My Bit of Earth

Because You Can Only Hunker Down Inside for So Long

More snow tonight.  More tucking in on the couch, under the covers.  

Except this afternoon--home from work early because of the roads again, don't hate me--I just couldn't stay inside anymore.  It was too early to make dinner.  I had already knitted a lot.  I didn't want to watch a movie.

Sweet Husband and the dogs agreed.  Snow or no snow, it was time to get outside.

So we bundled ourselves up--man, woman, and beasts--and trudged down to a nearby park and back.  Surprisingly, I was warmer when we got home than I was when we left.  And we stumbled on about five tiny squirrels looking for dinner and watched them scurry up a tree, so it was a worthwhile walk for the pups as well.

A Small Solstice Offering

Although I know many people think they're a nuisance, our entire family gets a lot of entertainment value from the squirrels that have built a nest in our backyard.  Sweet Husband and I get a kick out of watching them perch on the fence preening their tails and surveying their territory.  The dogs get a kick out of chasing them up the trees and barking at them.  (I swear they even let Porter almost catch them just to make her feel young and spry....)

And since it's the longest night of the year--and certainly cold enough to be getting on with--I gathered up some goodies from the kitchen tonight and set them out as a small payment for all the fun.

 A little popcorn, orange slices, roasted chestnuts, and some dried cranberries--a solstice feast fit for the king and queen of squirrel-dom!

Milkweed Balls

I first saw these a few years ago around Christmas time at Pendleton's, and have made sure to get some every year since.  

Their common name is, um, not really appropriate for a family blog.  (Hushed whisper:  They're called monkey balls.)  But they're actually a type of milkweed pod that dries up really well.  Flower Garden Girl has a post about growing them--maybe I should try that next year?

I'd have to come up with a new name to call them though--I can just see it now!

Stranger walking in my garden: "Hey, what are these neat-o plants?"

Me: "Oh, they're primate genitalia."

Kidding aside, they really do deserve a better name, as they're such a cool, sculptural looking plant.  Maybe I can call them "Christmas Lanterns"?

No matter how old I get, no matter what happens EVER....

 

....I will never be anything but grateful and filled with joy for a good snow day.

(And you people who live in places where snow is measured in feet, not inches, please do not laugh at the 2-4" that has my office closed today--Sweet Husband said the roads really are nasty!)

Paperwhite Kit

I know, I know. I said the time to start paperwhites was last month.  But that's only if you want them blooming for Christmas.  I happen to think fresh flowers are perfectly lovely in January too!

As it so happens, after making up my own basket of paperwhites, I had six leftover.  Six just so happens to be the number of secretaries and paralegals we have in our office (a.k.a. the people that regularly save my ass and make me look smart).  Sooo, I dug into my stash of canning jars, added some pebbles, and this is what came out.

I love the little labels and baker's twine!

Some Snow Please

I sometimes think I need to move North.  I don't mind winter at all, but, gosh darn it, I want snow!

I don't care that it makes things difficult.  In fact, I suspect that's part of the reason I love it.  

"Opps, sorry, too much snow.  Must work from home in my jammies!"  

"Drat!  Can't cross all those things off the to-do list--must stay home where it's warm!"

Of course, no matter how bad it is out, nothing could ever stop me from donning thick winter gear and going for a romp in winter wonderland with the dogs.  Let's be sensible, after all, not everything can stop just 'cause the weather's bad!

No major snow for us yet this year--just a little mid-November dusting--but I thought that maybe if I cut up some paper snowflakes Old Man Winter might take a hint!

Gentle Reminder: It's Paperwhite Season

Just my friendly yearly reminder that if you want paperwhites for Christmas, now is the time to get them started.  This year, I planted mine in a baking dish half filled with pebbles, then disguised it all with some mossy-grass and a basket.  I hope it will be all kinds of pretty once my bulbs bloom, although it is kind of a PITA to monitor the water level right now.  Ah well, totally worth it! 

Here's the full schpeel on how to plant paperwhites if you're a newbie, and here's a little paperwhite science experiment I tried a few years ago (with some success) if you're up for such things.  

Garlic's in the Ground, Bring it On Winter

Just in time, I think, we planted garlic this weekend.  I ordered bulbs from Seed Savers, and set the delivery date for the first week of October--usually the perfect time to hit that "after the first light frost" window that Seed Savers recommends.

While we technically haven't had a frost yet, it's definitely been chilly.  And the prickling of my cold little nose is making me a little afraid that instead of a "light frost" we're going to just get a plain old freeze that's going to last until March.

I'm totally OK with that.  I still fondly remember the year that it snowed on Halloween, and didn't melt until Valentine's Day.  It would absolutely make my year if this winter could be like that, as long as my yarn and wine stashes don't run out.  (Chances = slim.)

And as long as I was able to get the garlic in the ground first, which is now safely taken care of.

(From left to right above, the varieties I planted are "Broadleaf Czech", "Russian Giant", "Samarkand [Persian Star]", and "German Extra Hardy".  For some garlic planting how-to, check out "How to Grow Great Garlic" from Author Mom with Dogs.)

Apple Picking...

...it's a good drug, you should get on it.  We picked a nice big bucketful last weekend, and have been making apple chips (in the dehydrator) 'round the clock (which has used all of four apples--the chips are thin).  The question is, what to do with the rest of them....ideas from the comment section?

And Thanks For All the Herbs

As with most people who live in a house after someone else has, we are occasionally...perplexed at some of the choices the previous owners of our house made.  But I bless them every day for the herb garden.  Even though we have plans to rearrange it a bit next year, it's just been wonderful.

Pictured above (clockwise from top) we have sage, oregano, lavender, garlic chives, and tarragon--all of which are now happily drying and freezing for later use.  (The tomatoes, sadly, were snatched by the Wee Welshman in a moment of my inattentiveness.  Let that be a lesson to you all--at first it's cute when your puppy likes to "eat his vegetables", but when he starts to eat your vegetables it's less so!)

Picking Dinner

Saturday morning, we were up and at 'em early for some green bean picking at Pendleton's.  

They are such smarties out there!  When they have more veggies ready than they can pick, they start paying pickers in produce--you get to take half of whatever you can pick, for free!  Sweet Husband, myself, and Nice Friend Moxie picked something like nine pounds between the three of us.  

Our's went straight to the freezer, but I don't think Moxie's made it that far!

Small Happenings

Naked Ladies popping up everywhere.  I've never had them before, but they smell incredible.

Porter, enjoying the smells of our herb garden.  At first she was napping in the lavender, but this week she seems to be preferring the tarragon.

And also, we have baby wrens in the wren house!  We haven't seen them yet, but they're peep-peeping away all the time.

Last but not least, from the garden, a little baby 'Hansel' eggplant.

Now We're Cookin' Some Compost

Among this weekend's projects was a compost bin.  It's loosely based on the plan here--three bins about three foot square each, with lovely slide out slats on the front for easy access to the good stuff later.  

It actually only took about two hours, and that was even counting time for making the measurements up on the fly because we were trying to use up scraps from the fence.  (We opted not to bury the posts though, which probably would have added another hour, at least.)  Yay for homemade compost!

Roasted Frozen Tomatoes

I have discovered my tomato preservation method of choice from here on out--roasting and freezing.

The method?

First, cut the tomatoes into sort of equally sized chunks.  Toss with them with olive oil on a sheet pan, and mix in some seasoning if you like--I've been doing thyme, salt, and a pinch of sugar.  Them put the tomatoes in your oven on its lowest setting, and stir around every hour or so until they start to fall apart.  The time necessary will vary a lot depending on how many tomatoes you start with, but plan for about five hours for a moderately full, small sheet pan.

When the tomatoes are done, let them cool just a bit, then spoon them into jars or whatever other container your heart fancies.  Pop 'em in the freezer and you're done!

Why is this so wonderful?

The biggest reason for me is that I can make them in batches as my tomatoes get ripe/bought/magically appear.  Some days there are only two or three tomatoes that are ripe in the garden.  Some days I buy a sack at the farmer's market.  Some days Nice Father-In-Law brings us buckets full from his garden.  Because you aren't canning these, you don't have to be finicky about having a certain amount before you start.  You can make one jar or fifty.

Additionally, although it's self-evident it bears repeating, not canning them means you don't have to can them.  No waiting for water to boil, or hauling out the big pot just to do a few measly jars.  I've been starting them at night when I get home from work.  A few stirs throughout the evening, and by bedtime they're done.  (And you can steal a few for a late night snack before you pack them up!)  They're just about impossible to forget about and leave in the oven on accident--they smell too darned good!

And the taste?  Divine!  Roasting the tomatoes concentrates the flavor so much--they're like the most tomatoey tomatoes ever, and they're going to make me a happy, happy girl this winter!

Food Gardens Galore

Yesterday afternoon we biked around to a four or five spots on the Lawrence Food Garden Tour.

It's so incredible to me what committed people are doing with their food gardens!  

While a few of the stops were what you would expect--i.e. small, backyard family gardens--most were more on the scale of urban farms.  At the place where I photographed these chickens, the proud gardener told me that he and his partner were actively trying to see how much food they could produce on their city lot with the least expense.  He left me with little doubt but that they don't have to buy an outside vegetable all summer.  While that kind of effort is not necessarily for me, it was nonetheless very impressive!

And the chickens....there were two stops that each had flocks of about 10 birds.  Although I was a slacker and didn't take the pictures I should have, I was interested to see just how simple their coop setups were.  I think it will be very doable for us to build our own little coop next spring.  (Any maybe even put it on the food garden tour for next summer!)

First Plantings in a New Bit of Earth

So, the couple we're buying the house from? Nicest people ever.  And the male half of the couple is an avid gardener (which may be a little redundant with my first sentence), and so immediately understood the problem with moving into a house in the middle of June.  (I.e., you can't plant veggies at the old place because you'll be gone before the plants mature, but you can't wait to plant veggies at the new place because, darn-it, then you wouldn't get your first tomato until sometime in August which is just too much of a tragedy to even be contemplated!)  That being the case, he invited us over this week to put some plants in at the new house--yay!

But, um, here's the thing.  Ya know how I've been bitching for years about not having enough space and having to cram plants together and yaddie-yadda?  Well, that's not a problem anymore.  

This is just about half of the new veggie garden space (and the herbs and asparagus are in the completely separate "Druid Circle of Goodness" Herb Garden).  It's basically 4 beds, all of which are about 18' x 4' ish, or a little over double the size of the Burrow Garden.  I actually thought I might have gone a little overboard buying plants at the nursery.  I got NINE tomatoes (yes, that's NINE), three peppers, a squash, a pumpkin, some okra, and an eggplant.  All of those plants barely filled two of the beds, and that was with generous spacing and making room for some lettuce and spinach and peas that were already planted.

It kinda feels like I'm moving onto a plantation.

Standing there looking over it all, I couldn't help but think to myself, "What the heck am I going to fill these other two beds with?"  Given time to think it over however....maybe some corn, and green beans, and garlic--ohhh, a lot of garlic!--and potatoes, oh, and carrots and radishes and Brussels sprouts and....the possibilities!

But, for now--if you can read my scribbley-scrawl--this is what got planted:

A Wonderful Weekend AND ASPARAGUS WEEK!

Do you ever sit down on a Sunday evening and think, "Holygosh, this has been the greatest weekend ever....?"

Friday night started with a walk downtown for friends and sushi and Sylas and Maddy's homemade ice cream.  'Nuff said.

Then yesterday, I went to visit Nice Grandma and Nice Other Relatives.  While I don't want to discount my visit with them--which was quite nice--Wamego (the teensy little town Nice Grandma resides in) is becoming a joy to visit in-and-of-itself.  Not only is there a yarn store and a pottery gallery, but there are three wineries.  And one of them is a winery/photo gallery/law office!  (Truly, I walked in a little dazed--I did not know such a magnificent combination was even conceivable!)

While I was visiting and tasting, Sweet Husband was A) working on jewelry for his upcoming sale (more on that later!) and B) going on the inaugural "Douglas County Scooter Demons" scooter ride. 

By the time we both got home, we had our very first severe weather of the season.  

A common phrase in Kansas this time of year is, "Well, I hate the destruction tornadoes cause, but....did you see the storm last night?"  (That last part in an awestruck and Christmas-morning-excited voice with a blissful smile to accompany it.) 

Truth of the matter is, if you don't get just a little turned on by the electricity in the air...the smell of the wind...the drop in air pressure...that moment the sky turns green...you won't make it in Kansas very long.  And last night was incredible!  Sweet Husband and I had the windows open and the news on, and  oh it was awesome!

Then, last but not least, this morning, we got up early and went to Pendleton's for some asparagus pickin'.

About a month ago, I got this crazy idea that I should have an "Asparagus Week" when my little, spindly, green friends came into season.  Sweet Husband--being the lovely, indulgent man that he is--concurred.  So, without further delay, I'm pleased to announce that this will be ASPARAGUS WEEK at My Bit of Earth.  

That's right folks, we picked FOUR AND A HALF POUNDS of beautiful asparagus this morning, and every night this week I will be cooking it up in some extraordinary fashion, then posting the recipe the next morning.  Our pee will be stinky, but we shall be very well fed!

Flowers Planted and Dirty Feet

Yesterday afternoon I was able to get a little garden tending in.  

I planted some Cinnamon Sunflowers and Cosmos (all from last year's seeds--yay!), and dog proofed them just a bit.  (I've found that if I don't cover new plantings somehow, Moe and Porter will maul them to death.  I let them stay this way until the plants emerge and get a few inches tall, then I'll take the coverings off.)  

I gave my peas a little blue trellis to wind their little tendrils up.  And the radishes and lettuce are coming along too.  (Sigh.  I love Spring veggies.  They're like magic--just sprinkle seeds on dirt, wait for some rain, and off they go!)

And my dirty, dirty feet--the first pair of the season.  ;)

Driving West of Here

Journeyed a just a little bit West--into the Flint Hills basically--this weekend to visit a friend.  

I swear, I don't know how people don't have more wrecks out there.  You'll be driving along, and all of a sudden you'll hit the crest of a hill and everything will open up in front of you--green mixed with gold mixed with black (from the newly burned fields).  As you would imagine, being Kansas, it is flat, but it's a rolling flat, not utterly flat like true Western Kansas.  And it's absolutely beautiful in that huge, lonely, desolate kind of way.  

Makes it hard to pay proper attention to the road.

Pretty Flowers/Ugly Knitting

First, the pretty.  Look what came back!  Despite being encased in ice last weekend, my daffodils weathered through like champs and are now making me very happy!

And, the ugly?  This month's monthly knit-a-long washcloth.  The yarn was kind of pretty in it's ball--very spring looking.  And, I don't think the pattern is inherently yucky either--looking at some of the cloths others have made, the pattern could be very pretty.  But something about the two together is just ugh.  It could easily be mistaken for a 60's sofa doily.  

But, I suppose it will still scrub pots just as well as a pretty cloth would, so whatever....