While Waiting To Plant Garden Seeds .... Projecting Into The Year

.... I'm dreaming of summer, vacation, sitting on the back patio on outdoor furniture, bon fires, front porch rocking chairs, cricket serenades, kayaking, ripe raspberries, brushing up against tomato plants with their intoxicating fragrance.

The Mr. and I are anxiously waiting to  make the last payment on our home .. March 1 ... and to kiss debt GOODBY.   The excitement is akin to graduating college without student loans .. I'm sure .. although I didn't graduate from college.  After 31 years of marriage .. it's about time to be done with house payments.  Our plan is to bring sparkling cider to the bank with champagne glasses for a toast .. and to have Wells Fargo Bank hitch up their stage coach and head into the sunset.

We're looking into a family retreat type of vacation here for mid summer, just an hours drive from home.  Hint, hint to any family members that might read this post .. just let us know if you're interested.

The new/old home is much quieter of late ... with the passing of our beloved dawg last November, my grandson spending his days with his mama, and Nathan being so independent and not needing me every other minute.

It's good to be on the back side of menopause.  No more aches or sleepless nights ..and seldom a hot flash.  Life is good.  Carpe Diem!
 

Out And About .. the garden

Backyard compost bin .. November, 2010

Today I needed to empty the overflowing kitchen compost container .. in our garden bin.  I was able to uncover my snow/ice flattened covered tunnel of Swiss chard .. even with the weight pressing down on the plants left to over winter, there are new leaves ready to grow.  It's about the only green thing in the backyard (other than the pines).  I'm hoping in a few weeks to harvest a little for fresh greens.

Chard pic taken prior to snow ... November, 2010

salad/sandwich sprouts are easy to make each week.

This winter I've not purchased but two heads of lettuce from the market.  Instead I'm buying organic green and red cabbage .. it has a much longer storage life .. mine sits covered in a plastic bag and terrycloth towel on top of the freezer in our cold garage .. along with cauliflower, rutabagas and 25 pounds of carrots.  The garage is the perfect cold storage area for winter hearty veggies.  We eat a lot of tangy coleslaw during the cold months.  It's more filling .. and the cabbage doesn't mold or wilt like lettuce; none of it goes to waste. It's our green of choice chopped finely on tacos year round.  For sandwiches we're enjoying the salad sprouts grown on the kitchen counter.

While winter foods are hearty and filling just thinking about our summer garden is making my mouth water!  Eating foods in season .. sure gives a person cravings .. and an appreciation for change.  Do you eat seasonally .. or do you purchase out of season produce?  It's been ages since we had a good fresh tomato .. but I will longingly wait and savor summer's goodness all the more when  the time arrives.

Rain

... once again.  But ... it meant I didn't have to get up early to water the garden as I had expected to have to do.  A wee bit soggy of a Father's Day!  We had a breakfast down at the local fire station served up by the Lions Club.  A good place to hang out with the whole family and friends.  Mr. Mac & our oldest son, Patrick, were supposed to attend a Spokane Indians (minor league) baseball game today .. but it got rained out.  Happy Father's Day to all of you dads!

pics:  top .. daughter Ann, Mr. Mac, son Nathan
bottom .. Mac family and friends