Category Archives: environment

Helping hands….

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Everyone needs some help at times of the day, the year, or even in a moment.

We all know it’s spring thank goodness it’s time for flowers and herbs and gardening again! Peaceful. Healthy. Beauty. Color. Meditative. Calming. Soothing – those all words I associate with gardens and gardening. Here in my little piece of the world I have a back deck that turns into a little piece of all those words for me each year. It is a deck that I surround with “window boxes” or in this case rail boxes, that I mostly fill with Herbs. I use the herbs for cooking, ice tea (yes I grow many mints,) and just because I love being able to go out there and have all these possible scents surround me. There are naturally flowers too…but enough about what I personally plant.  The real point of this story is helping hands…..so…. I was at my local garden center to buy the soil for the boxes. There was even a special deal price of my favorite soil in a 2 1/4 cubic feet bag.  Great! Now, you need to know that I am pretty strong and about 5 foot 8, so I am not a small weak wisp of grass…. these bags are HEAVY! I struggled to get the first on my cart. Then the helping hand came. A couple came walking by, the man asked if I was getting another bag. I said yes, and he (with some effort too I may add) put the second one on cart. FAB! Then to add to the goodness, they were right behind in line to pay, and he offered to put them in my car for me. A big win for Kindness and for me. Thanks you universe for that helping hand when I needed it.

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Helping hands…holding hands… the two often mix. That’s a very good thing.

 

 

 

 

 

Looking for fun & what to do? We can help!

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Not one but TWO chances to greet, meet, see, say hi, enjoy, buy cool art things, do good, and smile this weekend!

April 27 – Celebrate Earth day: See over 75 exhibitors including local artisans, green products, alternative energy, community groups, health+fitness, home improvement, food, music and more!    Click here for the full listing! ( You can even do some ‘big time’ recycling at the event! Check it out! ) 11 AM -3 PM Framingham Centre Village Green on the Common, Framingham MA.

April 28 -Art In The Garden is this Sunday! 11am-4pm at Weston Nurseries is Hopkinton. In its 6th year, Art In The Garden will host 50 local artisans exhibiting their handmade wares on the beautiful grounds of Weston Nurseries.
You will find stained glass, pottery, jewelry, etched slates, bath & body products, candles, handbags, tote bags, furniture, clothing, garden art, paintings, note cards, birdhouses, winds chimes, pillows, dog collars and leashes, pet clothing, blown glass infusion jars, beaded belt buckles, scarves, honey, pickles, chocolates, pizza and more! $3 admission will benefit One Fund Boston, Mazie Memorial Foundation and Project Just Because.
April 27&28 shows

Earth Day

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That about says it all from us here at Botanical Beauties & Beasties.
Do Earth a favor, pick up a few extra pieces of litter today.

Earth Day

Shows, fairs, and general excitement!!!

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OMG – can’t believe “show season” is here -we are off and running!

This weekend we are headed to what I expect to be grand at The Garden Symposium in the even grander location of The Equinox Resort in Manchester VT.Their will be wonderful nationally known speakers and a related vendor marketplace. Naturally, we fit in the second. We will leave all the words off about how great it will be and what an exciting season we are working on (check and watch the schedule grow on our calender page) In the mean time, we will just say WE ARE EXCITED TO BE “On the road again” -off to meet new friends and spread our motto of “Live Kind, Live Green, Live Creatively“

Our hope is that on Sunday we can connect up somehow and have a little magic with The Beekman Brothers. They run a company called Beekman 1802-from their own website words “Two NYC guys who bought a farm and are sharing their experiment in living better lives, season by season, neighbor by neighbor.” The Botanical Beauties & Beasties  love that statement/mission. We want to chat with them!

Right now they are promoting  THE SAUCE THAT COULD CHANGE THINGS  (click on name)  Below is the page for this cool idea and product. Please help if you can. It helps all the small local American Farmers stay alive and that’s truly a wonderful thing. The Power of Tomatoes, people and good ideas!

heirloom tomato pasta sauce“We’ve got some really big news.

We are really excited about our new pasta sauce. ‘Cuz it’s gonna change the world.

No. Seriously. Not hyperbole.

Remember when we won that little show called The Amazing Race?  Let us refresh your memory:

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Wasn’t that awesome?

It was.

Here’s why. It allowed us to pay off the mortgage on our farm so that we could both devote ourselves full-time to growing Beekman 1802 and our community.

So what does The Amazing Race have to do with pasta sauce? A lot, it turns out. And it has even more to do with raising money for other American farmers.

It’s a little round-about-story, but first you need to know a little Race trivia:

Even though you didn’t see the finish till December, the race actually ended in June. Which meant we already knew we would be able to pay off our mortgage with the prize money early last summer. (We’re good secret-keepers, right? Keep that in mind next time you have juicy gossip.)

However, we also had a field full of tomatoes growing on the farm in June. Some of these tomatoes were a variety called “Mortgage Lifter” heirloom tomatoes. They’re giant, delicious tomatoes.

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Why are they called “Mortgage Lifter?”

Well,  in 1929 a man named Marshall Cletis Byles owned an auto repair garage in Logan, West Virginia. When his business began suffering during the Great Depression, Marshall (who went by the nickname “Radiator Charlie,”) decided to earn extra money by selling the best tasting tomato variety he could breed.

It took a few years, but Charlie finally bred his perfect tomato. He advertised that one single plant, with its 1-2lb fruits, could feed a family of six. And he wound up selling enough seedlings in four years to pay off his mortgage. In full.

Hence “Radiator Charlie’s Mortgage Lifter Tomato” was born.

Those of you who’ve followed our story know that before we won The Amazing Race, one of our primary goals was to pay off the Beekman Farm mortgage. So when we planted our garden in early 2012, we planted a ton of Mortgage Lifter tomatoes, in hopes of developing a pasta sauce that would help us do just that.

And then we won The Amazing Race. Let’s revisit again. ‘Cuz it was awesome:

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(Did we really make that face on national television? There are “ugly cry” faces and “ugly win” faces, apparently. This was both at once.)

Anyway, last year was a really good year for tomatoes. Here’s one afternoon’s haul:

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So, since we’d paid off our mortgage…what were we going to do with all these tomatoes?!??!

Then it hit us.

We’ll use these tomatoes pay off another small farm’s mortgage! Pay it forward.

So we went ahead and kept developing the pasta sauce. We used the best tomatoes from our farm and other farms, fresh garlic and spices, and other summer vegetables. And we went ahead and stuck with the name: “Mortgage Lifter Heirloom Tomato Pasta Sauce.”

Looks amazeballs, right?

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The only difference is that now we’ll use 25% of the profits from this sauce to help aid another farmer.We’re teaming up with an agricultural 501c3 so make that happen.

The other 75% of the profits will go right back into the business to hopefully develop a whole range of “Mortgage Lifter” food products that will not only help support American small farms with profits, but also by growing a sustainable food brand for small farms to supply.

But, like Radiator Charlie…we’re starting with the basics. The most perfect pasta sauce we could make.

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We hope you love it. Please give it a try. The more you buy, the more you’re directly helping American farmers. If you purchase enough, it will also help catch the eye of a few larger grocery chains. (Any grocery moguls out there? Wanna chat? Email us! )

Stay tuned for a recipe contest and progress of sales….

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE BEEKMAN 1802 MORTGAGE LIFTER HEIRLOOM PASTA SAUCE.  SAVE SIGNIFICANTLY ON PRICE & SHIPPING WITH ORDERS OF MULTIPLE JARS.”

It’s spring, almost.

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Grounding yourself

Grounding

SPRING a time for new beginnings, a rejuvenation, time to let new things in and let go of some old ones…. a time to truly ground yourself.  We have been busy all winter, looking down and shuffling around. True, some of it is so we don’t fall on our bums on the ice but….. now it’s time to look up…move forward and get out of our cocoons.

We need to ground ourselves, feel the Earth and meander with consciousness into the new season. Be kind to yourself, we tend to overwhelm ourselves right now. We think we need to clean everything, make list upon list of things we want/ought/should/could do, and so forth.  Stop for a moment put your feet on the floor…stand still and let the “chatter” subside… listen to yourself in your heart and mind. Get Grounded.

The following is from  http://www.naturalnews.com/

It has been repeatedly demonstrated that there is a significant electrical interaction between the Earth and each one of us.

Earth, as it turns out, is not neutrally charged as was originally believed – it has a negative charge. This means that is has an abundance of electrons. This charge does not interact with us too often since we live in insulated buildings and wear insulated footwear. In other words, we rarely touch the ground!

Why does touching the ground matter?

Humans evolved, like all animals, walking on the ground without insulating barriers between the Earth and our feet. It is common knowledge that the soles of our feet are extremely sensitive due to a high concentration of nerve endings. Since nerve tissue is electrically conductive, it is easy to understand that the bottoms of our feet are highly conductive surfaces.

Because of the conductivity of our soles, it was proposed that perhaps there was an electrical interaction between the Earth’s negative charge and our bodies. This hypothesis was tested many times and the results were nothing short of amazing.

Researchers found that there was a significant relation between the charge of our bodies and the ground. In fact, it has been determined that the Earth acts as a natural reservoir of electric energy. If a person with an excessive negative charge, or an excess of electrons, steps onto the ground, the excess will be absorbed into the Earth. If a person has a positive charge, or a deficiency of electrons, then the Earth will supply what is needed to achieve homeostasis (balance). This is a truly amazing discovery: stepping on the ground electrically balances you!

Why is this significant?

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/031754_grounding_health.html#ixzz2OZPcTCcC

Snow…gazillions of tiny little crystals that stopped us in our tracks!

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Do you like the snow… the quietness it creates? The Beauty of the shimmering white? The blanket of white that all those tiny little crystals make?

  • Does it create peace or havoc on your world?
  • It is beauty or just a “bother?”
  • Does the power of the ‘Force of Nature’ that can bing us to a stand still awe or annoy you?
  • Does it drive you crazy that you are stuck, or is a good thing that you don’t have to go anywhere?
  • Can you get outside with out shoveling? Does that make you feel trapped or snug?

I think for many of us it is probably a mix of much of the above. If you have to get somewhere it certainly can make it difficult. Then I have to think about who really has to get someplace. Clearly medical issues need to, and a few others… but really, do the rest of really have to move around so much? How about a little more quiet time…what do you think? Maybe we could take a hint form the kids and Wellie that are so happy to have a new playground that magically appears. Magical wonderland?

Wellie in the snow

Wellie in the snow

Hold Your Space

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Hold Your Space

Hold Your Space – palms up and out!

Another week and another sunday morning yoga class gave Birdelini and I food for thought. This times it’s about holding on to your own space, owning and nourishing  that space however expansive or tiny it may be. It refers not to marking out your territory but to truly  holding your own self/space with no harsh negative judgments, an acceptance of your space and peace with your space. In the winter “our space” sometimes feels tighter and more constricted. It’s not really.  It’s our innate human nature of “winterizing”- we tend to stand less tall, fold into ourselves more, rounded shoulders and slouching.  In the cold we bundle up, look down, and walk fast to our destinations. That’s pretty close to tight-fisted living. (see last weeks post). Holding your own space  goes hand in hand (all puns intended) with open palm living. You need to understand you can’t  micro manage your space, you need to let is be, to fill, expand, and contract as needed. You certainly don’t need to try to control anyones else’s space, for that is really fruitless. Your space is what it is- your space, don’t judge it or others and the sides of your space will be so much smoother.

I poked around on-line a bit and found this at Spiritual Awaking Process. I thought he did a nice job of talking about this issue.

“Holding Space: Some Key Attributes
Let me try to break this down a little bit. Here are a couple key characteristics to holding space, and I’ll give an example to help solidify what I’m talking about. Some components are:

    • Letting go of judgment
    • Opening your heart
    • Allowing another to have whatever experience they’re having
    • Giving your complete undivided attention to the situation/other person

Those are really the key elements of holding space. You’re not trying to influence the situation. You’re not trying to fix it, win at it, or affect any kind of outcome. You are simply being with it fully so that it can work itself out. This doesn’t mean becoming a victim to it. Quite the contrary actually, you’re very powerful in this space, and it certainly doesn’t mean being hurt physically by another. By when you’re deep into a space like this, you are far more immune to any “emotional” hurt than you might realize…” ( read more) 

Groundhog day…

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Izzy and the Groundhog

Izzy and the Groundhog in the South. This is NOT  New England in February with those flowers! Or… we have a bigger climate change problem than we knew!

Izzy escaped the winter and went south to work on her art for a bit. However, she did her part for those us up North,  found the local Groundhog…and asked…  6 more weeks or not? 

Info from National Geographic- Groundhog…. click here

“The groundhog, or woodchuck, is one of 14 species of marmots. These rodents live a feast-or-famine lifestyle and gorge themselves all summer to build up plentiful reserves of fat. After the first frost, they retreat to their underground burrows and snooze until spring, drawing their sustenance from body fat. (Maybe they have it all figured out? Eat eat eat, hide, dissolve the fat and reappear! ) While hibernating, the animal’s heart rate plunges, and its body temperature is not much warmer than the temperature inside its burrow.

Groundhog hibernation gave rise to the popular American custom of Groundhog Day, held on the second of February every year. Tradition dictates that if a groundhog sees its shadow that day, there will be six more weeks of winter, though such a prediction seems a sure bet over much of the groundhog’s North American range.

In the spring, females welcome a litter of perhaps a half-dozen newborns, which stay with their mother for several months.

Groundhogs are the largest members of the squirrel family. Though they are usually seen on the ground, they can climb trees and are also capable swimmers. These rodents frequent the areas where woodlands meet open spaces, like fields, roads, or streams. Here they eat grasses and plants as well as fruits and tree bark. Groundhogs are the bane of many a gardener. They can decimate a plot while voraciously feeding during the summer and fall seasons.” -Info from National Geographic- Groundhog…. click here

 

Fly Fishing anyone?

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Meet our Guest Blogger- Alan Erdossy from Broadside International.
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Since the age of Confucius anglers have been attaching feathers and furs to hooks to catch fish. Why? Because fly fishing is fun.

If you’d like to experience this traditional art form first hand, consider one of Broadside International’s fly fishing schools in NH and VT (trout tend to live where it is beautiful). Simplified Fly Fishing classes are scheduled for June and July, and a full day fly tying class is scheduled for March 23rd. Follow Broadside International on Facebook for details. Broadside will have a booth at the NH Fly Fishing Show, March 2-3 in Pelham, NH, at the Pelham Fish And Game Club to answer questions about fly fishing and their regular schools, classes and excursions.

Broadside founder, Alan Erdossy started fly tying at an outdoor expo in his home town in 1955, and has been sharing his enthusiasm for the preservation and protection of this fine sporting tradition for over 60 years. Active with Trout Unlimited and the Federation of Fly Fishers, Alan also coordinates a Fly Fishing Camp for Teens each June in VT.

Mention the Beasties to him at the Broadside Booth in Pelham, and he’ll teach you a new knot to use when you are fishing.

Alan’s specialty is fly fishing the northeast for trout, Atlantic and landlocked salmon, and striped bass.

Thanks Alan! I hope some of you folks can go to the Fly Fishing Show, March 2-3 in Pelham, NH, at the Pelham Fish And Game Club

9th annual Fly Fish New Hampshire show
Pelham NH March 5th & 6th

“The Fly Fish New Hampshire show is the largest fly fishing show in northern New England and has the largest contingent of New Hampshire guides. One of the advantages of any show is the opportunity to interact with vendors, guides and other participants. The show is large enough to have a good selection of vendors and guides but small enough so there’s ample time to talk and attend presentations.” -http://flyfishinginnh.com/vforum/showthread.php?p=47482

Note!!!!

Alan is amongst one of my most favorite people! If you have any interest at all in learning about fly fishing, or joining  a trip/workshop or class, HE IS the guy!  I would most highly recommend for knowledge, experience and fun. I really don’t think you can do better!  So, mark your calendar and go check it out in  March 5 or 6  to meet him in Pelham NH and go out doors and have some fun this season with the fish and  Broadside International.

The Great White North

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The Botanical Beauties & Beasties have just returned from The Great White North. It was the perfect way for us to bring in 2013. We were in gorgeous Vermont and the Stunning Adirondack Mountains near Saranac Lake and Lake Placid.

We had a lot of fun, did a little snow showing, laughed and cried with friends, partook in Saranac Lake First Night, and viewed and enjoyed the local art scene. BIG NEWS - if you find yourself in Lake Placid, or need another reason to go to Lake Placid,  stop in the very wonderful “The Bookstore Plus” (2491 Main Street, Lake Placid, NY 12946) and browse all the great things INCLUDING our Cards! www.thebookstoreplus.com.  It is a great store, their web site says it all - ”Providing personalized customer service to help our customers reach their imaginations though reading, creating or writing.  Your source for the latest bestsellers and Adirondack books. We keep a wide selection of all Indie Next List and New York Times bestsellers. Come  in to see what is new on both of these great lists! We have an extensive collection of Adirondack titles and often have signed copies as well.”  The owners are delightful, the shop is a joy, and you get to support a  2nd generation, family owned and operated local independent book store, read, write and draw…How can you not love that! ( …and by the way they will ship for free on orders over $50 right now!)

Well, back to winter wonderland…the trees are majestic, the mountains are strong,  our friends are “tried and true” and we love them all. The  Adirondack Park weather makes Vermont feel like it is sunny Florida! What ever it is in Burlington VT  ( which is pretty far and up there in VT, yes, like almost Canada) you can count on it being colder and snowier across the lake! When we came back “home” across and had a grand time in our old stomping grounds it was practically balmy in comparison! However, we love them both, the landscape is soothing, the meeting of the mountains and the lakes never stops amazing.