Long Between Posts

My first love is living my days following our little journey and second is writing about it, and I miss when life becomes too hectic to do either of those things. But do the gardens and fruit trees permit excuses? No.  To catch the worm, I need to find the time to be ready when they say it's time.  The slavedrivers.

The 2nd harvest, 1st pick of figs happened a few weeks ago and from them we made jam. A couple of weeks after that twelve more quarts of figs were picked, which became whole fig preserves along with fresh munchies and a bunch brought to work.  The last of the figs should have been ready last week, and a lot were, and dried, and today I just checked the tree and more are ripening. Alright already!

Garden Chili Verde sauce

So in spite of intentions to hang out on the blog, I was canning and preserving continually after work, fell into bed, and was up and at it again the next day.

It has been a fantastic bumper tomato crop - and yes, Heirloom makes a difference in the taste and quality of the fruit - and also the garden has done well with salsa peppers, green peppers, Japanese eggplant and Armenian cucumbers. I think we have 10x more eggplants than last season just by putting up a trellis that shields them from a little of the afternoon sun.

We've put up quite a few quarts of Gardineira and dilly beans, plus a jalapeno/wax/green/salsa/garlic medley that looks interesting. It was another disappointing yield with zucchini, and I'm inclined to skip it altogether next year.  Our tomatillos are fruiting but they are small - we will trellis them next year and see how they do. They made a really good chili verde sauce base, along with some of the green tomatoes and salsa peppers - and we like knowing it has no preservatives. And now I'm experimenting with ChowChow with green tomatoes, peppers, cabbage and a lot of interesting spices including mustard seed. Will let you know how it goes.

Garden vinaigrette salad

 The full sun artichoke cannot tolerate full sun. It leaves me wondering why local nurseries sell it with those tag recommendations when they know better.  Seymour is too big to transplant, so I took cuttings and planted his offspring under the shade of the olive trees, where they seem to be doing well. He'll be coming out in the fall.

That little spindly leggy Pomegranate out back turned out to have the only beautiful pomegranate of the season: the other big tree produced a lot of small and dry fruit that opened months early and spilled out for the birds. Nothing gets wasted but we were disappointed. But that one pomegranate was harvested and trickled in a salad with friends and we enjoyed every kernel.

Pickled raw veggies

We received a 13 gallon kitchen garbage bag full of fresh basil and made pesto to share - how easy and delicious to whip that up with a Cuisinart, fresh garlic, olive oil, fresh parmesan and pine nuts. We traded it for a couple of pickled veggies and a bowl of tomatoes. Pine nuts are big $$ so we are trying out roasted almonds, roasted walnuts and (hopefully soon) roasted pumpkin seeds.

I am looking into a good salsa recipe now that we are quickly exhausting the tomato options with spaghetti sauce, freezing them whole, eating them in Caprese salads, stewing them and constantly eating them as part of my lunchtime vinaigrette salad.

Garden Pesto

Tried out a new recipe yesterday, a corn, cilantro, fresh tomato, lime and avocado salad.  Super easy, super good. It's a keeper.

Mexican Salad with Honey Lime Dressing (FB)

Salad:  (prep this in a bowl and squirt a little extra lime juice and coat everything so the avocado doesn't turn)
1 pint cubed tomatoes, fresh
1 avocado, ripe but still somewhat firm
2 T. fresh cilantro, chopped
2 ears fresh sweet corn, cooked al dente or raw - cut the corn off the cob and with the back of the knife scrape the cob to get all the juices.

Dressing:  Juice of 1 lime; 3 T. olive oil, 1 teaspoon honey, sea salt and lots of cracked pepper, 1 clove fresh garlic minced, and a dash of cayenne.  (Mix these ingredients and whisk; set aside)

Saran Wrap cover and store in the fridge until ready to serve. Great over broiled fish. Great as a pico de gallo alternative with chips. We loved it as a side for our breakfast omelet this morning.

Being in the kitchen seems to relieve some of the day's stress. Now if only someone would clean up the mess ...

Work in Progress

 

There is something beautifully unkempt about a work in progress.

The dust that clings to our boots as we tromp through the yard is tracked back into the house.  The weeds we appreciate because at least something's green on the back grass. Everything partners here and everything plays a role.

There is beauty in incompleteness.  The weeds jockey for position all spring and summer, being pulled and mowed down, and springing up to make another run. They stand now brown and reedy, giving up in the heat of summer, completely unaware they will be back. 

Change is indiscernible, and I'm more than ok with it. There is no stopwatch here, no big fancy event we need to host. In these rambling thoughts, I look out at the tangible changes we have forgotten about, the workshop and garage, irrigation out front and gardens out back with a rinky-dink drip system that criss-crosses the yard and keeps things alive.  

The work part of 'work in progress' seems to involve thinking and talking out where the wildflower garden should be with the butterfly bushes, and how to devise a seasonal greenhouse over the garden. Should we or should we not invest in gutters and rain collection barrels? What are the pros and cons of solar panels? We seem focused on 3 things: what do we need, how do we get there, and when do we start. It seems we are working towards becoming honest and true self sustainers.

Before all that happens, we are collecting unusual bottles for the bottle wall, and wondering if this climate zone can sustain a Pistachio tree and Lemon Eucalyptus. We walk around framing in squares with our hands: here is perfect just as it is; here will be the deck, and here someday a porch room to sit out in the evenings and look at the stars.

Part of this involves trusting things we can see (the little blue Well) and things we can't see (the Septic). We drive by fields of alfalfa that are being overwatered and furrow our brows in concern. We look for, and miss, the Great Horned Owls and wonder where they are raising their baby. I'd have never given any of that a second thought in the city.

The feral cats are fed and watered and all we hope is for whatever they can give back.  Just like the land, slowly but surely, we feel ourselves as magnificent works in progress, too.

Water Muscles

We get it.

People over plants is the new water conservation mantra. And we know the reality of spending thousands of dollars and thousands of hours of blood, sweat and tears on our yards that we aren't going to give up without a fight. These are real life dollars lost.  Hobbies and livelihoods. Curb appeal.

We started to let the lawn die, like the Governor suggested, and it just seemed too long on regulation and too lean on innovation. I wanted a non partisan, more moderate approach that involves some lifestyle changes and a little ingenuity. We have impactful water choices: let's make 'em!  

So I recently learned a little about plant speak. According to Grassology, your lawn will tell you when it needs water. When the blades have a gray blue tint or older blades curl slightly, it's time. I can't believe how much we have overwatered the lawn all these years... and probably the shrubs.

The idea in a drought is to sustain the root structure even if the lawn looks like hell. Deep, infrequent waterings are the way to go. Watering late at night or early morning is also ideal for water conservation, and never when the sun is up or it's windy.

We're on well water here and not regulated by the city ordinances, but we see farmers struggling all around us and know we all share the same short supply. So we have become self aware and proactive, meaning we are looking at our habits to find better ways to use what we consume so it meets our needs and those of our green guys.

For instance, we shaved some time off our showers, and turned off the running water when we brushed our teeth.  We aren't laundering our comforters and bathroom mats except when necessary, and wearing our jeans an extra time or two. You can't even tell.

Putting a bucket under the spigot in the shower was an amazing experiment. We couldn't believe how much water went down the drain during the warming time from cold to hot, and the step away soap up/shampooing before rinsing off. It's a little awkward with a 5 gallon bucket but hauling it outside and nourished the fruit trees more than made up for it.

We are starting that in the kitchen and bath sinks today. I'm in the kitchen all the time - why not. It feels empowering to build up our water conservation muscles.

Another great choice was to install drip systems for the gardens, plants and shrubs. Timed spot watering puts it direct to the roots, with no waste at all. No big irrigation systems are needed. You can buy rather inexpensive battery operated timers that hook to the hose and the drip line and are easy to program. Drip system kits are available, and you'll need a coupling from the hose to the drip that costs under $3. Seasonal adjustments are a snap and we literally ran the drip lines right on top of the ground inside white PVC irrigation pipe to protect it. Since it works so well, next year we'll bury it right and proper and hook it into the main irrigation system for expansion.

Probably the biggest challenge was in reprising the old school lawn watering technique of using a soaker and regular hose rather than pop up automatic sprinklers. We dug down a little to see how deep the lawn roots went, and deep water in small sections just enough to reach them.  Using a clock timer to remind you to move it makes it extremely efficient, and we are seeing improvement even with temps up over 100 degrees.

It's all good for our friends the plants, and none of the wasteful symptoms of runoff, wet concrete, water loss from broadcast evaporation or overspray on the fences.

Caramel Fanatico

Friends found an article in the local paper about a Zinnia Farm in Zamora so we checked it out.  It was a pick your own flowers place. There were buckets of water, clippers to use, baskets and glass jars to arrange the flowers and take home ... all completely free. This was the second year Metzger's Farm in Yolo has offered the Zinnia Farm but we didn't know about it. It was a pretty great stop, a total feel good from start to finish. There was no one to thank, so we left our clippers behind for others to use. I'm taking 5 cheerful bouquets to work tomorrow.

The other fun part happened a couple of weeks ago when I made caramel sauce for the first time. Caramel is one of those amazing kitchen chemical miracles. You add heat ... sugar ... butter ... and cream and it transforms into this creamy rich dark gooey caramel yumminess.

I took 4 oz jars to my test lab (work friends) and they went nuts. As they talked about it little spittles formed at the edge of their mouths. Not really. But I did hear reports that husbands cleaned the jars and requested refills. Some grandmothers who shall remain nameless resorted to hiding their jar from their family and wanting more even before the jar was empty. And one of my coworkers who has this tiny little body and never eats ate the entire 4 oz jar with sliced apples while standing in the hallway as we all watched in awe.

I offered the recipe, but I was pretty much told to just make it for everyone forever and they would buy it. HA! So I turned it into a Relay fundraiser and in one week had over $200 in orders!

So part of my weekend also involved batches of Salted Caramel Sauce. I was blogging tonight and out of the blue came a photo of a bowl of vanilla ice cream with the caption that read: my ice cream is sad.  I'm not going to even think about my role in creating an office of Salted Caramel Sauce junkies.


I could balance the Federal budget with this!
                                              Fund universities!
                                                                   Create world peace!

Serve with my test lab recommendations ~ green apples, sliced banana, unsalted pretzels, marshmallows, Triscuits, strawberries, and ice cream.

I am told it is also very good twirled on a fork and eaten right from the jar. That's right, the Hubs knows his stuff.

The Father's Day Breakfast Pie Challenge

No this isn't our place but
in our heads this is what we see

The best part of the weekend is a leisurely breakfast enjoyed with a nice cup of Graffaeo coffee.  We're eggheads so weekends for us involve a full breakfast at least one of the days.  Omelettes, poached or over easy eggs. Potatoes. Fruit. Some type of meat. Maybe toast. 

Merr's Casserole

I started out with Egg McBagels when the kids were small - a scrambled egg on a toasted bagel with a slice of American cheese. But recently I've been making single serve omelettes for the Hubs on weekdays, 1 beaten egg folded over a few veggies and cheese, which he heats up at work. Sometimes it's oatmeal, sometimes cereal, but he's on the go earlier than I am and I'd rather him have some options for the week.

First, I eyed a friend's holiday brunch casserole as a possible option. It is really delicious.

Essentially it is sourdough sliced lengthwise and placed butter side down in a lasagna pan, a bunch of cheese layered over, your favorite cooked meat, some diced chiles, seasoned eggs and milk, and a 350 oven for about 1 hour 15. A meat strata. I mean, what's not to love.

It feeds an army, and you can individually package them up for the week.

Meat Lovers Pie

But I really wanted mine in muffin tins, true individual servings, and I didn't want sourdough to be an every day of the week thing, so I played around in the kitchen for something new.

I purposefully under beat the
egg to give the pie texture

Meat: Sautéed up 6 frozen zucchini pancakes and lined the bottom of sprayed muffin tins with them. There were leftover beef hot links in the fridge so I cubed and sautéed them with some onion. Each tin got 1/2 link and a handful of shredded Mexican cheese, and poured over it was a beaten egg (1) seasoned with ground pepper and garnished with leftover green chiles.   350 oven for about 22 minutes until set.

Meatless with leftover bagels
to line the outside

Without meat:  Leftover stale bagels were repurposed. I sliced them vertically in 1/2 slices and cut them in half so they stick up a little around the rim (3 per).  Cubed pepper jack cheese filled the center with 6 or 7 chunks, a small sprinkling of shredded Mexican cheese was added, and a beaten egg seasoned with -- a bit of sage, paprika and rosemary.  350 oven for about 22 minutes until set.

Remove from tin and serve (or cool)
right away so it does not overcook

They turned out! The zucchini made a nice bed and the meat was a pretty layer in the middle of the pie.  The bagels crisped up nicely with the meatless variety and gave it additional texture and crunch.  

But the Father's Day Breakfast Muffin Tin Challenge winner was~~~

The meatless!
It won out for the flavor combo with the pepperjack cheese. The meat wasn't even missed.

I was surprised, pleased. Anytime something can be repurposed instead of pitched, it's a good day. Working towards meatless, but it's a  s-l-o-w  go.

Fleetwood Max

Every day starts off pretty normal.  The way it goes is this:  after I'm 3/4 of the way through my first cup of coffee, somebody gets a little antsy.  She looks deeply into my eyes as she prances around, she whines and hops from one foot to the other.  Are you ready yet?
How about now?
Now? Now? Now?

I slide into flip flops, refill my cup and head out to the chuck it with ball wedged in the tree, waiting. Enthusiasm is running high.  We play throw and catch and find it in the tall weeds, all over the yard, and they are finally ready to start the day.  This is incidentally the same routine when the last bite of dinner is gone and the Hubs and I chat afterwards about our day. He cracks open an orange and the dogs are at my feet like lightning, begging for a piece from him and a game from me.

 

Today, there is something new in the drive. It's a Fleetwood Americana pop up tent trailer airing out in the sun. We explore that for a while and the dogs have to sniff and lay on every surface to see if it is comfortable, including the space below the table where they will park themselves during dinners on the road.

I sipped on my coffee and imagined being in Big Basin or Yosemite. And then we went out to play ball.

It has a peaceful energy, spacious inside with two large beds. We are hoping one will be for us and one for the dogs, but they do enjoy sprawling between us until we are clinging to the outer reaches of the mattress.

 

One of these units has always been on my wish list, but when the kids were small it was just as easy to tent camp, and we didn't have anywhere to store it or something to haul it.  

But now we do! So when we saw the ad, my love of camping and his love of fishing bubbled up happily and we thought it would be a lot of fun. We named him Max.

It's a big Father's Day surprise that I have arranged with our dear
friends in Portland to head up over Labor Day ... but hopefully we can get in a couple of overnights to break it in before then.

Surprise!! Happy Father's Day, sweetheart.  n



 
 

SOS

Temps are soaring and it looks like we got the drip system in for the herb garden just in time.  I made some salted caramel sauce for my buddies at work as we head into a strenuous week of usual. Sugar heals all wounds, and this stuff is delish. Thanks again for the recipe, Nell.

Salted Caramel Sauce

1 cup sugar, med heat, stirring constantly until it clumps and then melts smooth and darkens into a medium golden color, add 6 tablespoons cubed butter until melted (which is immediately), and then drizzle in 1/2 heavy cream (stirring still, right, so it doesn't burn). Cook 1 minute with it creeping up the sides of the pot, remove from heat and add 1 teaspoon of sea salt. Cool a bit, pour into jars, cover and refrigerate for up to two weeks. Warm slightly and serve over ice cream.

I've been a Dessert First kind of gal for most of my adult life. My dad had a jelly jar on the table and after dinner would take a big spoonful before leaving the table. It just seemed pretty obvious to me that when you hold off on the good stuff you sometimes miss out.  

The fruit flies got to some of our figs. A lot of them, actually. They were ready to pick early in the week and the time just got away from us, and figs don't wait very well. Add to that some pretty high temps on Fri*Sat*Sun and we missed the window. We picked some tonight but we'll be back watering and fertilizing her for the next yield in August. Live and learn.

Lots of green beans are on the vine even after having them Saturday night. Our first crop. The tomatoes are growing, and we are waiting for things to blush and redden. Two bushes on the end are stunted and turning brown (??) - no real reason for it, same soil, same nutrients, sun ... so I'll pull out some soil and freshen it when we replant more heirlooms. There's plenty of time for a late harvest. The corn didn't make it (my fault, we were gone) but the boysenberries have new growth and I'm glad about that.  Nectarine and apricot trees are doing okay. Little baby fruit is a cheerful sign.

I've been experimenting with a friend's breakfast bake (strata) recipe that uses leftover bread. I always like having something for the Hubs to take to work and warm up for breakfast.

Glass lasagna pan
Sourdough or other hearty bread sliced in 1/2 thick pieces and buttered on one side, lining the pan, butter side down
1 7oz can green chiles diced sprinkled over the bread
1 lb favorite breakfast meat - cooked - sausage, ham, bacon - evenly distributed
4 cups of cheese of your choice - I use Mexican white and yellow cheese -
Some finely chopped onion if you have it and want to add it (I omit) - sprinkle that on next

8 eggs whipped with 2 cups milk, 1/4 t. each of onion powder/dry mustard/oregano, pepper to taste.
I topped it with fresh oregano that was handy. Pour the egg mixture on top, cover with foil, and cook 45 minutes on 325 degrees. Remove foil, cook 10-15 minutes longer until set, and serve.

Thinking these days about some way to shield the artichokes from the hot sun because they aren't producing tender veggies ... and that got us to thinking about a garden cover that would essentially convert the raised beds into a greenhouse for the winter. That solves a ton of problems, will likely be a lot cheaper and it fits into the got it use it attitude we are learning about. The garden is perfectly capable of being utilized more of the year and shielding it from a freak winter freeze is a very good plan.

SOS:  Sunscreen or Suffer

Speaking of hot sun, just a reminder to be kind to your skin. I just had another skin cancer removed and so did the Hubs ... so when you are vigilant about spraying on that mosquito repellent be sure first you've slothered on the 50 spf sunscreen.  Skin cancer strikes every type of skin - those who tan easily like the Hubs are just as vulnerable as those with fair and pale skin like me.

We all know to cover up and layer on the sunscreen when going to water parks, the river, 4th of July picnics and all that. But did you know that skin damage happens through an accumulation of exposure also doing the kinds of things we do everyday?

Things like ~ walks in the morning * a quick trip to the garden for just 15-20 minutes * driving to and from work for years with the left side of your body in sun - face, shoulders and arm *  tossing the ball with the dogs 15 minutes in the morning and night. I don't remember to put sunscreen on for those types of activities or even before I dash over to the farmer's market on a trip home from the store.

Skin cancer is serious business, especially Melanoma. If you want to learn more about ways to be healthy and active outside, check out www.cancer.org.

Every Square Inch

The Gnat season arrived in force, and we have been out there taking them on as we finish the by-summer projects on the list.  These little black devils are undetectable without you looking down to see them on your arm. They crawl through your window screens and under your clothes. Until the itchy welt starts to rise do you realize they've been there and gone.

Gnats show up in May and die off when the temps sustain just over 100 degrees for a few days (typically at the end of June). We're armed: there's the mosquito and Gnat propane powered attractant to catch and kill them; the bug zapper near the house; we eliminate the standing water sources we can find; and still they come in little swarms from early morning to after dusk.

We use the natural bug repellent we make, and that seems to keep them at bay, at least for a while. Other commercial products without Deet don't work and we're just not going the chemical route with our health. We spray the natural oils onto our hands and coat the inside of the dog's ears, run a damp hand along their muzzles and over their heads, and a quick spray on their tummies and backs. There's nothing in it to cause them trouble if they lick it off, and we can reapply as needed.

So, a couple of weeks ago I was off to town and the Hubs needed to get some chores done on the tractor and so the dogs went into the shady outdoor kennel.  They love it there, watching the world go by with a big bucket of drinking water and a dog house. When I got home, we discovered Lily was covered in welts. Sam was untouched.

We lay Lil on her back between us, head on my lap and feet on his, as we soothed her with sweet words, topical Benadryl and antiseptic dog spray to relieve the hundreds of bites on her neck, chest, belly and haunches. She closed her eyes and hummed happily from all the fussing.

We haven't had Lil quite a year, which means she came to us after gnat season. Sam has thick lab hair but Lil has nearly-bare belly skin and fine, wiry hair. The poor little girl.

This week we'll be making up more repellent and praying for hot, unrelenting days. And Lil gets the royal treatment from here on out, covering every square inch of skin, just like we do for ourselves. Can't wait for gnat season to be over.

Memorial Day

Thank

You

to the often

invisible

force field

of men and women (living and not)

 

who chose to defend

the weak

and oppressed,

 

 

put themselves

in harm's way

for liberty

and freedom,

and who 
know that

protecting

this
strong nation

is a

daily

job.

The service
to our country 
is what has
always made
Liberty possible.
 

Shopping While Hungry

From this ...

Spring came in like a Lion, that's for sure, with a strange weather pattern we couldn't count on or predict. So we got busy.

An old eyesore part of the yard was repurposed into an herb garden.  I always like it when things just lying around can become something useful again. 

There's still a drip system to install for the rosemary, thyme, chocolate mint, basil, sage, cilantro, oregano and a raised bed full of garlic and onion which we're hoping will peek through the soil any day.


To this ...

The green and red harvest boxes came from a freestyle pick. We pass this place on the way to sushi that always has interesting things for sale, and a couple of weeks ago we stopped in to take a look. The caretaker was great and so was the boss and we picked up some really nice things. More to come on that.

We've been reclaiming other planting areas, and getting the garden drip back online after the freeze in January blew it out.  It's astonishing how big an acre of land seems when it's covered in weeds.

The Iris garden came back fuller and with showy blooms even with their confusion of spring weather in February. Sadly, one of our queen palms didn't make it.

We have had some help from four legged critters. Two feral cats are new to the neighborhood and live next door. We feed and water them when they need it, and they in turn keep the population of ground squirrels at bay, which is more than a fair trade. They are doing a dynamite job.

Just made up the first batch of lavender lemonade so summer must be near. Everything is in bloom including the pomegranates and we are more attentive now that we know what they are.  All the mandarin trees were lost in the freeze, but the nectarine and apricot have flourished and have little fuzzy fruit.

Thing One and Thing Two love being outside fenceless and leashless. Lily no longer chases the farm equipment and minds pretty well. Sam sleeps near Lil and we take that as a sign that they have truly bonded. 

There are alfalfa crops all around, a more durable crop choice with water in short supply, but I long for the sunflowers looking cheerfully my way as I stretch awake.

We discovered a local nursery called Green Acres that sells no GMO - and that evidently made us hungry:


Lilliput

We bought and planted 7 varieties of tomato, tomatillos, spicy and hot peppers, pickling cukes, our favorite Armenian cukes, zucchini, Japanese eggplant, pole beans, and pepperoncini. I think there's more. Corn goes in tomorrow, just 8 stalks to start, and we'll stagger planting there through summer. 

Sammy Girl

The nursery was a big help with a problem we are having with our happy, prolific artichokes. They are producing an astonishing amount of artichokes, healthy and large thistles, but they are tough.

Green Acres recommended we try to duplicate more of the optimal coastal environment. So we'll be devising some afternoon shade and misters in the near future. The plants are huge - can't move them now - but it's definitely worth a shot since they already love it here. 

I'm excited that tomorrow the thornless boysenberry bushes finally go in.

I am dreaming of boysenberry jam from bushes growing wild out by the garden along the Fence of Life.  Bee-utiful!

TOP DOG

It was a world class weekend.

I got to spend a day with one of my favorite people on earth.  She calls herself Wicked Step Mother and she calls me Cinderella, but she is anything but. After my Dad died, she was broken hearted and so was I, and this cut through some of that hurt with humor to begin a brand new relationship without him.

Now I just call her Momma J and when I speak of her, it is always from the heart with the deep connection we have formed, and not only because she was the love of my father's life for over 30 years.

Here's to your 92nd birthday, Momma Joy!  Your grandsons and I had a fun visit and we can't wait to do it again with Randy and Tim in tow.

Next, was the set up for the Bark For Life of Sacramento on Saturday afternoon, and the event on Sunday morning.

Fundraising started in December 2013 with a 2014 Bark calendar of dogs from the office which raised $320.  We had a Bark Day in the foyer of our building in March and a St. Patties Day lunch, plus 3 day-of event fundraisers (an Augie Doggie photo booth, homemade scones/coffee for sale, and a booth to sell our mosquito repellent).

A generous heaping of donations from friends and family came in, to kick things into high gear.

The dogs had a very good time at the event. Almost all the dogs were on their best behavior. The owners were amazing people and we enjoyed the meet and greets.

There was some wistful whining as the dogs watched a pet owner at the other side of the park throwing a chuck-it and tennis ball.  And during the opening ceremonies Lili about lost her mind watching all those tennis balls bouncing around during the tennis team's practice.

There was also that unfortunate incident when Buster the Chihuahua pee'd on the Hubs' shoe during a crucial part of the opening ceremonies ... but that just added to the day! (translation=it wasn't my shoe)

Oscar the Chiweenie was small but mighty! He was a formidable competitor all spring, and his team pulled ahead and stayed ahead the whole time. But by game day, in the home stretch, when seconds count as we raced to the Accounting tent with the last $12 from the Photo Booth, we had actually caught up. It just goes to show you, a little healthy competition goes a long way.

Oscar's Friends and Dog Day Afternoons together ended up earning over $2,400.00, and tied for TOP TEAM and TOP DOG(S).

Oscar Working It

Oscar the Chiweenie's team were the expected winners. Lili and Sam accepted their certificate to thunderous applause.  Lucy and I were also presented with a Bark For Life Top Dog 2014 sweatshirt to strut around the office wearing on dress down days.

Lucy the Lab (not to be confused with Lucy the person) earned her 3 year of Musical Sit champion.

Lucy and Sonya

In the end, a lot of cancer-fighting dollars were raised. It was a beautiful venue, wonderful weather, lots of community support and it was full of nice surprises. We were excited for it to be our first vendor sales for our natural mosquito repellent. Hearts have officially been broken! 

It's Sunday afternoon, late in the day. There's a little breeze going on outside. The dogs are sacked out at our feet; Chinese food is in our bellies and the Hubs is dozing in front of the TV that is on softly so as not to disturb.  I am happy to report, the shoe is expected to live.

Hidden in Plain Sight

It's been 3 weeks.

Where
Is
That
Plane?

Irresistible

Our community in 1879 (then called Black's Station)

It was a wild week, weather-wise:  first, sunburn-hot weekend days followed by rain and a funnel cloud.  I like the reminder to appreciate the sunny days by having some good, old fashioned, unpredictable weather.

We took advantage of the warm temps to plant the garden - 2 months ahead of last year's garden design and build out. We feel very hopeful for another great harvest. 

I'm sad to say our citrus took a direct hit with the weeklong freeze and mistakes this novice gardener made about not covering them adequately. We lost one lemon and two mandarins, but the lime and blood red orange show signs of life, so I am trimming and fertilizing them, and then water, watch and wait.

It was exciting to spend time with the little apricot and nectarine trees in full bloom, they are so cute in their second year with honeybees all over the little 5' trees. I noticed some fuzzy buds already forming and know they will become excellent producers in a few more seasons.

Garden Babies planted for Spring

The biggest score of the weekend was discovering a great nursery near us. The plants were healthy and strong, no GMO, they had informational handouts on pertinent topics, good prices, and a broad selection. The place was packed.

Hovering nearby were experienced, friendly employees that knew plants, could answer questions, knew the layout of the nursery, directed traffic, loaded the car, cracked jokes with the Hubs and waved to us at the exit.

I have been searching for a boysenberry vine that is a prolific producer and also thorn-less.  Napa advertises them, but that is a 2 hr drive. We found a nice selection at Green Acres and came home with two. It will be fun to watch flourish and bear the kind of fruit I expect will become CityFolk Farmer's signature jam.

We brought home enough plants to double the garden from last year. We couldn't help it.

We are trying seven varieties of tomatoes this year, all heirloom or proven hybrid varieties. A couple we had never heard of but wanted to try. We planted Armenian cukes again, pickling cucumbers, pepperoncini and 2 extra zucchini plants.  We planted another hot pepper plant, this one with more bite, and red bells, and two tomatillo plants for our Mexican dishes and red pepper jelly.

We chose two varieties of green beans and are training them up an old metal trellis, and will experiment with seeding more beans in three week intervals so they continue to produce all summer. Two Japanese eggplants sit alongside the remains of the winter garden that won't give up: brussels and cauliflower.



Green wild grasses: first mow of the season

I'd still like to sow corn and plant a few more artichokes since they seem to like it here, and also lavender. Too much expansion will require a more extensive drip system, and we aren't prepared for that until next season.
We did decide to begin a new tradition around here, and plant a food producing plant in honor of our loved ones who passed away.

A Pistachio tree will honor of Pop B once we carve out a spot (two actually, a male and female). I'll put in a stand of rhubarb for Mom, and a Kumquat tree for Dad. 

Last weekend was our annual walkabout to clear the winter debris from the areas where the riding mower travels. The natural grasses are now tamed, well, for the week.  A junk hauler comes on Sunday to help lighten up what we inherited and added since settling in.

Gotta love spring.