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Update - a little progress on a personal front

 Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts. There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature -- the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after winter.

Rachel Carson
 
 
This past week or so, I've been stuck for a topic.  Not much has really happened as I've dealt mainly with leaving one job and searching for/accepting another.  
 
Several quiet anniversaries were celebrated (we moved into our home 3 years ago this month) and I volunteered to man the Odd Fellows booth at the local Stoneboro Fair several days last week.   

Months ago I had applied for a Master Gardener class through the Penn State extension program.  I promptly forgot all about it as I have only done container gardening in the past, and I saw this as an opportunity to learn more.  
 

 
I was very surprised to have been accepted into the program.  This is NOT a degree but rather advanced skills aimed at public outreach and education.  I'm sure that this knowledge however will come in handy as I continue my search for a Green job and try to create my "edible yard."  This starts in October.
 
 I also found it ironic that I was accepted into this program as I didn't have much luck with our garden in our second year, we had issues with deer eating about 60% of what we planted.  


For what ever reason the zucchini and squash we planted would flower but never develop.  We did have some good luck with some strawberries, an abundance of tomatoes and a surprise crop of sunflowers.  I say surprise because we didn't plant them.  Since they were under our bird feeders, the seeds must have dropped and developed from there.   Nor did we plant any additional trees like I wanted to do this year, but instead had to take a few down.
 
 
I planted some native grapes and well and did some landscaping work this year.  It's not much but we are moving forward.  I'm not sure if I have a "passion" for gardening but I do think that every small step I make is only going to help our environment in some small way.   Again however, we are chalking this up to an learning experience and it does appear that I'll have to figure out a where and what I'll want to grow next spring to determine how much space and fencing I'll actually need.
 
So for now...everything is on hold.  I'm still going to try and update this blog once a week or so but right now, other things have priority.  
 

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