Creative Flow

My creative energy is all going into our big home project these days, with only a little left over for making things. That will begin to transition soon, so today I will dream a bit about days of creative flow.

Agenda Today:

1. Read "The Creativity Book"

2. Evaluate my creativity habits

3. Craftivism plans

4. Preschool plans

5. Studio

6. Do the smallest thing

Third Quarter Moon of November

Today is the third Quarter moon. This waning moon energy is yin - quiet, internal, heart-driven, intentional Being-ness. At this phase we can ease off a bit on actively pursuing goals, slow down, go within, and attend to inner work, renewal, and self-care. This isn’t a moment for starting new projects but for finishing up old ones, making peace with the past, and preparing for a fresh start at the next new moon.

Agenda:

1. Read "Focus on the Good Stuff"
2. Ritual for Release and Realignment

3. Meditation and Evaluation Journal

4. Monthly journal brainstorm

5. Proaction and reciprocity plans

St. Martin's Day

 Martinstag, November 11, is the day of St. Martin of Tours, patron saint of beggars, soldiers, and conscientious objectors.

Martin was born in Hungary in 316 A.D. As a teenager, he joined the Roman army, becoming a soldier like his father, and traveled to what is now Italy and France.

The most famous legend of St. Martin is of his time as a soldier: One snowy winter evening, Martin and the other soldiers were returning on horseback to Amiens. A freezing beggar was sitting at the city gate. Martin didn't have any money or food to give him, so he used his sword to cut his heavy red soldier’s cloak in half, and gave half to the beggar. That night Martin dreamt that Jesus thanked him for giving Him his cloak. This dream convinced Martin to become a Christian and be baptized. 

Martin remained in the army for two more years, but then he decided that his faith prohibited him from fighting, and he was jailed as a coward. He was eventually released from prison and from military service, and went on to become the bishop of Tours in France. He died peacefully on November 8, 397 A.D., and was buried on November 11, among the first non-martyrs to be venerated as a saint.

Originally Martinstag was celebrated only in the Catholic areas of Germany, Austria, Flanders, Netherlands, and Portugal, but it has now spread to Protestant areas as well.

Agenda:

1. Soul notes journal

2. Gift list brainstorm
3. Make a lantern
4. Bake Weckmänner (Bun Men)

Holiday Frame of Mind

The holiday season is upon us. I'm making plans for Thanksgiving, preparing for advent, and thinking about gift-making for Christmas.

My top four tips for keeping these next months special are:

• Keep the main thing the main thing: Be clear on my holiday intentions and set priorities each week.
• Focus on savoring experiences like good meals, nature walks, and decorating together.
• Communicate early with everyone involved to confirm  schedules and priorities. 
• Don’t overspend on gifts; instead, make as many as possible and buy used books and toys.

Monday is my day to reset for the week and get my ducks in a row - make some plans for health, home, holiday, and prepare for Grandson fun.

 

Agenda:

1. Read "The Sweet Spot"

2. Renewal plan

3. Holiday mindset

4. Fall Cleaning and Home projects

5. Dinosaur School plans

Mason bee harvest

I have begun the work of my mason and leaf cutter bee harvest, which can start anytime after mid-October, when the bees have finished developing in their cocoons.

I took a great workshop last Saturday, and found out a few things I have done wrong: I should have brought my tubes inside in June, and since I didn't, I've got lots of parasites. Also, my one house got drenched and left wet too long- they all molded and died... I need to do better next year!

1. Mason bee harvest:

In the wild, mason bees rarely reuse the same nesting cavity, and so in order to be a careful steward for my bee hotels, I will have a yearly “house cleaning”. 

This year I found chalkbrood fungus and also some beetle larvae (yuck). Mason bees can also bring the hairy-footed mite, also known as a pollen mite, into their cocoons. The mites will feed on the pollen stores, bee eggs, and larvae. When mites infest a nest and adult bees emerge from the infected nest the following spring, the mites can climb onto bees and hitch a ride to a new location.

Mason bee cocoons

I got some harvested on Saturday, and the rest I will do today.

1. First, use a thin stick to check for cocoons. Save empty reeds for next year.

2. Pinch the mud-capped end with your fingers or a pair of clippers, splitting the reed open. This won't harm the bees. Pry the reed apart and gently remove the cocoons with my nifty new scooper tool.

Then rub off the mud walls and frass (poop).

Leaf-cutter bee cocoons

3. Next, prepare a 1-quart bowl of cold water with 1 drop of dish soap and 1 Tbsp. bleach (to kill the chalkbrood). Add cocoons and set a timer for 2-5 minutes, swirl them around for at least 2 minutes to dislodge any mites, then pour through a sieve, and run a gentle stream of cool water over them. 

4. Dry the cocoons on a towel for an hour.

2. Storage:

Once the bees are dry, it's time to store them away in the refrigerator until March 1 (Mid-May for leaf cutter bees). Use a firm plastic container with holes around each side, and a paper towel in the bottom. Stick in a small container holding a crumpled damp towel to provide moisture, then add the cocoons all around. (I made a small envelope to hold the leaf cutter bees separately.)

Store in the fridge and check monthly to make sure it doesn't dry out for get moldy.

3. House Cleaning:

Clean the house and the empty reeds by submerging them in a bleach bath for 10 minutes, then scrub off any accumulated debris and let dry thoroughly. 

I've also got an old drilled block mason bee house, and next spring I will discard it.

November Retreat for Synergy

Saturdays are usually my day of retreat and contemplation, though I've had a series of very busy Saturdays lately. Today I hope to settle in to a day of synergy, both inner and outer. I aim to seek unity, embrace teamwork, and work tirelessly towards a better end.

Agenda:

1. Read "Focus on the Good Stuff"

2. Write a gratitude

3. Generosity practice

4. Create inner synergy for Nature-Culture