Catherine The Grateful - not permaculture farm, lessons from the field (BEL)

Inge Leonora-den Ouden wrote:

Catherine Barnes wrote:

Inge Leonora-den Ouden wrote:Hi Catherine. I do have a small serviceberry tree/bush in my front yard. But it's still young and did not yet grow berries. I hope it will. I love the taste of ripe serviceberries (we call them 'krentjes' in Dutch).

Wow, that's awesome. Serviceberries on the other side of the globe. I am sure you will have a wonderful harvest after the bush matures. Smakelijk.. CB

Yes, they grow here very well! I don't know since when, but I think for centuries, these small trees have been planted here in gardens and parks and alongside roads. Everyone knows their early Spring blossoms. And they call them 'Drents Krentenboompje', as if it's originallly from this province (Drenthe) ... I think only a few people know it's in fact American.

"I think only a few people know it's in fact American." 🤣🤣🤣

Catherine The Grateful - not permaculture farm, lessons from the field (BEL) #52

Taco Tuesday and another BB

The flowers in the garden are always so beautiful, but I think they are even more beautiful in a vase on the way to the table.  Aren't these over the top gorgeous?

Thanks to Taco Tuesday I knocked out another BB. Cooking rice in a rice cooker. One of the food prep badges. Two methods done and two to go.
Blessings

Catherine The Grateful - not permaculture farm, lessons from the field (BEL) # 53

Washing clothes by hand

When was the last time you did laundry by hand and dried it on a clothesline or drying rack?

Wait is there a bb for that? ☺️

Catherine The Grateful - not permaculture farm, lessons from the field (BEL) #54

It's bolting!

Catherine The Grateful - not permaculture farm, lessons from the field (BEL) # 55

It’s Never Easy to Say Goodbye”

It’s hard to believe I’m already here… at the goodbye part. It feels like just yesterday I was saying, “I’m the newest boot at Wheaton Labs.” I came here full of questions, and no idea what this chapter would hold. And now, as I pack up memories along with my things, I realize it’s never easy to say goodbye.

There were the quirky moments — like washing clothes by hand and wondering, “Are ants friend or foe in the garden?” I still don’t know the answer. But I do know I’ll never forget the day we made rhubarb jam, or when someone handed me pineapple weed and just said, “it tastes like pineapple?” like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, “To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.” This was my season of learning, of growing, of slowing down and paying attention. Of seeing the Three Sisters not just as a hügel project, but as a metaphor — layers of tradition, cultivation, and care.

We blitzed.
We composted.
We made rhubarb candy and sealed clay with linseed oil.
We raised Willow Wonka Flags, picked from the garden, and tried growing in the greenhouse at Allerton Abby.
We shouted “Happy Friday” and claimed, rightly so, that this is the best day of the week — again and again, because Shabbos was on the way.

And now, here I am, saying thank you. Gracias. Because what you’ve given me is more than just skills. It’s “The Gift That Will Keep on Giving.”

I won’t forget the joy of twinkle lights, or strategizing faucets with Shawn (yes, we finally landed on option 1) only to scrap it and do something different - Artisan's choice right 😉.

I won’t forget the dance of clothes, or that moment I finally thought, “Wow… what I planted is actually growing. Praise God!”

To Paul and Wheaton Labs — What you’ve built here matters. It grows people as much as it grows food.

And to those still here: keep doing the good work. Keep exploring, keep asking, “Where am I?” Because the search is sacred. Take time to rest. As Hebrews 4:9 says, “There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God.”

So for now, I’ll say it softly: “It’s never easy to say goodbye.” But what makes leaving hard is what makes it beautiful — It's been a wild ride.

Maybe next year I’ll be back for another Taco Tuesday and a BB. Until then,

‘May the Lord bless you
   and protect you.
25 May the Lord smile on you
   and be gracious to you.
26 May the Lord show you his favor
   and give you his peace.’ Numbers 6:24-26

Blessings, Catherine The Grateful


P.S. Paul, this is what I mentioned yesterday - Galatians 5:22-23 NLT, 22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

Hello Cathrine!  I am sorry to see you go.  
Thank you for being here and sharing your light with us.

I hope you continue to have a beautiful adventure and blessed life.  

Bless you!
Samantha

Catherine Barnes wrote:Catherine The Grateful - not permaculture farm, lessons from the field (BEL) # 53

Washing clothes by hand

When was the last time you did laundry by hand and dried it on a clothesline or drying rack?

Wait is there a bb for that? ☺️...]

Last time I did laundry by hand was when I did it for the BB (except for wool handknitted sweaters that need to be washed by hand).
But the clothes line and drying rack I use all the time, so today was the last time

Catherine, I see you are leaving Wheaton Labs. I will miss you (and your quotes from the bible). Or maybe you will go on posting somewhere on the Permies forum (doing the SKIP program f.e.)