The kids and I have been working on a name for our farm. I like to name things. I think it gives meaning to things and endears them to you. You tend to take care of something that is personalized more than nameless objects. When I go out hiking in the hills, I tend to name off all the plants that I do know, and it brings me a satisfaction to know what they are called. All the rest of the plants are just a blur of nothingness-- greenery in the background. Some things shouldn't have names like chickens you plan on eating, unless they are called Stew-pot or Sunday dinner. But we had a rooster we called Stew-pot, and it was still a name for him because when we ate him the kids asked if we were eating "Stew-pot" for dinner. I don't think I will give names to anymore of our eating animals.
So, we are trying to name our farm. A while back I wrote lists of words on our white board in the kitchen, and we tried combining them to make cool sounding names for the farm. We never came up with anything and eventually the list was erased. So today I put on our "To do" list that we would name our farm. Then had each person write what they thought the name should be. Here is our list:
Dad- "Home" (He doesn't think we need a name-- but how can you have acreage and NOT have a name for it?)
Mom- Sage Meadow Farm, or Sweet Woodruff Acres, or something else better!
Cora- Loving Acres (cute!)
Ian- Sagebrush Hill (But he doesn't claim this name because he doesn't want to participate either.)
Eleanor- Piney Creek (which sounds really cute, but we have no pines and no creek-- though I had a premonition that we would dig down and find a spring in our yard, so maybe if we planted some pines and dug for water we might fit the name? Wishful thinking)
Cedric- Green Orchard ( I thought that was really creative. His suggestion when I first mentioned that I wanted to name the place was "Weedy Field," which, indeed it is that at the present moment, but I explained that we need to think up a name of what we want it to be, so it will become something better than what it is.)
Everett- *Grunt** *Squeek**
There is our list of suggestions. None of them really jump out at me. The kids are off in fairy land, and don't care at the moment. This is almost like naming a baby. It is that hard to find the perfect name. I guess, like baby, the perfect name will come in time.
I am so happy to know someone in the family is doing this! Yes, yes your old uncle is still kicking. Having a little piece of ground is a good thing...when you are ready to plant a few native plant species , let me know. I have access to some nice plants and would love to share them with you.
ReplyDeleteIt is good to hear from you Graham. I would love to get some native species because the area we are in is really close to a canyon on the foothills and we get all kinds of wildlife through our yard. I would also love to sit and learn from all of your experience in farming, beekeeping, agriculture, and all else!! I am such a city girl living a farm dream, and have no real experience. But I'm loving it so far.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to hear you have the gardening gene...it does run in our family. Your mom is a good example of that. I'll bring you some good plants next spring. Deb and I like to go to Lava so we are often in your neighborhood and would love to see your farm. I would also like to send you a book I have on using native plants in the landscape. I'll warn you, once you read it you may want to rip out all of your bluegrass. But, save a little for the kids to play on. Email me your address and I'll put it in the mail.
ReplyDeleteI am excited! Come and visit anytime, though don't expect much yet. The place needs a lot of work. I'll email the address.
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