Day Four of the Plan (goat cheese)

Yesterday wasn't such a good day.  Too much water?  Not enough protein? Too much sunshine?

I went to work with my container of carrot/ginger soup mixed with the half cup of chickpeas (my test food for the day) and a container (usual size) of romaine and carrots but with a dressing of olive oil and cider vinegar (Balsamic is not okay yet).  

I lost 1.5 pounds the morning after day one.  One half a pound the morning after day two (almonds). And 1.5 pounds after day three (chickpeas).  I finally had some protein (chicken) at dinner after work alongside a large roasted beet topped with the most amazing orange zest olive oil.

Today, day four, I am finding it difficult to FOCUS.  I wrote checks for bills this morning and wrote July 28 instead of June 28.  Nearly closed the car trunk door on G's head.  Forgot to feed the dog his lunch.  And I went out grocery shopping without washing my face, brushing my teeth or combing my hair.

Today's menu includes my (surprise) favorite flax granola.  I am picking out the peanuts and almonds. I know a half pound is an okay reaction to the almonds but I prefer to stay with the 1.5 pound loss until after the weigh-in with my nasty doctor.  I would recommend eating the granola dry (flax gets gluey when wet).  And I am mixing mine with ¼ cup of the Granola #5 from Orangette's blog.  Because I made a huge batch and it's delicious and hasn't caused any reaction. The entire ½ cup of granola (mixed) is too much for me to finish. Really!! And I had a cup of Coffee.

I'm supposed to be having leftover steamed veggies and goat cheese for lunch.  There are no leftover steamed veggies.  And I did, actually, buy some Goat Cheddar to try.  Because, I am willing to experience new things.  (ROFLOL)

I have made three or four things---because I am so very frustrated by the weight---that I would NEVER in a million years eat.  And. I. Have. Liked. Them.  So, I will try Goat Cheese.

My snack later today is carrots with homemade hummus.  I had to really look to find the low sodium chickpeas for this recipe.  I do prefer my own, homemade, hummus to store bought.  We'll see if the recipe in the book is a good one.

Tonight I get to eat my chicken with a mango cucumber salsa.  I also get a salad and some steamed broccoli.  Good thing I love broccoli. And, drum roll, one ounce of dark chocolate (less than 65%).

I found a site with reviews of this book and the diet.  There were so many negative comments (even though the diet had WORKED for these people) who complained the food was too expensive.  We are talking about broccoli, lettuce, carrots, kale, zucchini, onions, garlic, ginger, beets, apples, pears, cucumbers, lemons and oranges.  I don't understand.  Do any of you understand?

I am hoping that I feel more energized in the next few hours.  I have gardening to do.  It's cloudy and overcast--PERFECT weather for transplanting my seedlings into the garden.

I am afraid I will test "reactive" for tomatoes, potatoes and eggplant (already in the garden).  The nightshade family.  My favorite family.

"The Plan" or a new way to find out what I am allergic to.

Today is day three of "the Plan" a book by Lyn-Genet Recitas.  I discovered the book while trolling the internet looking for information on my "sudden weight gain" after the tick bite last summer.

Day one was spent at the grocery looking for the supplements and the food.  Of course, once I got home and was trying the new recipes, I found I had not purchased the right things.  So, the second day was back to the grocery for more kale, more broccoli, more onions and more zucchini.

How is it going?  The morning weigh-in the second day was fantastic.  I lost 1.5 pounds.  I am finding it easier and easier to drink my 100 ounces of water a day.  I managed 72 yesterday and I am already working on 54 ounces at 10:30 am on day three so it looks good.

I have lots of energy (and G reported this morning the the past two nights have been the quietest he can recall as I must be quite a noisy sleeper usually) and am actually enjoying the recipes (which, otherwise, I would NEVER have tried).  The spicy coconut sauce is something I will make frequently and G likes it as well ( OMG--he doesn't like anything healthy).  I had leftover sauce on my sautéed kale and brown rice last night for dinner alongside steamed broccoli with orange oil and grilled carrots and I nearly swooned and I sort of forced myself to finish--which I shouldn't have  done. That's a lesson learned.  I  can save the remainder for the next meal.

Now the book interested me (in the first place) as it is an elimination diet.  The first three days are pretty much just vegetables which are on the lowest scale of reactivity -10%--- inflammation and allergy.  From day four onward--every other day is a "test" day for a new food.  If there is a reaction (usually weight gain) then that food is removed from the diet (to be tested again later) and two rest days follow to allow the body to recover.

There is a list of foods that are reactive for 85 to 90% of the clients who use "the Plan".  Guess what? Well, you already guessed didn't you?  I have been eating most of those two lists pretty much all the time.  In fact, my top 5 foods are on those lists.  Like Greek yogurt.  Like Balsamic vinegar.  Like soy milk.  That's my breakfast and lunch--like every single day for the past year.

I haven't had a test day as yet--so will be interested in seeing which of those foods is the "trigger" food that is causing the inflammation and weight gain.  Today is my first day with a salad and no Balsamic vinegar.  I subbed apple cider vinegar.  But perhaps I will sub again and make it with lemon juice instead.  Better safe than sorry.

The flax seed granola is terrible.  I can never finish the serving even with additions of dried cranberries and pumpkin seeds.  But it aids in elimination if you know what I mean and this is an elimination diet.

My eyes itch less, the eczema around my eyebrows is gone, I am sleeping soundly, wake up ready to take my supplements, drink that first 18 ounces of water and get busy with my day.  Day Three is a Good Day all around.  And it's the second to last day for me to go to work.  Parting is such sweet sorrow.

Best Lobster Rolls In Maine

Red's in Wiscasset.

But, any lobster roll is better than no lobster roll.  Last summer G and I didn't have a single one. We don't know how that happened but both of us have sworn to not repeat that sorry experience.

Yes, that's a buttered and grilled New England hot dog bun.  No, there is nothing on the lobster.  No mayo, no lettuce.  The side of melted butter can be added or the sandwich can be dipped.

I am always still hungry after eating one.  Right now lots of restaurants have the "two steamed lobster" specials for $19.99.  Buying the two lobsters for "take out" and then chilling them---I could make a couple lobster rolls for the price of one.  I'll be sure to let you know what I decide to do.

The clouds are piling up outside.  And the AC unit is on.  Sultry.  I should be out in the garden watering and weeding.  (G said it's finally looking like a garden)  The work takes a good bit of time and there isn't a lot to show for it somedays.

I had to go into Town to pick up some repaired shoes for my daughter.  So, I stopped at the Farmer's Market and purchased a large Tarragon plant (French) for a customer's order at work.  We didn't have any. It was fun to look at the stands and see what "real" professional gardeners have managed to grow already.  Lovely heads of lettuces.  Turnips.  Garlic scapes.  And of course the herb plants at the Kennebec Flower Co.  Lovely Tarragon and some very nice Rosemary.  Other stands even had duck eggs.  And Goat cheese.  One of the larger farms had big bundles of kale, baskets of lovely zucchini and tables full of strawberries.  Only one stand had rhubarb.  No one had yogurt.  One stand had dry beans.  I was tempted as I have always wanted to make a pot of beans using fresh dry beans from a farmer.

But it's only June.  I have weeks and weeks to visit and see what's growing.

But now---I must water and weed.  And if there is time, plant my eggplants in a nice row.  And stand and think and decide where the cucumbers, zucchini and potatoes are going.

Last year, at this time, I was still taking meds for my tick bite.  And the house was being painted.  The garden was the furthest thing from my mind. The potatoes never got planted and the zucchini went in late. Oh, and last year, we were one week away from the fridge dying.  And all the frozen berries being turned into compost.  Knock wood we don't have to live thru that a third year in a row.
For most of the past year, I have written "fridge still working" on the calendar-- each week.

Working In The Garden

Taking time off from WORK to work in the garden.  The major crop here at Chez Joanne is the weeds.  I covered one raised bed (5 by 8 feet) with black landscape fabric and cut little squares and planted 20 pepper plants.  Ace and New Ace.  They are your basic green peppers that mature into a nice red pepper.  Like the ones in the center segment of today's picture. I initially bought New Ace but later saw the regular Ace seedlings and got them.  That's why there are 20. I think I like regular old Ace.

I add about a Tablespoon of sulfur, some Epsom salts, some quick to dissolve lime, and Osmocote 6 month granules to each plant.  I also go back and water the transplants with Plant Starter which helps new transplants settle in and make new roots.  I like to transplant at about 4 pm so the new plants don't have to deal with the hot sun until the next day.  Saves them from serious wilting which can be fatal. Plant Starter smells like B vitamins.

My seedlings (I started them myself from seeds) are growing nicely.  Outside under a row cover on nice days and under lights in the house on dark, wet or cold days.  Since we are starved for rain here in Maine--it's usually cold days.

G and I dug around in the garage and found some nice large pieces of black landscape cloth.  I'll be using those pieces when I plant my squashes and cucumber seedlings.  I also want to plant potatoes and green beans.  Then I will be nearly finished.  Still have to replant carrots. I also got about 15 leek seedlings planted in the onion and garlic bed and it looks like a few scallion seedlings are coming up.  My arugula has gone to seed but that's okay with me as I like it sautéed with onion in a frittata-- so old and really strong tasting is okay.

I made a batch of Orangette's Granola #5 this morning.  Do use the entire cup of maple syrup called for in the recipe.  I had a few spoonfuls before heading out to the garden.  It's very good.  I also baked a Rhubarb Custard Pie.  Old fashioned and tart.  But delicious.  I now have three large bags of frozen rhubarb in the freezer and we saw the roadside table set up---I have my cash money and I'll be buying Maine strawberries in the next few days---- to make jam.  Strawberry Rhubarb Jam.  I also need to buy the gigantic bag of sugar for all the jam making in the next month or 2.  Blueberries.  And if there are "too many" blackberries--I'll make jam out of them as well.  But I love blackberries with my yogurt. Too many blackberries is impossible to imagine.

I have only two boxes of TJ's Bran Flakes left.  Which means by the end of June I need to have another breakfast cereal to eat.  Or, since it's summer I could go over to the dark side and have Smoothies.  Easy enough to do since I won't be working in July and August.  Not working at the greenhouse job.  Trial Retirement.  Seeing if I can stay at home and be happy.  Wish me luck.  I think I'm going to like it.........

Chairs & Escarole Soup

I collect pictures (images) of chairs all the time.  I have a journal, made a few years ago, with delicious line drawings of chairs from Architectural Digest advertisements.  A  chair seems to embody all the characteristics of a person.  Legs, arms, back, seat etc. And they are easy enough to freehand in pencil or pencil.  I should make more.

I like the looks of this particular chair but think it would be uncomfortable to sit in.  Good looks and poor function.  Like the chairs in waiting rooms.  Don't get too comfy.

Yesterday was another of the unending "cold, cloudy, windy" days we are having here in Maine.  A summer salad was out of the question so I went shopping and got a head of escarole and a bag of on sale yellow onions.  White Bean & Escarole Soup was on the stovetop in minutes.  Beans and Greens.

IT olive oil in the big cast iron casserole pan along with 1 yellow onion, 2 carrots and a clove of garlic.  All in a rough or fine chop as suits the chef.  Seven minutes.  Then add the washed head of escarole cut into slices and then chunks.  3 minutes to wilt and soften.  Then 4 cups broth (I use vegetable cubes), 2 rinsed 14 ounce cans of white cannelloni beans, one 14 ounce can diced tomato.  Simmer 20 minutes.  Eat.  As listed: the calories for the entire pot of soup is 1021.  For me--it's three portions.  Ah, I forgot the salt and pepper.  You can also shake in a few flakes of red pepper for some heat.

I think anyone writing about gardening should also write about cooking.  Of the ingredients listed above: I have tried and failed at carrots and escarole (growing them) but do a very good job with yellow onions, garlic and tomatoes (most years).

As soon as the kale is big enough I will be making my Sausage, Onion, Kale Frittata.  Heavy on the kale.  Life is good when there is kale.  I seem to be able to grow that.

The weather here in Maine is perfect for growing grass.  G is out mowing.  I have lettuce to plant, amaryllis bulbs (with leaves) to set out in the garden to increase the size of the bulb for next Winter, and I have to check on the strawberry plants--to see if the chipmunk I see running in the garden has eaten them all.  I have serious weeding to do and I need to settle my pepper plants into the raised beds.  The fennel plants that overwintered and then started growing again this Spring--are now chest height.  Good eating for caterpillars.  I try to do my part.  I was hoping to see bulb growth but I will be buying fennel bulbs at the grocery again this year.  The garlic looks good and my radishes might be ready to pull soon.  Oh, and I have potatoes to plant.

A busy time of year in the garden.  Later it's just weed, water and wait.

Oh, I purchased a Concord Grape vine at work.  Supposedly seedless.  It's very nice looking and already has baby grapes on the vines.  One more source of "fruit" for the household.  I've named it "jelly" (laughing).

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.