Elegant Blessings

Oops....

2012-05-31T07:41:00.001-07:00

It's a really long story [excuse] as to why I didn't get the garden pictures taken OR posted yesterday. At about 9 o'clock last night I said to the Irishman--CRAP! I forgot to take my garden pictures today! And he looked at me like I was nuts and said, so take 'em tomorrow. You can imagine the look I gave him when I said, WEDNESDAYS wonderful world of garden???? On THURSDAY ???? And he just shook his head.

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SO, here it is Thursday morning. And cool, cool, cool. Looks like it's gonna rain any minute, which would be fine with me. Not that anything is in dire need of watering right now. I just like rain.

The chickens are out and fed and watered. The other assorted and sundry critters are tended. The coffee is made and I have finished off the cantaloupe. Last nights supper was a big plate of potatoes and eggs and toast and chunked cantaloupe that needed eating. It was heavenly. However, when Mr Man got it out to put some in his lunch this morning, he left it out on the counter and rather than try to find a spot for it, I just ate it. Wasn't really that much of it left anyway...

Okay--here's the garden this morning...

Lettuces-the bronze romaine and the green leaf are both doing fine.

Between last weeks storm and the cats, the onions get a little bent out of shape, but are growing well.

French Breakfast Radishes

Edamame !! (weeded and everything)

Potatoes are starting to flower...this one is one of our seed potatoes from last years garden.

Snow peas..climbing the string trellis

Blue Lake Bush Beans..mmm...we love our green beans around these parts...

I love the look of these garlic chives flowering...

The tomatoes all snug in their little straw bed mulch.

One of two eggplants I put in a few days ago..

Butternut squash

Butterbeans!! Growing up the teepee poles just like they're s'posed to !!

These little cukes are planted in the center of the teepee, because cucumbers love pole beans...they're in both teepees...

Close up of the butters!!

OKRA!!

And that's the end of the vegetable portion of our program. I didn't get a shot of the quinoa, because it's out front and the grass was wet. lol

Here are some of my deck pots though...

Rosemary

The Mothers day Herb pot

Mixed pot with ivy, geranium and million bells petunias

And the colorful hardy vincas that can weather these hot dry summers like a miracle.

And there you have it...Thursdays Wednesdays garden tour. lol

I'm off to sit with my neighbor for a few hours...it's still chilly here and hasn't rained yet. Looks like any minute though....the AC is off and the windows are open...ahhh...midwestern summers.

Namaste.

Tuesdays Tales

2012-05-29T23:30:00.001-07:00

Had a lovely day. Got my house cleaned up, got my laundry all washed and hung out on the line to dry, and even got it all back in again. lol A good day indeed.

I don't know what's going on with me...I have been so emotional the past day or two. Today I was sitting on the couch taking a break and that darn ASPCA ad came on with Sarah McLaughlin singing...I turned the volume off even. But just seeing the faces of those poor abandoned and abused animals got me crying. Sheesh. Then later, after the husband came home and we had dinner...he was going in the other room and I said I love you...and he said-I love you too, sweetums. And all I could think was that today when he called me on his lunch break he said, (like he always says) Hey babe...how are ya?? And every time he leaves a message on my voice mail, it's babe or honey or sweetums or beautiful...and I started to cry...because I was thinking--20 years, and he still calls me sweetums. 20 years and he still loves me as much as he did in the beginning. And here I am...I'm mean and I'm grouchy and I'm impatient all the time. Surely I don't deserve this. And I sat there and blubbered like a baby. He came back in the room and said--Hey, what's wrong?? And of course all I can do is sniffle and snort and say, nothing's wrong. I just don't know how this happened. And he's like--how what happened? talk to me, babe... And--do you see how ridiculous this is? LOL

Must be the planetary alignment or something making me all goofy like this.

Our anniversary is in 2 weeks. Maybe that's part of it too. Sweet lord. I may not live through this year....lol

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Made a wonderful stir fry for supper, with brown rice and corn on the cob. lol Corn, because when I shopped last week, I bought 4 ears. And when he stopped to pick up some Napa Cabbage for me, he bought 4 ears as well. But it was so good, loaded with veggies...red onion, garlic scapes and cloves, brussels sprouts, zucchini, red cabbage, snow peas, organic carrots and celery, red and green bell pepper, cauliflower and broccoli, seasoned with dried basil, sea salt and cracked black pepper. Cooked in a little sesame oil. It was really good...bursting with all those fresh flavors. And I was really hungry, after laboring mightily all day.

After supper, we went out and planted 2 eggplants and about 15 cucumbers. Weeded a little. Checked the progress of everything. I am not real happy with those new sweet potatoes I got. I may replace them when Pappy's has the Beauregards in a week or two. Everything else looks marvelous. The edamame got weeded yesterday before the storm and it looks really good now. The tomatoes are ready to be staked, that will go on tomorrows list.

My big list for tomorrow is mowing. And making granola bars. And finish up the planting with the lemon grass, sage and rosemary that are sitting on my kitchen island. That's it. (she said ruefully) It will be a full day... This weekend is my family reunion, and my husband just informed me that he mistakenly rescheduled the District Meeting for that day. So, he won't be going to the reunion with me. Which means that I may go down a day earlier than planned and spend some extra time with my family, since he'll be here to care for the animals. He's more upset about it than I am....lol

Okay. I'm about ready to hit the hay. I worked hard today and it's late.

Have a good Wednesday, everyone. I'm still recuperating from being out in the sun all day Monday...

Namaste.

Howling llike a tornado...

2012-05-28T22:24:00.001-07:00

It's late Monday night. It isounds like a massive storm out there. I suddenly realized that I couldn't remember the Irishman putting up the chickens, so I got a flashlight and went out. The coop was open. The wind is howling and the lightning is in big circular arcs in the sky. As scary as it was to walk across the yard and open that steel fencing and gate, I got the chickens closed up. The trees are swaying and cracking.

The rain is just now coming...and it sounds like a monsoon. I brought my rosemary pot in (it's on a stand and I knew it would blow over.) and I'm thinking that I should go out and take down my hanging baskets off the front porch. Problem is, I can't reach them without a l;adder. And I am sure as hell not standing on an aluminum ladder in this mess. lol I wanted rain, but I don't want my garden plants and fruit trees damaged !!

This is going to hopefully break this hot streak we've had. Today was a barn burner too...

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We went to a bbq with some friends today. It was nice...I took baked beans. So I ate that and chips and some salad and a chicken leg. So far, no bad effects from it. Keeping my fingers crossed, and drinking lots of water. The Irishman pigged out and almost went into a meat coma on the drive home. (Luckily, I was driving!) He had a burger, a bratwurst, a hot dog and some chicken. hmmm....Turns out that on his weekend hikes with his buddy, he is eating meat all the time. sigh...he's the one who (for several years) has been saying we should stop eating meat...what's wrong with this picture???? I still don't want to eat it, and what he does is his business...but still.

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I had better get off here. It sounds like it's hailing out there, but I just looked out the front door and I guess it's all debris.

I'll be back tomorrow.

Decoration Day weekend...

2012-05-27T19:33:00.000-07:00

Fresh lemonade was one of my dad's favorite things, and today, in his memory, I made some fresh lemonade. Sort of. Actually, I used lemons, limes and cara cara oranges, which have a deep pinkish orange fruit and are sweet as all get out. The two quart jars are back-ups, and plain. The big gallon jar is an herbal lemonade...complete with anise hyssop (which tastes more like sassafras than anise to me), white and purple clovers, dandelions and a few honeysuckle flowers. And the flowers off my basil. And sweetened with a combination of agave and local honey. It is extremely refreshing and tastes just heavenly. BUT--next time i think I'll leave out the limes, because they are a little bitter. But strawberries or raspberries would be good, wouldn't they?

I love playing with flavors like this. I wonder how a lemon and rosemary drink would be? I like those two together on fish....

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My father was a member of an Army contingent called the Blue Devils. They apparently stormed their way across Italy and Europe during WWII wreaking havoc and establishing freedom. Not that he hardly ever talked about his time in the service, except to say that he was proud to be a member of the US Army and that he did what any American would do. His oldest brother Willard was killed paratrooping in France. His other brother was in the service as well. My youngest brother was also in the Army. My husband joined the Marine Corps when he was 18. My father in law was a sailor with the US Navy.

On this day, I want to remember them all with gratitude for serving their country. I have a deep and abiding respect for anyone who is this selfless, who is willing to go to any lengths to ensure that we can continue to live a life of freedom and liberties and the pursuit of happiness.

So, in memory of all who served, and continue to serve...I thank you.

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It's been an interesting weekend. It's been scorching hot with temps hovering near, but not quite getting to, 100. Too hot to do much of anything in the way of yard work, which desperately needs doing. The grass needs mowed-it's looking raggedy out there. The edamame is getting big enough now that there's no excuse for not weeding that bed. The beans , tomatoes, potatoes and butterbeans have all been mulched with straw. (We are now officially out of straw.) Saturday night we went to the movies and saw Men In Black 3. It was entertaining, as expected. Tommy Lee Jones is starting to look a little old in this one, lol. Today we went to a Spring Festival for a few hours. It was nice, lots of arts and crafts. But hot. At least there was a bit of a breeze blowing. Then we came home and had a nice picnic type supper of grilled corn on the cob, leftover cold baked beans (YUM!) and veggie burgers. I also cut up a small bowl of veggies--red bell peppers, snow peas, french breakfast radishes and cucumber. I didn't realize how famished I was until I started eating.

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I have been researching making home made pinwheels. I want them to put in the garden as a bird and deer deterrent...the big kind that any little breeze will spin. I am thinking about attaching small jingle bells to them, if it won't make them too heavy to spin. I have a bunch of them left over from some Xmas crafts I did one year, I think. Has anyone ever made pinwheels or whirligigs ?? Any suggestions??

I used to have some big giant sunflower ones that were specifically for the garden, but they have all broken and come apart, and I can't remember where I got them. But it should be an easy enough thing to make from recyclable materials, don't you think?

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Well, I'm sipping lemonade and reading emails and generally winding down after a long day. The Irishman is off tomorrow as well, and I will be doing laundry and probably mowing, unless it rains, which they are hinting at. We're supposed to get a cool down for a few days--that would be nice. Although I must say, the hot weather has cause a nice spike in the garden growth. I have 2 eggplants and some herbs sitting on my kitchen island that need to go in the ground too. I was gonna do that tonight once it cooled off...but at 8:30, it was still 89 degrees...yowsa.

This heat is wearing me out, so I will probably be in bed early tonight. I feel like I could go to sleep now, but it's only 9:30...if I do that, I'll be up at 3 AM....lol

I hope everyone is having a good weekend. Take care in the heat, if that's how it is where you are. And just take care of yourselves in general...you are precious to me!

Namaste.

2012-05-25T22:04:00.001-07:00

What a day it has been! (FYI-this was started Thursday night)

I meant to try and get in here and jot some stuff down, but never quite made it. Now it is late and I am wiped out, lol.

Had a great discussion group tonight...watched a film about the Peak Oil event in Cuba, back in 1989...and what has happened there. A remarkable series of events that was prefaced by the collapse of the Soviet Union and the things that transpired when the country suddenly had no oil, no food, no money. It was a surprise to me...I don't recall hearing about all this happening there. I mean, I knew about the Russia thing, but.....

I'm going to have to finish this tomorrow morning...I am beat. Can barely make my fingers work. lol

GOOD NIGHT.

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And now it's Friday night. whew! It was a full day today again...in the first part of the day, the Irishman worked outside, mulching the potatoes, green beans, butterbeans and tomatoes with straw. He weeded too. I worked on the inside part of the house, vacuuming and mopping and cleaning, cleaning, cleaning. as of this moment, it's still MOSTLY clean. lol Every where my poor little Caylee goes, she leaves behind a pound and a half of dog hair. Bless her heart..it comes out in big chunks, like somebody is snatching her baldheaded, as my mother used to say. I could easily vacuum again...BUT I'M NOT GOING TO !!!! lol

I cleaned and decluttered my kitchen counters and island, de-limed my coffee pot and the kitchen sink (you know--where all that limey crap can build up around the faucets and around the very edge of the drain). Cleaned the microwave thoroughly. Vacuumed and mopped all the wood/tile floors. Cleaned the master bathroom counter and sinks and all 3 mirrors. Aired out dog beds and blankets. I strained another batch of citrus cleaner I had going in the kitchen and used that to clean, so the house has a nice lemony-orange- vinegar scent. And I refilled that quart jar with more white vinegar and put it back on the windowsill...because frankly, it looks so pretty!! This makes a great cleaner...

When it finally got so hot he couldn't stay out, the Irishman went to his favorite girl barber for a haircut and when he got back, he showered and we changed clothes and set off to the big city to look for him some sandals. We had dinner at Mr. Curry's, an Indian food establishment that we love. I had the Paneer masala, which is a soft cheese cubes in that rich tomato and cream masala sauce, served over jasmine rice. It's heavenly. We found the mister shoes at Kohls...big sale going on, of course (Memorial Day weekend) and so we got a nice pair of 65 dollar sandals for 25 dollars. They're not exactly a sandal...but sort of. Hard to explain, so I won't. lol Anyway, he was pleased. he said that it was almost painless...lol. (He's been out 3 times looking for sandals--god, he's such a MAN...)

We were back home by 7 and went out back to water. Supposed to be another hot day tomorrow..even hotter than today. And dry. We really could use some rain....just a little!) He used the water in our rain barrel and watering cans and I used the hose and between the two of us, we got everything (Including my 2 hanging baskets out front, the 5 yucca plants he and the boy planted on Mothers Day AND the quinoa, which is in the front yard plot.) good and watered.

Back inside just in time to watch 2 more episodes of Foley's War, on PBS...a WWII series set in Britain.

It's been all downhill from there. lol

I'm pretty pooped and have to get up early to make the Farmers Market before I hit the 10 AM mtg. At least that's the tentative plan. lol I may not get up as early as I need to, and that will just postpone my first trip to the FM until next week. There's nothing I REALLY need...I just wanna go. lol I love Farmers Markets...

It's been a productive and satisfying day. I hope yours was too. I saw the Pileated Woodpecker again today. That is cause for celebration. And 2 Great Blue Herons fishing at the pond. The hummingbirds are back in full force and the feeders are out and I expect to see Indigo Buntings any day.

Life is good here on Honeysuckle Hill...How blessed am I ?????

Namaste.

Wednesdays World of Gardens

2012-05-23T09:13:00.000-07:00

The first [real] daylily of the year...(not counting the Stellas, of course). Blooming right down by the cherry tree.

I was out this morning in the cool of early, and letting chooks out, filling water bowls, cleaning up chicken-poopied nesting boxes (young ones don't get (yet) that the nesting box is NOT their personal toilet...) and of course, taking pictures of the gardens.

Here they are, scratching their little chook hearts out...

And lets not forget the "big girls" who are still chasing and pecking the errant chick that happens to come over the fence onto "Their" part of the yard. sigh....

Interestingly, it's only the black one (Australorp) that chases and pecks the chicks. My beautiful Goldie (Buff Orpington) could care less.

So, onto the garden tour, shall we??

Okra is up, spotty, but up. This is one of the bigger plants. I love okra--I dry it, freeze it, pickle it...yum!

Bell Peppers of all varieties, as well as 4 jalapenos.

Onions !!!!!!!

Edamame (and weeds) and marigolds! The beans are finally coming up good, be able to safely weed soon!

"Maters! 16 tomato plants might not be enough, but it's what we've got. And they look healthy.

Herbs in front (parsley,oregano,hyssop and chives (3 kinds) and 'Taters in the back. They are huge!!

Blue Lake bush beans...we love green beans!!

Oregon snow peas and my brilliant string trellis endeavor (except in the early stages and wind) lol

Butternut squash. Germination is very spotty and slow, but they are finally showing them selves.

...look at these beauties...growing like gangbusters! and in case that's not enough butterbeans for ya,

I'm going to plant a circle of zinnia seeds around the very edge of these beds. Won't that be pretty?

These are quinoa sprouts. So far, so good. We'll see-they are planted in front, between the apple and cherry trees.

Cherries are starting to ripen. Can we beat the birds to 'em ???

The apple tree is loaded this year, and so are the peaches, which I did not take a picture of, for some reason.

This is one of the walking onions, with a full head already! Here is the bed:

...and we conclude today's tour with a stop by the transplanted wild yarrow bed.

Have a great Wednesday, y'all... I'm off to the market for some honey and stuff!!

Namaste.

ROAD TRIP !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2012-05-22T21:30:00.000-07:00

You can see by her face that she is a bad influence...lol

A road trip is one really good way to avoid doing any work. I had good intentions today, even though I woke up late (didn't get to sleep until after 2), and was going to get some mowing done. Nope. And I as going to make up another batch of the artisan bread for the fridge...nope. And I thought I might get outside and start scrubbing down the house with vinegar (I bought a new Libman long handled scrub brush last week) to get all the green mold and mildew off the siding...nope. A million things that need doing...

So, Roxie suggested that we go for a drive, and I was all over it. We loaded up in the car and took off. So, really...it was all her fault. Once we were in the car and heading down the road, wind blowing in our hair, we were almost too giddy to figure out where to go. I stopped at the ATM and we set out in a northerly direction.

The brilliant thought occurred to me that I could justify this running amok by ...wait for it....BUYING GARDEN STUFF. Which of course made me think of the plant lady who has the little roadside shop since 1978. So--we were off. Once there, we got marigolds for companion planting, zinnia seed, because they didn't have any plants and sunflower seeds. I also got 2 dozen sweet potato plants, Georgia Jets they're called, for the Irishman to plant, since he's been asking me every other day when the sweet 'taters would be in.

On the way, Roxie suggested we go to either Lake Yeager or the Hillsboro lakes, where we could get out and run through the grass and look at the water. She does like to look at the water, and sometimes even goes in, though she's got no legs to speak of...she's all shoulders and feet. Little bitty stubby legs. Flippers almost, so I guess that does work...anyway, we did that and fooled around a bit and ate a sandwich and drank some water. And then it was on to the plant place and then home again, home again, clippity clop.

By the time we got here it was after 4. I spent the next two and a half hours planting the 2 dozen marigolds I bought all around the garden. I plant them because they repel bugs. I also planted sunflower seeds in a few spots (Russian mammoth Sunflowers). Then I started watering things. I watered everything except the bed he was going to be putting the 'taters in. He got home about 6:30--he gave a kid from work a ride home. And after making a phone call, he ponied up and got those 'taters in the ground. I went in the house and made giant salads for supper. We didn't eat until 8 o'clock, which is way too late for folks like us. But, hear this, people:

THE GARDEN IS OFFICIALLY IN. woohoo!

And just wait until you see tomorrows pictures...this garden is looking good (she said, trying not to anger the Garden Gods and jinx the harvest)...

I am thoroughly exhausted. Not sure why, except I didn't sleep well last night...couldn't go to sleep initially and had a ringing in my ears. Got up and turned off the ceiling fan, but it wasn't that. Anyway I finally went to sleep and then tossed and turned all night. I went to bed at a little after 2 and didn't get up until almost 9:30 this morning. And felt like I'd been hit by a truck. I'm going to take a couple of aspirin in a minute and finish up here and maybe read a few emails and then hit the hay. Everyone else is already asleep, and that includes 3 dogs that are in here with me and little Roxie the Roamer, who's snug as a bug in her own little bed. 2 cats are sleeping with the Irishman. Several others are sacked out all over the living room, on couches and chairs and probably the dining room table, although they are not supposed to be up there.

Tomorrow I will run a few errands early in the morning and then try to get at least a little of the mowing done. The Irishman has a 4 day weekend coming up because of Memorial Day. So I'll make sure to save some of it for him. :) I have 2 rosemary plants to plant...one will go in the herb garden and one will go in a pot. I will bring that one in this winter and the other one I am going to experiment with..thought I'd cut the branches off and dry the herb and then massively cover and insulate the plant and see if it will overwinter. They normally don't, but if this next winter is anything like the last one, there's a good chance it will survive being in the ground. Wish me luck!!

I took a quick shower to wash the garden off my feet and legs and the hot water nearly took me out...hopefully I will sleep better tonight and dream the dreams of the just. (cough). I hope you all have a grand evening, wherever you are, and whatever you do.

Remember this: "Tend the Earth...Feed the Soul."

Namaste.

Monkeying around on a Monday...

2012-05-21T21:13:00.000-07:00

And that just about sums up my relationship with dirt. LOL

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I spent the whole day today catching up on blog reading, fooling around on Facebook and talking on the phone. In between (to avoid any guilty feelings I may or may not experience) I vacuumed and dusted, I baked a loaf of bread (last batch of dough in the fridge), I made a quinoa chili, I made a new batch of granola, this time with dried apples and bananas in it and I swept the front porch. In my defense, the front porch runs the entire length of my house. All in all, it was a good day and I felt pretty good about it all.

The storm came in yesterday evening and blew things around, but didn't really drop that much rain on us. Still, things outside look like they enjoyed the massive energy input from it...the tomatoes look taller and the onions are now all above ground, instead of here and there. Nearly everything is up now, somethings a little better than others, but still in all, it's looking good out there. I am waiting for the sweet potato slips to come in at Pappy's Market, where I usually buy them, and that will be it until we plant the late plantings and fall crops.

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That quinoa chili was delicious. I got a little carried away putting veggies in it...I used onions (red and yellow), 6 cloves of garlic, minced. I put in a large sweet potato, diced and a zucchini and a bell pepper, diced. I used about 3/4 of a cup of quinoa, a small can of tomato paste, a small can opf chopped green chilis and probably a gallon and a half of water. 3 types of beans: cannelini, black beans and navy beans. I used smoky paprika, black pepper, cumin, chili powder and sea salt. It was a delightfully hearty sweet and spicy dish that went well with that small loaf of bread I had just baked. I was going to make corn bread, but...I didn't. Enough for leftovers and enough to freeze 2 large yogurt containers. (Are those a quart??)

Tomorrow I will probably make another batch of the bread dough...by the time you make the last loaf of it, it is getting pretty sour and has a wonderful taste. The crumb was absolutely beautiful. I think I will add vital wheat gluten to this next batch...maybe it will raise a little higher. That would make me very happy. lol

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Had a hysterical moment today with the Kelley critters. The dogs were out front and went into a barking frenzy. I kept hollering at them to be quiet, but nothing was getting through to them, so I went out the front door, and there were little Roxie and Caylee down in the driveway. The other 2 were up at the porch barking their brains out. I look to see a mylar helium balloon that says Happy Birthday laying in the drive--apparently had floated in from somewhere. Roxie was going nuts and suddenly the wind moved it about 2 inches and she turned and ran as if her life depended on it, barking furiously the whole time. Caylee was next and the wind caught it again...and she jumped like someone had poked her and ran back up to cower behind my legs. With Roxie. I nearly died laughing...my 2 guard dogs....

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Little Roo is trying his best to crow. He's getting better, but still sounds damn funny. They are getting big, and I need to check my blog to see when we got them, so I can figure out how old they are. At 16-22 weeks, they should be getting ready to lay, and we'll need to change their food too. The 2 older hens have finally finished their moult and are starting to lay again. I don't recall that our Rhodies ever stopped laying completely when they were moulting, but maybe they did. I should probably keep a chicken journal, like my garden journal. Or maybe just a general homestead journal... or hell, just check my blog. I put everything in here anyway. LOL

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Well, that's about it from Honeysuckle Hill. My family reunion is in 12 days. My pregnant niece is coming and we are apparently having a baby shower for her while she is here (she lives in Florida). I heard about it once and haven't heard another word...maybe I'm just not invited. lol

Not sure what all is on tomorrow's agenda, but whatever it is, I'll tackle it with a clear head and an open heart, being grateful all the while that I get to live such a life as this, and share it with friends such as you.

And I'll cook. Oh yes, children...THERE WILL BE FOOD.

Namaste.

Sunday's segues...

2012-05-20T22:17:00.000-07:00

...into Mondays, unfortunately. lol Ah, the beginning of a new week.

And today there was a total eclipse. Of course we couldn't/didn't see it here. Storms passed through and we had dark cloudy skies and high winds, with not nearly enough rain. lol It's been very hot and dry around here and we've been watering about every other night. I managed to get laundry done and even get the string trellis made for the peas. Himself hammered the stakes into the ground for me and I did the rest. It's an easy and cheap way to keep your peas up off the ground, and I've been doing it this way for several years. I never grow regular peas, only the edible pod types. The other ones are too labor intensive for me, lol. I grow edamame and that's all the shelling I can stand. lol

The gardens are really going well...everything has sprouted, including the 2 celery butts I planted in the ground as an experiment. AWESOME! Those monster lima beans are going nuts, the potatoes just got hilled again and in a week or two we'll be strawing those bad boys. I'm happy with the way everything has germinated so far...even the quinoa has come up already (6 days from planting). So, it's looking llike a real garden out there finally. I'll have some shocking pictures on Wednesday! lol

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Been a nice weekend. I baked some more artisan bread, and the Irishman has almost eaten it all already. I have dough enough for one more loaf in the fridge and then I'll have to remake that. Yesterday I made a cold soba salad for supper and it was a hit. Lots of zip and zing from wasabi and fresh minced ginger (not too much though, thank goodness--just enough to really make it flavorful). I posted that recipe on Dragon Woman's Kitchen... it was easy enough to make and excellent. Here's a plate of it:

yummy.

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Hasn't been a really exciting time the past few days, lol...but sometimes life needs to quiet down a notch. Our family reunion will be in 2 weeks, and our second cousins from southern Missouri are all coming to meet the rest of the family. It will be a really good time and I can't wait. I think they are a little nervous, but excited too...I told them we're all a bunch of nuts, and they'll feel right at home. lol

I have been finding old long lost friends on Facebook the past week or so, and that's kind of weird and neat.Lots from here, from my misspent youth and some from California too. Looking at pictures, I can see I'm not the only one that got old. lol A friend of mine became a grandmother for the 16th time (she had a passel of kids) and another one found her long lost sister. They were put in separate foster homes and adopted and never knew for years what had happened to the other. The kind of story that makes you cry. I'm really feeling my age lately. lol I watched the movie version of The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan this afternoon and cried almost all the way through it. I remember when I read that book the first time...and another of hers that is a favorite of mine is called Saving Fish From Drowning. Feeling all emotional and sad for some reason or another. Not in a bad way, necessarily--just is what it is.

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The computer signal is a little better, but has still gone away a time or two. I think I will still call them this week...As you can see, I'm able to actually get a little posted. lol

And now it's midnight and I am tired. Think I'll hit the hay. Hope you all had a great weekend. and will have an even better week ahead.

Namaste.

Fridays Fascinations...

2012-05-18T21:51:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Linda M at Hello it's Me! for awarding me this lovely Kreativ Blogger award. I'm supposed to pass it on (the hard part) and tell you 7 things about me.

Hmmmmm...

1. I have always secretly wanted to play the violin.
2 I have 4 unfinished or unedited novellas in my computer.
                                                      3. I write poetry, not as much now as I did in my youth.
                                                      4. I met Dustin Hoffman.
                                                      5. Cooking for others satisfies a need I have to feed the world.
                                                      6. I can sing.
                                                      7. I have a basket fetish.

And the hardest part is picking out some bloggers to bestow this award upon....there are so many awesome blogs out there. My victims, er, I mean...honorees, are: Dear Cloudia who never ceases to astound me with her love and photography. New addition to my blogroll, Kymber, who is a delightful breath of fresh air. Lori, the "bag" lady, lol...Sweet sweet Beth Marie, who lives upwind of me here in Illinois. Lo who is exactly what I want to be when I grow up. Julie
at Wild Moon Cottage who is a wise wild woman and finally, the newest addition to my reading pleasure, Lisa . Thank you all for making my life so much richer!!

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Having a time with my computer signal coming and going...think my modem might need replacing. I've been trying to write this post for 2 days, so I'm going to post it and maybe come back later and fill it in...

Toodles!!

Wednesday World of Gardens

2012-05-16T09:05:00.001-07:00

And WHAT--you may ask--do teenaged chicks have to do with gardens ??? Well, I'm glad you asked. (Here they are--you go first, no YOU go first--coming out of the coop in the morning...) Aren't they precious??

Chicken manure and straw from the coop are an important part of our composting routine. IF we didn't have so many dogs, cats and coyotes around here, they'd be free ranging and eating up bus from the garden. Maybe. My last experience with that was that I had to fence my garden, because they LOVE tomatoes, all green plants and especially green beans and peas, as well as bugs and weeds. LOL As it is, we exploit their waste product, which is very high in nitrogen and ammonia. So, after it's been good and composted, we use it on the gardens...but not before, because chicken poo is very HOT and can burn anything you plant in it. (And yes, this IS the voice of experience talking. lol)

The gardens are off to a good start, it looks like. All the flowers that should just be blooming are almost finished (irises and such) the Clematis is in full bloom already, and this morning the first Stella D'Oro day lily bloomed !!

I have quite a few of these planted around the place. They're great and they bloom almost all summer long.

For some reason I'm not seeing the picture I took of the clematis...hmmm...

Anyway, here are some shots of the vegetable gardens in their infancy (mostly):

Assorted and Sundry Bell Peppers...

Sugar edible pea pods

Green Beans

French Breakfast Radish babies (the rest of this bed is planted in 2 lettuces, spinach, chard and onions and the 2 bottoms of celery experiment!)

Christmas Pole Limas--not sprouted yet..a lovely maroon and white speckled bean. 2 trellises,7 poles, 3 beans per = 42 plants (Our first time to do this--we'll see.)

'Maters--4 Big Boy, $ Better Boy and 4 Beefsteaks

Taters--Red Pontiacs, Kennebecs and Irish Cobblers

Edamame bed--no sign yet, and can't pull weeds, just in case. lol

And GOOSEBERRIES!! In the backyard by a big old dead tree and I didn't even know they were there until Ellyn pointed them out on our stroll yesterday!

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The peaches are going to be great this year!!

The apples too!

And this is the quinoa bed-an experiment- and it was just planted 2 days ago.

Ahhh...here's the clematis--came through when I downloaded a second time.

And the evening primrose at the front porch.

And finally---the king of everything, Sir Jinga

So, there you have it...the gardens at Honeysuckle Hill in the middle of May. Hope you enjoyed the tour!!!!

Namaste.

Monday has a mind of its own...

2012-05-14T08:41:00.001-07:00

My Mothers Day herb pot from my husband...loaded with goodies like basil, sage, oregano, thyme, and mint. It's sitting out on my back deck on the corner...

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We had a great day yesterday, my son came over and spent the day with his old mam. He and the Irishman spent several hours planting things and cleaning up some things and working around outside. They had as good a time as I did watching it. lol Then we had a big late lunch of burgers and corn cooked on the grill, potato salad and Chinese slaw. We all ate until we couldn't move. A good MD indeed, and he brought me the sweetest card and I am one of the luckiest moms I know to have such a handsome, talented and brilliantly loving man for a son. Feelin' the love, baby! lol They can't know what it means to me to be able to cook for them and sit and enjoy a meal.

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Today I am going to try to get some things caught up...need to make bread, need to do laundry, need to hoe some weeds out of the potatoes so we can straw them. Going to take it easy on myself, as my back is hurting and there's no need to get crazy about getting things done. The house is okay, as I cleaned like a dervish on Saturday. The only thing left to plant in the garden is the quinoa, and a little pot of extra basil that I got. We got the onions in last night, a little late, but they'll be okay. I am going to go to Pappy's and pick up some more onion sets while they still have them, and hopefully I can figure a way to keep them until late fall, so we can plant them properly for next year. I want to put in garlic then too. I have 2 celery ends too, that I'll put in to see if they'll grow. They've been sitting in a dish of warm water over night. Supposedly this works, and then you can harvest a piece or two at a time as you need to. Fun, huh? Sounds like a 3rd grade science project. lol

I bought a couple of hanging pots yesterday when I went to Dollar General to get a new hummingbird feeder (lost one to breakage last year). I'll get those planted with some petunias or something. I also have about 5 pots of Impatiens and Dianthus' all pinks and reds and whites that need to be put in pots out on the front sidewalk. I might get that done today. If not, tomorrow will work too. It's a beautiful day, and the wash will be going to the clothesline. What I like about that is that it sets a nice steady slow tone to the day...something about those clothes flapping on the line...

Hope you all had a Happy Mothers Day and that you're not suffering the overnight invasion of ants like I am. WTH ???? The kitchen counter AND my desk are crawling with them..

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My garden is looking good. The peas and green beans are about 3 inches high, the potatoes are going crazy. The squash is starting to poke through, the peppers and tomatoes are thriving. I just love this time of year. My kimchi is starting to bubble...and oh--I just ordered a book on Amazon that is about preserving food without freezing or canning. It's done by a collection of authors and Eliot Coleman is one of them. He has written several books on year round gardening (and he lives in Maine!!) one of which I bought himself for Christmas a few years back. But it's a treasure trove of information on drying, salting, fermenting, etc. And I [finally] ordered an olive oil sprayer for my kitchen. No more aerosol cans. The only thing I ever bought in one of those damn cans, and felt guilty about it every time. lol

Okay--I need to get moving. Have a lovely Monday, everyone !!!

Namaste.

The Chicken Wrangler

2012-05-09T08:21:00.000-07:00

Rooster boy, staring straight into the camera.

Yesterday was a busy beautiful outside day. Temps never got above 72, the skies were sunny and bright. I got my old lazy butt out there about 10 o'clock and started spring cleaning the hen house. I raked all the straw out, took the feeder and water bowl and laying box out. Took an old broom and swept down all the cobwebs from the walls and ceiling, Then I drug the hose over and started spraying out the inside, poured half a gallon of white vinegar onto the floor and started scrubbing down the floor, roost, and whatever else needed it. It was a nasty job that took about 3 hours, start to finish, including drying time. Then I went out into the chicken run yard and started digging up some of the wetter places out there and spreading soil around. I brought out the bag of pine shavings I was using in the little pen and spread some of those on the floor of the henhouse and on the ground outside. They are a great deodorizing absorbent material. . Then, I went to the other side of the run and cleaned out the little cubbyhole that the big chickens will be sleeping in for a couple of days, until everybody gets used to each other, and put in clean pine as well as some straw. I pulled the fence divider across the middle of the run and went in the house to start bringing the chicks out.

That was fun.

I decided that using a cat carrier would be an easy way to transport them by myself, and so I brought one ion and started catching chicks. That was an ordeal, as when I opened the top of the pen to get them out, I caught one and picked him up, put him in the carrier...and 2 of them flew out into the room, screaming their bloody heads off. LOL So, I had to catch them and that took another half an hour, as I had left the closet door open and one of the Orpingtons headed straight in there.

Understand this: it's not your ordinary closet. It's a pantry/Fibber McGee's closet. Plenty of places for a frightened chick to snuggle into and try to hide.

I finally had them all out into the great outdoors. Actually I put them into the coop, where they stayed most of the day...finally venturing out near evening. They would come to the door and look out, but not come down the ramp. I tried to entice them with some greens and seed sprinkled at the doorway and at the bottom of the ramp, but they were having none of it. Finally I just left them alone and they came out on their own.

This morning I went out and unlocked the door to the coop and within minutes they were out scratching in the dirt. So far, so good.

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I planted the Christmas Pole Lima beans yesterday too. At the base of the teepee trellises. Last night, while I was gone to a birthday meeting, himself planted butternut squash. Today, I am going to plant the salad bed. And maybe mow some more. Looks like himself is going to be working OT again this Friday, so more of this stuff is falling on me. It's okay...

It's a cool morning today, about 58 degrees. Supposed to warm up and not rain,. so that's a blessing. Lots to do and I am stalling to not get going, lol. Think I'll run out to the garden and snip some chives and some kale and come in and have some scrambled eggs before I get too busy and don't eat. It's 10 AM already, and I've wasted about enough time. :)

Everyone --have a great day. Go easy. Have some fun. Look for the beauty in your world.

I'm gonna go fill some bird feeders!!

Namaste.

Rainy Day Woman...

2012-05-07T12:20:00.000-07:00

Lazy Day woman, that is.

This mornings rain made it really hard to get out of bed this morning. At about 6 AM I was awakened by a nasty charley horse in my calf, and my screeching brought the Irishman running in to rub down my leg, as much as I could stand for him to touch it. Need to get some bananas. It subsided quickly enough and though it's still a little sore to touch, it was enough of an excuse to make me snuggle back into the covers and sleep for another two and a half hours.

Finally I was up, if not completely att'em. Slow going for awhile...as I piddled and had coffee and mucked about. Now it's 1 in the afternoon and I have a load of laundry going and some oats toasting in the oven to make a batch of granola. I need to vacuum ion a bit, and maybe dust...doesn't look like there's much I can do outside as it's still raining off and on--a soft rain, as the Irish call it. But we have enough granola bars for a few more days, so I can put those off until later in the week. A slow and easy kind of a day. I have to go somewhere tonight after supper and then tomorrow night too. I'll probably not leave the house the rest of the week. lol I am so grateful that I love my home and I love being in my house.

Somedays I feel so blessed to have my life. lol I mean this one--where I am a bit crippled up, so it's justifiable that I never jump on projects and go like a madwoman until they're finished. Perfectly. There's always the off chance that I would have grown out of that kind of behavior...maybe. But it doesn't matter...my Creator decided it was time to stop me in my tracks, as it were. To pull the plug on that working life where I never had enough time to do anything but work and sleep (it seemed like) and enough money to easily get by. Now I have all the time in the world, just enough money to squeak by month to month, and no energy or physical ability to do so much. And all that really means is that I have to prioritize my world better...so, I work a bit and rest a bit and work a bit and do as good a job as I can do and let it go. The old perfectionist has left the building.My house doesn't have to be drill sargent inspection clean. Tidied up is good enough most days. Or, clean enough to be healthy and dirty enough to be happy, as my little wall trivet says. lol

Time to go stir the granola. It's in the oven now, toasting away. Full of yummy stuff like flax seeds and dried cranberries and almonds and walnuts and sunflower seeds and rolled oats. And honey and barley malt syrup for sweetening. It's never the same twice...sigh...lol

The honeysuckle has just exploded around here. I went out last night to shut the chickens up and it was so humid and the scent hung on the air heavy enough to take your breath away. It was wonderful...all the flowers are blooming like crazy and my potatoes need strawing--I might go out there and see if I can't at least do that a little later. It's pretty wet out there, still misting...I really need to get out and scrub down that chicken coop too...sigh...

Yesterday we went to lunch with a friend after the meeting, then drove out to Godfrey to the open house at the La Vista Community Gardens. That was great. By the time we got home it was clouding up and we kind of lost all motivation to get anything done. So while the Irishman lolled about on the couch, I decided to make crackers to go with the big salads we were having for supper. Found a really easy recipe and made a batch and we ate and then we were done for . lol I'm feeling kind of like I should accomplish SOMETHING today...anything....lol

So, I'll do a little laundry, make a little granola, vacuum a little and have supper ready by 6 PM. Not sure what I'm having, but it'll come to me--one thing you can bank on--it's gonna involve that big bowl of already cooked brown rice that's in the fridge.

Have a grand (if moist) day !!!

Namaste.

A lovely Saturday...

2012-05-05T23:34:00.000-07:00

The view out my office window....

It's been a lovely Saturday...started off with a meeting where a friend picked up a coin for 30 years. Saw several people I haven't seen in a while too. After that I headed for the big city of Edwardsville to pick up a few things--dog biscuits, water clarifier for the aquarium, and some millet sprays for the bird. I also got some giant rawhides for the 3 big dogs and a peanut butter one for little Roxie. Then I went to the big market there and got more soy yogurt, a few odds and ends, whole wheat pastry flour, chia seeds...some different things that I need to make crackers. THEN, I went to a place called CBW (Crazy Bowls and Wraps) and got 2 gorgeous wraps for our lunch, one veggie wrap and one Mediterranean wrap. BY now, it's about 12:30 and a gazillion degrees out there. It was so hot...I got home just ahead of the Irishman , unloaded the car and got the food mostly put away when he came in starving. We ate and I talked him into helping me with all the vegetable chopping to get the kimchi started. For about half an hour we stood side by side chopping assorted cabbages, daikon radish, carrots, ginger, garlic and kale. Once it was in the bowls and soaking in the brine, he retired to the couch and I set about trying to figure out what kind of dessert to make to take to the dinner we were invited to. Some friends were camping in a nearby campground and invited us out to join them for the evening meal. Of course we were delighted and when my husband asked what we could bring, they said "Dessert!" lol

I had a couple of quarts of strawberries, so I thought strawberries and homemade buttermilk short cakes , with a lovely clotted cream to top it off would be perfect. All in all, it took me about another hour to get that all made and then we were ready to go. It was so hot and humid, but once we got to the campground, it had started getting a little breezy, which certainly saved us. It was quite pleasant out under the trees. We had a delicious meal of roasted vegetables in a cast iron dutch oven over the campfire and a Waldorf salad made by the lady of the camp. lol

Isn't it amazing how good food tastes when you don't have to cook it yourself ???

We had a lovely evening full of laughter and food and intelligent conversation--it doesn't get any better than that. We got back home here around 9:15...

At 11 PM, it was still 83 degrees. Tonight is the "Super Moon"...and it really does look pretty awesome. We have had to turn on the central air in here and thank goodness we did...Of course, now, I feel chilly.

There is one of those tiny little jumping frogs in here. I don't know where it came in, but it hopped right through the office door here and has made himself at home. I tried to catch him, to put him back out, but with no luck. He's too little to cause much more than a passing glance from the dogs, I just hope he doesn't die in here. That is my biggest reason for wanting to catch him.

Now I see one of those big giant spiders back in here again too...criminey. Did they all just hear that the air was on and come running?? LOL

Time for me to shut this day down and put 'er to bed. Tomorrow promises to be full and busy...the local CSA is having an open house and we thought we might go out. It's only from 12-2...during the hot part of the day anyway and we can't do much then. If we have any sense... Gonna try to plant some more seeds tomorrow and get a few things done...the potatoes need strawing and blah blah blah...lots of little things to do.

Have a marvelous Sunday, y'all...

Namaste.

...and I'm still so thirsty...

2012-05-03T22:13:00.000-07:00

This was me today. lol

I got up early, thinking I'd knock out a lot of things that needed doing. Was up and dressed by 7 AM. Went outside to check the grass, since mowing before the next band of storms comes through was # 1 on my list. It was really wet from the dew, so I started the first load of laundry. I took it outside to hang on the line and started the second load. By 10 I had 3 loads all washed and hanging outside. The grass was starting to dry out and it was getting hot. (BTW, at 7 AM it as already 72 degrees.)

I went in to feed the chicks and realized that I was past due time to clean out that dang pen again. They are getting so big that they are messing it up faster and faster. It was nasty and smelly and it took me almost an hour to get it all cleaned out and get the fresh pine shavings down and the feeder and waterer cleaned and refilled. Yuck, Yuck and Double Yuck.

Anyway, it was almost 11 by the time I started getting ready to mow. I had sent the Irishman to the gas station last night to fill the gas can so I wouldn't have to go (or carry it in the car). I picked up a new pair of garden gloves the other day and was all ready to go.

This is the area that needed mowing. The mower, however, had other plans and refused to start until I cursed long enough that it got tired of hearing me and then started. A little later I was going through some particularly thick grass and it bogged down and sputtered to a stop and didn't want to start again. I finally got it going and thought--I'm going to keep mowing until I run out of gas or finish...I'm afraid it won't start again.

That was a big mistake.

I did finish the front yard, but that was it. I think I had a touch of heat stroke...I got violently nauseous and dizzy and could barely get myself into the house. I was soaking wet with sweat and my head hurt and I was exhausted. I went to the sink for a glass of water, and put my wrists under the cold water, trying to cool my body down. I was afraid to get in the shower, because I was feeling like I might faint...so I stood there like a fool, splashing water on my face and keeping my wrists in the water and soaking a dish towel in cold water and putting it on the back of my neck. I looked in the mirror and saw a beet red faced wild woman looking back at me. yikes.

After I felt a little cooler, I grabbed another glass of water and went into the living room and lay down on the couch. I stayed there for the next 3 hours, 2 of which I slept off and on.

Freakey Deakey.

I still am not right, and am still drinking fluids like crazy and feel wiped out. Am going to bed as soon as I finish this. I do feel much better though, and have learned a very important lesson. I AM NOT 25 ANYMORE.

LOL

Needless to say, the hostas, yuccas, oregano and chocolate mint are still not in the ground. Maybe tomorrow?

Depends on the weather and on how I feel. No more pushing it like I did today.

The craziest part of all this is that it wasn't really that hot today, high 80's with a heat index into the low 90's. It didn't even feel that hot. Crazy, I tell ya.

So....I survived without any major organ damage, lol, and I will certainly be more careful in the future.

I'm off to bed now, to rest up for tomorrow's big doins...meeting a friend for breakfast and then I'm going shopping for an olive oil sprayer so I can stop buying those cans of pan spray. Gonna check Amazon too, just in case. :)

Have a great night, kids....may all your dreams be sweet ones.

Namaste

Lordy, it's Wednesday again !

2012-05-02T06:52:00.001-07:00

How did that happen?

Not a lot going on here..a little of this and a little of that. We've had a lot of rain, which always slows things down. Now we're revving up into another hot spell, 90's tomorrow, which will be broken by, of course, more rain. la de da.... (It's called spring, ya'all...) lol

I did get out and plant a plot of Oregon snow peas and a bed of Blue Lake Bush Beans yesterday. The teepees for the Lima pole beans are built and ready for planting, so I'll do that today when I get back from my neighbors. Gonna stay with her husband today a few hours so she can get her hair done and have lunch with a friend. I'll probably get out there and get some spinach and lettuce and stuff in the ground too.

Yesterday I dried a gallon of strawberries. Dries down to about a half a quart bag, lol, which feels a little disconcerting. I have some pears to dry next and will probably get more strawberries too. I want to try drying oranges like my friend does...not real sure about that, but she raves about them. Had an interesting conversation about all this stuff with a woman who runs (with her husband) a new little antique/junk mall here in town. It was a nice time until my phone rang and it was my husband asking what had happened to me. (I had run to town to get some garlic and stopped by here, and we talked for over an hour. LOL) I'm going to take her some starts of my walking onions, she said her mother used to always have them, but she could never find them anywhere. Mine are thriving.Anyway, it was a nice little chat and I am glad to be getting to know her.

The chicks are going outside this weekend. YIPPEE !!!!!!!!!!! They will be at least as happy about this as I am. :) It sounds like they are having a rugby match in there all the time...

That's about it..not a lot to report from Honeysuckle Hill. The gardening season is moving into full swing. The grass is growing about an inch an hour. The blackberries and raspberries are loaded this year and the bugs are bad already. There was a thing on the news last night about an abundance of brown recluse spiders this year...but I think that's every year. lol We have a couple of resident BIG spiders that keep turning up in one of the bathrooms...a big old black fella whose abdomen area is about the size of a quarter. He's quite handsome ! Next time I see him, I'll take a picture. Also a LOT of those little mega-jumper frogs. They are tiny little guys and can jump about 3 foot in the air when you try to put them back outside where they belong. lol You can imagine the circus...

Not sure what's on the docket as far as supper or breadmaking or anything fun like that, so I'll let sleeping dogs lie. I have been noticing how nasty my carpets are looking...need to get that carpet cleaner out soon...but it's futile really, with more rain coming in this weekend. sigh...a girl just can't keep up.

Gonna leave you with this: An Ode to Butter

The 20 Health Benefits of Real Butter : I am in shock , Woow
1 .Butter is rich in the most easily absorbable form of Vitamin A necessary for thyroid and adrenal health.
2. Contains lauric acid, important in treating fungal infections and candida.
3. Contains lecithin, essential for cholesterol metabolism.
4. Contains anti-oxidants that protect against free radical damage.
5 . Has anti-oxidants that protect against weakening arteries.
6. Is a great source of Vitamins E and K.
7. Is a very rich source of the vital mineral Selenium.
8. Saturated fats in butter have strong Anti-Tumor and Anti-Cancer properties.
9. Butter contains conjugated linoleic acid, which is a potent anti-cancer agent, muscle builder, and immunity booster
10. Vitamin D found in butter is essential to absorption of calcium.
11 .Protects against tooth decay.
12 . Is your only source of an anti-stiffness factor, which protects against calcification of the joints.
13 . Anti-stiffness factor in butter also prevents hardening of the arteries, cataracts, and calcification of the pineal gland.
14 .Is a source of Activator X, which helps your body absorb minerals.
15 .Is a source of iodine in highly absorbable form.
16. May promote fertility in women.
17 .Is a source of quick energy, and is not stored in our bodies adipose tissue.
18. Cholesterol found in butterfat is essential to children's brain and nervous system development.
19. Contains Arachidonic Acid (AA) which plays a role in brain function and is a vital component of cell membranes.
20 . Protects against gastrointestinal infections in the very young or the elderly.

I'm not defending my eating of real butter ever again. LOL

Namaste.

A softer Sunday

2012-04-29T09:19:00.001-07:00

It's been a stormy rainy 24 hours. We are still under a severe thunderstorm watch until about 2 PM. Everything looks so green and soft out there (well--more like squishy) lol We did escape the in line winds and the hail...but it poured like a monsoon. Not raining right now, but the sky looks like it could if it wanted to. It's 52 degrees right now, and feels a little chilly. I've decided to make a batch of soup this late morning and put on some sweats. Snuggling in seems like the order of the day. I have the radio on, playing a station on satellite called Moodscapes, which sounds like the stuff they play when you're getting a massage. It's all conspiring to make me so laid back, I'm about to tip over.

So much for getting any seeds planted this weekend. I got home yesterday right as it started to rain, after having a nice lunch with my new friend, and doing a couple of errands. Had to get some more of that wonderful organic soy yogurt from Dierbergs and made a stop at the Green Earth grocers for some shampoo and some garlic powder and stuff. I came home and made a wonderful peanut sauce and soba dish full of edamame and broccoli and savoy cabbage and green onions, ginger and garlic. I am officially out of garlic, so I think I'll have to make a run to Pappy's market here in a minute to pick some up. Can't cook without garlic. Well, I could--but why would I ?????

I bought some organic lemons to make a batch of Violet Dandelion Lemonade this week. 3 lemons will make a half gallon, and I found the recipe on another blog. It looked absolutely gorgeous. I'm also going to start another batch of kimchi either today or tomorrow. I have a fridge full of cabbage and was thinking I'd try mixing up a couple of different kinds, instead of using all napa cabbage. Last time I also used kale, along with garlic, ginger, carrots and I don't remember what all. I really should start a kimchi recipe book, so I can document and track the recipes. Figure out which ones we like best, and more importantly, remember what ingredients I used. LOL

I'm also in the mood to make some kind of dessert to go with tonights supper...not sure what the Irishman has in store for me, but so far, everything he has fixed has been wonderful. We have both tempeh and tofu in the fridge...plenty of rice and vegetables and such. I'm considering a coconut milk custard --but I'll have to buy some more eggs...the chickens are moulting and not laying worth a damn right now.

I can hear the chicklets in the room next door--sounds like they're getting rowdy. This next week they are going outside. They're getting big and I am tired of the mess in that room. It is always a relief (even if it's a little scary for a while) to get them outside into the chicken coop. I love chickens...

I need to make some bread today too, we're almost finished with the 2 fallen loaves. lol The Irishman has loved them, and eats at least 2-3 pieces a day with butter and honey. They are very dense and moist...The mixture of the rye and buckwheat flours turned them a little grey looking though, which I'm not crazy about. I still have a lot of the old restaurant woman in me to not have my food look beautiful as well as taste good., lol.

Well, that's about it for my computer time here on Honeysuckle Hill on a damp Sunday morning. The dogs keep going in and out and can't decide what they want. It's chilly and damp and they like to be curled up in here with me when the weathers like that. Except Caylee-the venerable outside dog. But I think I hear her at the door now too (the others have been back in this time for an hour).

There is a plant sale going on at Pappy's market and I usually try to hit it. I've had a hankering to plant some flowers, pots, perennials, --I don't care. My big purple Irises are blooming like crazy with the rain, and I am going to go out and get a vasefull like last year's..

I hope YOUR Sunday is filled with rainbows and flowers...

Namaste.

Friday on the old homestead...

2012-04-27T12:50:00.000-07:00

A coolish day here, perfect for digging little round bean trellis beds and unloading more composted leaf mulch, courtesy of our wonderful neighbors. Mr. Man is out there with all 4 dogs helping as best they can :)

I, on the other hand, have been a whirling dervish of a domestic goddess...vacuuming, mopping, cleaning, sweeping porches, FINISHING THE INVENTORY... yes, children--it is finished. Yikes. It was an ordeal. lol

lol...I think Judy over at My Freezer is Full has this on her page. It was on my FB page too..I knew there was some reason I have canned so much. lol The good news is that we have plenty of food still to get us through to the next harvest. The bad news is..well, there isn't any bad news really. I did find some salsa that has no date on it (WHAT!!!), so I have to assume that it's at least 3 years old or more. It could possibly have just gotten missed, but I don't think so. I have gotten pretty diligent about that in the past couple of years..because I have had this happen before. Experience (good and bad) is always my best teacher.

The best part of the whole endeavor is that my pantries and my kitchen canned goods shelf are now all organized and clean. Dusted, washed down and straightened up. Voila!

I broke down and bought a new mop yesterday..and paid more for it than I have ever paid for a mop in my life. (Can you spell..t-i-g-h-t-w-a-d) . Thing is, I keep buying these less expensive sponge mops and they keep breaking. This last time, the sponge was barely wet. sigh... So I went to Walcrap and bought a 20 dollar O Cedar mop. It's the one like a Swiffer (which I refuse to buy), only it has a washable re-usable microfiber head on it, and it has a refillable bottle so you can use your own cleaning solution (vinegar, Fabulouso, Murphy's Oil Soap). I used it for the first time and have to say, I love it ! The little container that you put the soap and water in uses 2 tablespoons of your cleaner, filled with water. People, it did my whole house....kitchen, dining room, 2 hallways, the laundry room and 2 bathrooms. And there was still a tiny bit to empty out when I put it away. And my floors look GREAT! I am overjoyed. I took the microfiber mop head off (it attaches with velcro strips) and washed it out in the sink when I was finished and hung it up to dry. Conserved water, conserved cleaning solutions, --a winner!! I have laminate floors mostly and both bathrooms have ceramic tile.

Laundry is almost done...the last load is in the dryer. We are going out for dinner tonight, but not sure where. Maybe we'll go for Japanese, since I've got a hankering for some scallops. saw a PBS cooking show the other day and the chef Ming Tsai was doing a black bean, zucchini and scallop one pot meal that knocked me out. I haven't been able to stop thinking about scallops since. lol

I need to go outside and see what kind of goodies my neighbor sent over with Pat. She is taking out some yuccas in her front yard and asked if I'd like some. Of course I said yes--you know me and free plants. I have a couple of areas that could use something hardy to fill in. When himself came in for lunch, he said there was a "tub full of stuff" out there. I gotta go see!

Hope everyone is having a grand Friday. I know I am...lots accomplished, taking it slow, and dreaming of hibachi scallops....mmmmmm.....

Namaste.

A tisket, a tasket..a green and yellow basket...

2012-04-24T07:53:00.000-07:00

It's a beautiful Tuesday here at Honeysuckle Hill. I woke up today thinking about having some stationery made that says:

Annie Kelley

Here at Honeysuckle Hill

Now, don't ask me why I would have stationery made, since I rarely write letters anymore. I do have 2 friends that I could write to but never do--they are both women who are written- letters- on- paper kind of girls. Anyway, it was an interesting thought to wake up with.

The sun is shining and it's about 55 degrees out there already at 9:30..heading for the mid 70's, or so they say. I was up too late and then slept kinda late (exactly enough, it would seem--I feel pretty darn good). I'm in the middle of a project of inventorying my pantries, and as usual, it's turned out to be a bigger job than I'd hoped for. LOL I worked at it sort of diligently yesterday, between baking bread and making granola bars and cooking supper, and have barely made it a quarter of the way through. Arrgghh...the worst part?--I have already started a list of MORE things to get. lol Things like raisins and whole wheat flour...more things to inventory...my plan is to stop spending any more than I have to in my grocery budget by knowing what is in that pantry and eating accordingly. I do eat out of it every day, don't get me wrong. But I could easily make whole meals out of there and make room for this coming years harvest, which I need to do more of. (Bad sentence--where are the grammar police?)

I made bread yesterday and the furnace guy and his brother came to figure out why the furnace wouldn't come on after he was here to fix the air, which was a wire he forgot to hook back up after he was here last year fixing the furnace. And he did it again. lol Bless his heart. It's an old jury-rigged furnace, and he would like nothing more than to sell me a new one, complete with it's own true schematic and diagramming papers, but alas...I am too poor for a new furnace, and he knows it. So he does his best to keep the old wires working one more year..anyway..I was making bread, as I said. His brother came in and slammed the door trying to beat the dogs through and the bread fell and it's not the beautiful loaves of homemade goodness I would like, so I may make croutons and bread crumbs out of it. re-purpose it into a healthy bread pudding maybe--it's rather dense, but actually tastes okay, according to the Irishman, who ate 2 pieces of it as it came out of the oven. My bread eating machine, that guy. I made it with 3 types of flour--white bread flour, buckwheat flour and a little rye. So, I may remake it, and I may not. We'll see.

I will probably make a trip to Edwardsville today to pick up a few odds and ends, but need to get this inventory done and then get out in the yard and get some seeds in the ground. It's still a little early around here, but I'm ready to risk it. lol There is an upside to this little cool snap we've had---the grass is growing more slowly and doesn't look like it needs mowing a week after it was mowed last time....in fact, things look rather lush and grand out there..

Everyone who's been by is commenting on my beautiful arbor my son built. I am so proud...lol And the cats have chosen it as their favorite place to lounge.

Okay--the pantry isn't getting done while I sit here musing my life away. In fact, nothing's getting done.

And that's okay. For now.

Namaste.

Softly and serenely Sunday...

2012-04-22T19:13:00.000-07:00

I know that means different things to different people. For me, being at home, listening to the chicks in the next room (they're getting big and rowdy--time to go outside soon!!), sitting in my quickly vacuumed house, smelling the granola toasting in the oven, and waiting for my husband to get here with my sister. I have hamburger buns raising in the kitchen, and we're going to have grilled garden burgers and grilled whole ear corn and some fresh asparagus today. It's quiet and I have some lovely instrumental music playing. I have some leftover German chocolate cake for dessert, so nothing to do in that department. lol

I realize more and more every day, to be thankful in a big way for all the little things in my life that make it so worthwhile, so full of love, so bearable (even when things aren't going the easy way). Maybe especially when things aren't going the easy way. Life is always about the little things...I read a quote once that said Not everybody can do great things, but EVERYBODY can do small things with great love. And so I try to do all the small things I can do, and do them from my heart.

I have one big dark purple flower on my clematis at the corner of the front porch. I treasure that one first bloom more than I ever do when it's loaded with flowers, for some reason. The first spring peepers, the first time when I learn something new, the first snowfall...all marking transitions into the next phase of the seasons or my life or whatever. Something special about those times, and sometimes makes me forget about the magick and beauty of all the other things that are always with me on a daily basis.

Yesterday I met someone special. I think. In my gut, I know. You know how it is when you are listening and hear that twing of a connection and can't wait to get next to that person. To talk and to listen and to know them. It was like that. We exchanged phone numbers and we shall see if a friendship grows from this encounter. Even if it doesn't, I am glad to have made her acquaintance. At my age, it seems like there aren't a lot of new friends out there to be made, though that even sounds silly as I type it. But--it feels that way sometimes...

...well, it's about 5 hours later than when I started this. More than that, maybe. My sister has come and gone and we had a nice dinner and a nice visit. Her husband came and got her to take her home, so I didn't have to drive down there after all. Nice...a whole day of staying home. I did a little cleaning but not too much. made a nice batch of granola and a gorgeous bunch of hamburger buns. Seriously, if you ever make these things, you'll be hooked and you'll never buy store buns again. I don't think I'll do the veggie burgers on the grill again though...it was almost too much. But the corn was awesome as usual and the asparagus was a treat as well.

I'm feeling the need for some popcorn...and maybe watch a little tv if I can find something on worth watching. Reading a Patricia Cornwell book right now, Black Notice...one that seemed to have gotten past me, as I've read a great many of her books. Not the one about Jack the Ripper though--somehow that doesn't interest me at all. lol I'm about halfway through it, so if there's nothing on tv, I'll just read. I picked up 3 more books at a yard sale over the weekend too...so I'm [pretty stocked up with things to pass the time. lol

Hope everyone's weekend was good and that you'll be looking forward to the first Monday of the week with a glad heart. I have a couple of things that have been being shuffled from list to list for a few days that I absolutely HAVE to accomplish tomorrow...so my plan is pretty much made.

Blessings and love

Namaste.

And now, after her ten day hiatus...

2012-04-20T15:37:00.000-07:00

Sheesh.On a bright note, here is a picture of ONE of the things that happened during the 10 days I had no internet.

My son whipped this baby up in only two days...because after he put the 4x4 posts in the ground with quickcrete, they had to set up. The only cost was for the 4x4's, everything else was leftover from another project or repurposed material. I've been wanting to have one, and this year the goofy little 50 cent stick of wisteria that I stuck in the ground has gone berserk. The boy had some time on his hands waiting to be called back to work and so..there you have it. It's not overly fancy, he said...and I said the wisteria will be covering it by the end of summer--it's perfect. The bench seat is made form some heavy duty pallet slats that the Irishman brought home from work where the steel they make the culvert pipe from gets hauled on. It had to be scrubbed down once he was finished because it had a red oxidation on it that came off on my hands, so I took some dish soap and a rubber scrubber out there and cleaned it up. Since I had the hose out, I went ahead and cleaned up the front porch furniture as well. We had a couple of serious storms that howled and flung mud and dirty rain water everywhere...and the rocking chairs and the little table were a hot mess.

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Today has taken a cool turn..and drizzly all day too. I have a big pot of minestrone soup on the stove right now and the house has all those wonderful smells of garlic and oregano and tomato-ey goodness swirling around. Doing laundry too--the Irishman is working today and maybe tomorrow too. Grateful for the over time. Yesterday I mowed the whole property...my neighbor clucking at me as she watched me limping along behind the self-propelled mower. I had planted potatoes earlier in the day...it's a little late, but the garden beds weren't ready, or it was raining. Anyway, got those in. So, today is an inside, taking it easy day. I was gonna bake bread, but didn't. Was gonna make granola and granola bars...but didn't. Oh, well. I have a really laid back boss...lol

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The husbandman has come home and gone to take the JRT to the park for a quick walk and then to the grocery for a loaf of french bread and some shredded parm to go with the minestrone soup. That'll be a good meal. I used orzo in it in the place of macaroni..I like to do that because the macaroni sucks up all the soup liquid when the leftovers are in the fridge. lol Orzo too tiny to do much damage. He came in and said "Ooooo...that really smells good!!"

I have the last load of laundry in the dryer and the house is warm and aromatic and it's going to be a nice quiet Friday night of being home watching tv. If there's nothing good on, we can watch a movie from our personal library--I just got 3 new ones at a thrift store the other day. One Sean Connery, called Just Cause, one Day After Tomorrow, and something else that I cannot quite recall without going to look. lol It'll be a cozy evening in while the rain continues to come down out there. Supposed to stop this evening, but for now it's all lazy-making, all those negative ions in the air.

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Okay...time to wind this up and get my self in the kitchen. I can't tell you how glad I am to be back online...while I had no internet, however (this is SO telling)...I read 6 books, baked my brains out, cleaned 2 closets, cleaned the mudroom, worked in the yard and generally fussed about. I also got a lot better at using my iPhone to do some of the things it can do. But iot easn't the same as sitting here at my keyboard, reading up on what y'all have been busy with and generally feeling connected.

(The reading more was good though) lol

Have a fabulous Friday, everyone. I need to go check on some chickens....

Namaste.

Just when you think it's safe ...

2012-04-10T22:56:00.000-07:00

...to take a day and do NO housework--your favorite brother calls and says they're coming tomorrow for a VISIT, if that's okay. And of course you say, yes--it's okay--knowing full well you have a 10:30 massage and reflexology appointment that will save your life and you can't cancel on such short notice. Which leaves no time for housework, as they'll be here when I get back.

So, you cheerfully tell them to come at their own risk, as the grass is high and the oak seed pods have taken on a life of their own and are everywhere, choking the life out of everything. I swept the porch and swept them out of the hall going to the front door, and 10 minutes later they were back.

And the peaceful serene look of this place, harbors a dark underbelly, which will reach out and pull you under if it's not kept at bay by my whirling dervish-type housekeeping schedules. (Believe me--the yard looks nothing like this right now. I mowed last Tuesday and the dandelions alone are already 2 foot high). And the back yard has not been mowed at all, too busy working the garden beds to be bothered with it, and now it's supposed to rain for like, I don't know, 6 days straight, and do you know what that is going to do?? The grass is already high back there, and the only thing that may save us is that the weather is shifting back to almost normal April temperatures. Freeze warning tonight. Sigh....maybe the grass won't grow. (Right.)

It's been a lovely cool day today, and I didn't do a damn thing except drive to Edwardsville for dog biscuits and a few odds and ends. And I drove 55 all the way with the cruise control on and had the windows down off and on. Roxie was with me, of course. She thinks she's a magical dog when we go into Petco and the doors open for her, lol. I picked up some more soy yogurt (vanilla) and some fruit and a few vegetables. Going down the road, I realized I hadn't been in the car since Friday.

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I installed a new photo app on my iPhone today--really didn't like the way the other one worked. This one seems better so far...it's called Instagram, and I understand the spawn of Facebook bought it recently. I don't care who owns it...it was free and it works pretty well. A winning combination in my book.

Made Pad Thai for supper and it was good. And easy. (Another winning combination). lol

Not sure what I'll make for my brother and family when they come tomorrow, but it probably doesn't really matter. They rarely eat with us, very concerned that I don't go "out of my way" for them. lol But we'll see how it goes. I was thinking maybe a big pot of beans and cornbread might be good. I got some buttermilk today while I was out...so I could make a skillet of my sweet moist cornbread...mmm...making me hungry just thinking about it.

Read a few blogs, said a few prayers. I'll get up early with the Irishman and take an hour or so to run the vacuum and dust and straighten up. It'll be good enough. I'm gonna go start a pot of butterbeans to soaking before I go to bed, so I can just get them going early. Trying to decide if I want to put a hamhock in them that I found in the freezer. We haven't been eating meat, not buying any, but have had fish a time or two when we are out to eat. I found a turkey breast in the outside freezer and a package of goat--ribs I think- I could cook that turkey breast too. I had thought of cooking it for Easter, but wound up not having an Easter meal. I didn't realize we still had stuff in the freezer, or would have eaten it up long ago. lol The goat will probably be a doggie treat, because it's mostly bones-something someone had given me last year.

So many decisions to make this late at night...lol

Time for me to go to bed.

6 AM comes mighty early around these parts.

Namaste.

A Mellow Monday

2012-04-09T22:30:00.001-07:00

Today was everything a Monday should be....pleasant weather, quiet and peaceful outside, and I accomplished a LOT.

3 loaves, all in all. Made with a combination of bread flour, whole wheat flour and rye flour. It turned out better than any bread I've made in a while.

Then (or, first, actually) I made 2 batches of granola bars, one for my son and one for here. They are really good too, and chock full of 3 kinds of fruit that I dried (apples, blueberries and cranberries) plus raisins, walnuts, peanuts, sesame seeds, raw sunflower seeds, coconut, flax seeds,and oatmeal and honey, barley malt syrup and butter. Thinking I might try using coconut oil next time. They look like this:

And then get cut into this:

And wrapped. Each batch makes 16-18 bars. I roughly figured it out that it costs about 3 dollars to make a batch. And that's a very rough estimate, since I'm always buying things on sale and stashing them in my pantry and never know from one time to the next what I might have paid...lol

I'm thinking I need to figure out how to incorporate some peanut butter into them,. Wouldn't that be good ?

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I also made a blackberry pie, since my husband has been hinting around about how good one would taste. lol I found some 2 year old blackberries in the freezer that needed using, and VOILA! Pie.

We had leftovers for supper, the last of the adzuki beans and some jasmine rice, fresh bread with butter and a small green salad. Because they needed to get eaten, and because by suppertime, I was about cooked OUT. lol

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I finished my book by Elizabeth Hay..A Student of Weather. Excellent reading. I kept thinking I had read this before, but now, having finished it, I'm not so sure. The characters were exquisite. The story is set between Saskatchewan, Ontario and New York. Loved it.

Now--what's the next read? Possibly Rush Home Road, by Lori Lansens or maybe, The Hour I First Believed, by Wally Lamb. Hmmmm.....

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I found a station on the tv satellite that is all Guitar and Piano music and that is what was on all day. I turned the computer off around lunchtime and spent the rest of the day listening to music, reading and baking. It was extraordinarily relaxing. I have a few set plans for tomorrow- some errands to run and some chores to do--but mostly it might be a day of working outside, getting some grass mowed, getting some branch teepee trellises set up. Whatever it turns out to be, I'm going slow and easy through it, just like I did today. :)

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Might be having a visit form baby brother and family in the middle of the week...better get the house straightened around, just in case. lol Have a massage and reflexology treatment scheduled for Wednesday morning, not a minute too soon. My back and neck are hurting pretty good.

Talked to my youngest sister a while today too. She's busy working and all is well on that end. I will be seeing her this weekend, hopefully.

The baby chicks are growing like weeds. The signs of spring are inescapable and I am ready for more outside time and lots of sunshine. Sounds good to me. lol

For now, I am off to bed. To sleep--perchance to dream.

Hope you all had a relaxing Monday too...

Namaste.

April's second Sunday...

2012-04-08T11:16:00.001-07:00

A beautiful Sunday morning...sunny and bright blue skies. Had some newly made granola for breakfast and the Irishman was off to town for his Sunday morning homegroup meeting. I, on the other time, have been wasting away the morning sitting here at the computer.

I do have some things to do, and just when I get close to starting them, I meander off onto another place on the web, and fool around a little longer. lol

I was going to post last night and keep my computer off all day...but it didn't happen and I have no discipline, and before you knew it, I was in here turning everything on and looking forward to checking into things with wild abandon.

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I was a busy beaver yesterday...and I still didn't get all the things on my list done. Of course it didn't help that I had 2 visitors and several phone calls. And I'm basically lazy. lol So far this morning I have vacuumed and changed the tablecloth and set the table with new placemats and napkins in big sunflower rings. I have swept the front porch and half of the back deck (the seed pods from the oak trees are making me insane...they are everywhere and they are back on the floors 3 minutes after you sweep or vacuum). I have taken a shower after all that and gotten dressed. I'm going to make 2 batches of granola bars today and give one of them to my son when he comes by tomorrow...I have to make bread. The granola I made yesterday turned out so good! I gave him a small bag to take home with him and he called later and said "Man--that granola is AWESOME !!!!! Can I get the recipe when I come on Monday??" And I thought, well...if I can remember how I made it. LOL I'll write it down as best I can...it's a loose recipe anyway, and it's never the same twice. However, this time I made it with part honey and part barley malt syrup and it gave it a wonderful flavor.

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Well, the Irishman came home and immediately left again, to go mushroom hunting with the neighbor. They're just out behind our place, not far, but he had all these plans to do things that he didn't do yesterday, because he took off for a hike with his buddy--Quiver River or somewhere in Missouri, and even with a GPS they got lost. He didn't get home until almost 8 o'clock last night. So, he was gone all day and didn't do any garden work. I doubt much will get done today either. I think he wants to get some of the tree branch teepees made to see how they go--we'll use them for bean poles.

I keep telling him it's okay to take a day off, but....he's worried we're not going to get things in on time. I tell him that Mother Nature has her own time, and that it will all be fine. lol

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Last night I made a beautiful vegan lasagna. I used whole wheat noodles and I caramelized onions and sauteed garlic, mushrooms, zucchini, yellow crookneck squash, asparagus and spinach at the last minute to barely wilt it. I made ricotta with onions and garlic and tofu and agave nectar and salt, pepper and basil. I used a nice marinara and it was absolutely delightful. You could not tell that there was no cheese in it. I had the parmesan out to put it on my plate if I wanted it, but I really didn't need it. Here's a picture or two...I slid the top noodles back to show the filling...

It was some good stuff. I made a small 8x8 pan, just in case, and the Irishman said--"..that's not gonna last very long at all" lol

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Well, I'd better get off here and get busy. Need to get some bread mixed up and set to rise and then get started on the granola bars. Not in a hurry to do much, just enjoying this beautiful Sunday.

Hope your day is especially blessed...however you choose to spend it.

Namaste.