Back at the grind May 26, 2009

So I’m getting back to work and am totally lost.  Lol.  After having an extra long weekend I can’t seem to focus properly.  But it was a very nice weekend.  Planted out a bunch of our peppers.  Still need to finish seeding the garden bed out back, plant the tomatoes, eggplants, and others.  I feel like I’m getting a slow start this year but I suppose it’s better than freezing my poor plantlings like I did last year.  

Matt’s truck is working beautifully with the new engine.  It’s good to have the truck back but paying it off it’s going to be fun.  Mums in town visiting.  It’s nice to have her.  A little odd to have someone else in the house again but it’s still good.  I’m thinking I might make black bean tacos for dinner tonight and lunches this week.  Supper easy.

Black bean and Potato tacos.

2 or 3 potatoes

1 or 2 cans of black beans (not drained)

1/2 to 1 onion, chopped

1 to 2 packets of taco seasoning

A few cups of prepared brown rice

Tortilla’s or taco shells

Cheese, Sour cream, Tomatoes, hot sauce, what ever toppings you like.

Microwave the potatoes until they’re just soft.  Let them cool abit and cut into small cubes.

Add a little oil to a pan, saute chopped onions until translucent, add cubed potato and let brown a bit.

Add black beans and taco seasoning.  Adjust the amount of liquid from the beans.  I recommend starting small and adding to get the consistency you want.

Simmer for maybe 5 min to let the flavors come together.

Serve on a hot tortilla or taco shell with a layer of rice, then taco mix, then add cheese and fixings. 

These are really easy and between the beans and rice you have a complete vegetable protein.  And it’s cheap

Wonderful weekend and a visit May 12, 2009

I am so excited!  My Mum is flying down to visit and the end of the month!!!! Mum moved up to Washington to be closer to her family, parents, siblings, cousins are all up there.  But it kind of sucks for us because it’s pretty hard to get up there to see her and none of us have alot of spare cash (understatement).  My little sis and I have been talking about trying to bring her down for a visit for while and it came together this last week.  Mom has 2 weeks off from her job.  Meme is going to be flying Mum down and she’s staying with Matt and I for 2 weeks.  It may be a bit long to have a house guest but we might not have another opportunity to see her for who knows how long.  I’m seriously looking forward to seeing her.

The weekend was lovely too.  On Sunday Matt and I took a picnic and a couple of books out to the mill pond in GrayEgeal.  Still a little too cold for swimming but it was a beautiful day.  The hay bales are starting to decompose well.  One of them had an internal temp of 120!  So they should be ready for planting before long.

Experiments in garden and a dish cloth May 7, 2009

So I’m attempting a gardening method called straw bale gardening.  Basically I’ve hunted down some cheap hay bale and I’m doing to be using them as a growing medium.  The bales are placed on cardboard to keep the weeds down.  Then you water them to encourage decomposition.  Once they’ve cooled off you plant your transplants directly in the bales and grow them there.  The benefits are sort of like with a raised bed, good drainage, easy to reach, not alot of weeds (tho if the bales have seeds they’ll grow and you have to trim them back).  So far I have 13 bales.  I’ve gotten cardboard under several of them.  I’m bringing home some boxes from work today and my little sister works in recycling so she brought me some yesterday.  Once the cardboard is under them I start watering (don’t want them to get too heavy and then add the cardboard).  Since nitrogen speeds up the process I’ve added some fresh horse manure to the tops of the bales and watered that in.  So I guess we’ll see how it does:)

A couple of months ago Matt and I stopped buying paper towels.  Mainly we did it to cut out an expense but so far I only miss them when I’m working on a craft project or when  I want a napkin.  I had some left over cotton thread so this last week I’ve crocetted up some napkin/wipe up towels.  This was the pattern for the one I liked the best.

Chain 22, Turn and single stitch in one back (would be the 21st chain). 

Single stitch all 21 back to end

Chain one to turn. Single stitch in one, chain and skip the next stitch, single stitch in 3, ch skip, single in 5, ch skip, single in 7, ch skip, single in 9, ch skip, single in 11, continue to end of row. 

Chain one turn and repeat on rows until you have the lenght you want.  Then Single stitch 21. 

Work around the edges as you want.  The pattern that I like to add to the edges is a simple ruffle.  Single stitch, chain three, single stitch in next place.  Shells are very nice too.

This pattern is really easy once you get it going and very quick to make.  It comes out looking a little lacy.  Something that really helps me keep the stitches in the right place is that after you’ve done the first row of single chain skips, the yarn of the single stitches will look sort of like a downward v.  Those downward V s are where you put the singles for the rest of the pattern.

New tree and a recipe May 4, 2009

I’ve been looking for a dwarf fruit tree for a while now.  I’ve been trying to be very logical and reasonable and pick my variety then buy.  Yah.  That fell apart on Saturday.  Matt and I were at Walmart and found a semi dwarf apricot tree for $20.  That little voice in my head said ‘this one’.  So I got it.  Turns out my little voice was right as usual.  It’s a Blenheim Apricot and apparently it’s fruit is wonderful.  I think it’s going to be in a pot for this year.  At least until I can get a spot prepared for it.  I’m planning on buying some gooseberry and current bushes too.  Planning on using them as a bit of a hedge. Have to make sure the nursery is still shipping them for this year.  Yay plants.

And now for something completely different-

Supper easy cobbler/dump cake-

2 cans of pineapple or fruit of your choice (I like 1 can of chunks and 1 of crushed pineapple)

1 box of cake mix (I’m very fond of french vanilla)

1 ish sticks of butter.

Heat oven to 350.  Pour canned fruit into a glass baking dish (maybe 8×12?  You want the fruit to be about an inch and a half to 2 inches deep).  Sprinkle the dry cake mix evenly over the top.  Don’t break up lumps or smooth it out.  Cover the top of the cake mix with thin slices of butter.  Place in oven and cook until the top is browned and the fruit very hot.

This turns out so good.  The pineapple gets caramelized, the topping gets beautifully browned and crisp and the section where cake meets fruit is fabulously soft.

Signs of life April 28, 2009

Even with the cold that we’ve had lately there are signs of life in the garden!  W00T!  The arugula is sprouting.  The lettuce and spinach is looking good.  Some of them got a little sunburn when it was really warm one day but they’re ok.  The lemon balm got a bit of that burn too but looks like its recovering nicely.  We have the first leaves of the potatoes popping up and the peas are starting to come out of hiding. 

We also planted out rainbow chard, more mustard and kale and some lettuce.  Sunday we stopped by Moana nursery to meander.  I know I shouldn’t do that but it’s so prettful there.  Anyway we ended up with a peppermint and catnip seeds.  Planted the mint in a pot for now.  I do have one bed where it cant escape that I may put it.  And Matt wanted to take over the catnip so he planted those in a window box and some in the escape proof bed.  The cats are going to love it.  The trick will be keeping the neighborhood cats from killing it

I planted some garlic that had sprouted in the fridge and it’s growing beautifully.  I have to say that green garlic (leaves) have to be one of the most under used and under talked about ingredients ever.  They are so good!  Very garlicky but with a sweet green bright kind of taste.  I don’t think I’m describing it very well but I recommend that everyone try planting some garlic and using the greens.  It’s also nice because you can plant them in spring (if like me you forgot last fall;)

Matt chatted with one of our neighbours last night while he was watering.  They live a couple houses down from us and have just put in a chicken coop.  They were supper impressed by the green garlic and want to do trades for produce once we get things growing.  Fresh veggies for fresh eggs.  Oh Yah!

Lonely in the garden April 21, 2009

Matt’s out of town for work again.  Sigh.  At least this time he was back for 2 whole weeks.  Lol.  For a while there it was one week on one week off.  Oh well.  I have to admit that I like California’s overtime laws alot better but it gets pretty lonely in the garden without someone to talk too.  

I fried some of my seedlings yesterday.  Was hardening off some lettuce, kale, and mustard and left them outside yesterday.  Oops.  I hadn’t realized how hot it was going to get and by the time I  made it home most of the seedlings were crispy critters.  This morning some of them were starting to perk up so we’ll see.  If they don’t I still have some seeds.  I’ll restart the mustard and the kale but may not have time to redo the lettuce before it gets too hot.

My first two tulips are blooming now.  One a satin pink and the other is serbert orange.  I think it’s called Daydreamer.

Happy spring!

Gardening, Plantlings, and Strawberry Jam April 8, 2009

 Made a batch of strawberry jam last night.  Killer good and I’m seriously looking forward to having some toast tonight.  We bought the berries from one of those folks that come up from Sana Cruse or wherever.  Perfect strawberries.  Need to get some over to my sister before they go bad.

Recipe for supper easy strawberry jam.

2 1/4 lb or about 8 cups of small strawberries capped (you can cut some if they’re really big)

4 cups sugar

6 Tbsp lemon juice (juice of 2 lemons)

Layer the strawberries and the sugar.  Cover and leave over night.

Pour strawberries sugar into a pan and add lemon juice.  Bring to a boil while stirring.

Boil aprox 10-15 minuets.  220 on a sugar thermometer or use the wrinkle test (some on a plate that’s chilled for a few minuets will wrinkle on the surface) Leave set for a few minuets to jell the liquid and suspend the fruit.  Stir.

Use standard canning methods.  And a 10 minuet water bath.

 

I’ve also been trying to get in the garden as much as the weather allows.  Planted some spinach and some lettuce.  Bought the transplants.  I have seeds but am starting to run out of space;) and honestly a little overwhelmed with them.  But it’ll be worth it and it’s a generallyfun overwhelmed (unlike work lately)

I have an indoor light system set up this year.  Pretty simple.  I used one of those great big snap together plastic shelving units from Home Depot.  Hung a shop lamp on each one that I can raise or lower with attached chains.   Used 3 inch plastic cups with drainage holes for the pots.   sautering irons are great for making holes in plastic;). Most of my tomato seedlings  are up, don’t have their true leaves yet.  The peppers I started in January look beautiful.  Lavender, johnny jump ups are good.  The cottage pinks, sweet pea and hollyhocks are doing ok.  Some of them haven’t come up so don’t know what’s up with the slow pokes.  May reseed those that didn’t germinate.  The sweet Williams are ok but I can’t quite figure out way they’re so leggy.  They get lots of light, may be just the plant.  Artichokes are busting up.  Pretty seedlings.  Eggplants germinating. 

I seriously can’t wait for the weather to get with the program.  It’s ok temp wise (sort of) but the wind is killing me.  Oh yeah, I also bought pansies.  Need some more color, need to plant them;).  And a great thyme, elfin thyme, the leaves are tiny.  I have potatoes started in a trash can but they haven’t been doing anything.  Actually think that last cold may have killed them off but there seems to be a bit of life.  Planted peas but none have germinated.   It’s probably too cold for them still.  And of course Matt and I are still working on getting the yard together.  This year it’ll be more on the side yard and it’s a challenge with less cash than we’d like. 

Hope all’s well for everyone else.

One indoor project, One garden project March 13, 2009

A couple weeks ago Matt and I finally got around to using the Howard Restore a finish that I’d bought a while back.   One of my coworkers had told me about it when I mentioned that we were looking at refinishing our kitchen cabinets and I really didn’t want to.  The cabinets are ok, but they’re oak so they’d gotten dinged up and a little scratched and water faded.  I was kind of sceptical that the restore-a-finish could do much by just being rubbed in. 

 I was so wrong:)!  It worked incredibly well and didn’t take long at all.  You need the finish stuff, rags or tee shirt pieces, super fine steal wool is helpful, gloves, and some paper towels.  I also laid down newspaper so we didn’t get it on the wood floor.  

Basically you pick the shade that matches closest to your finish, scrub down the cabinets so your not finishing in dirt.   Lay out the newspaper if you’re using it.  And I’d recommend testing it on the back side of a cupboard or somewhere else it wont show.  If you like it, put on gloves and use the rag to rub it into the finish.  The steel wool is helpful to buff out deeper scratches but be gentle with it.  Rub the cabinet then use the paper towels to wipe off any extra residue.  That’s it!  We did the whole (admittedly not huge) kitchen in one day.

 

Garden project.  I really wanted to build raised beds and do everything just so in our side yard this year.  Unfortunately, the economy and fate have decided that we’re going to be broke and struggling for awhile.  I’m still hoping to build some of them but I’ve needed to find some other plans.

A bunch of the areas that I was planing on putting in beds are nothing but weeds right now.  First thing I have to deal with is those weeds, and do it before they take over.  So my current experiment is to use the buckwheat to improve the soil and to out compete the weeds. 

So here’s the plan that I started on yesterday.  In the sections that are weedy and I know I’ll put in  raised beds, I’m turning the weeds over.  Basically shovel them and the dirt up and turn it over to kill the weeds with darkness and any that do turn around should be weakened.  Then in the next few days I’m going to thickly sow the area with buckwheat.  Buckwheat sprouts and grows incredibly quickly, so works really well in out competing weeds.  Most of the buckwheat I’ll till into the ground to improve the structure and add organic material.  In a couple of patches I’ll most likely let it go to seed and collect it for next year.

Gods it feels good to be in the garden again.! even if the only thing growing so far is the weeds:)

White chili March 5, 2009

I absolutely adore white chili!  Perfect recipe for a cold snowy day in March and it doesn’t take a lot of work to make.  Here’s the recipe, amounts fed 4 of us last night and Matt and I will have it for dinner tonight as well.

1lb ground turkey breast

1 onion chopped

2cans white beans- white navy or white kidney

2 small cans of diced jalapenos- you can adjust this to your hearts content.  Or use fresh ones but it wont be as spicy.

2 cubes of chicken bullion

1 large tub of sour cream

1 large bunch of fresh cilantro, chopped

Brown up the turkey (I like to get it really brown) in a stock pot.  Add onions and saute until tender.  Add in the chicken bullion, both cans of white beans (don’t drain), and the peppers.  Turn stove down and simmer till most of the liquid is gone.  Stir in sour cream and chopped cilantro.  Heat it back up but don’t let it boil again.

To make the veggitarian version, leave out turkey, saute oinons, add about half mash the white beans.  Other than that, you follow the same recipe.

 

This is killer good, takes maybe 30 to 45 minutes and is perfect with cornbread and honey or french bread.

Hopeful spring February 27, 2009

Been a crazy couple weeks.  Matt’s truck died, tax issues, our mortgage company forgot we paid them, the wind storm took the old fence pretty much down.  But I’m actually over the worst parts of it.  I feel like things are going to be ok again, I like can handle this.  Much better feeling than panicy fear and stress. 

 

So I’m gearing up for some planting and growing garden fun.  It’s still been too cold to do anything.  But I got my peppers started.  Last year they took forever.  I have some mustard, lettuce, kale and basil started.  I wanted to get the cool weather plants out this year while it’s still cool. (Crazy concept I know;)) And the basil, well I’ve still not managed to grow that from seed yet.  It’s up tho!  so that’s a start, now we just have to see how long it’ll live for me:).  I’m really hoping for some nice weather soon.  I need to weed, and still have beds to get put in for planting.  That and now I really  need to replace that side section of fence. 

I’m still waiting for the seeds I ordered for Christmas.  Please don’t order from heriloomseeds.com unless you have the patientsto wait months.  They have good prices but I’m about ready to lose it waiting for them.  They didn’t even send the package until I sent Matt at them.  Grrr.  Oh well.  Now I know and I’ve been checking companies out on garden watchdog before considering them.  

 

I made myself a new seed starting set up and so far it’s working well.  I bought one of those plastic shelving units at Home Depot.  It’s 7Hx 3wx ? deep.  And they I bought a couple of cheap shop lights and used chain and S hooks to make the lights able to raise and lower .  The bulbs are just standard florescent.  From all of the research I’ve been doing you don’t need grow bulbs for seeds.  Those are really meant for plants that will never go outside.  So far it’s working great.  Tho, the shelves are 3 ft and if you want 3 foot lights you’ll pay 3times the price of the four foot ones.  So they have a bit of over hang.

 

And joy of joys!!!  There are crocus blooming in my front yard!  There are 6 of the pale lilac colored ones in bloom and lots of them showing up.  The tulips are starting up too.  I’m so excited to see something growing again that I did a happy dance all around the house.

Happy it’s spring and Hopeful that things will get better.