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mythmage
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View My photos
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"A government big enough to give you everything
you want, is strong enough to take everything you
have.
-Thomas Jefferson"
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The Mythic Garden |
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Gardens are living dreams:
Immortal in their transience
for there will always be another spring.
Enigmatic in their essence
For they contain the mystery of interwoven lives.
A constant parade of color,
A nurturing place for all who visit.
No amount of work here will be in vain
All efforts are rewarded tenfold.
The birds fly to my garden to eat
The rabbits nibble on my bolting lettuce
Frogs throng to the ponds and pools
Lotus bloom in the heat of summer
My cat prowls the dill-weed forest
Bells on his collar assure the limits of his hunting.
The dogs lounge in the sun
In the field of clover that was once the front lawn
The air smells of cinnamon and perfume
Wafted from the valerian and the newly mown lawns
Bluebirds nest in the tree by the fence
Safe in the green arms of the garden
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In the End, it is the love you carry in you hearts,
and those bright and pleasant memories that you hold dear,
that you may carry with you on your homeward journey.
These things alone are great enough to be carried into
the presence of God
Dreams of Distant Summers Past
Dreams of Distant Summers Past
Whose golden rays
Are guilded now,
As memories at last.
Stored away in photographs,
Against a darker day,
When memories open passages,
To a brighter day.
These remembrances,
We hold so dear,
For time has slipped away,
And left us crying on the shore,
For things we could not stay.
The object of those photographs,
Have changed so over time,
And what remains of that day,
Are pictures in our mind.
Time for us is ceaseless change,
And nothing ever lasts,
Except those pictures in the book,
Of Distant Summers Past.
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| mythmage's Interests
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Favorite Quotes:
Giving money and power to government is like
giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys.
-P.J. O'Rourke, Civil Libertarian
"What are we born for?"
"For infinite happiness," said the Spirit.
"You can step out into it at any moment..."
-CS Lewis; The Great Divorce" |
Interests & Hobbies:
Gardening, Reading, Web Design, Playing folk music on guitar, etc., Camping, Hiking, Building and Tinkering with Computers, Special Olympics Coach, Scouting, |
TV Shows:
Millennium, Colbert Report, Dr. Who, Reno 911, Futurama, Father Ted, CSI, |
Favorite Music & Bands:
Bluegrass, Celtic, New Age, Classic Rock...hold the rap music please. Led Zepplin, Cat Stevens, Beatles, Arlo Guthrie, Dave Ramont, Neil Young, Tuvan Throat Singing, Antony and the Johnsons ( Kim's pick), Van Morrison |
Favorite Movies:
Casablanca, African Queen, Citizen Kane, Brother Sun Sister Moon, Lord of the Rings; Amelie; Young Frankenstein; What Dreams May Come; Shadowlands; Outlaw Josie Wales; Name of the Rose; Fantasia; Little Big Man; Lawrence of Arabia; Arsenic and Old Lace; The Long and the Short of It; Braveheart; Jewel in the Crown |
Favorite Celebrities:
Ingrid Bergman, Willie Nelson, |
Favorite Reads:
Precious Bane, Great Divorce, Street of Crocodiles, Sanitorium Under the Sign of the Hourglass, Shantaram, Lord of the Rings, Once and Future King, Ghost Story, Heart of the World, Chronicles of Narnia, Brothers Karamazov |
Amo Ergo Sum:
I am a lazy gardener, an itinerant philosopher,
sometimes poet, a wandering minstrel.
I have discovered that words are inadequate,
that opinions only matter to those who espouse them,
that real music is written on one's soul,
and that true poetry exists all around us.
The poet is simply a medium channeling the raw emotion of nature.
Rapture is not a thing that will happen someday,
it is the state of being in the moment,
when we are willing to be surprised by the ordinary.
It is seeing with the eyes of a child.
It is our natural state, before we grew up and thought
we were somebody and thought we knew something. |
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| Featured Photos
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Shaded lawn
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St. Francis' Lawn
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lillies
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Bees on Coneflower
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Pickin' in the Snow
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Surreal Sunset
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The Mythic Garden |
Mythic Realms Flora and Fauna
THE PROPERTY:
Our property is located 10 miles northwest as the crow flies from Mount Mitchell, nestled in a small valley in the Black Mountains of North Carolina. The valley is less than 2 miles long and several hundred feet wide, and is surrounded by 3700 to 4000 ft. mountains. Our land consists of 4 acres gently sloping: 2 acres are devoted to field/pasture, 1 acre to the house and annual/perennial gardens, ¼ acre orchard, ¼ acre organic vegetable garden with raised strawberry beds, and ½ acre woods. A seasonal wet weather stream flows through the property and a few springs are apparent in the upper portion of the property.
Favorite Project: Calling all Birds!! Our most enjoyable and rewarding project has been attracting the birds to the property. Since we began housing, feeding and planting for the birds we have observed well over the 50+ birds listed in our census. We have had rare visits from snowy owls and more frequent visits by other birds of prey, which control our rabbit population. We even saw a great blue heron on one occasion. It seems that our feathered friends manage to communicate to each other where the food and nesting sites are. The grounds are positively buzzing with life, and all the trees are full.
Long-range Plans: We want to design, plant and create an environment that is friendly and sustaining for people and wildlife, a place where we can enjoy, observe and appreciate the other inhabitants of our land. Turning lawn areas into garden "rooms", fields into meadows, and encouraging densely forested privacy screens along the borders of the property is part of the long-range plan we are following. Lawn areas should have a purpose, family games, etc. so an outdoors-game lawn will be preserved as we plant the rest of the property. Since the building began on our mountain, springs were buried and water rerouted to rob our stream of 90% of its water. We are planning to dig the streambed out and try to tap new springs, hopefully allowing us to recreate the seasonal wetland that has been affected. The felling of a great many dead jack pines in the woods beyond and on our property (safety hazard) will force us to increase our efforts at providing understory replacement for these trees. Dogwood and other small trees will be used to provide shade for the ground while slower growing hardwoods (beech, walnut, oak and chestnut) will be planted to ensure the generational survival of this wooded area.
NEW PROJECTS: 8x24 porch by vegie garden (completed 7/01)
Pond at end of porch near vegie garden (completed 5/05)
Planter/Pond between drive and Fade Away Cafe porch/carport (completed 05/07/02)
Large Pond in front yard (project currently under construction - projected completion date 10/08 - addendum: new pond will be built near garden beside back pond...this area will be a reflecting pool witn a buddha statue with the bamboo as a backdrop. Perhaps a water rock as well. Projected completion date 10/09)
Bog Garden: Wet area in front of greenhouse area, possible wetland garden. (COMPLETED 8/06)
Privacy Berm (between yard areas and field)...construction and plantings (projected completion date 8/08) Plantings consist of evergreen (white pine) screen on top, groundcover meadow/wild flowers, terminus will have sunset/red maples in cluster. This will increase habitat for birds and beasts, as well as giving us an added layer of privacy and beauty.
Bluebird Trail: currently we have 5 bluebird boxes on our "bluebird trail". (project COMPLETED 5/06)
Owl boxes: We have lots of screech owls up here and we are going to begin building a few boxes this winter (completion date 12/07)
Nut Orchard: Plans to create a nut orchard are in the works...but may have to wait until spring 2008.
Tree Nursery: Ongoing project. Our peach trees for the orchard spent a year there, and were all successfully transplanted, and after 2 years in situ are over 15 feet tall!!! This year the residents will be ornamentals (dogwoods, redbuds, etc.)
Expand Water Barrel Gardens. We have 3 now. (already completed - currently 2 wooden barrels/6 plastic barrels - all but the 2 wooden barrels will yield plants for ponds under construction and then be used to generate even more plants as the newly divided ones mature. Wolfie was able to divide the loti and now we have 4 more potted lotus and 1 or 2 more waterlilies). UPDATE: 1 wooden barrel (1 rotted) but 10 plastic barrels...this has become an ongoing project)
Chestnut Project: The American Chestnut Society has produced hybrid chestnuts that compare to the American Chestnut lost to disease in the 30's. The seedlings will be available in 2002 and we will be planting a controlled area in the woods with these seedlings in hopes of beginning to bring these magnificent trees back into their native habitat. (awaiting a disease free strain)
Permaculture: Planting the woods with native fauna and nut/seed bearing trees, the stream banks with pawpaw, huckleberries and other native species that provide food for man and beast. (Project is ongoing)
Outdoor Kitchen: A project which will provide a great entertaining area/garden production area, as well as decreasing air conditioning costs in the summer by not heating up the inside kitchen. Possible woodstove and clay bake oven in this area. (2009)
Raised Beds: build 1 more for kitchen garden and salad garden (COMPLETED 06/06).
Greenhouse: sometime in 2008. This will allow us to start earlier, grow more produce of greater variety thereby reducing our use of prepackaged foods even more. To be built in conjunction and in continuous line with Outdoor kitchen. Hot tub in alcove of greenhouse. (project begun 2005)
Gray-water system: on carport to feed into garden for added water without running pump (spring 2008)
Projects Under Consideration
Stable/Shed: between berm and yard area.
Studio: Kim's arts and crafts studio.
Blueberry patch: New area behind shop for larger blueberry production verging on commercial size.
Greywater system for residence: to feed a bog garden or to irrigate 2nd herb garden bed?
FEEDERS: 3 wild seed mix feeders (1 large, 1 small, 1 tube), 6 squirrel/corn feeders (homemade), thistle feeder, 2 suet feeders, fruit feeder platform, 2 birdola feeders, Holes in locust fence posts filled with peanut butter for woodpeckers. Feeders are maintained and filled year round.
FLORA: Partial List of Plantings:
Herb Garden: Greek oregano, valerian, silver thyme, red creeping thyme, rosemary, purple sage, pineapple sage, foxglove (3 varieties), yarrow (yellow, red, and white), peppermint, lemon balm, catnip, spearmint, apple mint, pineapple mint, orange mint, holy basil, tangerine southernwood, french lavender, spanish lavender, old timey lavender, feverfew, butterfly weed, butterfly bush, viburnum.
Perennials/ self-sowing annuals gardens: Bee balm, larkspur, hollyhocks, echinacea (purple coneflower), russian sage, choryopsis, balloon flower, astilbe, daylilies, siberian iris, bearded iris, dwarf iris, knautia macedonia, plumbago, butterfly bushes, mallow, rose campion, pansies, lobelia, forsythia, viburnum, bush honeysuckle, veronica, orange trumpet vine, stonecrop, purple ice, peony, black-eyed susans, lupine, Rose of Sharon, crocus, daffodils, grape hyacinth, tulips, poppies, primrose, snow-on-the mountain, golden mound, old fashioned climbing rose, bridal veil spirea, weglia, azeleas, hostas (various), verbena, dwarf Alberta spruce, phlox, impatiens, japonica, forsythia, lilacs.
Wildflower gardens: Ferns, hydrangea, trilliums, jack-in-the-pulpit, black cohosh, blue cohosh, foamflower, wisteria, false solomons seal, solomons seal, lily-of-the-valley, bloodroot, mayapple, Virginia bluebells, ramps, Dutchman's breeches, wild geranium, oxalis, bleeding hearts, clematis, jasmine, violets, pitcher plant, mountain laurel, rhododendron, astilbe.
Orchard: 14 peach trees, 1 damson plum, 2 moorpark apricots, 1 asian pear, 3 plums (various), 1 north star cherry, 1 bing cherry, 1 black tartarian cherry, 1 nectarine, 1 golden delicious apple,
Other fruit: Concord grapes, white grapes, catawba grapes, blueberries (17 bushes/5 varieties)
Raised Beds: 300+ strawberry plants (3 varieties: early glow, ozark beauty, and a third); asparagus (now in it's 6th year - yum).
Trees: 7 maple (silver), 6 Japanese maples, 3 kwanza cherries, 1 magnolia, 6 redbuds, 60+ white pine trees and 15+ hemlocks, 3 black walnut, 3 frazier firs, 7 sour cherries, 5+ ornamental purple plums, 3 willows, 4 tulip poplars, 10 hemlocks, 1 river birch, 4 crepe myrtle, harry lauder's walking stick (contorted filbert), 7 Yoshino cherry, 5 redbuds, 2 sycamore, 1 golden rain tree, 1 golden chain tree, 1 crabapple and 2 red twigged dogwoods in yard areas.
Wooded Half-acre: Walnuts, tulip poplars, jack pines, white oak, sweet gum, white pines, dogwoods, redbuds, honeysuckle, blackberries, wineberries,
Permacultured wild plants into wooded area: Trillium, wake robin, dwarf crested iris, ramps, frazier firs.
Front Bank: Thrift, butterfly weed, cherries, 2 dogwoods, 1 redbud, ornamental purple plums, ecinacea, bee balm, willows,
Water Garden barrels/Pond: Equus Japonicus (horse tails), yellow water iris, purple water iris, water lily, and 2 vaieties of lotus
Bamboo stands: Yellow groove bamboo, golden bamboo, timber bamboo
FAUNA: Birds: Pileated woodpecker, downy woodpecker, red-breasted woodpecker, red-headed woodpecker; eastern bluebird, indigo bunting, cardinal, house finch, American goldfinch, titmouse, towhee, Baltimore oriole, bluejay, mourning dove, robin, bobwhite quail, ovenbird, wild turkey, screech owl, great horned owl, barred owl, red-tailed hawk, Carolina wren, field sparrow, brown-headed cowbird, northern mockingbird, cedar waxwing, song sparrow, European starling, gray catbird, eastern phoebe, chimney swift, turkey vulture, common flicker, American crow, white-breasted nuthatch, brown wood thrush, brown thrasher, Carolina chickadee, ruby-throated hummingbird, a family of golden eagles patrols the valley and wild turkeys frequent the area, we also have assorted grosbeaks, and others. The full list is available at the NWF site linked above. Other species are here but have yet to be identified...perhaps a spring project for 2008!
Animals: Woodchuck, vole, mole, red bat, and chipmunk, skunk, gray squirrel, raccoons, rabbits, salamanders, frogs, toads, garter snake, black snake, copperhead, black king snake, eastern box turtle
Insect Friends: Honey bees (1 hive), ladybugs, praying mantis, fireflies, and butterflies.
Thus far our habitat efforts have been rewarded with certification from the National Wildlife Federation's Backyard Wildlife Habitat Program, the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program, the National Humane Society's Urban Wildlife Sanctuary Program, and we are listed in the American Wildlife Habitat Registry as certified by Windstar Wildlife Institute. Our garden is now a certified Monarch Waystation, and our application is under review for admission to the Registry of Nature Habitats. I am also happy to announce that our garden has been certified as a NC Native Wildflower garden. Additional Memberships: Partner in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation, NC Bluebird Society (submitted photo in May 2007 newsletter!), NWF FrogWatch, and a contributing member of the Carolina Herp Atlas project through CCARI
Along with our wildlife habitat efforts we raise a pesticide free organic garden, orchard, and berry garden. We belong to the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association (Mountain Chapter) and attend the Organic Grower's School each Spring. While we grow organic, we have no plans to pursue certification...it's too damn difficult to dot all the i's and cross all the t's just to grow vegies in cow shit for a non-commercial garden!
UPDATE 2006: We purchased 37.8 acres with the back boundry on Pisgah National Forest. The property is 7 miles away, 500' road frontage, 6-700' back boundry on Forest and 1/2 mile deep. A rushing stream borders the property on the west. This property is also certified by NWF and National Humane Society. We have also applied for Forest Stewardship status for our property
UPDATE 2007: Wildlife Gardening in the Community: My special needs scout troop will be installing a bluebird trail in the Weaverville area this summer, and a wildflower walk in Spring 08. We are hoping this will lead to certification as a NWF community. In the melieu I hope to get my Habitat Steward certification.
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