One Season into the Next

Does anyone remember September going by? I sure don't. It really does feel like I'm not in the center of the day, hour, moment......I seem to be off to the next thing and the next thing and the next thing. Sort of ironic as I really thought of my move to Harsens Island as one of quiet and solitude so that I could write and garden. But obviously I don't know myself very well. Everything I do becomes some sort of a project. Will I never learn? However, Joe and I were having dinner eating the stuffed cabbage recipe I sent out last week (are you kidding me! It is amazing), talking about how incredibly rewarding the year has been. For me, it has been a diamond kind of existence with many facets. The garden, writing the newsletter, meeting the farmers, Bluegrass Festival - with which we have committed to establishing monies for an emergency fund for families in need), produce stand and teaching voice, voice over workshops and voice classes at Michigan Actors Studio. This summer I also saw four royalty checks for my CD that was released last year - as any indie musician will tell you, that is amazing. But I have CD Baby, the Airlines, Satellite Radio and Brian Ball's Women;s Radio to thank for that. It has reminded me that it is time to record as the material is already written, I just need to decide what direction I want to go in. Great timing as our garden "to do " list is beginning to shrink.

We thought that we would continue the produce stand until November but it looks like island life does go into hibernation a tad early so we are going to be open in a casual way selling canned goods. For all of you islanders who read this newsletter, feel free to stop by anytime and we will accommodate you. Next week we will provide a list of what we have - much of it will be great for gifts with the holidays coming up. We are still pulling food out of the ground i.e. spinach, heirloom strawberry lettuce, sweet potatoes, herbs, beets, onions, parsnips, tomatoes (if you can believe it - thanks to everything I read about raised gardens), kale, eggplant, cabbage and collards. This last week, Joe canned the green beans, tomato sauce, pickled beets and green tomatoes. I made applesauce, salsa, corn succotash, eggplant puree, green tomato bread, stuffed cabbage and both of us mashed and froze the potatoes - oh wait, let's not forget the pounds of pesto......it continues to be a lot of work but again, incredibly rewarding. (By the way, the eggplant puree is to die for - you could actually use that as a dip or sandwich spread - as I often say - SHUT UP it's so good).

I will continue the newsletter and that is when I will move into some other earth friendly subjects that have struck my fancy. There is so much that I read about that I want to share and of course get feedback on - I am really looking forward to it. I have spoken to my webmaster - the fab Doug Van Slembrouk. He is going to post my two books on my site http://www.katehart.com in the next couple of weeks. I will let you know when they are done so that if you are interested, you can download a chapter at a time - or just leave it online and read it there. Along with that, we are going to get the Magik Nuts website up (I already have orders for 50 lbs) and create a page for Cricket Garden. That too should be done in a couple of weeks.

I do want to apologize if I have ever come off as being a bit preachy. I do have to continue, on a daily basis, to keep a wise ol' saying running through my brain- "Those who know, don't speak. Those who speak, don't know." (Politicians anyone???) My goal will be to take on each newsletter with love and humility with no intention other than to share what I think is interesting but at no time demanding you should think the way that I do. That never gets anyone anywhere does it?

We are going to miss visiting with our wonderful neighbors every week as you come and get your produce. Buddy, our garden cat, will also miss doing his meet and greet at the front of the driveway, welcoming you into his domain, bringing dead mice for all of us to admire and then jumping up on the stand for one last petting extravaganza. With all of these wonderful spring and summer memories, please don't be strangers - it seems that our beautiful garden opened up a little magical door where good intentions could thrive and with that we could make new friends. From one season into the next we send our love and may the fall and winter bring sustenance and peace to your family.