Upcoming Classes & Garden Tips
March 23 – Conscious Collaboration with Spirit
April 6 – Birds & Ducks / Habitat & Science
April 27 – Pie Making
To register & pay for any classes go to our new website www.cultusbaygardens.com
Conscious Collaboration with Spirit –
Instructor ~ Leah Meridoc Nguyen
Students in last years class
Saturday, March 23 ~ 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Leah Meridoc Nguyen, BFA, MSW
175.00 – Delicious lunch, pie, snacks & journal included
Class limit 10
4 spaces available
This class may sound unusual however it is actually very practical and can be used for an assortment of projects.
Despite the detailed photos of Leah’s own work this technique can be used for a wide variety of areas you are working on – from your business, garden, writing to any kind of art/craft work you do.
This technique can be very helpful in making the best choices as to were to plant something and what nutrients it needs.
I had some long suffering roses in a new bed and couldn’t tell what they required to thrive. I observed while Leah used her technique which involves muscle testing to determine what nutrients were required and which plants would be the best companion plants.
Others that came to last year’s class were working on books they were writing, their garden, art work, or developing a new venture.
Each participant was excited to incorporate the technique in their personal work.
Leah muscle tests for amendments in my cutting area.
Learn to consciously collaborate with your soul and beings of Nature to create work that is personally fulfilling, brings soul-level knowledge and truth into form, and is in balance with Nature.
Participants will: define the purpose of their own work, learn to establish connection to their team of collaborators, notice how they receive guidance, practice energy testing, outline a question matrix, and begin a collaborative creation.
Detail from a soul pattern portrait by Leah Nguyen
Materials:
A new journal and pencil will be provided for your project.
Bring any other tools you need for your work, E.G. if you will be working on a garden project bring a map of the space you will be planning with measurements & plant list. If you will be working on an art project bring the materials you might use…
Optional – a laptop tablet for documenting your process if you work better that way or want to create and editable document.
About the instructor: Leah is an artist-healer, mother, and social worker living in Seattle. She treats portraits of individual’s soul energy in collaboration with Nature and the soul that the portrait portrays. The process she uses can be applied to all human endeavors: any visual art, music, writing, gardening, science experiment, project planning, etc.
Website: www.planetpaintpeople.com
Instagram: @planetpaintpeople
Article: Hilma af Klint and Emma Kunz: Conscious Collaboration with Spirit: http://temporaryartreview.com/hilma-af-klint-and-emma-kunz-conscious-collaboration-with-spirit/
For more information or questions about this class or partial scholarship options you mail email Leah Nguyen directly at:
Birds & Ducks / Habitat & Science
Dr Frank Rohwer – President and Chief Scientist Delta Waterfowl Bismark North Dakota and Dr Sievert Rohwer – Professor and Curator of Birds Burke Museum ~ Emeritus University of Washington
Sarurday, April 6, 2019, 9am – 2pm
$195.00
Drawing on 100 years! of combined experience in the field and teaching at university as well many research projects Frank and Sievert are a font of information and have fascinating stories of birds, ducks, habitats and numerous tidbits of information only many years of research and teaching can provide.
We will begin the morning setting up mist nets ( a harmless way to catch birds ). Sievert will explain why and how they are used and you’ll get to see various birds up close before we release them.
A walk around the extensive pond and trail system on Sievert’s property will lead us to duck and geese nesting locations along with history on the habitat of the forest.
We’ll head back to the house for a tasty lunch in the expansive living dining room which looks out to the large house pond ( usually has geese nesting there ).
Frank has a stunning slide show of ducks and research work he’s been in charge of over the years.
You’ll be able to ask all kinds of questions and probably get some surprising answers from these two very experienced and interesting guys.
Sievert Rohwer was curator of birds for many years at the Burke Museum and responsible for innovations in the collection which continue to help many scientists in their research.
To be prepared boots or shoes for muddy paths, rain-gear & warm layers are suggested in case the weather is a bit funky.
A favorite goose nesting site at one of the 4 ponds on Sievert’s property.
House pond at Sievert’s ~ which can be seen from living room/kitchen/porch
Hard to spot but there are a pair of geese who’re are preparing for nesting on this pond.
A process called ‘yoking’ is taking place at this time. The female goose eats grass literally all day providing the needed protein for egg production. The gander stands guard all day while she eats and feeds in the evening for the protein he needs to sustain himself. A tidbit I heard from Sievert….
Come join these amazing brothers for a memorable day and pick up more surprising tidbits.
Pie Making
Mary Fisher – instructor
Saturday, April 27th
1- 3 pm
$65.00 – includes all supplies and a slice of pie with tea or coffee
The best pies are known for their crusts – so why use store bought when you can master this?
We will use organic raspberries ( frozen from our garden ) and apples for the class pies
Pie making is one of the best things I learned from my mom – who really didn’t like to cook – and was very fond of desserts!
Her recipe for crust has taken me through decades of spreading joy among friends, family & folks I only casually know but seem to need some heart-felt love and recognition.
I find sharing a pie gets right to the heart of things – food made with love, often with home grown fruits, and sweetened just enough to call it dessert but not overly sweet.
After many requests to teach my pie technique I’m ready to offer this for the first time ( outside of private lessons to children ).
We will begin the class by having a slice of my pie with tea or coffee with some pie focused conversation.
Each person will make an apple / raspberry pie which you will take home to bake.
Starting with the crust – which really is foolproof – you will learn the tricks of mixing and rolling it out.
I’ll discuss some of my favorite fruit pie combos. You will leave empowered to spread the joy of giving a home baked pie to your friends, family or someone in a tough spot.
If these kids ( great niece and nephews ) came make a killer pie on the first try I bet you can too.
They were very pleased with the results as well as the fruit sampling they did throughout the process.
Henry Maier, Niko Rohwer and Adele Rohwer were all excellent students.
Gardening Tips
Overgrown is putting it mildly – Lonicera Baggesons Gold growing way up into my Chestnut Burr Rose.
Most gardens can get out of control unless you stay on top of it regularly. Busy lives, illness, bad backs, grandchildren can all distract us from staying on top of what we so lovingly put into our gardens. Or in my case hastily put in thinking I’d move it elsewhere ’soon’ but wanted to get it out of the pot.
Don’t beat yourself up – just try to look with fresh eyes and see what you want to do. Access what’s realistic to do given where you are in your life.
Lonicera got pruned out completely ( cashed in a gift certificate from my brother for helping in garden ) which make the amazing bark and form show up again.
By taking a bold move and deciding it was time to say adios to the lonicera this whole bed will look very different. I’m going to let the hellebores naturalize and add more snowdrops and some narcissus for spring color.
Chestnut Burr Rose, Rosemary Willow ( planted in wrong place ) & Dawn Redwood all got some big pruning.
This area now feels much better to me – still aways to go as I’m going to delete the lonicera so it can’t run up into the rose and surrounding plants. It served it’s purpose well for many a year but I didn’t keep up with it’s height.
When working on your garden think about what you want to look at and what’s feasible to do.
This is the next area for radical pruning – the boxwoods are far to big for ease of passing.
Besides how scrappy the boxwoods will look after a huge hair cut the past i’ll miss the most is the grandkids looking for eggs held up by these sturdy shrubs. But have to think ahead and know next year the bunny will love these plants again.
Also looking forward to being able to use the path without getting my pant legs wet.
Once the crocus start blooming it’s generally a safe time to prune boxwoods. I’d still hold off on things like rosemary or lavender cotton ( santolina incant ) or sage until we are sure all our hard frosts are done.
I still offer garden design consults and do some pruning for folks if trees aren’t too tall.
Sometimes you just need encouragement from another set of eyes whose been gardening and doing this for many years. Giving yourself permission to make some radical moves.
Happy Gardening
Hope to see you at some of our wonderful classes!
Mary Fisher
Cultus Bay Gardens
7568 Cultus Bay Rd
Clinton WA
Whidbey Island
info@cultusbaygardens.com
IG @cultusbaygardens
360-579-2320