meditating, sipping tea, eating lunch and, I'll admit, being on the computer waaaay too long) or walking my garden and Maymont's Herbs Galore.

Being in touch with the elements has left me feeling quite grounded and secure as I start off the week. This montage I entitled "The Earth, The Sea and The Sky;" it is inspired by nature's balmy, relaxing effects. The photos were taken at various times, and in various locals, over the past 9 years. Some were taken on film, hence the grainy, low res nature of a few shots.

May it be the salve to your work-week stress and find you amidst your paper piles and to-do lists happily day-dreaming.

Happy Monday!

Be Good to Mama | Mother's Day Inspiration

Up until my mid-20's everything I knew about gardening I learned from my mother (pictured above snorkeling in the Bahamas). She's no expert by any means, but she did teach me how to correctly plant store-bought impatiens, and tomatoes and that knowledge will get you pretty far.

My mother catching a snooze.

You don't just plop them in the ground. Oh, no. You carefully remove them from their containers by turning them upside down and tapping the perimeter and bottom of the pot until it is jostled loose, making sure not to "tug" on the stem. You massage the roots and then place them in a hole twice the root-ball size with a 1:1 mix of garden soil/compost and the dirt that's already there, plus a pinch of fertilizer. The roots should be fully sub-merged and level with the rest of the garden. The plants get watered immediately and the dirt gently compressed around the plant, as you would tuck in a toddler.

Mom, fishing in Grandpa Dursch's canal.

Gardening requires a gentle touch, finesse and patience. From the first time helping her in the backyard plant annual flowers along the woodland border, I was hooked.

Eventually my love for gardening, landscaping and the outdoors led me to help found an urban garden collective, sow my home-grown vegetables from seeds, and experiment with all kinds of growth habitats and plant species from shade container gardening (I love my ferns), to raised bed vegetable patches. I've never owned a home or cultivated my own land, but I've always had an outdoor garden and sitting area of some sort wherever I've plopped my bags. 

I think our love of plants and pretty-manicured gardens is genetic; my great grandfather, Frank Dursch, was a landscaper and gardener who maintained the Dupont's estate in New England. I never met him, but I did get a chance to visit his lovely estate in Pennsylvania (that our family unfortunately sold) complete with a full English rose garden, a hand-diverted canal stream with waterfalls, and canoe dock.

In honor of my humble beginnings in horticulture, I pay homage to my mother each year by treating her to a garden-themed Mother's Day. It is something special we share, and my little way of showing her how much she means to me.

A few years back I bought tickets to the 2nd Annual Mother's Day garden tour. Last year we enjoyed Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden's spring plant sale and walked the grounds. This year, albeit early, I took her to Fredericksburg for Historic Home + Garden Week. Over the course of the day, we visited 5 historic sites including Belmont, Snowden, Chatham and Kenmore Plantation.

The first part of the day was overcast and chilly, but by 2 P.M. the clouds parted to reveal a brilliant blue sky and bright sun. We had so much fun walking the grounds and peeking into the past through guided tours. Living vicariously through others is priceless, and while only one of the properties we visited still remained a private home, it was a thrill to the imagination to picture life on one of these estates; definitely worth the $30 price tag!



Whether it is a delivered flower arrangement with a special note, Sunday brunch or handmade slippers, make sure you be good to your mama this year, and show her just how much you appreciate her. After all, we wouldn't be here without 'em.

Mother's Day is May 12th; do you have your gift procured, your plans figured out?

If you have the time and want to bypass the pre-arranged florals this year, plan something fun and unique! How about packing a stellar picnic and heading to Maymont (*Their annual Abbey Mother's Day Tea is already full) or lunch and a container gardening class at Lavender Field Farms? Splurge on champagne brunch at The Jefferson, or if you're short on dough, head to Agecroft Hall on May 12th for free admission and evening concert by the Richmond Concert Band.

Introducing...Montage Mondays

Monday, monday, can't trust that day
Monday, monday, sometimes it just turns out that way
Oh monday mornin you gave me no warnin of what was to be
Oh monday, monday, how could you leave and not take me

Every other day (every other day), every other day
Every other day of the week is fine, yeah
But whenever monday comes, but whenever monday comes
A-you can find me cryin all of the time 

~ Monday, Monday Lyrics, Mama & the Papas

From what i've gathered in my 30+ years of existence, no one really likes Mondays. Not if you have any semblance of a status quo life when there are only 2 days out of the week to look forward to. I'm talking about the weekend, and Monday signifies the veritable end of this weekly respite. The alarm clock rings and reality sets in: 5 more days till you can enjoy yourself again, drink wine past 8 p.m. or eat pancakes.

While I am not currently living any status quo work life (my hours are flexible and off-kilter, just the way I like it!), in hopes of bringing more sunshine to this dreary day (metaphorically) for the rest of you, I am instituting Montage Mondays here on oHo when I share a photo montage of simple shots to remind you of the little lovely things that make life grand.

I'll further help to brighten your day by posting the montage over on Facebook, so they will automatically show up in your news feed Monday mornings. If you haven't already, head over to my Facebook page now and like it.

Enjoy!

Transforming Straw Into Gold, Part 2.

I was still concerned about our plans to sight-see the following day. The stark reality of me NOT being able to walk Georgetown amid blossoming cherry trees as I had been envisioning was quickly setting in. No random stopping into cute shops or grabbing a quick bite in a street-side cafe. And taking in a museum or two on the Mall was out of the question.

We were in-fact late to the party anyways, as the Yoshino cherry trees along the tidal basin were already past prime; the bright pink blossoms that have folks from all over flocking to Washington had given way to green leaves, and the petals still clinging to branches were dry and shriveled without any luster of their former glory.

Highlighting the Positives, Part 1.

On Sunday, Ron and I drove up to DC to accomplish a three-fold mission: Visit with the Stradone side of his family, catch the tail-end of the cherry blossoms, and enjoy some sort of a well-deserved romantic getaway.

Missions #2 and #3 were almost thwarted by a nasty piece of glass that lodged itself, quite deeply, in my left foot this very night. Had I not been one of those "make the best out of everything" kinda girls, the whole trip could have been ruined. We'll start at the beginning, and I'll share my mastery of highlighting the positives (Part 1) and how to turn any "bad" thing into a good thing (Part 2).

April Flowers

Spring is in high form this year!

Despite a few unseasonably warm days, it looks like we are going to have a real, official and full season of Spring. Everything is late blooming but seems to be putting on more of a show than in years previous.

I like to take strolls through my neighborhood to admire gardens alive with color. On my block there are a profusion of plants putting forth their best effort to lure potential pollinators. Saucer magnolias' fuschia blooms, yellow forsythia sprays, creeping carpets of phlox, aromatic cherry blossoms and the varied green hues of brand new buds bursting towards the sun all pop against the tawny earth and dilapidated fences in afternoon sun.  It's no wonder Spring is my favorite season.

Below are my favorite shots from this past week. Enjoy! 

Public Radio + Campfires

Today I am grateful for public radio and campfires.
I'll explain; read on...

I've been tuning in a lot more to public radio since Ron moved in this Winter. One daily routine of his is listening to NPR over his morning tea and crossword puzzle. Sometimes the constant noise and sound in this house drives me up a wall. I need my quiet and solitude to be tranquil, calm and at peace. Especially in the mornings. I like to stare off into space and zone out, or drift into listening to pleasant birdsong, becoming completely present and letting my mind wander or go clear. 

Ron can tune out the radio while he is reading or concentrating, but my brain just doesn't work that way. Depressing, upsetting news broadcasts find me pleading for him to turn it off. That is just not how I want to start my day.

Oh, but i thought you said you were thankful for public radio? Right. To the point then.


Ron typically leaves the car radio tuned to 88.9 (our local public radio station) and I LOVE listening to music or uplifting or educational segments while driving. Yesterday's random drive about town blessed me with a broadcast that introduced me to Chic Gamine, a Canadian folk girl-group. Their melodies cover the gamut from Mo-town to a typical sixties singer-songwriter. One of their voices reminds me of Feist. I am sharing my favorite song of theirs (Paper Moon) with you here. The song was written and the harmonies rendered over a campfire. It makes we want to snuggle on a log listening to acoustic guitars and pretty voices under a "softly bright" moon.

Yes, sometimes silence is golden, but other times dreamy music is just as good, or better. This music sets the stage for a romantic night under the stars. Oh, and a plate of Spring asparagus, roasted over the flames wouldn't hurt either.

Thank you, public radio! Thank you, Chic Gamine!
And happy listening to you, readers everywhere!

 Listen to the full "All Things Considered" broadcast here.

Hunter Love

It has been raining a bunch here; it is not just April showers that bring May flowers. And while I like nothing better than to curl up in cushy socks and yoga pants and listen to the rain during the cold, dreary days of Winter, Springtime brings warmer temperatures and an antsy, restless feeling. I happily don my green hunter boots and plunge into the dewy outdoors.

9...8...7...days until SPRING!

Folks. OMG. It is a mere 7 days until Spring and I cannot believe this is the first i've posted about it! No requisite macros of crocus and daffodil flowers? No vases brimming with plum blossom branches you can smell through the screen. Okay, well the latter is because my mom (choking back a sniffle) chopped down her purple plum tree because the fruits were smashing into her car on the driveway and making an awesome mess. There goes that annual tradition. I did, however, save the wood from the tree to honor in this or my next Spring Equinox fire ceremony!

Speaking of... March 20th everyone. Mark your calendars. Here in the northern hemisphere on March 20th at exactly 7:02 A.M. (EDT) Spring will officially begin. This means more sunshine, more flowers, more light, longer days! Happy, happy, joy, joy! Indeed this is cause for a celebration! The long, cold days of winter where everything around you is bland and dull and seemingly void of life is transitioning over to an energy of aliveness. Can't you feel it already? The great thaw, as they say. Not so much here in Richmond, VA since we didn't see any white stuff that stuck around through the night. However, I am fairly confident the James River will swell in the next week or so with the liquid remnants of winter's snowy cloak from farther upstream in the Shenandoah. I love to walk the riverbed this time of year, hear the roar of the thaw pounding downstream, and watch debris chart a course to oblivion.

It is indeed a time for Spring cleaning, literally and figuratively. A time to shed layers of clothes and layers of negative habits, beliefs, people and things that no longer serve us. It is a time to sow the seeds of our inner and outer gardens with positive intentions for the coming year. What would you, your soul, most like to harvest in 2013? More abundance? A healthier you? More trust, faith and a "go with the flow" attitude? Now is the time to ask.

For inspiration as you contemplate your personal, professional and spiritual goals, read this Equinox Message channeled from Archangel Gabriel. I know it has put me in preparation mode for the ceremony i am to perform next week. Read about last year's Spring Equinox Fire Ceremony here.

Want an invite? Comment below why you would like to join me for a cleansing fire ceremony on March 20th at sundown, and don't forget to include your email!

Reasons To Love A Rainy Day

• tea and cookies
• rubber boots in puddles; splashing
• rubber boots in mud; squishing
• being curled up with a good book
• rainbow hunting
• sleeping in
• contemplation/meditation
• an excuse for a long, hot bath
• staying indoors cleaning, rearranging and generally making a happy home
• drip-drops, pitter-patters and ting-tings of rain falling
• how wood looks wet
• happy plants 

"I invite you to keep a running list of all the ways life delights you and helps you and energizes you. Describe everyday miracles you take for granted . . . the uncanny powers you possess . . . the small joys that occur so routinely you forget how much they mean to you . . . the steady flow of benefits bestowed on you by people you know and don't know. What works for you? What makes you feel at home in the world?"

From Rob Brezny's Free Will Astrology Capricorn Horoscope.

Clearwater Sunset: Day 3

 

On our 3rd and final day in Florida (not counting the travel days), we took a trip to Clearwater Beach, the sheer opposite of the primitive and secluded Caladesi Island. It was just the tourist trap we were looking for! The beach was bumping, and Pier 60 was home to moon bouncing youth, fire jugglers and drunken teenagers. We bought handmade ice cream (delicious!) and sat down at Frenchy's Rockaway Grill on the beach for fresh stone crab and shrimp. We, and the other patio guests, watched the volleyball games and awaited a gorgeous sunset. After a light stroll back to the car on the beach, our eyes fixated on the pale lavender sky and the bright golden orb just falling below the ocean, we drove back inland for a gourmet dinner at Cafe Ponte. We gorged ourselves on amazing food (tuna tartare with watermelon radish, butternut squash ravioli, mixed greens, cheese plate...) and knocked back a $500 bottle of 1982 vintage Grange Hermitage, scored from Ron's father's personal cellar. Bon Appetit!

Caladesi Picnic: Day 2

We arrived by boat on a primitive beach known as Caladesi, threw a blanket on the damp sand and sat to a pauper's picnic of cheese, bread, and fruit. The guardian gull, the sandpiper, and the soft moon-tide, our companions. Shells were layered two-inches thick. Three pelicans blessed our visit. We heard the wild in the undergrowth and nodded to the dolphins in departure.