Miss Effie's Diary

Joy!

2012-06-01T08:43:00.002-07:00

In 30 days, the month of June goes from the richest shade of green to these fireworks of color. And ... although these are not blooming at the moment.... I just had to post some of the joy to come.

These pictures were taken by my interns Ashley and Sonya last year. Ashley has graduated and gone on to do amazing things. Sonya is back but not as an intern. Sonya is my sounding board ... the out-of-the-box-thinker who pushes Honey and I to do more and be more. She keeps me laughing ... keeps me working ... keeps me aspiring.

We all need a Sonya in our lives.

And next week, Kelly starts. Kelly is a student at Augustana College and will be here for the summer. Sonya and I are happy to have someone else join us on our weeding adventures!!!

So for today, I will be planting the Jewels of Opar that arrives yesterday.

And I will send you this wish .................

Bee happy!

Quoting Dr. Phil ............ sort of.

2012-05-29T06:00:00.000-07:00

OK .... I am baring my soul today.

Fact .... I am very very insecure about my business.

Very.

I want everyone to love it! And although I think its just like chocolate cake .... not everyone likes chocolate cake.

And that insecurity is weird ... cuz I really don't care what you think about me!!! You may not like my cooking ... I don't care. You may not like my clothes ... I don't care. You can tell me "I'd burn down that house!".... and I don't care. I may think you are rude ... but I don't care.

But say something negative about my business .......... and it eats at me forever!!!!!

Yes ... it is story time.

A few years ago, an acquaintance called about bringing a group to the farm. I told them about the hours, times, etc and what would be blooming and the conversation ended.

A couple of weeks later .... an older farm couple came to the farm. They had driven quite a ways to "inspect" the farm for their daughter ... a member of the group. They were quite upfront and honest that they were here to look everything over to see if it was worth the trip.

They questioned why anyone would tie tea cups to the tree. They wondered about the hankies on the line. They were confused about using a corn crib for dining.

Maybe they were looking for beautiful gardens.... I plant my flowers in rows, like a cornfield.

Maybe they were looking for exotic flowers ... nope, just a lot of pretty zinnias, snapdragons and lisianthus.

Maybe they were looking for shiny new buildings instead of worn paint, swoooopy roofs and 80 chickens.

Maybe they were so used to the patch work quilt of fields .... that they couldn't see past the corn to appreciate the view.

After they walked around the farm ... they said their goodbyes .... and walked to their cars.

I heard the old farmer say, "Ain't much here".

I never heard from my acquaintance again.

I know the old farmer was so used to seeing through Midwest eyes .... that the beauty of the little things was missed. The usual and the unusual weren't worth the drive.

I listen to the tree frogs. I hear the robins sing. I see the wonder of a black-eyed susan unfurl its face to the sun.

But over and over and over, as I work through the gardens this spring, I hear "Ain't much here."

You are wondering where does Dr. Phil come in? About now.

It takes a thousand "atta-boy-s" to erase one "ain't much here".

I'll be working on this for a while.

A walk down memory lane..............

2012-05-27T06:06:00.000-07:00

No -- not me! At the moment, I don't have time to find the memories! I know I put them in a pile in the office ... and who know where they are!!!! And the lane .... I'll find it in November!!!!

Yesterday ... we were working. Sheepie Neighbor had stopped by for a brief moment when an unfamiliar car pulled in the lane.

The occupant kept looking at the house. Stared ...... and stared ........ and stared at the house.

I asked if I could help her. She asked if we had a store on the farm .......... and then she said, "My grandmother lived in this house."


I know you have seen this before ... our house circa 1927

She was surprised that we lived in the house as it needs paint. ;)

But when I talked to her ... and learned her memories ... and she told me about Sunday dinners in the kitchen ... I knew she loved this house.

I learned of ball games that were played, the chicken coops.... the hog lot that is now my cutting garden. The dairy barn that was over there ... and the creek where they splashed on a hot summer day.

And although ... we grew up in different states ... different areas ... our Sundays were so similar.

She told me about her ill grandfather, sleeping on a daybed in our family room. She told me about her grandmother, sitting in the bay window that was in the kitchen, reading late into the night. I heard about babies that died upstairs ... way too young. I envisioned the stacks and stacks of dishes from a Sunday chicken dinner and a house full of laughter.

I told her about my process to get the house on the National Registry of Historic Places. I told her about discovering the writing on the stairwell .........

I showed her some of the photos her late aunt had sent me.... and a map that showed the farm in 1906.

And I showed her "Jenny's Garden" ... unfortunately, still filled with weeds .... it was named for her grandmother and is filled with heirloom flowers.

And I am certain .... a tear or two watered that little piece of ground.

Thanks Carol ... for stopping. Come by again ... you are always welcome.

Grow, damn it!!!!

2012-05-26T05:17:00.000-07:00

The weather on the east coast of Iowa has been delightful!

Yes ... it has been dry. We are in desperate need of rain. Yes ... it was really hot on Thursday. It was almost 90 degrees and they are talking about 93-94 degrees tomorrow. And yes, that wind was awful ... 45 miles per hour. Blew everything and everyone around the county!!

But it is May ... and I'm not wearing long underwear. I could host a Memorial Day party in the corn-zebo instead of the my living room. And my arms really have a nice tan.

So ..... what's my problem????

I want things to grow ..... NOW!!!

I want blooming flowers .... NOW!!!

I want to sell buckets and buckets and buckets of flowers .... NOW!!!

Yes ... it is time for my annual lesson in patience. I try. And I try. But I don't get it.

Yea .... this is from last year!

I water them gently with the sprinkler ... give them a little manure tea .... tell the larkspur how much I love it.

It doesn't help.

I cross my arms and tap my toe on the mulch and talk sternly to the snapdragons.

It doesn't help.

I walk by the dianthus and pretend that it doesn't exist.... ignoring its tiny shiny green leaves.

It doesn't help.

So it is back to my lessons. We will see if I get it this year!

I have a job....................

2012-05-23T20:02:00.000-07:00

You are my friends. I know you will understand.

But when you run a business through your home ... many don't think you are working. You are just goofing off. Lounging around. Eating bon-bons. Its not an important job.

It may not be a fancy job. I don't wear designer clothes. Or drive a new SUV.

But I do work........at home. MY HOME ....not a park.

I plant flowers.
I dig weeds.
I gather eggs.
I knit scarves.
I keep kittens safe and chicks warm.
I make jam.
I wash tablecloths.
I teach classes.
I clean the bathroom.
I pay the insurance.
I plan the gardens.
I design the website.
I write this blog.
I embroider tea towels.
I attend meetings.
I hang signs.
I spin yarn.
I spread manure.
I answer questions.
I harvest herbs and veggies and put them up for the winter.
And I give thanks to God for the strength and the health to do it.

And I as much as I love doing it .... it all takes money. A lot more than you think. (Except spreading the manure stuff ..... that shit just seems to appear!)

I do it for a reason.

To pay for my 13 year old car.... my 120 year old house. To put groceries on the table and propane in the tank. To buy feed for the chicken coop and cat food on the porch.

To make a living.

Call me mercenary .......

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

2012-05-22T05:44:00.000-07:00

I lost a blog follower yesterday after posting my participation in a Women for Obama event.

This bothers me ... not because I lost a follower. I didn't start this blog for anyone but myself. I enjoy writing and telling you about the farm, the food, the fiber and flowers. My life. Including my political beliefs.

It bothers me because it is symptomatic of what is wrong with our society today.

NO respect.

None!

We have drawn lines in the sand. Wide lines. And every team has to be on their side of the line.

We see it in relationships. The words ... they didn't show me respect. Really????? Did you deserve it??? Were you kind and thoughtful and understanding that they might have had a bad day???

We see it with food issues.

Recently ... a farmer journalist said to me ... I know you are not a fan of conventional agriculture.

That could not be farther from the truth!

I grew up in conventional agriculture. Those farmers are my neighbors, my family and my friends. I happen to be a small farmer that raises flowers and chickens. And I talk about what I know. And for me, small scale farming is what I know. Very small!

I understand the economic impacts of the 1980's and the changes that were needed to farm. When you can't afford hired help .... you farm differently than you did prior to 1980's.

Personally ... I am not a big fan of certain herbicides. I don't use it on my farm. I'm not totally convinced of its safety. But I understand the economics behind the use ... no cultivating, less gas being used, more free time to do other things. The list goes on and on. And I hope my neighbors respect my desire not to use certain herbicides and my method of weed control.

Which, honestly, is kind of crazy for my back and knees!!!

We see that same lack of respect all over television. The lack of any kind of political respect is appalling. It doesn't matter whether it is "my side" or not! They immediately draw their lines ... and start tackling each other!!

And personally ................. I think that line drawn in the sand .... could easily be blurred.

So .... if I took my foot and erased that line ... could we be friends again??????

I think this is who I am ..........

2012-05-21T16:19:00.000-07:00

Source: Uploaded by user via Cathy on Pinterest

OK .... First of all ... we are friends. And although we may disagree on politics .... let's just agree to disagree and give each other a hug and move on. Even though ... I can get kind of snarky about some things .... I really believe this country would be better off with some mutual R-E-S-P-E-C-T! (Sing it, Aretha!)

Today .. I told the story of agriculture, small farms, local foods and women to Women for Obama event in Davenport.

Moving fast ... mouth wide open ... talking loud .... yea, that was me.

Surprised???? Neither was Honey.

It was fun .... although I was nervous as hell!!!

And honestly, this was physically the cleanest I have been in a month. Really, what was up with that??? I had almost no dirt under my nails. It felt totally unnatural! I had to wear jeans to feel like myself! (OK -- I only wear jeans!)

So I might do this again some time ... some place. But as for tomorrow and the rest of the week .... I am playin' in the dirt!

It's good to be in my element! :)

A tonic for what ails ya!

2012-05-17T05:21:00.001-07:00

First of all .......... if you are feeling down, get your butt outside! Our weather in the Midwest should make anyone and everyone happy. Sunshine..... lollipops .... rainbows. Wait ... where were those lollipops??? (And do you really remember that song???)

OK -- today's post is a public service announcement.

So -- let's just say you are a 30 year old woman with 30 years of experience. And besides that broken thermostat that you have tried to get replaced under warranty .... you are now experiencing leg cramps.

Constant leg cramps.

In the middle of the night ... constant leg cramps.

You have tried aspirin, hot baths before bed, lots of calcium, lots of water .... and nothing has seemed to work.

Oh yea ... you hear about meds that you could take. But you also hear the list of side effects.... so you decide to keep your money your pocket and try to walk those leg cramps out.

Or ... you can try this.

Tonic water.

OK -- let me tell you. This is AMAZING!

I heard about drinking tonic water a little over a week ago. Honey said that I should try it so he could get some sleep. He did some googling .... discovered that you want to make sure the tonic water you drink has quinine in it. And he insisted that I try it so he could get some sleep. INSISTED. I guess I kicked him one time too many!!!

I tried it.

Whoa. Not so sure about drinking tonic water without the gin to flavor it!!!!!

But with the addition of a little lemon or lime juice .... a bit of Crystal lite, if you like..... the taste is more than ok. And 16 oz a day ........... I have been leg cramp free for over a week.

Not. a. one.

Literally ... the first day ... a little twitch ... but no cramps. Since then ..... NOTHING!!

So .... if that 30 years of experience is keeping you awake at night ....try it.

You are welcome.

Bzzzzzzzzzz!

2012-05-16T05:44:00.000-07:00

I've got that busy as a bee thing going over at Miss Eff's at the moment.

And .. if truth be known ... I am doing that "flit to one flower then the next". Yea ... floral ADD has set in.

It kind of goes like this.............

I pick up a tray of flowers ... say dahlias .... and I diligently start to plant. I get 85% of the dahlias in the tray planted. And I am suddenly at the end of the row.

Now ... a huge thrill to me this time of year is an empty plug tray tossed in the garbage can.

So I go on the search for a place to plant that last 15%. I walk through the garden looking for the right mix of location, soil and sunshine. Will people see them? Can they get to them to cut the flowers?? What other flowers are there?? Will they coordinate well together??

I find the perfect location. But it is weedy ...

Here comes the garden trowel, the cobra weeder, a hoe and a bucket. The dibber is there to plug those plants in place. Several trips to the coop with the discarded weeds .... and I am ready to plant.

The yellow dahlias are in the ground, staked and ready to go. But now I need something to make them "pop" and to fill the space. I know!! I have a tray of hot pink zinnias!! Perfect!!

So I take that tray of hot pink zinnias .... and plant 10%.

Oh.

Flit. Flit. Flit.

Speechless...............

2012-05-14T08:25:00.002-07:00

Well, not really.............. but I really don't have anything to say.

I should .......... but I don't.

It is work ... work .... and more work this time of year.

The new little chicks are growing. The old girls are laying like crazy.

We have two new litters of kittens. The litter from Little George .... not to be confused with George and Really Fast Little George ..... is ADORABLE but camera shy. Well, really shy. Like run-under-the-old-Mustang shy.

Little Face Fluffy Tail's litter will not be shy. But at 3 days old .... they are not ready for a close-up.

We have been cleaning gardens and planting flowers.

OK ... I have been planting flowers.

Its a control-issue thing. I agonize about what is going where. Tall ... huge burst of colors ... need to be up-front ... but not blocking the view of shorter, more delicate flowers. I want you to walk up to the garden and say ............... wow!

Sometimes, that happens.

And sometimes ................... it doesn't.

So I am always moving things around ... trying to find the best place for you to see it ... touch it ..... and cut it. And hopefully .... it will be just the right soil, light levels, and soil moisture for it.

Right now ... I am planting dahlias. This one ... looks like it might be my favorite this year.


File photo found at verwer-dahlias

And there is one itsy --bitsy --- tiny problem.

I bought too many flowers.

Yea.

Really.

I did.

Maybe a lot too many!

I should not be allowed to be alone in a room with a seed catalog and a phone!!!!

I'll let you know how that resolves itself. I'm thinking there will be flowers from every corner of the farm.

That can't be a bad thing?????

Can it?????

The noise you hear in the night

2012-05-10T05:34:00.000-07:00

When you farm like I do ... there are two ways to increase your income.

The first ... of course, is to raise prices. That works ... to some extent. If I have 10 dozen eggs and raise the price 50 cents ... I'm going to make $5 more. If I raise it a $1 a dozen ... I'd make $10 more but will I sell the eggs I need to sell??? If John sells his eggs for $2 a dozen and I sell mine for $4 a dozen... with all things being equal, John most likely will sell his eggs while mine sit.

Or you can go the more common route. In this little parable, I would raise more chickens and sell more eggs.

Grow.

Grow bigger.

And that my friends, is today's dilemma.

I made my farm bigger. Well -- figuratively. I didn't add any acreage but more gardens. More flowers to grow. More chickens to raise. More weeds to pull. More work to do.

Too much work to do.

So in this down economy, with so many people out of work, the easy answer is ............. hire someone to help.

And I am discovering something.....

OK -- it hit me hard on my head.

People may be out of a job ..... but they don't want to work.

I am not a slave driver. I don't make people work in the pouring rain. I am grateful to be done working before the temperature and the percent of humidity reaches 100! But farming/gardening/livestock chores = sweat/dirt/sore muscles.

And I am a little farmer. (Well yea ... I am extremely short! But I meant the scale that I farm!)

The search for affordable, reliable help is hard. I have had fantastic results with college interns... where through grant programs, students received financial or college credit reimbursement for their time on the farm. But sometimes, I would like someone early in the season ... late in the season.

So begins the search.

And the search is hard because people want to be paid what they think they are worth.

So I decided that I will pay an employee EXACTLY what I got paid last year. After expenses, working a 40 hour work week (yea, like that ever happened!) .............. I made (drum roll, please.)

$19.84 a week.

I guess that would be a menial salary for a menial job. :)

That noise you hear in the night?????

Its me hitting my head against the wall. Again. And Again.

Ahhhhhh..................................

2012-05-08T05:36:00.000-07:00

Its has been a very busy week. Barely a moment to take a breath and ......... think.

I have the urge to curl up with my knitting or a book in the lath house and relax as the soil dries out from yesterday's rain. I'd like to hang a load of laundry in the sunshine. Maybe bake a loaf of bread leisurely.

But that has wait for another day. Today is busy. Today is special.

Today ... I get to spend the day with my fibery sisters and we will share what we love.

We will wear blue jeans and sweatshirts. We will sit on the ground and talk softly. We will play with baby chicks, goats, a calf and share our love of our lives with 7 year-olds at school. They will hold the babies and draw pictures ... and see "Charlotte's Web".

And maybe E. B. White will inspire them with the love of Wilbur..... like we were inspired.

Our nails are dirty. Our jeans are stained. Our noses are sun-burned. And the work is never done.

Our vacations consist of a rainy day run to Kolona or a cold beer under a tree.

It is not a fancy life.

But it is ours. And we are forever happy.

OK ... Ground Rules!!!!

2012-04-27T09:06:00.000-07:00

Wow! What a day!! It is 10:30 and I already want a beer!!!

It is cold, cloudy and windy out. I need to be planting but I think I will hold off for a moment.

So -- today was chick day!!

I had ordered 5 each of Easter eggers, Welsummers, Cuckoo Marans and Speckled Sussex pullets. Then I had decided that I wanted some Silkies.


Josephine, Napoleon and Cruella DeVille

We had lost Napoleon and Cruella DeVille in the past to predators. But poor Josephine wanted babies. And like all good Silkies .... she went broody. Over and Over again.

Now a broody mama would have loved to have some new chicks.... so I was patiently waiting until my ordered Silkies arrived to give Josephine the babies she always wanted.

Last week, when locking up the girls at night ..... we didn't realize that Josephine was sitting on a nest she had created in the run. It was not the night to be out. Come morning .... all that was left of Josephine, was a little pile of feathers.

So today .... the chicks arrived. Twenty full sized pullets and .............................. one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine ............. Silkies. Wait. There is suppose to be 15. Oh ... two deceased. But we were still missing the 5 buff Silkies.

I got every one settled in the brooder..... plug in the light! And poof! The heat bulb was out! So on to the farm store for another bulb!

They are now warm .... sweetly peeping in the brooder. So far ... so good. They are such tiny things.

In other news .... WOW!!!!! It is going to be a busy year on the farm!!! My email and Facebook pages have been filled with booking events! I love that!!!!

Please call and talk to me before booking your event on the farm. We have weddings, showers, parties booked already. Unfortunately ... this is a one woman show and the farm takes a lot of time. This is also my home and laundry, baking, housekeeping is also on the schedule. So I can only book so many events in one week. Normally ... I don't want more than two in the same week.

We do charge for large groups coming to the farm ..... so please look at the Field Trip tab for further details.

I have just started planting.... so I am totally unsure about flower availability at this time. I don't know what to think!!! The purple bouquet dianthus has started to bloom ... the lilies look like they should in June and the peonies have huge buds.

But the annuals are just starting to go in ..... and try as I might ..... they do not grow over night!!!

My best guess at the moment ... we will see snapdragons, larkspur and dianthus approximately June 1st.

Like always.

I so need a new crystal ball!!!!!

Slow Flowers

2012-04-26T00:10:00.000-07:00

It is one thirty in the morning.

My back aches. My hands cramp. And my hips are sore.

I am tired. But my mind is racing. I am thinking about what needs to be pulled, planted or paid. There is the class description to write, the recipes to sends, the bills to submit. Where do I put the chicks that are coming in a couple of hours? Will the lisianthus fill the row? Is this a better site than the row I planted last year?

Kind of odd to be talking about slow flowers ... when it is such a busy time of year.

And I am not talking about the Fed Ex delay of today ..... though that threw everything for a loop!! Normally, Fed Ex has the plugs here by noon - one pm. And by 2 ... I was getting nervous. I knew they had shipped ... but where were they?

And what happened to ... when you absolutely positively have to have it???

I started tracking the shipment ... out for delivery.

By four ... I was calling. And finally, at 5:30 ...... the very last boxes in the truck .... they were here. I was grateful for moderate temps but frustrated at a day lost. But 500 lizzies are planted, watered, tagged and supported. I will finish the rest later today.

But that not the slow flowers I'm talking about.

For years ... Slow Foods has brought the concept of local foods, regional tastes and heritage cooking out of the kitchen and into the news. And now ..... its time for Slow Flowers.

Slow Flowers is the movement for locally sustainable flowers. Not flowers that are shipped in from the Netherlands, Kenya or Columbia. Not roses that have been dipped, sprayed and shaped into the scentless horticultural products found in floral cases at our local grocery stores. No banned substances sprayed on them to extend their shelf life.

Slow Flowers are real. They aren't perfect because they are field grown without the use of pesticides. We won't have lilacs in August. Heck! After this crazy spring weather, we won't have lilacs in May! Slow Flowers is about the seasonality of flowers .... something that has been lost because of greenhouse forcing. Their stems may have a beautiful curve ....their foliage a missing piece. But they are beautiful blooms that are safe for you .... your family ... and your home.

Its what Miss Eff's has been giving you for 11 seasons now. Local. Fresh. Sustainable flowers grown without pesticides or herbicides. Grown in rich Iowa soil.

So ....as I impatiently wait for the first of June when the first snapdragon blooms ...... remind me that Slow Flowers are good things.

And good things are worth waiting for.

But Fed Ex could get here a little faster!

Can you hear me now????

2012-04-25T06:36:00.000-07:00

Sorry to have suddenly dropped into a hole ..... my computer was visited by the "blue screen of death".

Similar to the ghost of Christmas' past ..... the computer crashes and burns and I was left shaking under the covers! Where will my pictures go??? How will I talk to anyone?? All my Facebook friends will think I had abandon them? If I had played Farmville .... my crops would have died.

Fortunately, I have enough real crops of my own to tend .... I have to admit that they look much better with the extra attention they have gotten the last few days! It has been so quiet on the farm ... no one saying, You've got mail!

But I do have Pinterest withdrawal.

So now that that is out of the way ....... wanna see what is new?????

Source: oniongrovemercantile.com via Cathy on Pinterest

I am totally in love with my new sign!!!! Jen .... as usual .... worked her magic with the paint brush.

We do have a itsy bitsy problem ... I have to find a post worthy of this beautiful sign!! It is not going on a standard old steel fence post!!!! We do have an old newel post hanging out ...... I think we can do something with that. Details will follow!!!

Ok -- in other news -- the fabulous Zan Asha is heading back to Miss Eff's this weekend! So in celebration of her arrival ... we are having a party!! Well -- its really a class -- but trust me, you will think you have been to a party!!!!

On Sunday ... April 29th ... 1 to 3 or 4 .... we are hosting an eggs-travaganza!!! First of all .... we will make a souffle and then a rich and creamy cheesecake. Both that we will devour with a nice green salad .... call it brunch. Maybe some asparagus. And while everything is baking .... Zan will be teaching some egg decorating.

$25 per person will get you in on the merriment. We do have a few places at the table and would love to have you here. There will definitely be more than enough cheesecake for all of us!!!! Drop me a note...... cmlafrenz (at) netins (dot) net.

Garden planting begins in earnest today. Black-eyed susans and lisianthus will go into today ... if the shipment comes before the rain does!!! And tomorrow .... I will hear the peep peep peep of little chicken feet.

So Spring has truly come to Miss Eff's ..... won't be long before you will want to see it too!

Cannin', Craftin' and Classin'

2012-04-18T05:54:00.000-07:00

First of all .... this is a post without photos.

Evidently, I decided that there would be no dirty photos at Miss Eff's ........... and gave that camera a hot water wash, extra rinse, 1200 rpm spin cycle.

Yea.

Let me give you a hint ..... its not a good thing.

In my defense, I grew up in a household that never checked pockets before laundering. Dad was a large animal vet ..... you never knew what you might find. So I grew up with sparkling clean dollar bills, shiny quarters and clothesline-fresh pocket knives.

I'd say ... I've learned my lesson. Yes ... I have! That extended warranty thing is fantastic!!!! Sooooo worth it.

But I digress.

So ... the other night I taught a jam making class. I had not made jam all winter ..... and suddenly as the fresh strawberries hit the gel point .... I had mojo!!! Wow! Stand back from the stove.... I am jammin'!

Saturday was a cold damp day .... and the canner was cookin'.

I made strawberry jam .....and strawberry-rhubarb jam ..... and strawberry daiquiri jam ..... and kiwi daiquiri jam and finally, apricot brandy jam.

Seriously .... a lot of boozy jam going on!! So the Summer Kitchen is getting stocked up. Next on the agenda is Sunshine Jam, apple pie jam and maybe something herby.

If you haven't picked up on it yet ..... I carry a knitting project wherever I go. Always. So when I'm at the stoplight ... I'm knitting. If Honey is driving ... I am knitting. If I am waiting .... I am knitting.

Most of the time .... its a dishcloth, tea cozy or bath mitt. Mindless stuff. But now I have a new plan ...

Source: joann.com via Sascha on Pinterest

I want to yarn bomb my bicycle .....

Lord knows, I have planted the basket full of flowers every year ... with so-so success. So why not fill it full of knitted and crocheted flowers???

Well --- other than the fact that I don't crochet much!

So right now .... I am knitting i-cord streamers to weave through the spokes. I'll knit a seat cover for the seat. Something stripy and fun ...

This may take a while.

I.O.U.'s

2012-04-12T05:44:00.000-07:00

There are moments in your life that you are grateful that you can pay someone back.

Today held one of those moments.

Carol called me and asked if I would help make cheese with a 4-H group. YES!! I would love to! So for a little over an hour ... I spent time with some great 4-H'ers and got to make cheese. Yea ... it was a win-win for me!!!

After we were done ... Carol said "I owe you one."

No .... I owe 4-H.

I owe 4-H for the best friends a woman could ever have.

I owe 4-H for the ability to see broccoli, olives, eggs and pasta in the fridge ... and know that supper will be just fine.

I owe 4-H for teaching me how to sew on a button, hand-pick the top stitching on a jacket, make a thumb in a pair of mittens and bake a loaf of bread. (I did not learn the proper way to hold a needle, though!!!!)

I owe 4-H for showing me how to do a proper demonstration.

I owe 4-H for the courage to walk up to a podium in a room full of strangers .... and give a speech without fear.

I owe 4-H for inspiring me to reach outside my comfort zone to learn and try something new.

I owe 4-H for letting my wings grow .... and giving me the knowledge that falling down is just part of getting up.

I owe 4-H for the dreams of a flower farmer.

I know 4-H has changed. It may not be the same organization that I knew. But if a young girl learns even the tiniest bit that I did .... she will do just fine.

And for that ... I say thank you.

Waiting ............

2012-04-10T11:19:00.000-07:00

You know that other shoe???

The one that I'm waiting for??

Yep .... it seems to be dropping.

Currently, it is 27 degrees on the east coast of Iowa. No frost ... which is good. But cold, nevertheless.

I'm in this state of limbo.

I have been ..... OK, I'll say it!!!! .... stressed about not planting. We have had beautiful warm delightful weather .... and I have been biting my dirty nails! I sooooo wanted to call the wholesalers and say .... Ship those plants ASAP!!!!

And I know better.

I've been there .... I've done that.... I've suffered the consequences.

This year, I pushed all my orders back a week. Instead of receiving my first order on 4/15 or so..... my first order should arrive around the 25th.

Why did I do that???

Well, the last several years ... I have been fighting the elements. A warm early April seems to give in to a cold damp May ......... and my plants struggled. They didn't die ... but they didn't grow. So -- I finally got it through my head to wait.

And at this very moment ... I am glad I did.

Sort of...........

But I can not control the consequences of Mother Nature. I have buds on the peonies. Lilies have pushed up through the warm soil ... thinking it was spring.

My chives have fat purple buds ... waiting to break into bloom. Traditionally, its time to plant zinnias when the chives are in bloom.

But not now.

Tonight's forecast is for 27 degrees. It will be a hard freeze. We might make it through it with the wind that is blowing. But I have heard rumors of even colder temperatures for next week. Last week's frost, damaged some foliage .... nipped a few lilies in a lower bed.

So I'm asking for prayers, warm thoughts, and some good luck.

Cuz that shoe is that is dropping is more like a snow boot!!!!

Kill the Beast!

2012-04-05T06:23:00.000-07:00

Honey and I try to live a peaceful .. calm .. existence.

Especially when it comes to our sleeping habits.

No television in the bedroom. No noisy furnace. No window air conditioner blowing its icy cold breeze on us.

Just the gentle glow of my electric mattress pad and the quiet voice of the radio.

Until Monday morning!!!

Unfortunately, our nice reliable 10 year old clock-radio decided to abandon its alarm feature. Fortunately, my husband's bio-rhythms are just like clock work and he wakes up at 5:30 ... alarm or not.

However .... living on the edge like that .... may not be a wise thing to do in the business world!!! For some reasons, bosses would like you to be at work on time. And my roosters start to crow at 3 am. so you can't count on them to be punctuational!!!

It was time to purchase a cheap alarm clock to fill the gap. Most people look at the features ... the looks ... the snooze control. Me .... I looked at price!

$10 ... that will work!!

So we were off to plug it in! Wow! Won't miss those numbers, Honey said. You will see them without your glasses!

Three inch tall numbers!!!! REALLY!!! Notice the bright red glow.

That bright red glow can be seen from the outside. REALLY!!!!

And we are fairly close to the Mount Joy airport. Will we be mistaken for a landing strip??? Is this a fog light on the Mississippi??? Have we suddenly become a light house????

OK --enough of that! We rub ourselves down with sunscreen SPX 30 ... to prevent burning, don our sunglasses and go to bed.

Somewhere ... in the middle of my dream where I am dating George Clooney .... 5:30 am arrives.

BAAAAAA!!!!! BAAAAAA!!!!! BAAAAAA!!!!!

Patches ... our cat.. flies a foot into the air and runs immediately under the covers!!

We rush to the window to see if anything has crashed in our yard!!

We turn on the radio ... we are certain we will hear ... This is not a test!

But all is calm in the world .... so we hit snooze.

BAAAAAA!!!!! BAAAAAA!!!!! BAAAAAA!!!!!

And all I can say is ..... Kill the Beast!

Slowly ... we are getting used to the glow in the night. But the alarm??????

Now ..... how do I work the snooze??????

Hanging it up ...............

2012-04-04T17:53:00.001-07:00

You thought I meant the farm???????

I was going to retire and hang up my trowel?????

Oh, no!!! Its my laundry.

This is what I had ....................

Functional.

Ordinary.

Ho-hum.

And at Miss Eff's .... we try very hard not to do Ho-hum.

I've been called a lot of things ... but Ho-hum is not one of them!!!!

This was my inspiration ......................

Source: brabournefarm.blogspot.com via Cathy on Pinterest

Yep ... right from Pinterest. As Honey says .... He now has pictures for his Honey-Do list!

So all winter long ... I waited and drooled over this picture posted on the fridge.

I searched out the perfect pieces to make the perfect clothesline.

A turned post ... a mortised cross-piece ... beautiful custom made Victorian brackets.

And my darling Honey created the perfect clothesline.

Now ... having the perfect clothesline isn't the most important thing in my life.

But it sure makes me smile.

There are no atheist farmers.............

2012-04-03T06:22:00.000-07:00

Sunday ... at church ... we had an amazing service on prayer.

For an hour ... we prayed. We prayed prayers of confession and prayers of joy. We sang songs of praise and songs of worship. We prayed for friends, family and those that are hurting.

It was beautiful.

Recently ... there have been too many days of sadness. Too many memories of old times that will never be reminisced. Too many friends lost.

As I was in the garden ... working with my fingers deep in the soil..... the robins surrounded me with song. The frogs in the pond were wooing potential mates. The hens cackled with delight as I tossed fat grubs to them along with the freshly-pulled weeds.

The sun was hot on my back and the chives filled the air with their peppery scent as I brushed against them.

And it is in the garden .... that I can truly escape in prayer.

It is there ... I can feel the power and glory of God's goodness and salvation. It is there ... I can confess my sins and sing his praise.

It is in the garden ... that I feel whole.

Yet ... sometimes .... I feel amiss as a Christian as I feel closer to God in that garden ... than in any church.

I was feeling the "disconnect" yesterday ..... when I opened a wonderful letter.... with a delightful picture.... and this poem that can say it much better than my words ever will.

Thank you, my dear friend. Love and joy to you always.

Messenger

by Mary Oliver

My work is loving the world.

Here the sunflowers, there the hummingbird--

equal seekers of sweetness.

Here the quickening yeast; there the blue plums.

Here the clam deep in the speckled sand.

Are my boots old? Is my coat torn?

Am I no longer young, and still not half-perfect? Let me

keep my mind on what matters,

which is my work,

which is mostly standing still and learning to be

astonished.

The phoebe, the delphinium.

The sheep in the pasture, and the pasture.

Which is mostly rejoicing, since all ingredients are here,

which is gratitude, to be given a mind and a heart

and these body-clothes,

a mouth with which to give shouts of joy

to the moth and the wren, to the sleepy dug-up clam,

telling them all, over and over, how it is

that we live forever.

Lean finely textured beef .......

2012-04-02T06:53:00.000-07:00

We have seen it on the news.

We have seen it online.

That cotton-candy pink meat filler that has been processed by exposing meat trimmings to ammonia gas.

And now, Iowa Governor Branstad and USDA Secretary Vilsack want to assure us that it is safe. They seemed to imply that we consumers and the media are acting hysterically to a product that is safe and healthy.

That "hysteria" has cost 200 jobs in Iowa at BPI.

And this is my take on it.....

I am going to assume that "pink slime" is safe. After all, Governor Branstad has been eating it for 30 years and he is just fine. (I really didn't just say that, did I?????)

But this is what is pissing me off ............. I have the right to know what is in the food I eat and how it is processed!

Bottom line.

Now -- I have to admit -- the majority of beef that I eaten in my life has been processed at small lockers. The steer that goes to the locker is the beef that goes into my freezer. I may pay a little more for hamburger but I am guaranteed that there is no "pink slime" in it. And I know I pay far less for that prime rib that I am eating!

But if I have a hamburger emergency and have to buy some supermarket burger (I said if!) I want it to be beef .... not beef processed by exposure to ammonia gas. And if it is .... I want to know about it!!!

Personally .. we may say it is safe. But BPA lined veggie cans were "safe". Cigarettes were "safe".
DES for pregnant women was declared "safe". And later .... we discovered that we were wrong.

One in eight babies is born premature. One in 110 children is diagnosed with autism. Food allergies abound.
And why is that???

Has technology exposed us to manufacturing practices, chemicals and preservatives that may not "hurt" us ..... but they sure aren't helping us????

There is a quote in Joy of Cooking .... I couldn't find it but it goes somewhat like this ....

Processed cheese is technology over conscious.

Give us the facts. Give us the information..... we can make our minds up for ourselves.

A day in paradise .... Simply Iowa.

2012-04-01T09:13:00.000-07:00

Who am I to turn down an invitation to a garden party????

So when Barb from Simply Iowa in Fairfax, issued her invitation .... I told Honey it was time to empty the truck and hit the road!

Friday ... Honey and I took off and stopped and had a fabulous breakfast at my favorite cafe. After fueling up in anticipation of a hard morning of antiquing, we were off to Fairfax.

First of all .... I am just putting it out there .... If I ever ever win the lottery, Barb has to come to my house and decorate! I just love her style. She has this amazing shop filled with previously loved items ..... and the love shows through!! Pieces of stained glass in a chipped bowl, well-read books, torn pieces of handmade lace. I love it all!!!!

We had just pulled up to park .... and right behind us were two of my very very favorite people!! Tamara and Cynthia came with Tamara's big truck! At this point ... it is jump, jump, jump! hug, hug, hug! giggle, giggle, giggle!

Ahhhhhh.......... if I go toooooo crazy, there might be a way to get stuff home!!! Fortunately, Honey and I can stack the truck like the Beverly Hillbillies and feel no shame!!!!

A truly drool-worthy vignette ... Norwegian style spinning wheel ... a tied crazy quilt and a sponged yellow ware bowl. Honey had to pull me away.

It was a good thing that I showed some restraint, cuz Tamara filled her truck with these fabulous windows!!!! And you can't see the wonderful arched topped windows that go with them!! What a wonderful buy!! Her creativity and vision will put them to good use!!!

It was a great day .....

We had a wonderful time, just cruising through the very green Iowa countryside.

Cuz after all .... it may not be heaven but it is Iowa.

Snippets ............

2012-03-29T06:48:00.000-07:00

Ahhhhhhhhhh.............. spring is here.

Yes ... it is March 29th and my lilacs are blooming.

Love! Love! Love! my white lilacs!

I never ever ever remember lilacs blooming in March. I barely remember lilacs blooming in April!! Ok ... that may be due to menopausal brain loss .... but I digress!

So .. Honey and I are busy working on projects and trying to make Miss Eff's different, unique, charming. Dare I say ........ magical???

Honey is building a patio in front of the ever-chatty Summer Kitchen. I'm pretty certain the conversation went like this.

SK ... I don't want a porch.

Honey .... But, Summer Kitchen, that was always in the plan. You said you wanted a little porch ... with a window box.

SK .... But not now. I want a patio where people can sit and relax.

Honey ... With you around, no one gets to relax.

SK ... Like its normal to have buildings talk to you?!?!?! No, I want a patio.

Honey ... OK ... I will go to Menard's and look at paver blocks.

SK ... Oh no you don't! You are not going to use some common everyday run-of-the-mill paver block on me!!! Who do you think you are talking to?????

Honey ... And exactly what do you want me to do????

SK ... I want you to make the blocks for me. Especially for me.

Honey ... Yes, Summer Kitchen ... I guess I can do that. Any thing to keep you quiet.

So that is why Honey has poured forms to make a very special patio. I'm not going to go into details but I am pretty certain pictures will show up on here and on Pinterest in the near future.

In the meantime, we are still working on the laundry room because it should be 40 degrees outside and we should not even be thinking about garden work! Not a lot to show you ... but I do have one pantry done.

Before

After

Yea ..... I am liking it.

That is progress.

And finally ... I am almost .... sort-of .... maybe.... getting done with classes. Which ... mind you ... is not a moment too soon! Tonight, I am teaching a crepes class. Then I have a segment on Paula Sands Live next Thursday for the Gardening series for the Rock Island County Master Gardeners. Saturday 4/7 .... I am teaching a "5 minute a day" bread class for the Fundraising committee of the Clarence Library. And some where in April I am teaching a jam class, pickle class for Scott Community College and the "Grow it, Cook it, Bake it" class for the Master Gardeners.

Then (say it with me) ... I am done! Done! Stick a fork in me... I am done!

Well ..... until the next time. ;)

Somebody said ...............

2012-03-26T05:25:00.001-07:00

It is truly official.

The first plant has been put in the garden. The first seeds of the season have been sown.

We are celebrating the 10th anniversary of Miss Effie's.

When we started the farm .... they laughed. They said that no one would drive down a gravel road to buy flowers.

Scared ... Uncertain ... Insecure ... I almost believed them.

I almost gave up.

But I dug in the dirt by hand ........ as I still do. I need that dirt under my nails. I need to feel the life in the soil. So the weeds ... are pulled by hand. And each little plug of potential prettiness .... is gently put into place.

At the end of the day, my jeans are dirty. My nose is its summer shade of bright red. But my soul sings with a happiness that I had never known possible.

We started the farm with $1000 from the savings account. And every year, I hope to put it back. And every year .... I don't.

But we keep growing .... more and more gardens share their blossoms with those that come. More people enjoy a summer day on an old swing or share their lunch in the corn crib.

I have seen customers grow up before my eyes. I have lost some precious friends. It is the circle of life ... the lessons of the soil.

I hear the words of my grandfather's favorite poet, Edgar A Guest, echo through garden.

Somebody said that it couldn’t be done,
     But, he with a chuckle replied
That "maybe it couldn’t," but he would be one
     Who wouldn’t say so till he’d tried.
So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin
     On his face. If he worried he hid it.
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
     That couldn’t be done, and he did it.

Somebody scoffed: "Oh, you’ll never do that;
     At least no one has done it";
But he took off his coat and he took off his hat,
     And the first thing we knew he’d begun it.
With a lift of his chin and a bit of a grin,
     Without any doubting or quiddit,
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
     That couldn’t be done, and he did it.

There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done,
     There are thousands to prophesy failure;
There are thousands to point out to you one by one,
     The dangers that wait to assail you.
But just buckle it in with a bit of a grin,
     Just take off your coat and go to it;
Just start to sing as you tackle the thing

That "couldn’t be done," and you’ll do it.

I have a richness of life that I never imagined before.

I have re-connected with wonderful friends that I have known since grade school. And laughed with sisters that I have known since college. And embraced some new friends ... that fill my life with joy, giggles and fiber.

So ... we celebrate 10 years of growing flowers.

I am now closer to 60 ........they ask when I will quit. Doesn't your back ache? Don't your knees creak?

And I laugh ... and say yes. It is an ache of hard work and happiness. An ache that I celebrate and rejoice in.

I will do this every day for the rest of my life ..... because it can be done.