Almost Summer (But Still Spring, Technically)

Here in Maine --the COLD spot on the US weather maps-- we are cloudy and cool today.  Not a good day for the vegetable garden.  I have floating row covers on the tender stuff.

We, here in Maine, are the only state with a Brown Tail Moth infestation.  The moth lays eggs which overwinter in little bundles of folded leaves.  In the spring (now) the eggs hatch into caterpillars that eat all the leaves off trees.  They especially enjoy crab apples, Japanese maples, and this year, oaks because this year there are 300,000 times more caterpillars. The caterpillars fling off "hairs" as they move through the trees, shrubs and travel on the ground.  The hairs fly thru the air and land on skin, clothing, pets.  The hairs create a blister that itches like the dickens and weeps, spreads etc.  Everyone I see has red blisters on their arms, legs and especially around the neck.

The local hospital will mix up 100ml of anti brown tail moth itch spray for $43 a bottle.  A co-worker says its simply a mixture of benadryl cream, cortisone cream and Witch hazel to make a sprayable liquid.  So, being the girl I am, we went to the store and bought the three items and I mixed up a batch.  Seems to be working.

I finished a book this week.  Blood Lure by Nevada Barr.  I have a second Nevada Barr book to start reading, but it's out of order and I really don't like to do that.

My picture up top is representative of summer eating here.  Some sort of grilled vegetable or meat with salad greens.  Today, my day off, I breaded and fried the eggplant I sliced and salted on Tuesday or Wednesday. I only seem capable of cooking or prepping things on my days off.  Such is the depth of my fatigue from working with customers who are on the low simmer of resentment regarding available plants and the cost of said plants.  This year more than the 8 previous years.

I feel their pain.  The prices are higher and the size and quality seem to be lesser.  We have too much of the things they don't want and none of the things they do want (a new grower seems to be having difficulty seeding successive crops).  Our new tomato seedlings are an inch tall and the cucumber seedlings are microscopic.  There isn't enough summer here in Maine for them to produce tomatoes but possibly pickles.  But I have no control over that.  It's not my problem.

I am counting down the days until July 1st when I go on my two month summer furlough.  My preview of retirement.  When I can spend long hours in the garden pulling weeds where I wanted to be growing carrots and beets.  The lettuce didn't germinate either.  I have rhubarb stockpiled in the freezer for when the Maine strawberries arrive on the roadside stand.  Strawberry Rhubarb Jam. Another rhubarb pie.  And, wonder to behold, all G's weeding, pruning and lawnmower riding over the blackberry patch has finally paid off.  Branches and branches of flowers and buds for the big juicy blackberries not the weedy nasty berries.  Summer yogurt with blackberries.  A Blackberry pie. I will gladly have thorns rip my skin raw for the glory that is a plump sun warmed blackberry.

The fig trees aren't enjoying the cool June.  Only the smaller one has leaves.  The taller, older one did have leaves but a cold night did them in.  Now there are leaf buds on the bare branches.  I am spraying the branches with a foliar spray--trying to boost the growing power.  But G and I are quite sad as there isn't enough warm summer for the trees to make leaves and then fruit and for the fruit to actually ripen.  I know it's only June 11.  But this is Maine.  Summer is limited to the month of August.  The 4th of July is sometimes (often) quite cold.  We may need to build a greenhouse for the fig trees.

That's about all from here.

June Is Also Peony Time.

Luckily for me, my plants are still in very tight bud.  Because it's raining.  And rain always destroys the flowers on the peonies.  I grow red (which is actually magenta), white and pink full bud peonies and an open faced white with yellow center and another open face with pink center (Bowl of Beauty).

I like the big pink ones best of all.

Work has been wearing me out.  And I have to choose a new breakfast cereal since Trader Joe's has changed my bran flakes.  Instead of staying crisp to the bottom of the bowl--they now get soggy. I am thinking about a muesli (homemade with Bob's thick oats) or a return to my "roots" with original shredded wheat biscuits.  Change is never a good thing with me.

I have my summer clothing sorted out.  Bean knit pants (black) capri length for daytime and ankle for evening.  Bean linen shirts (white) in every sleeve length except sleeveless as I follow the fashion advice (no woman over 60 needs to wear anything sleeveless).  Shirts I haven't worn (Eddie Bauer) in a long time are now back into the white linen shirt rotation as well since I can now button them all the way past my hips.  EB shirts are heavier in weight and longer.  Good for rainy days.  Bean linen is thin--almost see-thru these days.  And I absolutely detest the new style with "darts".  Good thing Goodwill always has some of the older ones--no darts and longer sleeves.  I also have cloth espadrilles to wear on my feet.  Black.  The black and white clothing looks wonderful with my very dark greenhouse tan, white hair and red eyeglasses.

I am wearing last year's Goodwill work capris to work everyday with the green company tee shirt (I love clothing that can stand up to being washed 3 times a week for the entire summer and then still be wearable another year-or 2). I have another (just a bit smaller) pair of pants that I can (hopefully) wear later this month.  I also have an XXL pair of drip dry, very baggy men's shorts that I wear on super hot days.  They cover my legs to the top of my knee caps but don't touch my body below the waistband.  I have been seen wearing them to the grocery store on hot summer days. I bought them when I noticed a tiny Japanese woman with huge shorts on over black capri length leggings.  I just need to find knee length leggings.  Loose ones.  Loose-Ish.

The diet has stalled at a 15 pound weight loss.  In order to get it going again I have to actually stop eating.  By this I mean I have to stop eating at around 3 or 4 pm and go to bed hungry.  The calorie total for days like this is around 500 to 600.  Deciding when and what to eat on days like this isn't fun.  I just deleted a bunch of diet words.  Who cares???

I am now going to vacuum.  The entire house.  Do two more loads of laundry.  Maybe have a protein shake with frozen strawberries.  Or go to Freeport and have eggs and blueberry pancakes.

I decided on the eggs and pancakes at 2 pm and then nothing until this morning--guess what? The new number is 19.5 pounds lost.  I guess I wasn't stuck on 15.  Or else I just needed to eat something like pancakes, bacon and 2 eggs to get the body working again.

Folding Towels

I have Kondo-ized some of the folding that gets done here at Chez Joanne.  The "tea" towels get folded into thirds, longwise, then folded in half and then again.  Then stored folded edge up.  God love her but it does save room and it just plain looks "tidy". Love, love, love opening the drawer to get a fresh towel. My flour sack towels need an extra fold to fit in the drawer (so the drawer will close). At work we have a blue strip dish towel for sale for $6 and I gaze at it longingly but just can't justify buying a new towel when I have so many.

Tomorrow off.  It's been a tiring week for this brand new asthmatic.  It's now pollen season here in Maine. The Pine Tree State.  Pine pollen on every surface (including me if I stand still too long). I had to use my rescue inhaler yesterday.  First time since being diagnosed.  But, I have felt very tired. I think just plain ordinary breathing takes more effort.  Or I could just be old.

I drove into Town early on Thursday to get my unruly (letting it grow long enough to cover my ears which get too much sun) hair cut.  There I was and my appointment is NEXT week. So, it's been like that around here.

We grilled pizza dough on the grill this week.  Topped the browned and crusty dough with sliced tomato, arugula and Balsamic glaze. Plus a bit of cheese.  Good.  Now, today, I get my son's issue of Cook's Country and see I should have gotten the dough all oiled up before placing it on the grill.  It did stick.  So, we'll have to try it again.  Darn (smile).

My Georgia Peaches from the grocery specials aisle sat under the microwave plastic splatter shield to ripen and soften for a few days.  I thought they were okay but this morning I cut up hard unsweet peaches with my yogurt.  I lived in Atlanta for 6 years. I like my Georgia Peaches soft and juicy. I don't like crunchy peaches. We lived just 15 minutes from the Georgia Farmers Market and had the ability to buy produce (still warm from the Earth) by the bushel or peck.

In sad news (I very nearly started crying)--my BMW needs $1800 worth of fluids, battery etc. etc. etc, in order to be road worthy. And the saddest news is that the car is practically worthless.  Too many of them for sale.  Not enough people interested.  The guy who is working on my car said "drive it, have fun".  Easy enough for him to say.  Still have FOUR vehicles.  I wanted TWO, total.

My automotive restructuring plan is not working.  We have a two car garage.  And four cars.  In Maine.  Where uncovered cars freeze solid in snow banks. I could rent a storage unit and park the car in it.  Then abandon it.  Just kidding.  Or maybe not. I have been watching too many episodes of Storage Wars.  Could donate it to PBS.  That's a tax deduction isn't it?????  Older cars just have no value these days.  We should have tried selling it when it was 3 years old.

It's June in Maine--Lupine

Through the years I have had a rather uneven history with the lupine plants in my garden.  Some years they bloom and other years they forget to show up at all.  This year--surprise--I have a plant that is about four feet tall and wide and covered in tall blue flowers.  Gorgeous.  Awesome. And so unexpected. I am left wondering if the plants I planted are gone and these plants were seeded by birds.  Birds poop out seeds all the time.

A few days or weeks ago--nothing.  And that plant isn't the only one.  There are two or three more, in the wings, waiting to put on their show.  It would be nice if they are all a gorgeous blue.

I often tell customers to plant lupine where you don't want it.  Then it will grow and flower.  Plant it where you want it--and nothing happens.  I am hoping the aphids that love to chew the plant up--well, I'm hoping they are busy eating somewhere else this week.

I had a friend (so many years ago) who regularly stopped along roadsides and cut lupine to fill vases at the Ronald McDonald House in Portland.  Visitors to Maine love being surprised by roadside flowers---lots and lots of them along highways. People who live here like seeing them, too.

Well, I'm happy right now.

(There are little Spring bulbs called Muscari that you can plant that have the same triangular shaped blue flower, look for them in October with the daffodil bulbs on sale at greenhouses)

Dog Tired

I wish people could sleep like dogs do.  Riley looks so damned comfortable.  And he snores.  And the snores are even cute. And, yes, he is that shiny and black.  That's his toy, Spot, next to him on the bed.

I fell down at work.  Again.  This time in the annual house (annual flats of flowers and veggies) while walking a customer over to a plant he asked about.  The floor is slick, there was water and .....slip sliding, I went down on my butt.  My pants were covered in mud and water.  I was covered in mud. I am thankful the customer wasn't the one who fell down.

I walked directly to my boss and said "I asked you to cover that slick floor with gravel--you didn't, and I fell down"  He asked if I was hurt.  I said no.  I kept walking the rest of the day--did I mention this happened an hour into my day?  I, thankfully, had on quick drying pants.  I kept walking to keep my muscles flexible.  Now that I am home, cleaned up with a hot shower, dirty clothing in the washing machine--well, things are tightening up.  Aleve makes my eyes red and itchy.  Sigh.

There is more grass and weeds growing in the garden than beets or carrots.  I do have kale seedlings and arugula.  The fennel continues it's amazing growth.  Gigantic Fennel Destroys Earth.

My Tomatoes and Peppers are in the yellow wagon, rolling in and out of the shade from the big oak tree.  They even roll into the garage if it's too cold at night.  I also have been giving them drinks of kelp water and Starter solution.  Tomorrow I may give them some fish emulsion water.

Tomorrow I am buying 4 bales of straw to mulch my garden.  And taking the time to read a book.
I might even make supper.  Then more work all day Sunday and Monday.  No holidays for garden center workers.  None.  Ted did fill the freezer at work with ice cream cones.  We like Ted.

In The Garden: May 2016

Not my garden in the picture but the fence is similar.  I have been out there watering my seeds.  Not much has sprouted as yet.  I see germinated seeds and G sees weeds.

As to the "not my picture", I am trying to get myself back into the picture taking mode.  It's been a long time.  I think the new operating system made me stop.  The old one was easy.  The new one--it looks so different and so many steps.  I just gave up.  As I told G--what was easy and fun is now torture.  I will try again. but not today.

I have planted arugula (G and I like it on bruschetta), Little Gem lettuce, dill, parsley, carrots and beets.   I have another 6 to 8 strawberry plants to set into the part of the bed that will now be "The Strawberry Bed".  A few of last year's plants have white strawberry flowers on them.  Not enough for anything but a berry for the gardener.  If I had a grandchild gardening with me--well, I would save them all for her or him to pick and eat.

Last year's failed fennel crop was left in the garden.  And it has returned.  Every plant is now 6 to 8 separate  clumps of stems with huge heads of frothy greens.  Perhaps this is the secret for growing fennel into bulbs???  A two year process.  I hope to achieve some fennel seed as well, later in the year.

I have started seeds on the back deck (and they are enjoying a cloudy wet day) for my summer crops of squash, zucchini, cucumbers.  The deck also holds a large crate filled with tomato and pepper seedlings.  Early Girl and Sweet 100 along with a new to me heirloom tomato called Hillbilly. The pepper is New Ace.  I like to let the peppers go until they start to turn red.  Then I cut them and let them fully ripen in the safety of the sun porch --away from squirrels.  I will buy eggplant as needed. I have no luck growing them.

I have been eating my way thru the many frozen containers of eggplant squash and tomato that I grew last year.  The variety of vegetables that I added to this "stew" is amazing.  I found white beans in one and carrots in another.  The tomato was always the canned marinara from Trader Joe's as my tomato crop was very sad last season.

G and I have been having kabobs from the grocery meat department along with 5 for $1.00 corn at least once a week.  Last week we had teriyaki sticks.  Delish.  I don't know where the corn is coming from but it is absolutely wonderful.  I usually have vegetable kabobs.  Not that I don't eat meat--I do--but it's very infrequent and I am selective.  I am thinking I could make the teriyaki sticks myself.  The teenager who sold me the sticks said they were made "here from a hunk of meat and some sauce". He also told me the marinated kabobs were made "somewhere else".  Interesting, huh?

Work is half doable/enjoyable and half more than I can handle.  It is a struggle.  Perhaps this is the way things will be for me as I grow older? It makes me sad.  But I will have to adjust.

Already I am making choices in the garden as to what is "worth" my time and trouble and what is not. I enjoy the berries and fruits.  I love the carrots and beets.  The lettuces get lost in the shuffle.  The cabbages, while delicious, end up slimy with cabbage worms.  The onions and garlic do very well--on their own.  Cucumbers--while once so easy--are now a trial.  I don't know where I failed them.  The zucchini takes a long time to get going--and I am always afraid they won't--but then I have a enough for several batches of pickles.  There is never enough yellow crookneck squash for the big pans of fried squash that we all LOVE to eat.  The tomatoes are always too slow and not enough for the caprese salads of July and August. Which is why, this year I switched to early and small tomatoes.
The basil had blight last summer and will have it again this summer but hopefully there will be "just enough" for our tomatoes and cheese.

As you can read--I grow only what we love to eat.  Now if the blackberries will co-operate and deliver enough for my daily yogurt lunches (last year they produced ONE berry--which was delicious).  We are eating the rhubarb from my friend Patty's garden as I let my own rhubarb grow a bit more mature--another season.  I need patience.

Finally!!

I have been trying to write a new post here for three days and Google (which must have purchased blogspot) has been working overtime to block me.  I just finished a long entering process to get into my own blog.

Plus, I was working outside and am covered in large swollen insect bites.  Some multiple bites on the same small section of skin.  Itches like crazy.

Also, I was very strongly reminded that I am allergic to dust.  A neighbor asked me to repair and tack her rather large, puffy quilt for her.  I said yes.  It hasn't been washed in 10 years.  DUST.  I now have a hacking cough, chest congestion and who knows what else.

G and I tried out the new Taco Truck in Town.  Good.  Not great.  But he sold out of the fish tacos so they must have been great.  Next time I am getting a taco.  Not a burrito.  Too big and too mushy. The chef/owner was born and raised in Santa Clara, CA--right where my son lived for over 20 years-- so we "bonded".

My garden is coming along.  Some of the seeds I planted have germinated and their baby leaves look so cute against the soil.  Arugula and kale.  I managed to get some sage and anise hyssop germinated and grown in the milk jug experiment.  Also some Batchelor Buttons.  I purchased a new thyme plant to replace the one that seems to have disappeared.  Plants do that.  Just--- gone.

I've dug up and taken to work a large box of ajuga ground cover, a box of Lady's Mantle and on Thursday, a box of Nepeta (cat mint).  The other employees are eager to take home free plants.  One has shared her large thistle divisions with me.  It's nice to share.  No one was interested in the iris clumps so I set them in the woods.  Sometimes they grow.

Well, I tired of coughing. So I think I will just get another cough drop and another glass of water and settle into the sofa and try not to itch my bites.  The Witch Hazel I rubbed on the bites seems to be helping.  Not the most interesting post.  Sorry.

May Flowers

We (at work) are almost to the saturation point in floral color right now.  We need more petunia hanging baskets--especially the Heavenly Blue ones.  I have been busy at home, in the garden, and at work potting up geraniums etc for customers.  I have even done my first set of window boxes.

My wardrobe changed overnight.  From corduroy pants and thermal undershirts to capri pants and short sleeved tees (with a men's long sleeved shirt in case of a chill).  In the blink of an eye.  I even opened windows.  Cleared out the dust and winter odors.

I have NOT had my daily potato.  But, I have eaten my way through two large containers of strawberries.  Imported.  Not Maine's delicious berries.  Which reminds me to stock the car with $5 bills so I can stop on the roadside and buy berries when I see them.  Cash only.  And I never have cash on me anymore.  Waiting for someone to start selling rhubarb.  Mine is too small to pull.  I bet Patty's is ready.  I should call and check.  Her land sits on an aquifer and the rhubarb starts early and gets enormous.

The new "asthma" is causing me to be more tired in warmer weather.  I asked G about it (as he has a long term lung condition) and he said the tired-ness doesn't go away.  I have to adjust to it.  I haven't had to use the rescue inhaler.  Yet.

No lack of bees at work.  I have already been stung by one.  Back of the neck under my shirt collar.
And two or more black fly bites already. No brown tail moth rash, yet. No ticks since I found that one running around in my hair.

My neighbor asked me to mend her bed "quilt"-- more of a poofy comforter.  The top is pieced and some of the blocks are unsewing themselves.  I'll do it by hand over time using an invisible appliqué stitch.  Then I may take the time to tack it so she can wash it.  Re-tack.  I think at one time it was tacked but not well.  Not tightly enough or with double knots ( I am going to Google how to do the job correctly).  I will need to clear off my table and set up a "work station".  The light green perle cotton ball I purchased at Goodwill for one dollar will come in quite handy for the tacks.  Funny how that worked out.  G asked what I needed it for--and I said I don't know but I seem to need it for a future something.  And I did.

Succulents: The New Geranium

We can't keep the succulent table stocked at work.  Easy to care for (just ignore them) and they don't care if it's sunny or shady.  I love the idea of this large flat topped pedestal container.  That thin wavy succulent at the top of the arrangement is wicked expensive.  And the whole thing would need to be moved into a "less than frozen" area for the colder winter months.  But right now--- Amazing.

My garden is full of weeds right now.  I did get all the red and yellow onions planted.  And the little tiny seedlings out of the Milk Jug experiment (sage and anise hyssop).  I have three kinds of tomatoes on the deck today (shielded from the direct sun by a lawn chair).  I am ready to get going but wanted a second cup of coffee and time to write to you Dear Readers.

Yesterday, after work, I went round to the library and found a mystery to read and an older copy of Permaculture magazine in the "share old magazines" racks.  Then the grocery for more Romaine lettuce for lunches.  I also noticed very large crates on the floor in the produce department with very large bags of "local potatoes".  Usually "local  Maine potatoes", while tasty are also very dirty.  These were exceptionally large Russets and they were clean.  And they were $3.99 for what looks like 10 pounds (but could be more).  G and I each had one potato, baked perfectly, with sour cream and fresh cut chives from my many, many chive plants.  One potato equals a complete meal.  Huge potatoes. I plan on having a nice hot baked potato every day until they are gone.  Use up those chives.

Yesterday, in our feeble attempt to downsize from 4 vehicles (for two people) to two vehicles--G purchased a new car.  Replacing one with another.  Not what I wanted.  My idea was that he would trade two vehicles for one new one.  But on the up side, it's a car not a truck.  He wanted a new truck. I did not want to ride into my golden years (70 to 80) in a truck.  So he traded an old Jeep for a new Jeep.

And, as I suggested, he totally cleaned the old Jeep with Simple Green.  Leather seats and all.  The guys at the dealership were totally gobsmacked at how good that Jeep looked.  How unused it looked.

We are pretty careful with our possessions.  Except for shoes and garden gloves (which we destroy), we are wearing and using some very vintage items.  And they look pretty darn fresh.

Now we need to get rid of (sell) the 1998 BMW Z3 Roadster that has been stored in the garage for over 8 years.  Only two years away from the 20 year "Vintage" label that is so worth waiting for.  (???)  Now the interior of that car is a dream come true.  The Rosewood steering wheel is a thing of beauty as is the custom leather and wood trim on all surfaces. Interested?  Oh, the car is a 6 cylinder, black with a rag top.  Easily gets past 100mph.  I think it has less than 25K in mileage. Owned by an old woman who doesn't drive much.  ROFL but it's true.

Fought The Cloud And Finally Won (I think)

I used to have over 700 pictures saved in the Cloud.  I didn't want them saved.  I deleted them time after time.  But the Cloud always put them back in my picture file.  I was about ready to take a hammer to the computer.

Then a customer (why are customers so nice?) mentioned the "setting" section of the Cloud.  I could choose to "NOT" save pictures.  So, we did that.  And I had to wait 30 days to see if it worked.  Each time I opened my computer I looked at the number of items in the picture file.  It's 86 and holding. I need to start finding more, new pictures.

Now I am going to try and get G to change the setting on addresses.  We can't delete the ones that need changing.  People move.  They change internet servers.  They go away and don't come back into my life.

Haven't been out in the garden all week.  It's been cold, windy and raining.  But tomorrow is the day. I will be weeding and trying out my "new to me" mulching method--guaranteed to smother weeds and grass.  Newspapers (thick) covered by wood chips.  The newspapers can be arranged around the stems of plants you do want to live and over things you no longer want to live.  Gardening is like that. Mean spirited at times. I also will be using my new Hori Hori gardening knife.  Wicked sharp and such fun to stab into weeds and dandelions.  The ajuga in the garden didn't stand a chance.

Last night's dinner was cold roasted beets with good olive oil and Balsamic vinegar.  Followed by popcorn.  Tonight was too much food on "dinner out" at an Italian spot in town.  G had the special of the day and I had my usual eggplant parm with a side of asparagus perfectly cooked.  Had too many little garlic knots with my salad.  Feel stuffed.  Tomorrow I will be having a smoothie and then working outside. Sort of a spa day.  My way.

Sunday back to work-- Mother's Day.  Thursday and today were nonstop with phone orders. As the boss says--everyone has one.  A Mother that is.  Now they will all have a hanging basket.  Petunia or Fushia.  Spell check says that is spelled wrong but the spelling they give me looks "wronger".

How To Make Compost And Other Spring GardenTasks

Now that the snow is over (oh, I hope so) the rain has begun.  Thankfully, I managed to get the garden beds fertilized yesterday and the (finally) carrot and beet seeds into the ground. A few lettuce seeds and arugula made it in as well.  The onion seedlings got clipped but they are on the deck waiting to be be planted.

The results of the Winter Milk Jug experiment are not so good.  A few things did germinate and start to grow but then, too much heat and sunshine, did them in, followed by below 32 nights and snow..  Batchelor Buttons are the best so far but they are growing in a plastic jar that once held restaurant cherries (not a milk jug).  In far stranger fashion, the perennial grass Elijah Blue has germinated and is growing little spikes in it's milk jug.  It will take years and years before those tiny spikes turn into plants, but I will give it a go.

My garden beds are looking quite charming with the white daffodils with yellow centers.  These daffodils were a house warming gift from G's brother when we moved here in 1991.  I have dug the original 20 bulbs up and divided them several times.  I think there are more than 100 now. They are everywhere.  There are also large yellow daffodils that I save from the dumpsters after open house. They are also everywhere and I try and give away as many bulbs as possible.  Some rebloom and others simply evolve into compost.

Yesterday, I also wanted to start emptying the compost bin that is "ready" to use ( I have three bins in various stages of composting).  Easier said than done.  But the compost is exceptionally lovely.  Deeply black brown.  Friable.  My tomato seedlings got repotted into straight, screened, compost and they seem quite jolly.  I also gave them a watering with Plant Starter.  A b-vitamin smelling product that helps transplants take up nutrients.  The rhubarb plants got a good weeding, a super large dose of fertilizer with a high middle number and I dug out around them since they seemed to have sunk into the ground.  I don't think they like being "low riders".

My compost is made up of all the coffee grounds we use plus the filters and tea bags.  All the Kleenex and paper towels we use.  Every scrap of peel and waste from salads, onions, carrots, eggs and fruit.  I also regularly add the flowers I like to have on the table.  They get old and in they go.  The lint from the clothes dryer also goes into the compost pot (I purchased an inexpensive soup pot at Big Lots--which has a lid).  I line the bottom of the pot with newspaper (to catch drips) and then insert a plastic grocery bag which can be carried out to the compost bin when filled--usually at least once or twice a week but daily in summer or when I am making pickles etc. In the bin I layer the "wet" compost with the "dry" compost---shredded junk mail and, at the end of the year, all the past years bills etc that I no longer need to keep filed.  I supplement with a bale of straw that sits next to the bin.  I also add pine chips which I have in abundance due to the removal of trees this year and last. Dry leaves also go in since we are raking them out of the garden beds.  After a year--free compost.

I even composted all the expired seed packages with the seeds. Riley's winter coat also gets added to the compost when he gets brushed. And I have been known to shred the daily newspapers in order to make more "dry" for the compost mix during the winter months.  Newsprint is soy based these days. No heavy metals and inks are being used anymore.  Magazines with glossy pictures--just say no. One famous composter actually adds his old worn out clothing to the mix.  Not polyester.  I scored a car trunk full of old used burlap bags and those are being composted this season as an experiment. Cardboard cereal and cracker boxes compost very quickly if torn into strips. The local Starbucks will save coffee grounds for you--ask and make an appointment for pickup.  If you don't pick up--they won't save for you.  The bags they give you are heavy and leak--so plan ahead.  But those bags are full (20 pounds or more) of great quality coffee grounds.  Compost the filters as well.

If it looks like it will "decompose" then in it goes.  Always----always---equal weights of wet and dry.
So many forget this and end up with a wet, and very stinky sewer instead of compost.  Dry weighs less so you need more of it by volume.

If we could all just start a little compost bin--what a wonderful, wonderful thing that would be for the Earth. Next month I talk about bees.

April Snow Brings......What?

Well.  Misery? Our light sprinkle of snow is still coming down.  Hard and heavy. The town workers put the plows away.  So, nothing is getting plowed.  We went out for a few groceries, return library books and mail a few bills. Slipping and sliding even with 4 wheel drive.  I have a big pot of chili (for me) on the stove and G has plenty of leftovers to eat so that's that. Beets are roasting in the oven. I love roasted beets, chilled, with olive oil and Balsamic vinegar.

I never got around to planting my seeds.  We ended up helping our friend P with her grape vine pruning and ended up installing the top brace on the arbor G built many years ago.  Long ago he got tired of working on the arbor and just never "got around to it".  Now the two ends won't tip into the middle.  Anyway, it took forever and we got back just in time to finish cooking the pork I had in the oven.  At least dinner was good.

As I sit here in my wool sweater with a wool cowl warming my neck--- I am reminded of yesterday in just a tee shirt, standing in the sun, watching my friend's dogs pull each other around with the leashes in their mouths.

My library books went back--I had already read them both.  A mystery you already read--well, not much mystery.  I may do something else.  Or not.  I have tomorrow off as well.

Just ate forbidden potato chips.  They weren't worth the price (calories).  That's how I know I am invested in the diet-- things just aren't worth eating.  Not eating enough protein so still getting hungry and that's my biggest hurdle right now.  Have to figure out what protein I am willing to eat.  I don't like HB eggs.  Tuna is okay but I have to mix it up.  Chicken?  Only like nuggets.  And nuggets gotta be dipped. Deli ham and swiss rolled up is good but then I'd be eating G's lunch. OMG.

Thoughts Regarding The 2016 Garden

Each year I struggle to make improvements to the vegetable garden and to the various beds around the yard.  This Spring more trees (so expensive to get rid of) will be cut down--to bring in more sun.  As it is right now, I don't get the Southern sun until high noon.  These tall trees are blocking the warm morning sun from the south.  It's still cold here at my house, and the forsythias are not in bloom yet, thought they are nearly past in warmer (less treed) neighborhoods.

I would so love to make these cages for the tomatoes this summer.

Yesterday I had the pleasure (really) of working Spring cleanup at a house on the ocean.  Warm, sunny and the house was perched on a large slab of ledge.  Second job site yesterday was overlooking an ocean side marina.  The tide was coming in.  The sun was shining.  It was impossibly warm and the black flies were still sleeping.  Lunch was a warm toasty BLT from an iconic Maine store and supper was a generous scoop of homemade Whoopee pie ice cream from another only in Maine ice cream shop.  Late into the night, more episodes of True Detective on Xfinity's free Watch-a Thon (which ends Sunday night). I now only have one episode left to watch.  I have a short list of movies I will try and watch-- but sometimes they aren't available -- like The Martian.

My son always thinks I am one of the people interested in Game of Thrones.  I am not.

On regular television we are watching The Americans and Orphan Black.  The season ending episodes of regular shows such as Sleepy Hollow and Blacklist have both killed off the leading actress making me wonder why (and also being seriously surprised).  G has also reported that Beckett is leaving Castle, which I HOPE means cancelling the show as Castle by himself will be tedious and boring. Hoping Netflix ordered another season of Longmire.

Today I am hauling lime and fertilizer out to the veggie garden and planting (really!!!this time) my carrot and beet pelleted seeds.  Also my lettuces.  No peas this year.  I have transplanted my tiny tomato seedlings to larger pots (I do these little jobs in the 20 or 30 minutes before I fly out the door to work).  The onion seedlings look good and it's almost time for them to go into the garden.  Garlic I planted in October is coming up.  Need shallots.

I scavenged some wild geraniums, some wild phlox, and a tiny little Japanese Maple on my travels  to various dump piles the past few weeks.  Now I have to find the "correct" spot to let them thrive and ramble.  We have also rooted large branches of lilac and forsythias in half gallon Mason jars.  They also need to be planted sooner rather than later.  The deer have chewed off the tops of all my blooming hyacinths.  The pretty dark blue ones.  My favorites-- and theirs, I guess.

I may be back later in the week--or not.  I don't have my work schedule yet.

Why Instagram Is The New Blog

Most bloggers work hard to find a good picture for the top of their posts.  And an enticing caption at the top helps to snag new readers--sometimes with false hopes as did the Doll House Kitchen title a few posts back.  Nothing relating to an actual dollhouse. But double digits in the visit counter.

I finally had waited long enough for a favorite blogger to update her blog--checked her Instagram and found loads of interesting things she has been making, doing and places she has visited in the 6 months of no new posts.  I don't expect to ever see a blog post again--from her.  This is the third or fourth of my favorite blogs to switch 100% to Instagram.  Pretty picture and three sentences.  Done.

So is blogging the new dinosaur?

Pinterest is something else.  I have stacks of folders filled with ideas.  I rarely, if ever, refer to any of the "pinned" items.  It's something I do when I am procrastinating or am bored out of my mind.  I look at pictures and save them.  Why?  I don't know.  It's probably a hoarding disorder.  And, weirdly enough, I have no way to actually enter my account without pinning something new.  No idea how to get in.

My plan for today is to rake the dirt in my raised beds smooth --winter has done something odd to the soil surface-- and plant some carrots, beets and kale.  Sprinkle some lettuce seeds in a square for cutting (for salads) hopefully.  Each year I do this and then forget to go out and clip the baby greens for my daily salad.  I know--head thump!!!!--how stupid is that.  The lettuces get too big and finally set seed.  I think a nice sign on the fridge--"go cut lettuce" might be the way to go.

Only one of my rhubarb plants has leaves.  This has been a great disappointment for me as I love rhubarb pie and recently learned how to make fantastic strawberry/rhubarb jam.

I am also going to plant my two new concord grape vines.  On the trellis in the garden.  It will be a few years before the vines make grapes which I will use to make jelly.  I am trying to grow what we like to eat.  I now have two new beach plums to pollinate the oldest plant and hopefully create beach plums to make into jam or jelly.  The older and younger fig trees produce enough figs to make 6 pints of fig preserves for G each season.

Also, I think the beach plums may help pollinate the prune plum tree.  Last year I had 8 little plums  (first time ever in over 6 years) and they were very very delicious.  I said thank you to the little beach plum.  I'm waiting to see if the prune plum flowers again this year.

And G pruned the blackberries last fall and I have to cut back the raspberry canes today.  The blueberries will be getting fed their Hollytone today, as well.  We are well supplied with fruit but I often wonder if we need to find room for an apple trees (need two to pollinate) for applesauce and apple pies.  They get big.  We have espaliered apple trees at work--with three to four different varieties grafted.  Which would make one tree a self pollinator.

Anyway, that's what is going on here today.  I am tired from my week at work.  And, I decided, finally, to only work a 4 day week.  It's hard letting go--but I have to be kind to myself.

More Spring Pansies

These, I believe, are the Karma Violet Face Pansies.  I really like them and always order more than I should for the greenhouse.  They always sell out.  I haven't purchased any--- the deer eat them.  Within 12 hours of purchase and planting.  It's very sad.

Yesterday I had an appointment with a Pulmonary Specialist to discuss and fact find my newly discovered asthma.  I'm pretty typical.  The inhaler makes me feels perfectly healthy ---so I think I don't really have asthma.  Don't need the medicine.  Happens to everyone.  But without the medicine I would feel perfectly awful.

I also had two draws of blood for an Asthma Test (did you know there was such a thing) to be perfectly sure I have asthma.  I think it gives the doctor "proof" to show the patient.  The second test was an allergy test.  To see what I am allergic to.  It maybe Riley.  Boo!  I already know I am seriously allergic to cats.

My arm has a very large bruise from the blood tests.  Next week they are giving me a Breathing Stress Test.  Doctor says "if someone doesn't faint or pass out, we aren't doing it right".  Can't wait.

On the employment front.  Four days @ work.  Three days not at work.  Resting. Reading. and actually making dinner.  Quite novel.  Could get used to it.

April Showers And Pansies

The greenhouse at work is filling up with flats of pansies.  Too bad the weather won't co-operate.  Today it's cold with wind, rain, and threats of more snow. My Monday walk has been cancelled for the second week.  I am ready to start gardening but it's too cold, too wet and just downright miserable.  Of course, yesterday it was fine.  But I was AT work.  The greenhouse was nice and warm.  Ticks are already a problem here in Maine.  I worry every time I have to work outside.

Saturday I made a pot of brown rice and lentils (in the rice cooker) and then added a garnish of brown crispy fried onion rings.  Today I made a tray of croutons to add to my daily salads.  It is still too cold to really enjoy a nice crispy salad, but the croutons might help.  They smell delicious so I had better get them packed away in a jar.  No taste testing.

My hot water kettle (electric/counter top) has not been dependable the last few weeks.  Takes a bit of "tinkering" to get the little orange light to go on.  But once the light is on, the little kettle heats the water pretty darn fast.  I have returned to my habit of large (oversized) mugs of tea in the afternoon and evenings.  Last night--no matter what I tried, the little orange light would not go on.  So, no tea. Then, just before bedtime, I walked past and pushed the lever down--and orange light.  Was I annoyed?  You bet.  I haven't tried it today.  But I imagine there won't be any orange light.

It seems that the little water heater pot was purchased in 2004.  the clerk in the cooking shop where it was purchased said it had "lasted far longer than it should have".  Also, they don't make the model I have any longer.  It's very cute.  Black button on the top of it's shiny chrome body. I think Dualit moved it's manufacturing to China, pots were defective and they went out of the hot pot business but I do see the same shaped pots for sale on Amazon with terrible comments and reviews.  Some never work--not even new, out of the box.  No orange light.

Think I may read my library books.  Under my down lap throw.

Doll House Kitchen

Years and years ago, Mary Englebreit was my icon.  I wanted everything she had pictured in her magazines.  In fact, I kept all the magazines (until a few years ago) and regularly opened them to look at the pictures.  I would have swooned to own the kitchen above.  I even hunted down that canister shelf in antique shops.

Time changes everything.  Now I am eagerly looking at sleek modern kitchens.  No little shelves of cute but useless antiques.  No shelving over the cabinets to fill up with clutter and DUST.  The magazines are gone and the love affair is well and truly over.

As the years of being 60 come to a close in a few months, I am choosing a new and different path. Wanting what I love, not wanting things that require work--like dusting.  I was the gal who ironed my teenager's tee shirts and jeans in the 80's.  I also starched and ironed all of my husband's work clothing and my own.  That stopped when he retired.  I don't even iron the pillowcases anymore which shocks me to my core.  I often wonder if the iron even works after such a long rest period.

This is pretty radical for a girl who was forced into ironing at a young age and was required to  starch, dry, wet (sprinkle), roll and then iron every single thing that a family of 6 used/wore etc.  Sheets, pillowcases, dish towels, underwear, tee shirts, dresses and curtains.  No steam iron.  And the ironing was done in the dark, chilly basement year round--one overhead light bulb.  Eventually the slave labor included a radio.  I was 15 when I got the radio and had been ironing since I was 11 or 12.  Even college summers---- I was in the basement, ironing.  Every Saturday of my life at home--in the basement ironing.  My mother never liked me.  Wanted me to be as unhappy as she was.

I think the Mary Englebreit stuff was a fantasy world where things were different for little girls. Things were pretty. And I guess I needed a fantasy to help me survive.

Now, I'm happy all the time.  I don't know when things changed for me (but it was recent), but I'm so thankful that they did.  It's nice being happy.  Smiling.  Enjoying the day.

Today I have things to plant.  I have pizza dough in the oven (with the pilot light) warming up and rising.  I have strawberries to make into a strawberry smoothie.  I am almost finished with my book and have another ready to start (like money in the bank for a reader) and the taxes are not only done, they are in the mail.  And I didn't eat ANY candy while doing the taxes (bonus).

G is out walking the dog. The sun is shining.  No rain or snow today (I hope).

Winter Returns To Maine

For the next few days, here in Maine, we will be having winter.  Blustery, cold winds, snow and night time temps in the teens.  Big changes from last week's 60's and sunshine.

Which reminded me of this owl ornament.  A slice of wood.  Some chalk paint.  A star, a twig and an owl shaped stone.  I had meant to make some last Winter.  Why not make some during this strange April Winter.

It once snowed, here in Maine, all of July. So, not so out of the ordinary to have Winter any of the 12 months--or all of them.  I'll be making soup tomorrow.  Chicken noodle for G and Lentil for me.

Spring Into April With A Healthy Diet

Tomorrow is the first day of our Spring Open House at work.  Classes, refreshments and special sales.
So many things going on and so much work to do.......and I have today off.  I don't know why.  And I have to just let it go.  I am becoming "redundant" one time by one item.

I purchased a "ham end" at the little grocery where my daughter works.  I am planning a nice pot of lentil soup. Usually, it's just vegetarian but this time it will have the ham bits in it.

I received a comment on the way I eat.  Thank you.  When I was on the 1200 calorie diet in 2007 (for the entire miserable year), I learned that I could eat more for less calories if I ate things with 5 or less ingredients.   I also learned to shop the "perimeter" of the grocery rather than the midsection where all the prepared foods are.  Read the labels of regular and low calorie times--side by side.

I made homemade soups and totaled all the ingredients (down to the tablespoon) and then divided it into servings of two cups. I didn't follow the rules of tiny portions, but usually those soups in 2 cup portions came in at around 200 calories.  Even at 300 it was a bargain.  In this way, I could eat almost anything I wanted. I weighed dry pasta on my scale and then cooked the 2 ounce portion which is a serving.  I weighed it every time--never guessed.  I weigh everything then and now to "know"  and "learn" what a serving actually is.  I even counted out a serving of potato chips and then decided a whole steamed potato was a better choice (smile).

Five ingredient yogurt is hard to find in the low calorie section.  So I purchased plain, usually full fat, and make my own fruit and yogurt with whatever is on sale.  Pineapple chunks with yogurt is great but segments of red grapefruit is out of this world good.  Raspberries are great but I like to combine them with peach slices (canned in juice or frozen).  I "sweeten" the yogurt with a Tablespoon of sugar free, calorie free liquid Splenda flavored with vanilla.

Salads are 4 to 8 cups of carrot, romaine, red cabbage shreds, arugula or wild greens.  When I was eating high protein/fat I added a cup of chicken with mayo or tuna with mayo.  The dressing is always EVOO with balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper.  I like a super big salad.   Last night G had steak and I had baked potato plus sour cream and chives, big green salad and steamed green beans.  My total for the day with Bran flakes for breakfast, yogurt and grapefruit for lunch was under 1400.  This time around (I am smarter) I allow myself to fluctuate between 1200 and 1600.  Sometimes I eat less than 1200.

It's been 30 days and I have lost 9 pounds.  I have a long way to go, but I have been down this road before and I know that no "mistake" is bad enough to make me quit.  I do kick myself for having gotten to this place (again) but--well, I am only human and humans make mistakes.

Blooming Spring

Thank you to all who wrote a comment on the last post.  Sigh.   I needed them.

G and I ventured out to Freeport yesterday in the rain.  I cleaned out a closet and had a few "never worn" Bean items to return and G had a very nice sweater that he loved wearing--unsew itself in the wash.  Bean takes it all back.  Unworn, unwanted and/or disappointing.  I think the return policy co-opts having controls on quality.  The quality has been diminished in recent years. As the prices have gone up.

A report on the milk jug germination project.  I have 70% of the jugs with tiny little baby seedlings growing.  I call that a success, as I didn't have to have pots on shelving, under lights etc all over the house.  The broccoli and Brussels sprouts are doing the best.  Onions and shallots look good as well.
things got a bit too wet in the recent daily rain, so I have been covering all the crates full of jugs with plastic and burlap on wet days and most nights.   Now I have to start my tomatoes and peppers.  In the house.  I'm going to try to get my Romanian and Sicilian seeds to germinate and the red pepper seeds I saved last summer from a very wonderful, thick walled pepper.  I have to dig around and find my pelleted carrot and beet seeds.  Time to think about planting seeds.

I walked (successfully) with my friend J yesterday.  No asthma effects and I didn't have to use the rescue inhaler.  I had my phone with me in case G needed to come get me in the car.  I walked for about 80 or 90 minutes and felt wonderful the entire time.  No heaviness in my chest and no struggling to take a breath.  My new treatment seems to be working.  I always had the strength to walk but not the oxygen.

The citrus plants on top of the cabinets are setting flowers so pretty soon the kitchen area will be perfumed with citrus blossoms.  My Amaryllis are in blossom.  Very tall and four flowers per stem.  Each has (or has had) two stems.  The Easter cactus isn't faring as well.  Only one bud is visible on the hot pink one.  None on the orange (my favorite).  And the white isn't doing much of anything.

I do have cut branches of forsythias blooming on the table and near the sink.  If I had children around I would have brought out my large collection of easter egg ornaments and decorated the branches as I did when living in Germany.  Holidays were much more festive there.  Simpler but more heartfelt. It seems like "too much trouble" to pull them out just for myself.  But perhaps I should make the effort as I do at Christmas, with the tree.

Time to shove off to work.

Dreaming Or Wondering Why

Most of what is going on in my mind--happens at night.  While I am asleep.  The past two nights I have dreamed of "packing things up and moving".  My dear but estranged friend K was in one of the dreams.  Not speaking to me.  But being packed up and moved out.  I felt sad the rest of the day.

We had very wet and then very cold weather last night.  The sidewalks, grass etc are all frozen and slippery.  I walked out to get the morning paper on the grass.  Didn't want to fall and freeze to death before G wakes up at 10 am.   I was up at 7.  I think I would be pretty cold if left on the driveway for 3 hours.  And I wasn't wearing a coat.

I purchased two items at TJ Maxx yesterday after getting my hair cut.  One item is poorly constructed and is going back.  The tucks in either side of the front portion are different lengths.  I didn't notice it but did when I tried it on last night.  Too bad.  It was made of "gauze" fabric and I had a gauze blouse years ago and it was always my favorite item to wear on very hot, humid days.  The other item is a black and gray printed knit.  Has those angled sides which cover the hips.  Has a button up top so you get two "looks" for one item.  Closed it looks dressy enough for a dinner date.  I NEVER wear printed clothing.  Only solid colors.  I am 60% sure I will return it today before work. It's probably too large for me.  I am trying not to stock my closet with "big" clothing.  Hoping I am not big for much longer.  Why am I never comfortable in my own body?  But it would be nice to be able to tie my shoes without difficulty.

I wonder why I prefer solid to print.

I wonder why there never seems to be enough time in a day when I am back at work and why there is way too much time in a day when I am not working.

I wonder if there is a way to repair Birkenstock clogs.  One of mine fell apart at work on Thursday. ( I waited on customers with one shoe on and one shoe off)  The shoe just broke apart into the different sections.  Shoe top, insert and bottom.  We tried the hot glue gun. No luck.  The boys at work suggested duct tape.  But we couldn't find it.  I went on line and found the same shoe (they never change) but the $140 price tag put me off.  I got the pair that broke in a resale shop for $8.  Never worn.  I have had them for a very long time.  G is going to try Gorilla Glue but they may just be too worn out to be saved.

I am also wondering who the 20 to 100 people are who read this blog each day.  They are all over the world map.  And all but 10 are unknown to me.  They never comment.  But then, on the blogs where people do comment--they say things like "that's so nice" and not much more.

I wonder what it would be like to send out 20 to 100 letters by mail and receive zero replies.  Would you continue to send the letters?  Would you continue to write just because hope springs eternal?  Or is the writing more for the writer than the reader?  I try to encourage myself and the reader.

I wonder what I should pack for lunch today.  Salad or yogurt and fruit.  A bowl of soup would be nice but I don't happen to have any ready made.

Spring Snow Brings Flowers?

We got around 4 to 5 inches of wet sloppy snow yesterday.  The kind one has to shovel as the snow blower just isn't made for throwing wet heavy snow.  The streets and walks are dry and clear---the lawn and garden still white and COLD.

At work we are getting ready for next week's Open House.  The truck brings plants everyday. Pretty little pansies and violas.  Daffodils and tulips.  Crocuses.  Florist hydrangeas.  Mini rose bushes. And of course lots and lots of Easter Lilies. It's my job to see that it all gets watered.

I am cooking.  Made a huge panful of meatballs and baked them rather than frying.  Then they took a bath in marinara sauce for about an hour and then we ate about 25% of them.  The fridge containers of sauce and meatballs is like having "money in the bank". I have some very thin pork chops to cook tomorrow.  I usually like them breaded and fried with German potato salad.  We'll see.

I am reading.  Book number two in that mystery series finally arrived and the plot was not ruined by the details in book three.  So, now I am halfway into book three. Alls well.  Well, with the reading--not with the murder mysteries in the books.

I am dreaming.  The Dream Jobs keep right on occurring.  One night it was this job managing a huge abandoned Mall that served as housing for 20 somethings.  Most of these "jobs" I spend the night working, tend to seem to occur in the past.  Lately, they seem to be more futuristic.  The kids had no homes or families and were hard pressed to put a roof over their heads.  I might be listening to too much Bernie talk.  Anyway, they rented space in the Mall and were creating art etc.  It was very interesting.  The next night I was in the country, moving furniture out of a house.  I really wish I knew what my subconscious was trying to tell me.

I am shopping at Goodwill.  Today I purchased a very cool pair of summer garden pants.  Linen.  Hot pink. Baggy.  A used white bowl that is just like my favorite white bowls.  I now take my yogurt lunch to work in a white bowl instead of a plastic container.  I also eat my morning bran flakes out of the same white bowls.  Now I have four.  Which somehow makes me feel very good.  I also purchased a golden yellow linen shirt from Bean's.  I very carefully removed the stitched "darts" they insist in sewing into the back panel of the shirts.  I just wish I could make the sleeves longer.  Everything about the "new" linen blouses is cheap.  But for $2.50, I will cut and patch until the shirt is the way I want it.  Even adding more fabric to the sleeves.

I am also eating Dairy Queen ice cream.  Once a week.  The plain vanilla cone.  I wish they made a strawberry cone.  Sometimes, I have the swirled vanilla and chocolate cone.  Never just chocolate.
They opened on the exact day-365 days after I drove G home from the hospital last year and I stopped and bought him a butterfinger blizzard--small. He said nothing had ever tasted so good.  Being alive is pretty wonderful.

Making Terrariums

We will be making terrariums at work on Saturday.  It's a class customers can sign up for and pay $40 for the terrarium they make.  I'm not teaching.  I'll be doing repots and answering questions and running around all day.  Today, I think I actually never stopped walking for a 3 hour period of time.

In fact, it was after 2 pm before I wondered if it was time for lunch.  Since I go home at 3--well, I had lunch out on the back stoop with Riley (at home).  Yogurt with bran buds and red grapefruit segments.  G was out pruning.  Tomorrow he has a plumbing job at our daughter's house.

I like the terrarium up top--I like the air plant on the left and the lovely shell on the right.  In the back, the dark object looks like lava rock and then we have the artistic stick and moss ball.  Easy to care for--just take the air plant out for a quick dunk in the sink and then put it back.  I would imagine the finished terrarium up top at about $100.  Those glass balls are very expensive.  Empty. And an air plant that size is around $18 or more.

So, back at work.  Tired.  Very tired.  But happy to be back in the greenhouse with all that warmth and light.  Easy enough to fall asleep at night.  Breathing seems much better-- might not even need the inhaler.

I'm still wearing my big baggy corduroy pants to work--but with a belt to hold them up.  I just like wearing big baggy pants.  I will be sad when I have to stop wearing corduroy.

Tomorrow we will be having rain.  Like every other day.  But it's not cold.  And the broccoli seeds have started germinating.  About 6.  Which is 6 more than I have even gotten to germinate before. Nothing else is doing anything but I still check on all the jugs--just in case.  Ever the optimist? I think all gardeners are optimistic.  Have to be.

Opening The Windows Day (Springing Forward)

Here in Maine we (me) look forward to the first really nice day when we can turn off the furnace and open the windows.  Letting out all the stinky winter air.  I will have to re-start the furnace (sadly) because tomorrow is supposed to be rainy and cold.

I also used the time to wash and dry the garbage can in the kitchen, the compost bucket and the onion and potato bins.  Things happen in all those places that are smelly.

I also changed the dog bed covers and sprayed the beds with Febreze.   I usually do this while the dog is outside watching G work.

My daffodils are growing by the day--the crocuses are blooming.  The earth, here in Maine is still quite solid--a bit of thawing in the area of the leach field, but that's about all.  Still, we are about a month early and this has really been a VERY WARM winter.

I feel much better knowing we changed all the air inside the house:  from Winter air to Spring air.

Winter Jug Update:  A few tiny signs of germination in two of the 14 jugs.

Looking At The Stars With Riley

Is my favorite part of the day.  It happens when we decide to stop watching television.  I ask Riley if he wants to go see some stars and he jumps up and runs to the front door.  Any other time, he runs to the back door.  I have seen dippers and Orion.  I have seen Venus.  But I have never seen Vincent's Starry Sky.  But, I can hope that one night I will see something like it.

My Winter Furlough is coming to an end.  I go back to work on March 15th.

Yesterday and today, G and I have been mucking about in the muddy yard pruning shrubs.  I trimmed up two (seriously) overgrown weigelia, some roses and two spirea.  I removed the tags from the two new Beach Plums and the two Serviceberries.  They made it thru our "warm" winter.  Daffodils and hyacinth bulbs are poking their heads out.  One of the Lenten Rose plants is blooming.  Two of the three Witch Hazels have yellow flowers.  It must be Spring.

I have "re-found" an author.  I read the first book a while ago--well, it must be quite awhile since she has written three books now and that was the first.  Kristina Ohlsson.  I guess I am always looking in the "O" section???   Unwanted was first, then Silenced and now Disappeared.  Silenced is waiting at the library--where I was this morning--but the notification just came in at 4pm.  Too many things have already been told in book three (I have read 104 pages) that I don't think book two will hold many mysteries.  It is incredibly odd for an author to retell plot points from a previous book, but this author does.  Anyone reading this one first--would not be tempted to read the others.  Perhaps it should come with a warning on the cover?

We had lunch at Ruby Tuesday and I had the "Salad Bar" last week.  Today I purchase a small red cabbage and sliced it into slivers along with my carrot curls.  So very pretty.  I had a bottle of Ken's honey mustard salad dressing in the fridge which the Ruby Tuesday staff had told me was what they used.  I didn't believe them--but it is the very same.  Now I just have to figure out the croutons-- and never need to go to RT again! I had my VERY favorite salad at Applebee's this week--Oriental Chicken Salad.  It comes in at 1400 calories but I just can't figure out how.  But it was worth it.

I have been so very lucky at Goodwill.  Both times I have gone to the new, larger one in Town, they have been having a 50% off sale on Women's clothing.  I have gotten some lovely things--linen.  For just $2.50 each.  And I got a gallon sized Target storage jar for $3.  But today-- with the weather between Winter and Spring--I re-discovered that I do not have a suitable outdoor jacket or coat to wear---to say, the dentist appointment.  I have to start a list of things I REALLY need.

We'll be have a real New England Boiled dinner in the next few days.  Corned beef, red potatoes, carrots and cabbage.  I may even dig out my favorite recipe for Soda Bread.  I am always reminded of eating Irish Brown Bread and really wonderful Irish cheese when I visited our friends in Ireland. The closest I can come to that is the soda bread recipe and Kerrygold Cheddar.

Well, that's about all that is going on here.

The Winter Jug Project-2016

This is what the jugs look like right now.  This is not my photo.  My jugs are in a packing crate from work and are out on the back stoop.  We (here in Maine) still have freezing nights with still cold but sunny days.  The bottles heat up during the day and freeze at night.  It's called "stratification" on seed packages.  Perennial seeds need a cold stratification to germinate.  I am trying to germinate a number of self seeding "tender" perennials in the jugs.  Lupine seeds would have been a good choice but I didn't have any.  Swamp milkweed is another good choice for the jugs. I also am trying to start onion and shallot seeds.  I may need to try those again later in the month of March.  It may have been too cold.  I have Blue Fescue ornamental grass in one jug.  We could have also germinated more of G's chestnut seeds this way.

This is what the jugs looked like whenever we have had snow.  It's okay if some of the snow or rain that falls goes into the open top of the jugs.  The jugs have drainage holes drilled into the bottoms.

The directions call for drilling the holes in the bottom of the jugs or two liter bottles (clear or translucent--not the ones you can't see through) and then cutting the jugs open from the side leaving the handle section attached to the bottoms.  I insert the point of the scissors--strong utility scissors-- just about where the handle exists and then straight around the equator of the jug to the opposite side of the handle.  So I have 4 to 5 inch of depth in the bottom section for the soil and seeds.

The fill with a seed starter mix of soil (moistened enough to resemble moist chocolate cake-usually best with lukewarm to hot water), plant your seeds, follow package directions for coverage of seeds (some like to stay on surface, some like a light dusting and others like a quarter inch or more over the top.   The add a label stick inside, close the top of the jug over the bottom section and tape shut with some duct tape.   I also followed directions and wrote the seed names on the front side top of the jugs with Sharpie and covered the writing with clear packing tape--so it won't fade.

The jug acts as a small scale greenhouse for the seedlings.  Providing protection, conservation of moisture and on sunny days in winter (it is still winter) considerable warmth. Also the light available outside is 10,000 times stronger than any light you could manufacture with grow lights going for 14 hours a day.

Set the jugs outside (no caps).  Check on them every so often to see if they need moisture--I use a spray bottle to add water inside the top opening.  I also spy into the opening to see if anything is happening.  Riley finds this mystifying.

The next round of jug planting will take place near the end of March.  For more tender seedlings and perhaps a second try at the onion seeds if the first has failed.  I will attempt to grow marigolds, zinnias and bachelor buttons in the jugs.  I have tons of flower seed packets from the end of season grab bag at work.  And I think annual flowers make a garden very jolly.

Once the seeds germinate and little green leaves appear (when one peeks into the spout) it's time to peel off the duct tape and open up the little greenhouses.  Just for the daytime.  Close them up again as the sun goes down.  One little piece of tape should hold the top half of the jug in place.

Later pictures from this website show all the jugs with their top half flipped open and the little seedlings flourishing.  By this time--the little plants can be transplanted to larger pots of go into the garden if the soil has thawed.   It certainly saves on cluttering up the house with grow lights etc.

I hope to have photos of my own robust production of seedlings by April.  We'll see.

In a note on the bottles.  G drinks quite a bit of orange juice and we already use the empty 89 ounce bottles to hold water to water plants on the front porch and in Winter in the upstairs winter plant storage area. So we have quite a few bottles on hand. I was going to try making the juice bottles into "greenhouses" but punching a starter hole for the scissors was too difficult (and a bit dangerous) and I wondered if the plastic of the bottles might be too brittle to cut successfully.  Some of you might have better luck.  Let me know if you find a way.

Possibilities

Whenever a plant of mine presents me with the "possibility" of a flower (bloom) I am instantly positive about the future.  New growth.  New opportunities.  Freshness.

After an abbreviated Winter (here in Maine), Spring seems to be pushing forward.   My amaryllis are also flowering (well, one of them is) and budded.  Time to sweep the floor, pound the winter dust out of the pillows, wash the slipcovers and move ahead. Could I possibly move from No.17 on my To Do List?  Started on January 1.  I anticipated reaching 50 before returning to work.  Oops.

I read a very good mystery--Helen Olson--"Hidden".  A woman who has "disappeared" for 15 years is suddenly found.  I think it may have ruined me for other books for awhile.  We watched "Becoming Jane" about the (supposed) life of Jane Austen before she wrote any books.  We also watched American Hustle (2013).  Next up is Silver Something Playbook.  More Bradley Cooper but I can't see why women think he's good looking?  More ferret or weasel. IMHO.

Today is the one year anniversary of G's heart attack--so we are going out for a late lunch.

In March, almost.

This floral fabric piece (this is just the top section) will be on display at the Curtis Library for the month of March along with pots and pots full of flowering bulbs that the library staff has planted and cared for all winter.

I don't know why I didn't photograph the entire piece (years ago).  Below the flowers is a lovely bowl made out of a piece of fabric I painted.  The center flower has some of the painted fabric in it's center.  At the time I made this piece, I was really into (LOL) those triangular flower shapes.  Like little cat heads.  Or beasts in Jude's Spirit world.  And I was regularly making a terrible mess on my kitchen island.  Acrylic paint spattering everywhere.  Everything in this quilt is lighter and brighter than the picture.  It must have been a very cloudy day.

I still have bolts of the white cotton I used to paint on and a full box of paint.  Why did I stop?
Those are the questions I ask myself when I am not working at my paid job.  Perhaps it was the job. Taking up 40 hours of my weeks and the regular "care and feeding" of the house and family the rest. But to set blame like that seems too easy and sort of lame.  I may have just gotten bored?

I have to admit that when I opened a container and sorted thru the contents (looking for something I never did find) I found the piece above and my heart sort of skipped a beat.  And I did spend a great deal of time running my hand over the handprinted fabric.  I never backed or finished the edges. I just seemed to have stopped and walked away.  Now, it's finished, out in the world.

Riley (the dog) is spending the day with the Vet.  Riley broke a nail on his right foot  (quite deep) and he'll need to be sedated for the Vet to remove the nail.  He spent most of yesterday licking the foot, trying to make it feel better.  I know when we finally bring him home later today, he'll still be under the "influence" and his foot will still hurt.  I am reminded of last February and the fear we all had about the growth on Riley's leg which turned out to be nothing to worry about.

March 4th will be the one year anniversary of G's heart attack.  And the kindness of my friends who took such good care of me. And Riley who pressed his head to G's chest and wouldn't move until I said "Let's get to the ER".

Darkness Giving Way To Lightness

We have had some strange weather but the days march (ha) toward more light.  More warmth.

I finished the last of the placemats, rearranged the drawer (Konda style) with the placemats folded in half then in thirds then like books, spine side up.  The napkins folded into fat squares, then lined up.  Easy to choose a new placemat and a matching or contrasting napkin.  Lots of orange fabric energy in the drawer.  Next sewing project will be more napkins made of commercial quilting fabric.

The paper notes and messages in the photo--well, there are so many pieces of things, projects, thoughts running around just now.  Yesterday I checked on my milk jug seed starting project.  A few containers needed to be watered--I scraped snow into them.  Had to watch where I set my feet as there was slippery ice in unexpected places.

That's how life seems right now--unexpected slippery spots.

Kitchen plans include Onion Soup and another soup using up the head of Escarole in the fridge (with white beans and tomato).  My plan is to try and empty the fridge and give the shelves a good wash. Fresh start and all that.  I do enjoy a sparkling clean fridge interior.

Nearly time to start my tomato and pepper seeds.  And my Amaryllis bulbs have started to flower.  Right now it's the white with a thin red edge. The proper word begins with pi but I have lost my book on proper spelling and haven't managed to get my spell check to do anything other than replace the words I type with words that are total nonsense.

I'm going to stop now--later this afternoon I have a coffee date with my fair weather walking buddy.  I can't walk/talk with this new asthma condition so we have to make do with indoor coffee and conversation.  Don't fret--I have a consultation with a Pulmonary specialist in April and my oxygen levels are 100% when tested.  The Adair put a stop to the constant coughing--which is delightful.

Patchwork--Making Something From Nothing

I have been foraging in the attic fabric boxes and closet for interesting (to me) little bits and scraps to use in making placemats.  By hand.  Not on the machine, unless absolutely necessary.

My ideas were sparked by the "free access" to Spirit Cloth's classes.  I picked up a few amazingly wonderful stitches.  The invisible tack stitch.   The Wizard Stitch.  The Split Stem Stitch.  I tried making a feather but---well, I will blame a lack of the proper threads for my absolute failure. (I got derailed for the better part of a day searching for my bags of threads-- and in the end, it took two full days to find them)

My "method" for the placemats is to cut a piece of flannel-like batting to the placemat size I have in mind.  At other times, I lay the piece I have been working on, on top of the batting and then cut. I happen to be "charmed" by irregular shapes.  Sue me.  (laughing)  I NEVER follow rules.

I don't have the thin, ancient scraps that Jude uses.  I use regular printed commercial prints.  Face up or face down.  They "needle" just fine.

I have been cutting the backing fabric large enough around the edges so I can fold it in half, once, and then pull it up over the edge of the top piece for a finished, sewn edge.  If I had to cut, fold and sew binding on--the placemats would never get made.

I have four finished and the fifth is waiting to have the "binding" slip stitched in place.  For two of them, I have used class projects that were never finished for the tops. I did have to do the invisible tack stitch all over the surface (but not through the backing) to hold down pieces that were loose. I like the "feel" of all the tiny tack stitches as I run my hands over the surface.  One of the placemats has a fabric Valentine tacked to it's center.  Made those years ago and this one got "left behind".

I am wondering if I have to add the placemats to my list of "50 things to get done" as one or as 5?
Truth be told, I am only on number 11.

In other important news, I have FINALLY made and consumed my very first smoothie.

The impetus for this "first smoothie" was a little see thru box in the produce section of my grocery. They had four varieties on display.  I chose the "body builder" kit with apple slices, carrot sticks, a lemon wedge, a chunk of ginger and a few pieces of raw beet.  I added a handful of kale leaves. I really like all the ingredients and perhaps would have been better off just eating them out of the box?

My Vitamix made all these chunks into a smooth "juice" that tasted like beet DIRT.  I added a peeled tangerine and a peeled baby cucumber to try to "sweeten" things up.  Nope.  I could only force myself to drink half---shuttering after each gulp.  Yesterday I added some Splenda to the second half and forced myself to drink it. Waste Not. Maybe I need pineapple and grapes to sweeten it all out????

I do like the "water" I make in the summer with cucumbers, mint and lemon.  I just blend until it's all "water" and then add more water and drink it.  Sometimes I add ginger root.  But that's not a smoothie.