Category Archives: Donna Hamill – author

Donna Hamill - author, Garden, Hot weather gardening

Re-thinking Life during the Pandemic

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Stay-at-home . . .

I listened anxiously a couple days ago as Arizona’s Governor Ducey extended the stay-at-home order for the Coronavirus pandemic through May 15. For the past 30 days, this has been a familiar piece of legislation limiting the number of people in a building, social distancing, and leaving home only for necessary items.

I’m 62-years old, and I’ve never seen anything like this. The past few months have been eye-opening. Certainly, I’m not the only person re-thinking life.

As a community of people, we tend to get stuck in everyday living—work, school, church, and friends, forgetting that life can turn on a dime for any number of reasons. A pandemic, war, or ecological collapse. “That is not possible,” we tell ourselves.

Now, we know it is.

So, what do we do about it? Continue reading Re-thinking Life during the Pandemic →

Craft, Crochet, Donna Hamill - author, Event, Garden, Macrame

Saturday Fair and Plant Sale (Oct 29)

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015 Jewelry

Macrame

My book, Baskets for Butterflies.

Come join the fun!

Free Admission

Metro Tech Fall Festival and Plant Sale

October 29 (Sat)

Metro Tech High School
1900 W. Thomas Rd., Phoenix
(Corner of Thomas and 19 Ave.)

8am-1pm

My daughter and I will be dressed like hippies! Continue reading Saturday Fair and Plant Sale (Oct 29) →

Baskets for Butterflies, Donna Hamill - author, Event, Garden, Macrame

Fall Garden Festival and Plant Sale (Oct 29)

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My daughter, Tiffany, and I will be at this event with bells on, literally — dressed as Hippies (my old leather-strip vests, ankles of jeans split up the sides, headbands, and more).

But we won’t come alone, we’ve been busy making all sorts of crafts which we will have for sale. We’ve reserved two adjoining spaces to accommodate all of the great stuff!

Jewelry

Macrame

My book, Baskets for Butterflies.

Come join the fun!

Free Admission

………………………………………

About the event:

October 29 (Sat)

Plants grown by Maricopa County Master Gardeners, Metro Tech students and invited growers.

  • Food, fashion, gardening implements and more from Metro Tech student clubs.
  • Garden accessories from local garden clubs and vendors.

This premier Valley gardening event also features trained Master Gardeners providing how-to demonstrations and expert advice to help your plants succeed. The fundraiser supplements Metro Tech’s student programs, and supports community outreach and education by Maricopa County Master Gardeners, under the auspices of the University of Arizona’s Continuing Education and Extension program.

Metro Tech High School
1900 W. Thomas Rd., Phoenix
(Corner of Thomas and 19 Ave.)

Donna Hamill - author, History, Nature

Writing a New Book

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Mesquite in the sunLiving on acreage in the middle of nowhere sometimes leaves me out of touch with the modern world.

For example, during a recent planning meeting for an event, the facilitator turned out the lights and began a computer presentation on some sort of digital board. I’ve never seen this contraption before. At one point, I attempted to help the instructor erase the chalkboard. (No kidding!)

I’ve never felt completely at ease with the year in which I was born. Surely, I should have lived during some prior time—some earlier generation, or even century.

Continue reading Writing a New Book →

Baskets for Butterflies, Craft, Crochet, Donna Hamill - author, Event, Macrame

Metro Tech Fall Festival and Plant Sale

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MacrameTulip1Mark your calendars for plants, crafts, and Groovy fun!

October 29 (Sat) from 8am – 1pm

Of course, I’ll have my book, Baskets for Butterflies.

But that’s not all . . . In honor of my macramé items, I’m going to celebrate the 1960’s and 70’s by dressing up as a hippie!

Friendship1Where did I find the clothes? (My closet). Where did I wear them? (West High School, which was the original name for Metro Tech High.) There are more embarrassing details below, but here’s the event info first:

Metro Tech High School
1900 W. Thomas Rd., Phoenix
(NW corner of Thomas Rd. and 19 Ave.)
October 29 (Sat) from 8am – 1pm

Admission is free.

Continue reading Metro Tech Fall Festival and Plant Sale →

Donna Hamill - author, History

WWII Veteran and Volunteer

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Steve, a WWII veteran, worked by my side for 15 years at a local non-profit organization.

I was a paid-staff member, and he was a volunteer, serving 40 hours per week. (You didn’t misread that sentence. Steve worked alongside of me for 15 years, all day every day as a volunteer!)

This remarkable man was also my friend.

The following recollection is a true story.

* * *

In the Basement

 

 

 

Baskets for Butterflies, Donna Hamill - author

2015 New Mexico-Arizona Book Awards

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2015 FinalistBaskets for Butterflies

Places as Finalist in

2015 New Mexico – Arizona Book Awards

 

In the garden . . .

“Gnome, where are you!”

I hold several white papers close to my breast as I run, so the precious sheets don’t tear in my excitement. The awkward position puts my body off balance, causing me to wobble while racing to the garden . . . a little jump over the first dry creek bed, across the soft mulched orchard, and then another hop over the second bare sandy watercourse. I wonder, not for the first time, about why I put my planting bed in the back section of acreage. Continue reading 2015 New Mexico-Arizona Book Awards →

Baskets for Butterflies, Donna Hamill - author, Folklore

Heirloom seeds, garden knowledge, and folklore.

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My garden buddyIt’s Saturday, I’m standing at my vendor’s table at the Fall Festival and Plant Sale at Metro Tech High School.

 

“Are you familiar with heirloom vegetables?” I ask a female attendee?

“Yes, those plants are . . . old, right?”

Most people who stop by to chat with me understand that heirlooms are living antiques. Many also have heard that varieties are becoming extinct on a massive scale. However, few attendees have a clue that, not only are heirloom plants threatened, but also are the methods for growing, caring for, and harvesting the crops . . . along with rich cultural traditions, beliefs, and folklore associated with these endangered gems. Continue reading Heirloom seeds, garden knowledge, and folklore. →

Baskets for Butterflies, Donna Hamill - author, Event

Weekend Events (Oct 10/11)

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Table BannerThis weekend you can join me at this event

 

Rocker 7 Farm Patch in Buckeye (Fall Festival & farmers’ market)
I have a vendor table (selling & signing Baskets for Butterflies) from 9am-6pm. Stop by and talk to me about gardening.

I’m teaching a class at noon (Heirloom Gardening). I’m bringing a Tohono O’odham Multiplier Onion to display. This endangered onion was brought to Arizona by Father Kino in the 1600s. Learn more about this rare but tough little plant–and why you should grow it.

Oct 10/11 (Sat/Sun):
19601 W. Broadway Rd. (Buckeye)

Look for my yellow and blue table banner.

See you there!

Baskets for Butterflies, Donna Hamill - author, Event, Garden

Join me at these events!

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Donna Hamill, authorLook for me and my book, Baskets for Butterflies,
at these garden events.

 

 

 

 

 

Oct 10/11 (Sat/Sun):
Rocker 7 Farm Patch (Fall Festival & farmers’ market
19601 W. Broadway Rd.  (Buckeye)
I have a vendor table (selling & signing books) from 9am-6pm
I’m teaching a class at noon (Heirloom Gardening/also selling & signing Baskets for Butterflies)

Oct 17 (Sat)
Metro Tech Fall Festival and Plant Sale
1900 W. Thomas Rd. (Phoenix)
I have a vendor table (selling & signing books) from 8am-1pm

Oct 18 (Sun)
Rocker 7 Farm Patch (Fall Festival & farmers’ market)
19601 W. Broadway Rd. (Buckeye)
I’m teaching a class at noon (Heirloom Gardening/also selling & signing Baskets for Butterflies)

Oct 24/25 (Sat/Sun)
Rocker 7 Farm Patch (Fall Festival & farmers’ market)
19601 W. Broadway Rd. (Buckeye)
I’m teaching a class at noon (The Fall Garden/also selling & signing Baskets for Butterflies)

Oct 31/Nov 1 (Sat/Sun)
Rocker 7 Farm Patch (Fall Festival & farmers’ market)
19601 W. Broadway Rd. (Buckeye)
I’m teaching a class at noon (Seed Saving/also selling & signing Baskets for Butterflies)

Nov 7/8 (Sat/Sun)
Rocker 7 Farm Patch (Fall Festival & farmers’ market)
19601 W. Broadway Rd. (Buckeye)
I’m teaching a class at noon (Garden Mistakes/also selling & signing Baskets for Butterflies)

I hope to see you there!

Baskets for Butterflies, Donna Hamill - author, Event, Garden

Preparing for the Upcoming Fall Festival (Oct 17)

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Newly planted onionsEach year, Metro Tech High School coordinates with the Maricopa County Master Gardeners to present the Fall Festival and Plant Sale (Phoenix).

Once again, Gnome’s Heirloom Garden will host a vendor table at this popular event, scheduled for Saturday, October 17. I’ll bring lots of books to sell and sign. My daughter (and editor), Tiffany, will also join me.

In the meantime, I’ll be nurturing these cups full of Tohono O’odham I’itoi Multiplying onions (newly planted and not yet spouted). Some will be for my table (possibly for sale) and the others donated to the plant sale.

Since master gardeners host the event, many of the plants available are rare and unusual (like my onions).

Don’t miss this!

Baskets for Butterflies, Donna Hamill - author, Poultry

Knight of the Realm

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Buff Orpington“Chickens bond with each other, just as people do.”

____________

While feeding the chickens, I enter a separate pen to check on the baby cockerels. They’re big boys, now—not babies. Each day I study them closely, mentally measuring their bulk against the openings in the chain-link of the main chicken coop.

I grab the closest guy. “Are you too big to slip through the mesh? I’d hate to lose you.”

We exit the small pen together, and the gate closes behind me. Then I put him on the ground inside the main coop.

The cockerel immediately tries to get back into the enclosure with his brothers, pacing back and forth testing the wire fence. His siblings do the same dance on the other side, trying to get to him. They want to be together. Continue reading Knight of the Realm →

Antiques, Baskets for Butterflies, Donna Hamill - author

My Friend Bonnie

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donna and I-L 3- Clocks-1-L 57 cat-1-L 58 table detail-1-L 53 chandelier-1-LBonnie Wright scared me to death when I first met her.

I was employed for fifteen years with a local non-profit. Most of that time, Bonnie was the CEO of that organization. She never gave me any reason to be frightened. In fact, this lady was an awesome, intelligent, and caring CEO; I have fond memories of my employment. But I was just a little country girl employed at a lowly position, and she was—well, CEO. At the time, the gap between our social stations seemed overwhelming—to me, anyway. Over time, Bonnie’s warm personality melted my unwarranted fear, and we developed a lasting friendship.

So Bonnie and her friend, Mary, visited my homestead earlier this month. She brought along a professional-level camera (a nice change from my plastic point-and-shoot). Before they left, Bonnie said she would send me the pictures; I gave them an endangered Tohono O’odham I’itoi onion to take home.

Bonnie is now a professional photographer. Her work reflects the quality and excellence that she devotes to everything she does.

Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing some of the photos she took at my little farm. Here is the first installment, entitled, “Our Home.”

The following excerpt from my book, Baskets for Butterflies, describes our house and property. Continue reading My Friend Bonnie →

Baskets for Butterflies, Donna Hamill - author

Baskets for Butterflies now available to Metro Tech students.

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Ready for checkout
Ready for checkout

It can be at your local school, too!

My editor (and daughter), Tiffany, has donated two copies of my book to Metro Tech High School in Phoenix. We plan to distribute many more books to schools across the valley along with my offer to speak to young people about heirloom gardening, homesteading, or self-publishing.

I would be equally thrilled for anyone else to purchase a copy or two and make this same donation to their local school. My offer to speak is open to any school in Maricopa County.

Donna Hamill - author, Garden, Goats, Nature, Poultry

Gnome’s Heirloom Garden enters a new year with some surprises!

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Harvested with stemsBeing a brand-new website, I expected the readership of GHG to be almost exclusively local. What a wonderful surprise this morning when I receive the 2014 site summary from WordPress.com documenting the countries of origin for the site’s audience.

That’s 48 countries in all!
Most visitors came from The United States. Brazil & Italy were not far behind.

Wow! Thank you all for joining my family (and Gnome) in our humble Arizona garden. Of course, the real star is our rare onion friend, the Tohono O’odham I’itoi. It is he who drew the most visitors-and that’s exactly how it should be.

Read more about Tohono O’odham I’itoi multiplying onions.

Baskets for Butterflies, Donna Hamill - author

Paperback Released!

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Can a garden gnome really come to life to help me?
Can a garden gnome really come to life to help me?

Baskets for Butterflies

(Kindle format available, too.)

Purchase:
http://amzn.com/B00OSER3PO

I finished formatting the inside text and cover layout of my paperback book last month. Then I ordered a sample copy, called a ‘proof,’ which gave me a chance to view the product in physical form before approving it.

My feet paced the floor, waiting for that treasure to arrive in the mail. When the package finally came, it felt heavy in my hands. I was afraid to open it. This was the first time I had formatted a book. Continue reading Paperback Released! →

Donna Hamill - author, sticky post

. . . is a real place.

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Donna_1My husband and I own a small homestead in Buckeye, Arizona. We raise heritage turkeys, chickens, and dairy goats.
My passion is growing heirloom (antique) vegetables in an organic garden, but I struggle in the summer when the temperature of the sand rises to 145 degrees. Many of my seeds are borrowed from the ancient ancestors of the local Native Americans, who planted them generation after generation, until the treasures became acclimated to the hot, dry, alkaline conditions of the low desert.
What will I do if these seeds become extinct?

_________________________
I need a mentor,
so I make a wish under a
magical mesquite tree.
_________________________

Is a gnome living in my garden?
You’ll have to decide for yourself.
In the meantime, keep an eye out for my first book, Baskets for Butterflies. Laugh at my funny mistakes and discover how a garden gnome teaches me environmentally-friendly methods for saving endangered seeds.