Unfit Gardener

Pepper Plant Descriptions Spring 2011

2011-05-03T21:18:00.000-07:00

PEPPER OFFERINGS FOR 2011
ORNAMENTAL AND EDIBLE

My peppers are coming along in the greenhouse. They should be ready for the sales. They will be offered in the 3-1/2" pots for $4 each. Please pre-order before the sales for best selection.

Big Bomb Hybrid Pepper
Move over Cherry Bomb - an even earlier cherry pepper is taking the market by storm! Big Bomb has it all - vigorous habit, fast cropping and extra-prolific yields of uniform, 2" fruits that explode with rapid maturity to a brilliant red. Fruits are moderately pungent, with thick walls that retain their shape when pickled. Resilient under a wide range of growing conditions.

Peter Red Pepper
The original strain from the Alfreys. Demand continues to far exceed supply of this ornery old heirloom, grown as much to shock the prudish as for its culinary value! Pods are 4 to 6" long, blunt-ended, and mature to a deep red - excellent for chili powder. Dense plants, 20 to 30" tall.

Baby Belle Pepper
These tasty, tiny, 2" by 2-1/2" sweet bells will certainly be the hit of any salad bar and are just the extra touch for that special gourmet dish. These mostly 4-lobed, emerald green beauties waste no time in turning mature bright red! Resistant to Tobacco Mosaic Virus.

Cherry Pick Hybrid Pepper
Fruits measure 1-1/4" by 1-1/4" and are uniformly rounded and sized. Disease resistant and about 25 percent larger than the old strains. Yield is superb, with tall, 24", vigorous plants setting loads of sweet, dark green fruits that mature to red, although normally harvested in the green stage. Let mature totally red for excellent pickled peppers.

Mini Belle Mix Pepper
A festive and charming mix of tiny bell peppers, just 1-1/4", on 24" plants. Prolific yields of fruits with sweet, firm flesh that is surprisingly thick and flavorful. All peppers start out green, and mature to a range of yellows and reds. Resistant to Tobacco Mosaic Virus.

Peperoncino Pepper
You've seen these little beauties pickled in gourmet shops. Our strain is imported directly from Athens, Greece, and is unsurpassed for purity and productivity. Abundant yields of thin, yellowish-green fruits, 2 to 4" long, stay sweet until late maturity. Harvest when fruits are at the green stage. Vigorous plants grow to 30" tall.

Sweet Banana Pepper
One of the most popular non-bell sweet peppers, excellent both fresh and cooked! Thick-walled fruits with sweet, mild, waxy flesh are prolifically produced on 16 to 24" plants with pendant fruits. Fruits start out a pale green, ripening to yellow, then red.

Filius Blue Pepper
As versatile ornamentally as it is to eat! Filius Blue plants produce unusual purple-blue fruits that are very hot when young, then mature to red and turn more mild.

Poinsettia Pepper
Ornamental, but edible - if you like your peppers hot! Long, thin fruits with pointed ends grow upright in clusters for a dramatic display. 2 to 3" long at maturity and brightly colored in a range of reds. A high yielder.

Twilight Hybrid Ornamental Pepper
This vibrant and unusual hybrid was developed at New Mexico State University based on a Thai chili pepper variety. Plants produce many small cone-shaped, upright fruits in a rainbow of colors as they mature from purple to yellow, orange and red at different stages, simultaneously. Clustered fruits are very hot, with a uniform size of about 1" in length. Green foliage and white flowers add to the appeal in pots and containers.

Tricolor Variegata Pepper
Use as a houseplant or for container planting! As it matures each leaf exhibits shades of white, green and purple in a never-ending, variegated display, with no two leaves the same. Purple stems and blooms add to the richness and charm. Fruits are hot, best used as a garnish, and turn from deep purple to bright red at maturity.

Sweet Pickle Pepper
The crowning glory of an elite class of peppers that is both highly ornamental and edible. Compact plants are covered with upright fruits in red, orange, yellow and purple, all at the same time! When fully ripened to a scarlet red, these plump, 2" fruits are very sweet, not at all hot or bitter. Enormously popular as a mixed-color pickling pepper, as its name suggests, but equally enjoyable when eaten raw.

Black Pearl Pepper
2006 AAS Winner! Looks marvelous in mixed containers and is the perfect backdrop in garden beds. Bushy, upright plants have a well-branched habit, producing shiny black fruits that are very hot to the taste. Fruits eventually mature dark red with a rounded, slightly pointed shape. Very vigorous, with a high tolerance to heat and humidity.

Chilly Chili Hybrid Pepper
This 2002 AAS Winner produces tapered, 2" long peppers that change from greenish-yellow to orange to red in a continual display set off by lush and attractive foliage. Although peppers are edible, their primary use is ornamental. Best when grown in full sunlight.

Medusa Pepper
Narrow, twisted, snake-like peppers named for Medusa's mythological hair! Compact, well-branched plants produce huge yields of 2 to 2 1/2" pointed peppers held prominently upright over dark green foliage. Plants, 6 to 8" typically display 40 to 50 mildly pungent fruits at the same time, covering a wide color spectrum ranging from ivory to yellow, orange and bright red.

Purple Flash Ornamental Pepper
Superb drought and heat tolerance in a gleaming ornamental whose almost- black leaves are layered to reveal flashes of electric purple. Glossy black peppers are attractive, but too hot to be palatable. Uniform plants are compact and mounded habit is ideal in mixed containers and beds, spreading to about 20".

Why Is It Still Snowing?

2011-04-29T23:20:00.000-07:00

Okay, it's the second to last day of April. Why am I waking up to a blizzard? Should I be planting my potatoes in the snow? (usually planted on Good Friday but delayed because of snow already).
Plants in the greenhouse are coming along. Had a few crop failures, but getting re-seeded. I want to think it's because I didn't get the brewed compost tea on the seedlings when they first emerged. We had some power issues going on and the pump that aerates the liquids was off and the tea went bad so I had to throw it out. The live good bacteria that forms when oxygen is added to the compost solution dies and turns nasty when it is oxygen- deprived and can cause problems in itself. But, I have a fresh batch brewing and hopefully it will right the damping-off and whatever else is plaguing the greenhouse. Cool temps and too much moisture wreaks havoc and causes all kinds of fungal and bacterial problems.
I have been very busy since we last talked. A great adventure to Lake Roosevelt and Davenport for sales and shopping with daughter Betsy. Creating and planning for our first spring garden show plus three more upcoming sales and the opening of the Farmers Market season.

My ad is out in the local Exchange and Nikels Worth newspapers and pictures and descriptions of my tomatoes and peppers I am offering this year should be appearing on my website www.pattisgardenexpressions.com.

     PATTI’S GARDEN EXPRESSIONS
                    MOTHERS DAY WEEKEND SALE
              SATURDAY MAY 7th & SUNDAY MAY 8th
                                 10 am - 4 pm
                   5105 N. Idaho Road Newman Lake
                                 509-226-0321

           Hanging Baskets of beautiful blooms
           Dozens of varieties of Tomato Plants
           Assorted Vegetable, Fruit & Berry Plants
           Hostas, other Perennials
           Farm-Fresh Eggs
           Container Plantings
           Garden Décor
           Water Features and Aquatic Plants
           Handmade Delights

    And SATURDAY MAY 14th from 9 AM - 5 PM
      The 12th Annual SPOKANE GARDEN EXPO
                 1810 North Greene Street
            Spokane Community College Lair

Also visit me at the Kootenai County Farmers Market
Every Saturday May thru October 9 AM - 1:30 PM
        Corner Hwy 95 & Prairie Ave. Hayden, Idaho

     Visit www.pattisgardenexpressions.com or
            unfitgardener.blogspot.com
                    for more details

PLUS!! Saturday May 21st 11 am - 4 pm:
               GRAND OPENING
    of my JUNQUE SHOPPE & PLANT STORE
                  “RE-TREASURED” @
EAST FARMS SUPPLY - a feed and seed store
Located at 21518 E. Gilbert Road, OTIS ORCHARDS
                     (509) 928 - 3616

Our first spring show was a new one this year. Put on by the horticulture class at the community college. It was a bit early for alot of plants, but still there were some great items for sale. Fresh cut flowers and produce form greenhouses and all kinds of garden-related crafts and products. I really loved the orchids at one booth and even found time to sit in on her seminar on how to grow them. I hope some day to be able to have one of mine re-bloom! And towards the end of the day, a belly dancing festival showed up and performed dances and had costumes for sale. Highly entertaining! I just might have to try that!

Then we had to prepare for our Easter event here at home. That meant the crafts, seed packets, labels, papers and everything else that had accumulated all winter on the dining room table and kitchen island had to be temporarily banished elsewhere. Not enough time for a proper 'spring cleaning' but a good scrubbing of everything and a little straightening. It was good to see the table once more and I had forgotten how nice empty counters look. I even got some yard work done and managed to prune and rake and get the pond started back up for the season. Then the egg decorating began! All four grandchildren creating masterpieces for the Bunny to hide. We had an exciting egg hunt and at the end all four children were given live bunnies to have as a pet.
Dan has found only three eggs so far that were missed. For some reason the Easter Bunny forgets to count how many eggs he hides. And then a wonderful dinner with all the family. We combined Easter this year with Dan and his Dads birthday as it was the following day. The weather even cooperated and made it a perfect Holiday.
I didn't watch my intake of fluids well enough getting ready and attending the sale and missed several days of work because I was so dizzy and weak, so I went back to the hospital and was treated for dehydration plus they worked on the opening between the esophagus and stomach where their was a narrowing that was keeping me from eating solid foods without pain and vomiting. It seems to be doing better now so I am looking forward to eating a bit more and gaining some energy for everything I want to do! And make sure I drink enough fluids.
Hopefully the weather will turn around. We have had record cold and rainfall and snow this spring. But at least no tornados! My prayers go out to those who have lost family, friends and property.

Happy Easter! God Bless

2011-04-23T23:58:00.000-07:00

Upcoming Events

2011-04-19T22:14:00.000-07:00

PATTI’S GARDEN EXPRESSIONS
                MOTHERS DAY WEEKEND SALE
          SATURDAY MAY 7th & SUNDAY MAY 8th
                                10 am - 4 pm
                  5105 N. Idaho Road Newman Lake
                              509-226-0321

           Hanging Baskets of beautiful blooms
           Dozens of varieties of Tomato Plants
           Assorted Vegetable Plants
           Farm-Fresh Eggs
           Container Plantings
           Garden Décor
           Water Features and Aquatic Plants
           Handmade Delights

    And SATURDAY MAY 14th from 9 AM - 5 PM
      The 12th Annual SPOKANE GARDEN EXPO
                 1810 North Greene Street
            Spokane Community College Lair

Also visit me at the Kootenai County Farmers Market
Every Saturday May thru October 9 AM - 1:30 PM
        Corner Hwy 95 & Prairie Ave. Hayden, Idaho

     Visit www.pattisgardenexpressions.com or
            unfitgardener.blogspot.com
                    for more details

scrapbooking give-away

2011-04-18T17:18:00.000-07:00

http://angelwingsandbeautifulthings.blogspot.com/2011/03/blog-candy.html

Unfit Gardener: I'm Having A "Name That Company" Contest

2011-03-27T13:00:00.000-07:00

Unfit Gardener: I'm Having A "Name That Company" Contest

Snow Tires Are Off And It's Snowing

2011-03-27T11:47:00.000-07:00

Okay. I admit it. It's my fault we are having a snowstorm. We took the snow tires off my little Subaru yesterday. Sorry.
What a week it has been. Lots of trips to the doctor for follow-ups to my surgery. I am having trouble keeping solid foods down and they say I am not getting enough calories so I am in starvation mode and that is why I'm not losing the weight. Might have to go back onto a liquid diet. Going in next week for a scope to make sure there isn't a stricture keeping food from passing thru to the stomach. Also dehydration still an ongoing battle.
Lots of blood work to check everything and then to another doctor for the pain in my shin I'm having. More blood-work and ex-rays there. Bottom line; I'm old and falling apart!
So let's talk about Spring! The renewal. Shrubs are budding up nicely and more spring bulbs are sending up green thru the soil. And look at the moss garden on my old Subaru!

The chickens are still busy in the garden area searching out bugs and weeds and fertilizing as they move about. My newest boy is a beauty; even though he was purchased as a hen. He has quickly formed his little harem and guides them around the yard, ever alert for dangers or a tasty morsel. Peepers, our blind little girl usually stays indoors but has sometimes ventured outside.

And you won't believe this egg I collected the other day. It is huge! Too big to put into even the jumbo egg carton.

Lots of work still going on in the greenhouse. Still planting tomatoes and other vegetables, but now also transplanting has begun. Where is everything going to fit? Luckily we have room for all the hanging baskets to go above our heads. Besides the usual big flower baskets I grow, we are planting up lots of baskets of tomatoes. They have specialty ones just for that purpose. Tumbling Tom, Micro Tom, and cherry varieties just to name a few. So it was a good idea of Dan to install conduit pipes along the roof for just that reason. I'm glad he's the one that gets to figure out how to water them!

My living wreathes I planted last week are doing good. Also started some more succulents for my hypertufa troughs I will plant up later. Boy is sphagnum moss expensive. As is the metal wreath frames I use. Nothing is cheap anymore.

The squirrel is active again. I hadn't seen him for awhile but he's back. He loves to tease the dogs.

My first show is about 2 weeks. Betsy and I are frantically getting our projects completed. It seems every time we get started on one, I come up with a new one I want to do. So lots of chaos and mess all over the house and in the garage. Betsy has become a very skilled quilter and wreath-maker among other things. I don't know how she manages to juggle work, housework, kids, car work and all the crafts she's doing! I'm glad to have such a creative partner in this business!
Here are some pictures of items I have found at various junk shops and dollar stores that we are using for projects, plus some completed projects.

And of course, some things to decorate the house for Easter!

Well, time flies when I'm writing this,but sadly I must go to work. See you next week. Please visit my blog and leave me comments. Still want to hear your ideas for my jam business name and logo.
Patti

Spring Has Sprung!

2011-03-20T23:16:00.000-07:00

Good morning readers. We have finally come out from under winter's oppression and into...
Woke to a dusting of snow but now clear skies and sun. Cold and windy but ever hopeful.
As I walk around the yard signs of life are starting to show themselves. Snowdrops are the first to emerge and bloom. The daffodils are pushing their way up through frozen ground and inches of leaf mulch that have protected them all winter.

Flamingos are shaking off their mantle of frosty white and showing their pink plumage. Pussy willows are fat and fuzzy and giving the earliest mason bees their much-needed sustenance of energizing pollen nectar. Buds are appearing on lilacs, cotoneaster, magnolias and fruit trees. Roses are starting to show some green along their branches.
I love this renewal of life and its ever hopeful push upwards and forward.

Lots of work to do this time of year. Outside yesterday we pruned, raked and explored. I lost several climbing roses this winter that have grown here for years. They grew alongside the pond and now the obelisks Dan made me for them stand empty. So, ruthlessly I pruned them out and their canes were carted away. But even in death the roses reached out. Neither my granddaughter Jessica or I escaped the experience unscathed.

We raked around the pond and down the long shrub bed, pruning back yellow and red twig dogwoods.
Last years hop vines were cleared. Some reached high overhead in the tops of the crabapple and sour cherry tree. Yews were trimmed up and irises were groomed. Grape vines were gathered up and rewound in the arbor. The wisteria which has for several years threatened to take down the overhang roof of the 'Love Shack' overlooking the pond was brought back under control (as much as anyone has control over a wisteria).

This is the time to prune and shape the fruit trees. Give them a good haircut and they will reward you with fruit. You should prune to allow for good light to reach the inner branches and aid air circulation which is important to minimize disease. Prune out any dead, diseased or broken branches and any branches that are crossing or bumping against one another. This is easier said than done and sadly my efforts often produce hilarious results!

March is also the time to spray dormant oil on fruit trees such as apples, plums, peaches and cherries.It is a practice even the organic orchards use.The spray is made from a highly refined oil that smothers any insects and eggs that may have overwintered. You can find it at local garden stores. Spray on a calm day when temperatures are above 40 degrees F, and make sure you hit all around on the branches. Be sure to follow the label instructions.

Also be sure to rake up any mulch or debris around the base of your trees.This will help deter insects, disease and the occasional mouse from wreaking havoc.
Now is also the time to start your cold frames. Lettuces, radishes, and spinach can be planted in them. Peas can be started in the ground, but be careful not to disturb the soil too much while it is wet. It will turn to cement and will take alot of work to fix.
Some of the evergreen shrubs in the back sustained damage from the weight of snow on their branches. We tied them up and together with twine.
Rake any leaves and twigs off your lawn to prevent damage, and scratch in lawn seed where there are bare patches. Trim off the old growth of ornamental grasses and check your perennial beds for any frost-heave damage.Add compost and bagged garden soil to cover any plants that are on the surface. I like to start removing some of the mulch in the beds but not all as night temps still dip low. Just enough to allow the tender new shoots a chance to poke thru.
This is the time of year I clean out the chicken coop. Manure, feed, and bedding from the floor and roosting areas has been continually turned by the chickens scratching about and has been composting all winter. This is raked out by the wheelbarrow-full and spread on the garden and flowerbeds. New bedding is replaced and the process starts over.
When those early Spring storms chase you indoors, there is still plenty to do. I inspect the houseplants for bugs. A good spray from the shower helps keep them under control or I use a insecticidal soap. Start feeding the plants with fertilizer at half strength. Repot any that have outgrown their containers. I also get ready to take cuttings or start new plants from seed. One can never have too many houseplants! Also visit your friends to see which plants they have that you can beg some starts from! (Thank you Karen)!

Get all your seed-starting equipment ready. We have already begun but that is because we want plants at the selling stage for early garden sales. Yours can wait a bit so the plants don't become too leggy. Make sure if you are reusing pots and flats that you wash or wipe them down with a diluted bleach solution. This helps your seedlings from developing damping off.
Budget in and start purchasing supplies for those garden ideas you dreamed up over the long winter days. The garden shops are gearing up and filling up the aisles with plants and hardgoods. Read the gardening magazines for new plants and outdoor decor.Keep trash out of the landfill by creating something new and unique for your yard.

Above all, get excited. The days are getting longer and hopefully warmer. Fill the world around you with beauty and color. Make your yard, deck or patio your oasis.

The Greenhouse Is Awakening!

2011-03-13T23:28:00.000-07:00

Well, the greenhouse has been cleaned and is ready for planting! Betsy and her 2 young'uns helped Dan and I organize the pots and flats and do a general clean-up on Saturday. Even the chickens got involved. The back door of the greenhouse was opened and they 'flocked' in to search out and destroy any weed or bug we unearthed. Cheyenne being the smallest, got elected to go under the benches to bring out the occasional pot found lurking there and to alert the chickens of another tasty morsel of spider or roly poly.
We stacked flats and got out the starter pots that we will fill with soil and seeds.Anything used last year was cleaned for the next usage. The benches were cleaned up both on top and underneath. The fluorescent light fixtures were hung back up and tested. Bins for my special soil mixes were brought out. Bales of soil, and amendments stand ready.

So bare now but see it in a month.

The compost tea machine was filled up with water and worm castings, special nutrients, and organic molasses and plugged in. Please do research on the value of adding a compost tea to your plants and soil. It really does work. We use it both as a soil drench and foliar spray as soon as the seedlings appear to prevent "damping off" and as an inocculant to the soil to make it super healthy. We also use it during the growing season on the plants and also straight on the soil in early spring after the ground warms. People often make the mistake of just feeding the plant and not the soil. Then why are we even using soil? Make it strong and vibrant and in turn it will give you healthy and happy plants. And you will need less fertilizer and will have less problems with pests and disease.

And of course the oxygen in the compost tea.
Most beneficial organisms, which help plant-life grow and become resistant to disease and stress are there because of the existence of oxygen. They cannot exist without it so it is vital to the tea. I have used it for years and I wish I could sell it at Farmers market but because of the oxygen in it, it has a very short shelf life.
We also put out beneficial nematodes in the greenhouse. They are microscopic 'good' bugs that are added to water in a sprayer and applied to plants and soil. They will help keep insect infestations under control naturally. Also a praying mantis cocoon was placed and the grand-kids are eagerly awaiting the hatching.

There are between 100 to 400 baby in this case. They are very tiny when they hatch and hard to see. We have them in a paper bag so we can watch them. They will take a couple of weeks to hatch and then will be released to go in search of food. I am told they can be quite docile and tame and may be hand-fed small bugs. They will not bite, supposedly, if you do not pick them up by their forelegs.

The mantis is able to turn its head to look over its shoulder.

On a more human note, I had my Market meeting Saturday morning. Dues were paid and committees were formed. We are adding several new ideas to this years market. For one, our hours have gone from 8am-1pm to 9am to 1:30 pm. Alot of vendors felt it was too cold and dark to set up at 7am.
We will also have activities for the children each week, plus more hands-on projects for the adults. and we will have a group credit card/debit machine. This will enable patrons to use plastic at all the booths.
If you haven't had the opportunity to visit, you should. It is in Couer d' Alene, Idaho on the corner of Highway 95 and Prairie Road. We open Mothers Day weekend and go thru October. We also have a one day sale in December at the fairgrounds.There is also a Wednesday market in downtown Couer d' Alene.
They are getting a new website at www.kootenaifarmersmarkets.com
Be sure to sign up for their newsletter to keep you up to date on all the events and foods available.
Hope to see you there. Here's to a great season! May it be a bountiful one so we may help those in need around us.

Speaking of that, what a dreadful time they are having in Japan. I can't even imagine surviving that devastation and then the aftermath of all their fields destroyed so they can't raise food to feed themselves. And how long before they can fish again? What are that many people to do? We must count our blessings that we have what we do.

The fields before, looking so fertile and green. And after, with all the debris and sludge left with nowhere to go.

www.pattisgardenshop.com

New Flamingos At Hobby Lobby!!!

2011-03-06T09:18:00.000-08:00

Wow! Look at all the new arrivals at Hobby Lobby! I am in seventh Heaven. (What does that mean anyway?) Betsy and I were shopping for materials and look what we spotted. I had lamented when they first opened the complete lack of flamingos, but they made up for it now! Hello 40% off coupons!

They have all kinds. Small ones, big ones, goofy ones.

I wish Spring would get here. I want to put mingos out!

Can you imagine a whole flock of these lining a flowerbed?

How about around the pool or hot tub?

With vines growing up and around. Or in or near a pond?

How about an outdoor bar? Just add flamingo glasses, ice bucket, stir sticks and straws. I've got it all!

There's enough to decorate your neighbors yard as well!

It would be paradise with all that pink, wouldn't it?

Everything under the sun.

What a goofy face. Which one?

I finally found a flamingo pinata!!

Have a great day everyone, and wish for Spring!! Think Pink!

I'm Having A "Name That Company" Contest

2011-03-02T21:28:00.000-08:00

Okay, put on your thinking caps. I am holding a contest.
I need to come up with a name for my line of jams, jellies, syrups, vinegars, pickled products, and other edibles. I want to separate this business from my nursery business so I will rename this part of my business and use a different logo.
Remember the name and logo will have to look good and fit on canning jars.
Logos may be color or black and white, photo or animation.

I use only fresh fruits and vegetables, most from my own garden or from other local growers.
I need a minimum of 25 name/logo ideas to make this a good contest and I will select a winner.
The winner will receive a jar of one of my products, my choice.
Send in your ideas via "comments" on this blog by March 20, 2011.
A decision will be made by April 20, 2011 and the winner will be announced on this blog.
Names and logos must be original with no copyright infringements. All names and logos will become the property of Patti's Garden Expressions and may not be reused by other entities. You give up any rights to any names and logos submitted.
Winning entry may or may not be used as company name and logo.
Entries may be combined or used in any way by me.
If you have any questions please use the "comment" area to reach me.
Let's have some fun and come up with some great names.

I'm Taking A Snow Day!

2011-02-24T15:28:00.000-08:00

So I woke up at 5am to 11 degrees, a foot of snow (more in places as it was a blizzard), and wind gusts up to 30 mph. And this weekend we will be in the negative temperatures, not counting the wind chill. Needless to say I decided not to try to make my way to work. But I feel obligated to get lots of work done at home to make up for it.
The chickens decided they don't want to roam around outside this morning. Way too much snow and cold. In fact when I opened up the coop there was a gathering of small wild birds in with the hens. Apparently they are having a snow day too. So cracked corn and grain for all!
Still more work in the craft room. I'm taking one of my hutches down to the shop for some of the older glassware. And I have a few more boxes to go plus a sewing machine in a beautiful cabinet that was my great- aunts.

Does anyone have suggestions or ideas for coffee syrup bottles. I have cases of these bottles from the espresso stand down the street. I was going to use them for my flavored vinegars until I found a better bottle for that purpose. Betsy can make incense holders out of some of them and we can melt some in the kiln, but there are still alot of them. Maybe we could hold a contest to see who comes up with the best idea?
Laundry is done. Warmed up the house and made it smell good! I think I will bake some bread. Oh shoot. My packages of yeast expired in 2003. I guess when I run errands tomorrow I will buy some more.And maybe I will make some jam. That will get the house warm.
Sat down at noon and ordered tags for the seed I bought. They are an extra cost but I like having the plants I sell well marked with a description and growing information. And besides, it helps keep all of our tomato plants names so there won't be 'mystery plants'.
Speaking of plants, I am excited about growing some new ones this year. I think I talked about quinoa in the last blog, plus several new tomatoes bred for hanging baskets and containers. And pickling cucumbers that can be picked small or allowed to grow without developing the bitterness. And pink blueberries! Can't wait to try them. Speaking of which I need to plan where to move the raspberries and blackberries this year so I have more garden space. I want to grow them around the chicken coop with white clover between the rows for the hens. They are so good at keeping the ground 'fluffed' up and eating all the bugs. Plus automatic fertilizers! I just finished reading about a machine that takes various animal manures and put them into pellet form. This makes for an easier handled product plus it can be used as a heating fuel in pellet stoves. The machines aren't cheap though at several thousand dollars.

Wow, the wind is really blowing. Snow is flying off the roof and swirling round corners.My flamingo windsock has been flying sideways. I am glad to be inside. Dan was out plowing so the mail-lady could get to the mailboxes.

Look what happens when Betsy brings her clippers over. Spot was the last one to be trimmed and the blades overheated so she quit halfway thru. Now he doesn't spend much time outside because the neighbor dogs laugh at him!

Stay warm everybody and wish for spring!

A Day Out

2011-02-20T22:53:00.000-08:00

I needed some new pictures for my website. As there really isn't much gardening going on around here at the present, Dan and I decided to go to the local conservatory. It's a beautiful park and gardens on the South Hill called Manito Park. We got up there just before they opened so we started with some pictures around the grounds. It was quite cold and the ground was crunchy under our feet. In fact we stopped at the pond to look for the swans , but the pond was frozen over. I wonder where all the birds go for the winter?

Inside the greenhouses they had spring bulbs in bloom and on display.The air was scented with their fragrance. Hyacinth, daffodils, tulips were everywhere. Many other plants were also blooming. And the orchids! They were all around. All different varieties and colors.

This is such a beautiful and special place. All the different species of plants, even a small pond. Benches to sit and reflect and they even sell some of the plants! Their first tropical plant sale is in March. I can't wait!

There is a wing on the conservatory that is all cacti and succulents. It must have taken many many years to get some of those cactus that big.

It was really great to see all these wonderful plants growing and thriving when it is still so cold and dreary outside. I need more plants in my sunroom!

Hopefully we got some pictures that we can use on the website. I love digital cameras! You can take pictures forever and still have room for more.

On the way home we stopped at a garden center and picked up a few supplies. Should have got them at the wholesaler, but oh well. I have some terrariums that need planted for an upcoming sale and was all out of charcoal and coir mix. I wanted clay pellets for the bottom layer but they are really expensive so opted for charcoal which I have used in the past. And naturally while we were there we had to look at the animals. Lots of cute bunnies and the funniest colored chicken, Apparently they put food color in its feed and it changes the color of their feathers.

Back home my chickens were happily enjoying the sun that decided to come out. They are really getting the garden all turned and fluffed up. And they have almost finished turning one of the compost piles. In fact, they have tunneled from two sides. As soon as it gets a bit warmer I need to shovel out the coop and add more fresh bedding. They actually turn the bedding and manure on the floor in their coop when they scratch around and this causes it to compost which adds warmth for them plus keeps it from smelling. and then you throw it out into your garden! It's wonderful stuff.

The artichoke seeds are planted. I have three different kinds to try this year. The bloom is almost more exciting than the fruit. You can dry them and use them in arrangements. Artichokes don't winter over here so they have to be kept in a garage or some place where they won't freeze.

I am researching the grain quinoa. There was a very nice write up in our paper on Wednesday. It is very nutritious and can be used many ways. All parts of the plant can be used; the leaves for salads and have been likened to spinach and the seed heads are used in breads and in recipes calling for rice. They also are very colorful and would look good as an ornamental in the garden.

My little shop is starting to fill up. Betsy and I were down there Saturday with more boxes. I can't believe all this stuff has been in our basement. It was like Christmas seeing everything again. I almost don't want to sell anything! Alot of the stuff I'm not sure what to price so I've been researching on the internet.

Just found out my big Mother's Day sale is actually the following week. What were they thinking? I sell so many of my hanging baskets that weekend plus everything else that people want to buy for their Mothers. So now I have to arrange for a sale either at the shop or at the farm. There goes my advertising budget!

Garden Expo 2011

Photos from Garden Expo 2010

GARDEN EXPO – OUR BIG ANNUAL EVENT FOR THE YEAR! DATE – 14 May, 2011 – 2^nd Saturday in May
HOURS – 9am-5pm
LOCATION – 1810 N Greene St, Spokane, WA
EMAIL – gardenexpo@comcast.net
Admission is FREE with lots of free parking
An Extraordinary Annual Event - 13th Annual Spokane Garden Expo
This year’s theme is “Gardening–That’s Entertainment!”

Hope to see alot of you. Come by my booth and say hey!

The Story of Me -- A Gardener

2011-02-13T00:16:00.000-08:00

I remember gardens wherever I lived. Both my parents loved to garden; Mom with her rhododendrons and flowers, Dad with his fruits and vegetable gardens. My siblings and I spent every chance we could outside digging in the dirt, climbing trees and exploring.

My dad’s side of the family were all farmers. Immigrating from Holland and settling in North Dakota then coming to Oregon’s Willamette Valley to put down roots. And what a time we had on all those farms. Milking cows, picking cherries and blackberries, moving irrigation pipes, weeding, digging for arrowheads in the fields. Trying to keep up with the older cousins. It was all there to be explored and discovered. In one Aunts kitchen, there was always some kind of baby animal sleeping behind the wood cook stove. An orphaned lamb or goat that needed extra attention. Oh we ran wild those wonderful summer days.

When I was quite young we moved from Oregon to the wilds of Vancouver Island. There Dad hauled truckloads of river rock from the streams to make a terraced vegetable garden on the hillside that was our backyard. Everyone said don’t bother trying to grow in the rocky soil, but he did. He added mountains of compost and his own mix of soil until it was a fertile ground. And boy did his vegetables grow. After that they asked him to write a gardening column for the local newspaper.
My beloved Nana, who we spent every summer with back in Oregon, had the biggest most beautiful yard I had ever seen. The back part held the nut and fruit trees, blueberries and every imaginable vegetable. Plus Papa’s mysterious brick and glass-paned greenhouse where he hybridized and grew his award- winning chrysanthemums. The gardens nearer the house were more fussy, with every kind of flower and flowering shrub neatly ringed with aromatic boxwood. A formal rose garden led to a vine-covered gazebo where I spent many a day reading or dreaming. Orderly brick paths wound there way all around these gardens and we spent many an hour hoeing the moss from the mortar keeping them in place. I first learned of the beauty of a hydrangea bloom and the smell of boxwood from that garden; memories that still sustain me. I still think about that house and those gardens.
In later years after losing Mom, Dad spent all his time in the garden. His yard was meticulous. You almost didn’t want to walk on the lawn for fear of leaving footprints. He grew many beautiful flowers, trees and shrubs, intermingled with his favorite vegetables and berries. His was the first garden where I saw tomatoes and squash growing next to roses and lilies.

I learned from these people as I grew up amongst them. But it didn’t come to me right away. It wasn’t until I was married and had bought our first home that it began creeping out. First with houseplants. I read every book on the subject and became familiar with the plants needs and even their Latin names. Then I ventured out into the yard and never looked back. At first, it was all about living off the land. Gardening with a purpose. Raising fresh food and being self-sufficient. The Mother Earth News magazine became my Bible. And after seeing the beauty and fragrance of herbs and vegetables and fruit trees with their fleeting blooms, I wanted more. That’s when I found flowers. And I found that they too could serve a purpose. They nourished my soul.
Mine was a much wilder and eclectic garden than the well-manicured and formal gardens I was used to. I couldn’t afford to buy plants, so I begged and borrowed from friends and neighbors. A bit of this a bit of that. And I learned what worked where. When I ran out of room in the beds, I looked for ways to grow upwards, enlisting my husband to help build arbors, trellises and tuteurs. I added whimsy and fun. I began hauling ‘trash’ home to reconfigure as ‘garden art‘. I planted in whatever container would hold enough soil for the roots. I added sound and sparkle with wind chimes and gazing globes; mirrors and candles. We built a pond and invited the wildlife in.

Now I’m hoping that I gave to my children and grandchildren the same joy and wonder that I found back in my family’s gardens.

Super Bowl Widows Unite

2011-02-06T23:52:00.000-08:00

Out in the greenhouse early this morning. I had several avocado pits that had sprouted on my kitchen windowsill and some citrus seeds ready to go. They had all needed planting for some time but hadn't wanted to go out there as I knew I would start moving plants and heavy things around. Still have to be careful what I lift since the surgery. But it was nice to go out and see the various plants growing and even blooming out there. And it looks like the scented geraniums have tripled in size. Some lilies are poking green shoots out through the soil and the fuchsias have buds. Looks like the hostas are waking up too.
Well, how many of us are finding other things to do today like our blogs, the laundry, or catching up with correspondence? Hubby tapes it for me so I can go thru later and watch all the cool new commercials. I like this commercial from last year. Is it just me or is Betty White in everything? I wonder what made her start doing all these ads, shows, and movies all of a sudden? It's great to see her.

Another busy week and still not enough getting done. More old catalogs gone thru and tied up for the poor recycle man to heave up into the truck. Might have to bake him some cookies! And the magazines are steadily taking over a spot down by the front door. Betsy said if anyone opened the door and looked at the entryway they would call the 'Hoarders' crew immediately!

My good friend Don, who owns and operates the local feed store has given me an upstairs room to set up shop! Betsy and I are working on it whenever she gets a free moment and we want to have all sorts of things for sale. Betsy is very crafty and has been busy designing wreathes, topiaries, and trash to treasures. We both love to remake items we have found into new ideas. I have lots of dishes, knick knacks, vases, kitchenware, etc. I inherited and collected over the past 37 years. It will be fun just to unwrap everything and see it again.
Here is a fun photo I found of' 'controlled chaos'.

Do any of you out in bloggerland have tips for creatively displaying while still making it accessible? I thought about making different "rooms" and putting like things together but don't have alot of space. Also, what kind of shelving and tables can I use? And would you cover the tables with quilts or shawls or lace? Or just get as many tables in as you can and let the wares speak for themselves?
So, Christy, who's working on my website wants some photos of me. #1 I hate my picture taken #2 I am not in any way photogenic, and #3 I am usually the one behind the camera. Naturally Dan had to grab the camera and convince me to pose in the sunroom and I grudgingly e-mailed her several that I thought might work. When did I get so old and tired looking?
I love this book. I got it at a library sale. It has very interesting facts about how different animals mate. A real eye-opener!

Between ordering seeds and plants for spring and reading gardening magazines, I am really getting spring fever. But step outside where the temperatures are hovering in the 20's and that will put a damper on any outdoor endeavors! Even the chickens are happier coming out for a quick turn around the garden and then back inside. Besides the ground is so frozen I doubt they could get anything from it. Still they like to scratch around in the hopes of unearthing something.

Actually, as I went out to check on the chickens it began snowing. They were ready for some more corn and the doors shut for the night.
I tool a little interlude and watched Eat Pray Love. It was okay.A little slow. I like the fact that she could afford to go in search of herself. I know I wish I could. But I'll just have to have my awakening in this neck of the woods. But I understand what she means about how hard it is to clear your mind for meditation. When I try to sleep at night so many thoughts and ideas are racing around. Things I should have got done, things I need to do, projects I want to do. Dan hates it when I wake up in the morning saying, "Guess what I was thinking about?"
I went to a greenhouse sale this Friday. they were selling pots, flats, carts, etc. I picked up several cases of assorted hanging baskets and inserts for flats. Also some greenhouse equipment and a pallet of seedling mix. Took me two truck loads to get it all home.
That will definitely help save me money. I've been noticing how the prices at the wholesalers have really skyrocketed.
Saturday morning Dan and I drove up to visit our good friends in Chattaroy. Karen has fixed their place up so awesome with all her antiques and plantings. I am so envious of all the barns and outbuildings they have on the place. And all the wildlife that visits her; turkeys, deer, elk. Well, maybe not the wildlife as they would eat all my plants! They raise cattle and fainting goats. If you have never seen a fainting goat faint you are so missing out. And they are so cute and friendly.

They took us for a drive and showed us the land they were renting to put more cattle on. Made us really think again about finding ourselves a few more acres so we could broaden our growing area. Dan wants a couple cows and pigs and I would like to get into raising some heirloom chickens and turkeys. Plus more room for vegetables, flowers and fruits.

Well dear readers, it is bedtime and more projects to plan for tomorrow. Hope your team won tonight and you enjoyed all the commercials. And remember to dream of spring. It will get here eventually. The groundhog didn't see his shadow. As I gaze out onto an inch or so of fresh snow, I bid you adieu.

Oh Baby It's Cold Outside...

2011-02-02T00:56:00.000-08:00

I Owe My Mother

1. My mother taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE .
"If you're going to kill each other, do it outside. I just finished cleaning."

2. My mother taught me RELIGION.
"You better pray that will come out of the carpet."

3. My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL.
"If you don't straighten up, I'm going to knock you into the middle of next week!"

4. My mother taught me LOGIC.
"Because, I said so, that's why."

5. My mother taught me MORE LOGIC .
"If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you're not going to the store with me."

6. My mother taught me FORESIGHT.
"Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you're in an accident."

7. My mother taught me IRONY.
"Keep crying and I'll give you something to cry about."

8.. My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS .
"Shut your mouth and eat your supper."

9. My mother taught me about CONTORTIONISM.
"Will you look at that dirt on the back of your neck"

10. My mother taught me about STAMINA
"You'll sit there until all that spinach is gone."

11. My mother taught me about WEATHER.
"This room of yours looks as if a tornado went through it."

12. My mother taught me about HYPOCRISY.
"If I told you once, I've told you a million times. Don't exaggerate!"

13. My mother taught me the CIRCLE OF LIFE..
"I brought you into this world, and I can take you out"

14. My mother taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION .
"Stop acting like your father!"

15. My mother taught me about ENVY.
"There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don't have wonderful parents like you do."

16. My mother taught me about ANTICIPATION.
"Just wait until we get home."

17. My mother taught me about RECEIVING .
"You are going to get it when you get home!"

18. My mother taught me MEDICAL SCIENCE.
"If you don't stop crossing your eyes, they are going to get stuck that way."

19. My mother taught me ESP.
"Put your sweater on; don't you think I know when you are cold?"

20. My mother taught me HUMOR.
"When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don't come running to me."

21. My mother taught me HOW TO BECOME AN ADULT .
"If you don't eat your vegetables, you'll never grow up."

22. My mother taught me GENETICS.
"You're just like your father."

23. My mother taught me about my ROOTS.
"Shut that door behind you. Do you think you were born in a barn?"

24. My mother taught me WISDOM.
"When you get to be my age, you'll understand."

And my favorite:

25 My mother taught me about JUSTICE .
"One day you'll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you!"

Oh my gosh! How funny, but I had better add a disclaimer. My Mother would not have said half of those things. In fact, I think she only ever said #6. And #15 without the part about the parents. The one I most remember was to eat everything on my plate while thinking of all the starving children in the world.

Hmm, I wonder if that has anything to do with my eating problems?

Well, the cold weather is back and there's ice on the pond. But yet, the chickens have coerced me into opening up the doors for the last several days so they can forage in the garden. I'm a bit wary and repeatedly run outside and check on them as there has been a chicken hawk lurking around. The roosters are really good a raising an alert like earlier when a low-flying helicopter decided to circle overhead a few times. They signaled the alarm and all the hens scurried back into the shelter.
I've got my tomato seed order in and my order for the starts of the new pink blueberries which according to the trend-watchers will be very popular. Still deciding on flower seeds for my hanging baskets and other plants I might want to try. Next is to check my plant tag inventory and see which ones need re-ordered.
I have someone working on my website! Finally, after years of trying to do it myself and getting so frustrated Christy came along! So besides this blog, my Facebook and Etsy, you all can keep track of me on my very own website. I will keep you posted as it progresses. Might have to have a super-duper opening sale, huh?
The dogs are barking, but not because of any hawks. The squirrel has appeared on the fence and is telling them I need to refill his feeder with peanuts. He loves to sit just out of their reach and drop shells on their heads or race up and down the fence line. Hey, he's exercising them for me right? Plus it might give me some good footage for YouTube!

The organizing still continues around here. I have gone through almost 500 magazines, tearing out articles I want to keep and bundling the remaining for recycling and giving away. Anyone need old issues of Country Living, Better Homes and Gardens, and numerous gardening magazines? It's kinda hard to part with them and also to finally confess out in the open that yes, I am a hoarder. But just like the very few things I have got rid of in the past, I will need them as soon as they are gone. I mean, my hot pants (remember those) and platform shoes became trendy again as a result of me! So for now the magazines are off the bookshelves and stacked in piles by the front door awaiting their fate. A few might find their way back onto a shelf; who knows.
By the front door also sits an overflowing hamper of clothes I have weeded out. I'm down a couple of sizes after the surgery and don't want to even look back. No keeping anything just in case I gain weight again. And besides I had to make room for the couple of new/used items I found at Value Village this week. What a feeling to shop in the middle of the rack and have a selection!

"I'm not overweight. I'm just nine inches too short."
~Shelley Winters

“The older you get, the tougher it is to lose weight because by then, your body and your fat are really good friends” ~ Unknown Author

This and That

2011-01-25T00:21:00.000-08:00

Well, again, too much time has passed since I was on here. I could make excuses. Business taxes need to get done, big sales at Joanns and Michaels, organizing the craft room and going thru old photos. Well that has been happening, but still I should be able to work this in, right? I'll try harder, I promise.
So yes, I'm trying to resurrect my craft room. It was a mess and it wasn't getting done on its own. All the linens, fabrics, and treasures in the closet were sorted out (somewhat) and sucked into space bags. Dan made me lots of shelves for the neat, flatter bags and there was still room left over for more!
Cardboard boxes were gone through and sorted into clear plastic bins. I forgot how many different types of crafts I like to do. Now if I can just start working on some of them.
There are boxes of other things to go through. I don't now if you know this about me but I am mad for flamingos. I have run out of room displaying them, so they are stored in boxes; many boxes. I visit them from time to time and really wish I could find a way to bring them all out of storage.
Oh! You would be so proud of me! I have been going through my stash of 20- plus years of magazine subscriptions. Country Living, Mother Earth News, numerous gardening and decorating and remodeling ones. One last look through them for any important and pertinent articles and then tied up and put down by the front door. I hate to just take them to the recyclers so am hoping to find a good home for them. Any takers?

Betsy and I have also been visiting lots of shops. I think I have replaced eating with shopping! But there are still great Christmas bargains to be had. Yesterday Betsy found bargain bags of decorations and greenery at Michaels for $2.00 each! And Sears had their leftovers for 92% off. You simply cannot pass up those deals!
I also met with a lovely lady who is helping me get my website up and running! You don't know how many frustrating years I have been trying to work on it myself. She seems to understand my visions for it and will try to keep me reigned in and focused. No easy task. I am so excited!
I have also been frantically searching the seed catalogs and putting in orders. I stopped at 63 varieties of tomatoes. I particularly like the early, cherries, and bush tomatoes, which will grow in containers. There are alot of new gardeners that might not have planted veggies before and who might not have alot of space to do so. But I can tell you, after they have eaten a tomato right from the vine, they'll be hooked!
While Betsy and I were shopping this weekend, the granddaughters were cleaning up the greenhouse, getting ready for all those seeds. Organizing benches, cleaning and stacking pots and flats, and setting up the lights. Our oldest, Jessica even found time to talk Grandpa into letting her practice driving the car. She is in drivers ed and has to log a certain amount of hours behind the wheel. Suffice it to say they all survived!

The weather has warmed here and all the snow is gone. The pond is melted and the waterfall is thunderous with all the water running over it. It, like our nearby river is almost to the point of overflowing from all the rains and snow melts.When we went for a drive the other day we saw alot of houses getting their feet wet. There has been heavy fog in the mornings so I might try to go out tomorrow and take some pictures. I like how the trees stand out so starkly against the grey-white background.
Well, I need to get to bed. Lots more organizing to do tomorrow!

P.S. Getting anxious to start decorating for Valentines Day! Look at this heart on my sunroom window!

Happy New Year! The Best Is Yet To Come!

2011-01-08T21:43:00.000-08:00

When you love someone, all your saved-up wishes start coming out.
~ by Elizabeth Bowen (1899-1973) ~

Sorry I have been so remiss with this blog. I had stomach surgery on Dec. 7 and it has been a long road of recovery with its good and bad days. sadly, it has been hard to sit at the computer so I have not been able to keep in touch that way. Thanks to everyone's prayers and good wishes.

Who, being loved, is poor? ~Oscar Wilde

The scenery here is so beautiful. We have quite a bit of snow and then became very cold so the trees are just loaded down. It is truly a winter wonderland! We made comments as we drove around last week that even the ugliest and messy yard looks like a postcard. So there's hope for mine!
Wistfully, Christmas is packed back up and downstairs. My darling Daughter and Granddaughter put everything into boxes and Hubby put them away. We have more this year to try and store because Betsy and I went to Lowes for my daily walk and found all their decorations for 75% off! We came home with a car full, but saved about $450. Can't wait for next year!
A hard part of this recovery is I can't bend over or lift. You never know realize how much stuff falls on the floor until you aren't able to pick it up. I'm trying to organize my receipts to get my business taxes done, and I swear half of them landed on the floor.

Don't own so much clutter
that you will be relieved to see your house catch fire.
Wendell Berry

And I got to sit back and direct traffic as the family moved furniture around in the front room. Placed a new area rug and brought in more lighting for a cozy retreat. It also opened up a wider traffic area for when the grand kids come over and run amok.
I love my new sunroom! Have I said that before? While I laid in bed I could look out into it and thru the windows to the garden outside. The family put a second tree out there for me at Christmas. A white one adorned with blue lights and my flamingo ornaments. When I couldn't sleep at night I would just stare at the lights and feel at ease. I can't wait to decorate it for Valentines day. Did you know that is my favorite Holiday? I love hearts and red and pink, pastels and flowers.
garden sale farm chicks seed catalogs

"Valentine’s Day is when a lot of married men are reminded what a poor shot Cupid really is.” ~Unknown

I am getting the itch to design and craft. I filled out my form and sent it in for the Garden Expo sale I do every year on Mothers Day weekend. I am also going thru the seed catalogs in anticipation of getting the greenhouse going in the next couple of months. I also saw the ad for the Farm Chicks sale and would love to do that sale some day. Anyway, Saturday when daughter Betsy comes out to work we will venture into the crafts room and clean and organize. And dream up our next big money-maker!

Organizing is what you do before you do something, so that when you do it, it is not all mixed up.
A. A. Milne

The snow is still falling as I write this. I feel cocooned as the sounds from outside become muffled. Then the dogs come in and bring me back to reality as they shake their wet snow off onto me! I need to get out and take more pictures. And whitewash some dogs!

Well, it is now evening and I didn't get much done today. Anymore, just trying to stay hydrated is a job in it's self. I got so absorbed in reading all the great blogs out there the time got away from me. I am so into the vintage crafts. Hooray for Etsy! I love all the vintage ephemera that is out there. I want to learn how to do everything. And don't even get me started on the garden ornamentation aspect of it. I am so behind on all my projects for my spring sale. Does anybody have any handmade or trash to treasure project ideas for my garden sale?

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow

2010-12-05T16:54:00.000-08:00

Oh the weather outside is frightful, with icy roads and bitter winds. But inside the smell of bayberry and oranges spiked with cloves, the sounds of football intermingled with Christmas carols, and the sights of decorations, lights, and very excited grandchildren!

Not too much baking this year. I am about to go into surgery and have been on a liquid protein diet for a couple of weeks so nobody is getting anything!! It was bad enough to have to prepare the Thanksgiving feast and just watch everyone else devour it.
We had a wonderful decorating party yesterday. What memories awaken when the boxes marked "Christmas" are lugged upstairs and opened. Handmade decorations the kids had made through the years; ones handed done from loved ones no longer with us. Try explaining to a 4-year old that the "Night Before Christmas" book they find is older than Grandma! Hot cocoa awaits the frozen few that ventured out to string lights and garlands round the fence and to hang up the wreathes and flags. The fortunate ones stayed inside and put out candles, wreathes, window clings, and all sorts of finery.
It is a record this year because of my pending surgery, that all the Christmas shopping is done and all the presents wrapped.

And still, work must go on outside too. Hoses must be brought out to refill water barrels in the greenhouse and chicken coop. Paths shoveled for dogs so they will venture out and leaves mounded up on pots of various perennials to keep them frozen till spring.
I want huge quantities of snow. Hey, I won't be able to drive so why not? I want snow days so everybody has to stay home with their families. I want to hear the whine of snowmobiles running up and down the road because the cars can't make it through. Neighbors having snowball fights and kids making snow forts and sledding runs. Why can't we hibernate like the bears used to do, all snuggled together. Think how much money we could save on everything.

In the coming weeks I hope I am able to keep you posted on my recovery; my trials and tribulations; all the gory details!
Till then, embrace the Spirit of Christmas around you, down to the very smallest detail.

Joy To The World!!

Having a Vintage Thanksgiving!

2010-11-20T09:01:00.000-08:00

Do you remember Thanksgiving when you were a child? I don't remember the meal as much as the preparation beforehand; the cleaning, the making of decorations, the excitement in the air.
Mom was a home economics teacher. She had that knack of having everything come out just right. I'm sure if she were here she would say otherwise, but I remember marveling at how perfect she made everything feel.
She had a file cabinet I would sneak peeks in filled with construction paper, drawings, templates of glorious decorating ideas. I can recall the feeling when she started decorating.

I want that feeling for my Holiday. I found myself at midnight, digging thru drawers, searching the Internet, thinking of times past.

Death Has Come To The Garden

2010-10-24T11:35:00.000-07:00

It is the time of year I dislike the most. I try to stay positive and look forward to the Holidays and all their colors and display. But you see the devastation that the frost brings and it is really disheartening. All the accumulated work of the Spring and Summer destroyed overnight.
My tomato plants, outgrowing their cages, laden with tomatoes not yet ripe. Now mushy and limp, fruits translucent. The water hyacinths in the pond, blackened. The bamboo, wisteria, and kiwi sheltering the Love Shack, bent down as if in pain.

Now the work begins to wipe away all traces of the garden that sustained us all summer. To take away all blooms and vines that thrilled us. Down come the ornaments, the lighting, umbrellas, fountains,chairs and tables. Benches go back into the greenhouse to be filled with pots of hostas, lilies, rhubarb and other plants not sold at Market.

Shovels, pruners, and hoes are cleaned, sharpened and oiled. Snow shovels are brought out in their place. Rakes are brought out in anticipation of fallen leaves.
And yet, my roses are still blooming, the sedum is in full color, and the leaves; every color of the spectrum. The koi, looking so bright against the dark water, soaking in the last warmth before heading down deep to hibernate. The birds adding to their nests bits of vine and fluff.

After Farmers Market today which was a truly cold and wet experience, I arrived home and had a burst of energy. Perhaps it was the latte I drank earlier or just the need to erase the yard of the sad dead things. With the help of my daughter piled the tomato cages we pulled up all the vegetable plants, leaving the fruits on the ground for the chickens. We emptied and stacked pots, broke down carts, trimmed back the bamboo and did a general cleanup; and what an improvement! Now it looks promising, not quite so gray. Even with the pouring rain the brightness shines through. The vivid colors of fall are here.

Frost Is Inevitable !

2010-10-08T16:54:00.000-07:00

Well, it's that time of year. A frost is right around the corner. So now we have to scurry around the yard looking for stray houseplants that have sat out all season, and plants we want to keep going just a little while longer.
I found a Echeveria on the front porch that needs protection along with the red-blooming Mandevilla hanging out with the hummingbird feeder. I guess the feeders can be scrubbed out and put away for the winter too.

The sun room is almost finished. (I keep saying that) Last week I saw a picture in a magazine/book somewhere that showed a room with a shelf at the top and part-way up from the bottom all the way around the room. So of course I had to have that! Darling Hubby really hates when I pick up a mag or book! So I have been scouring my basement and shop for shelving pieces, spindles, and corbels I have collected over the years waiting for that perfect project. And then cutting, painting and assembling!

Anyway, I digress. After writing the last paragraph I went on a Google spree looking for different crafts using spindles and balusters. Now my creative juices are flowing when instead I should be outside cleaning up and carting plants to the greenhouse or loading the car for Farmers Market tomorrow.

The lilies are blooming even tho their leaves have browned and fallen off! And my rose out front is blooming. The grand kids have been eating the grapes but I think they are still sour. They need a frost to bring out the sugar.

The 25 baby chickens in the greenhouse are getting big. They are about 4 weeks old, so in a couple more I can release them into the coop with the older hens. They have really grown and put on their "big girl" feathers; well all except one who is behind schedule. She is half the size of the others and walks around with her eyes shut. She eats and drinks fine and is very tame because I have been picking her up alot to make sure she is okay. She jumps onto my arm as soon as I open the front of the cage and loves to run up onto my shoulder and put her head in my hair. All with her eyes shut. I know her eyes work because on rare occasions they have opened.
Well, I have procrastinated enough. I will post some pictures and then get to work. Unless something else gets in the way. But that frost is coming, one way or 'nother!

Okay, one more pic. This is the Angel Trumpet I purchased this year. I have wanted one for years and finally found a good deal on them. I bought 3 different colors, but have misplaced the tags so I don't know which color it will bloom. It took long enough, but there it is!

Is age slowing me down?

2010-09-26T16:32:00.000-07:00

I have been meaning to write for several months but am too tired and too busy. I remember when I worked in the construction field and could work all day and play all night and still have energy that following day!
Lots has been going on in the greenhouse and garden. It was a strange year for vegetables and flowers. I harvested more cucumbers than zucchini's and one patch of tomatoes did very well but another grew lots of fruits but never ripened.
The lily crop that I counted on for Market was sporadic at best. Some are just now emerging and others are now blooming for the first time. My strawberry roots I planted in late spring never did anything, but the rhubarb was fantastic.
Market showed the recession hit a bit with slightly smaller sales, plus the weather didn't always cooperate.
The egg scare helped us knock home how important local raised fresh foods are for everyone. Of course there wasn't enough eggs to make everyone happy, so I currently have 25 baby chicks in the greenhouse to add to the flock this winter.
The greenhouse needs cleaning again. Houseplants waiting for the new sun-room, a few basil plants, some squash that grew under the benches. And no matter how much I stress "plants only", there is a continual stream of empty pots and flats, fertilizer containers, and miscellaneous stuff that doesn't belong there. I guess I need to put "potting shed" on the long list of to-do's.
The kitchen is a disaster with all the canning paraphernalia needed for the jams, pickles, and vinegars made and being made. I haven't seen the dining room table all season as it is loaded with cases of jars, both empty and full. Gallon jugs are full of flavored vinegars, branches of dill hang over paper bags to collect the seeds. The sauerkraut ferments in a crock in the corner, and various containers of seeds collected here and there dry for next years planting.
Well, I am writing this as opposed to cleaning the office which I set out to do this morning. But the beautiful day drew me outside to walk amongst the last of the blooms, to watch the frogs, turtles, and koi in the pond, and to tear up some weeds to feed to the chickens. And now the day is waning, and I better have some work done to show for it.
So now I vow to try and find more energy to do everything I want to do and still find time for this blog. Wish me luck!

Unfit Gardener: Will Spring Ever Arrive?

2010-04-09T22:34:00.000-07:00

Unfit Gardener: Will Spring Ever Arrive?

Will Spring Ever Arrive?

2010-04-09T22:29:00.000-07:00

Well its April and our weather is finally acting like winter. We have the winds, hail, snow and clear cold nights.
All the tomato plants are up in the greenhouse and Dan has them all transplanted into bigger, individual pots. He seems tireless in his determination to get everything tagged and in their rightful pots. He barely manages to drag himself in at the end of the day.
We are boosting the heater up for added warmth and have the fans running over the plants to make their stems and roots very strong. I love going in there when it is storming outside. It is cosy warm and smells of damp earth. Even the dogs venture in occasionally and sit by the door.
The compost tea is alive and brewing in the corner and we use this as an additional defense against disease and weakness.
The peppers are a bit slow but coming on steadily and all the other veggies have emerged. We planted the pumpkins a little early this year and they are HUGE!
I am putting two sunflowers to a pot this year as last year they were a little weak-looking.
My flower baskets are less this year than last because of the shortage of plastic baskets from the supplier. So my flats of flowers sit waiting to be intermingled into hanging masterpieces. Hopefully they will come in soon. I have had to supplement bags of potting mix from Home Depot to keep us going as the pallet of bales I ordered is on back order. I need to find more local or close suppliers so this doesn't happen again.
My aquatic plant order is also late due to the company misplacing my order but they have assured me it has been shipped. My water hyacinths are always the biggest at the show because I get them going in warm water in the greenhouse.
Went to my Farmers Market meeting last Saturday morning and got signed up for another year. The work party to get the booths set up is on the 24th. Saturday Betsy took Blue out (our good ole Chevy dump-truck) and got some loads of composted manure and garden mix for the new garden bed on the side of the shop. We cut back the pussy willow without removing it entirely to make way for it. The reflection off the shop should really warm up the tomato plants we will plant there.
Easter did cooperate for us with a warm sunny day. The Easter egg hunt was a huge success with a bonus silly string and water fight. Lots of eggs were found and the chickens even were sitting on some money-filled eggs that they didn't want to give up to the children.
Dan got an early birthday present this year. I bought a riding lawn mower for him at the Depot. The doctor doesn't want me mowing because of tendonitis in my feet, and Dan shouldn't do it as well. My lawn is narrow but long; big enough to wear him out. I told him he will get to drive it down to James and Jenna's and mow theirs as well. The lawn does seem to be greening up finally and the lilacs and other shrubs are budding out. Rhubarb is going full tilt in their pots and the viburnum in the greenhouse is blooming. So fragrant!
We decided not to go to the big home show at the convention center today as my hip was causing me pain, but we wanted to get information on solar and wind suppliers in the area. We are trying to get net-metering hooked up and possibly a wind turbine on the roof to help supplement our energy usages. With all the wind we have been having the last week, it really would have been going great guns!
My first show is just around the corner. So much still to plan and get done. My carts seem to have suffered a bit over the winter so replacing some wheels and other parts. Bought a new one also as it was on sale at Harbor Freight and Dan is building a second tier on it so it will carry more.
The kids are coming over tomorrow to help out. Greatly appreciated. Cleaning out the shop is tops on the list so the rider can have a home.
Here's to Spring! Please come soon!