Things I Love: Tiny Pumpkins

I. Love. Tiny. Pumpkins! #adorable #october #punkin #oshun????

A post shared by Amber Shehan (@amberpixiespocket) on Oct 15, 2017 at 10:28am PDT

Howdy!

Here in North Carolina, the winds have been getting stronger and the rains scarce – which is a bit alarming, as those are the same conditions that led to the Smoky Mountain fire last year. I look at California being scorched and weep for them, knowing how awful the smoke and ash can be, knowing how even the safe places are full of red skies and cruel air. I pour water on the ground and pray.

I’ve been praying a lot more than usual lately. I’ve been sending love and energy and money when I can to Puerto Rico, to Texas, to Florida, to everywhere accessible to me. I feel stretched thin and yet determined to do what I can, tangible and intangible, to raise the spirits of those around me. Of all of the ways to handle life right now, falling into despair is not an option.

So when I’m not thinking and working to help, I’m instead working on sharing humor and lightheartedness. I recently got to perform in “Strippin’ and Grinnin’ – a Tribute to Hee Haw” – those folks who follow me on Twitter and Instagram see a bit more of my burlesque and performer side.

My partner in crime tonight, @amberpixiespocket performing as Iona Traylor ????????????????

A post shared by Ella Minnope (@ellaminnope) on Oct 7, 2017 at 6:17pm PDT

The weather shift has been a bit dramatic, where our days are still in the high 70s or early 80s, and the nights in the 40s or 50s. It’s kept my nose raw, my throat dry, my sleep fitful. As uncomfortable as it is, it is a familiar feeling, a thing that I forget about every year until it is Autumn and upon me again.

I’m not the only unsettled and confused creature, either. I’ve got green, lovely tomatoes on my dying vines, and I was about to give up and harvest them green and find ways to use them, but instead, they’ve finally started to turn lovely golds and reds. Phew!

That’s all for now, dears. I hope all is well as can be in this tumultuous time. Ask for what you need, and find comfort as you can!

Sow True Seed is an amazing seed company. They were founded in 2009 with the central mission of developing a regional seed system with open-pollinated vegetable, herb and flower seeds. They offer seeds that are always open-pollinated, untreated and GMO-Free.

They are in their final week of a Kickstarter campaign to build a climate-controlled seed storage facility in Asheville, North Carolina. At the time of writing this, they are 35% behind on their all-or-nothing fundraiser!

Visit their Kickstarter and donate if you can – otherwise, please help spread the word so that heirloom seeds and bio-diversity gets a strong foothold.