A New Garden Favorite

Not a new veggie .. just new to our family.  Kale is growing in abundance in our garden; getting picked sometimes twice a day.  I never knew how good it could taste .. and only associated it with the curly variety used as a food prop to pretty up restaurant plates.  I can think of many uses for this hardy green .. such as used in soups, stir-fries, sauteed  ... and even as a delicious topping on homemade pizza (which we've baked up twice this week).

About ready to be picked are our June strawberries .. they're just turning red and have been covered to keep the birds from having a field day.  Lettuce is growing and filling salad bowls .. along with radishes .. which have only had some success.   Some of our onions are not doing well .. and am not sure why .. could be from planting in the raised beds .. as we've never had problems other than them going missing from voles.  Speaking of the pesky creatures, here is a good link on trapping them   .  Looks easy enough to make the trap devices at home .. and will try it later this week.  So far I haven't noticed too much missing from the garden .. and I know the voles are out there.  Our raised beds lined with hardware cloth seem to be working.

Sewing In Progress

 Another little reveal in 'Grandma's Sewing Room.'  After examining my sewing machine, I do believe it's more of a portable model than one that can be installed into a sewing cabinet ... so I found a vintage library/sofa table that is very sturdy, a perfect height, and together with an antique (in good condition) sewing rocker, makes the perfect combination for a sewing table and chair.

It serves double duty when not in use as a plant nursery.  There's even a recessed ceiling light above the bay window that gives off good illumination while sewing at night.

My first night of sewing produced a beautiful linen and battenburg lace addition to the valance in the master bathroom's water closet.  And .. some sachet pouches for my dresser drawers.

I'm beginning to really appreciate this new (almost) empty nest phase of life :)

A few more reveals to come.

New Room .. Just A Peek

vintage parlor style lamp

The new sewing room is being transformed into a vintage tribute to my many grandmothers.  I'm working on getting Grandma Libby's hand pieced quilt squares matched with some coordinating/accent fabric .. (we  have a new quilt shop in town for advice and selecting material:)  Here's a look-see at the lamps I purchased this week.  The parlor style double globe lamp is vintage .. I'm thinking mid century by the look of the cord.  Top and bottom lamps work separately or together.

antique painted rose oil lamp

The oil lamp appears to be an antique .. it may be original or have been made from two lamp parts .. I need to do a little research and look closer at it's design with a magnifying glass. More peeks to come :)

A Room Of My Own

Week #1: 

Our daughter, Ann, recently moved out on her own and I inherited her room to turn into my own little space.  As you can see it's a clean blank slate ready for a makeover.  My plan is to set up the sewing machine in a permanent cabinet .. my entire life, I've had to schlep it to the kitchen table and put everything away each night.  This will be nice in that I can keep a sewing project out until it's finished. 

The sewing machine might be in front of the bay window .. the view is inspiring and beautiful!

Extra deep closet .. ahem .. hubby somehow has some 'stuff' in here already!

Yes .. I'm a vanilla color nut :)

I envision antiques including a bed and small rocking chair.  A washstand with a towel bar and tiled back splash to hold a pitcher and bowl.  Perhaps an old dress form and a pretty lamp with a painted glass shade and a chimney.  Now it's time to scour the flea markets and garage sales ... AND check the basement for items to re-purpose.  Check back for week #2.

Picture Perfect Weather

Today is a beautiful sunny day in the North Woods.  I'm hoping the temps are warm enough to kick start some growth in the garden.  My rhubarb plants have been producing for a few weeks and it's time to start thinking about preserving some of their yummy goodness.  Perhaps canning some rhubarb sauce this week is in order.  Rhubarb freezes well .. it's great to pull out in the winter to bake up a pie or for stewing.

The leaves are poisonous .. but you can add them to the compost heap without a problem.  Nothing says it's gardening time better than the arrival of rhubarb.

Simmered Rhubarb:

4 cups diced rhubarb stalks
3/4 cup sugar
water to cover

Simmer the rhubarb for a few minutes then cover the pan and let it sit until cool.  This method keeps the rhubarb pieces whole.  For a sweeter version, cook uncovered until tender and liquid has reduced by about 1/3 to 1/2 in volume ..  Rhubarb goes well with strawberries and apples in pies.

Coaxing Some Warmth In The Garden

So far this spring has been a fizzle.  Not to say that I'm disappointed with so many people's lives torn apart from horrific weather in the mid-west and southern parts of the United States and elsewhere around the world ... but our damp, cloudy, rainy cool weather in the Pacific and Inland Northwest has given gardeners a run for their money.  Hubby and I are just about finished with the newly installed raised bed garden; we are adding fine bark on the ground to suppress weeds.  Fencing has been put up around the center section of the garden.  As you can see from the photo, I have some beds sitting outside the fence.  These are my deeper beds with fine wire mesh installed in the bottoms that are a foot deep to be used for root veggies.  Hoops or wire surrounds will eventually be installed to keep the deer and moose from lunching on the plants.  The mesh wire is to keep the pesky voles from stealing whole crops from underground tunnels.  This interior/exterior fence planting has worked for us in the past as it keeps the large animals from attempting to leap over the fence .. and I really didn't want the expense nor view of an 8 foot garden fence.

The white fabric is covering our tomato, pepper and eggplants.  It's breathable and lets in some rain .. but traps heat during our cold spell this spring.  On sunny warm days (which are few) the coverings are peeled back.  A few heirloom tomato plants and peppers have been mingled in with our plants started from seed .. just as an extra measure of success.  This year I have done some companion planting .. and have left room for planting in succession. 

How is your garden growing?

New Raised Beds .. and Family Life

We've been busy at the Thrifty Garden Home with installing our raised beds.  Everything is set for the garden fence to be put up on the already installed fence posts tomorrow.  Family life has taken over gardening plans as our youngest was being checked for leukemia after a scary white blood count during a recent out patient dental visit.  This crisis has passed as he does not have leukemia .. but still wondering why such a low count .. a time of worry has passed .. although always lingering. 

The garden is sprouting .. potatoes are poking through the soil .. raspberry canes are green, the strawberry bed planted a few years ago is beginning bud with berries, asparagus is being picked here and there from a two year old bed, and the chard that managed to survive winter is about ready to be picked.  Most everything has been planted .. except for corn and pumpkins .. We have had nights in the 40's .. and should they drop, I have means to cover the tender plants.  What's growing in your garden?

2011 Square Foot Garden Planting

This is just a reference list for my square foot garden for 2011; my first attempt at this type of gardening.  I found an easy way to mark the garden using ground eggshells.  Just use a pointed stick as you measure your planting grid area and apply a thin line of eggshells as a planting guide.  The grounds last a few days and add calcium into the soil.  This is less work than making a wooden grid.  I will be adding my planting schedule and pictures later.  We have above freezing night time temps this week and the tomatoes, peppers and other plants are hardening off in the shelter of the front porch.  What's up in your garden this week?

Update (May 20, 2011)

To date garden planting

April 24 - broccoli, wala-wala onions, radish, replanted garlic planted last fall, red and Yukon gold potatoes, new asparagus bed
May 3   - bulb onions, sugar snap peas
May 12 - broccoli, bulb onions, celery, kale, parsley, petunias, tomatoes
May 18 - pepper plants (started from seed), eggplant, rosemary, carrots, cabbage plants, yellow crookneck squash, rosemary, broccoli, lettuce, chard, spinach, cilantro, ever-bearing strawberries, butternut squash (plants) cucumbers (plants), nasturtium
May 27 - corn, pumpkins (orange & white), replanted horseradish to a better location, green beans, zucchini, peas, lettuce plants started from seed, Russian kale plants (from seed), sweet peas, broccoli plants (grown  from seed), Danish ball head cabbage plants (grown from seed)
May 29 - cauliflower plants (given to me by a friend), red sweet pepper plant

Stuck In La Nina

We are in a awful weather pattern .. every other day brings rain or snow showers .. it's been like this for several months including ten degrees below normal temperatures.  Our last 60 degree day was in November.  There is a slim chance that Easter Saturday will be hovering around 60 .. but then we slide back into the cooler wet weather pattern.  Makes for little news to blog about.  Just ho-hum going on here.  I am still recovering from the flu (which I imagine was the swine or similar variety).  Although no loner contagious .. and I did visit the doctor .. my strength has not completely returned.

Hubby and I have one last raised bed to set in place and fill with garden soil.  I hope to get the potatoes planted in the next day or so. What's the weather like in your neighborhood?

Coaxing Spring (hurry up already)

Our weather of late has been fickle.  Most of March found rain showers, gray skies, a few snow showers .. and April is only a little bit 'more promising' ... Our teeny tiny dining room plant nursery has expanded and now includes a sturdy new shelf unit sitting in front of one of the many windows.  All of our plants have sprouted .. even the pepper plants after getting a good warm start in the little plastic covered greenhouse rigged with warming beds and a grow light. 

Hubby and I worked on building 10 of 14 raised garden beds last week, some extra deep and outfitted with quarter inch wire mesh underneath and soon to include hoops made from curved electric conduit to support different coverings.  We have them stacked and draped outside on a slope until the actual garden ground is ready.  It will be at least another five weeks or so before we are frost free and can transplant the seedlings. 

Through all of this soggy weather, I picked up a flu virus that ended with acute sinusitis and over two weeks of feeling exhausted.  Saturday I finally broke down and visited the doctor to get some meds and am almost up to feeling 100% better.  The thought of lying on the backyard hammock in the warm summer air sounds like heavenly therapy; can't wait!

Hay/Hot Box Slow Cooking

Improvised Hot Box Slow Cooker

I read about this method of cooking over at Dani's blog (in South Africa) and thought I'd adapt my own box cooker with what I had on hand to see how this works.  I took a large box and nestled a medium box inside surrounded with packing peanuts.  The bottom of the medium box was stuffed with some shredded newspaper .. then I placed my filled cast iron Dutch oven full of stew that I had prepared and brought to a boil.. wrapped in a large towel in on top of the newspapers .. packed more paper and another towel around the pot .. closed both boxes .. and covered it with a blanket and a few pillows at 10:15 AM.  At 4:00 PM I checked and it was cooked but the meat needed to be more tender so I brought it to a boil again .. packed it up and left it until dinner time at 6:00 PM.  

Beef stew boiling hot ready to get covered and placed in box.

Total cooking time on the stove with browning the meat and bringing to a boil twice was about 25 minutes ... thus saving about 2 hours worth of fuel.    The packing peanuts at no time got hot as the majority of the heat stayed in the Dutch oven insulated inside the medium size box.  Here are some links that explain the process and give better directions.  I hope to have Hubby make me a proper box as this is a nutritious way to cook AND save energy.

Finished beef stew .. thickened while slow cooking in the hot box.

Hot Box Beef Stew Recipe:

2 pounds beef stew meat
3 potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 carrots, peeled and sliced into one inch pieces
1 onion diced
1 cup mushrooms
1 teaspoon thyme
salt and pepper to taste
flour for dredging beef

Heat Dutch oven and add a tablespoon of cooking oil.  Have beef prepared by drying well and dredging in flour.  You can salt and pepper the meat a bit.  Cook in three batches, browning on both sides.  You may have to add a little more oil.  When all of the beef is browned, add it back to the pan along with the potatoes, carrots and onion .. stirring.  Add about 12 ounces of beef stock.  (I added 6 ounces of beer and 6 ounces of water).  Add thyme and bring to a boil.  Adjust salt and pepper.  Boil for about 10 minutes with the lid on.  Place the hot pot on a old thick bath towel and wrap the edges tightly around the pot.  Carefully place the hot pot inside the well insulated medium box and stuff more newspaper and a towel over .. around the covered pot.  Close up the box.  Add another towel .. and close up the large box.  Cover well with a blanket and some pillows ... and allow to sit for about 5 hours .. check again .. if the meat is not tender, bring to another boil and reseal the same was as before.  I read somewhere with meat dishes to bring to a boil before serving.  Our stew came out of the box piping hot.

Here are some links for more information:

Rediscover the Hay Box Cooker/Mother Earth News
Thermal Cooking

Teeny Tiny 'Baby' Nursery

Oh .. so waiting for the final bit of 'white stuff' to melt!  Our yard is snow free for the most part .. except .. for the last little holdout in the veggie garden.

Meanwhile .. I've got the start of my plant nursery set up in the dining room.

This little greenhouse is equipped with a heater .. albeit .. it sits directly over a heater vent in the floor .. and has the use of my heating pad .. and a grow light.

A few things are sprouting .. and my tropical plants seem to LOOOOVE the attention (read warmth and frequent water mists).

Our neighbors have graciously said I could use some of their outdoor greenhouse so I placed my wireless outdoor thermometer inside of it .. and from the comfy of my living room I can check the temp 24/7.

Having been everything green deprived for the past few months .. this little nursery is a JOY!

Mrs. Mac Of Late

... hopefully, not to be confused with the 'late Mrs. Mac ..

It's just been a bit dreary in the North Woods that my creative side has been stifled .. 'stuffed up' .. er .. whatever .. As soon as the sun decides to peek out from under the ongoing veil of storms .. I'll be back posting .. and I have a blog award to post.

Yesterday I managed to get to the garden center and buy some seed starting soil and peat pots . .. maybe that will get the fire going in my heart for SPRING!

Until then ...

All From A Little Warm Up ..

Before pic .. by Mrs Mac

So far this winter, we had our snowiest weather in November and December.  January was a mix of freezes and thaws.  February is halfway over and has been warmer than normal .. a mix of rain, gloominess .. and a few days of sunshine.  It's the sunshiny days that get me going .. soaking up a little natural vitamin D, listening to the birds chirp, seeing the colorful blue sky and mountains .. is a nice reprieve from winter's doldrums.

Spring cleaning is on my list of things to do starting in the kitchen.  I'm working on one wall space at a time .. ceiling to floor, wiping down walls and cupboards .. all the while emptying out and washing items we don't use too often.  This is a good opportunity to get rid of STUFF.  By the time spring rolls around it will be nice to have this sometimes dreaded chore put to rest.  It's amazing what crud collects in drawers and the pantry floor in between cleanings.  How often do you 'spring' clean?

Dang TV

fresh baked bread and rolls .. pic by Mrs. Mac

We have been TV free for over two years .. saving $1,440 .. and giving us back countless hours of time to devote to renewing .. relearning lost life skills.  Now .. my son-in-law brought over a $10 TV antenna .. to get about eleven 'free' channels.  I'm finding myself getting 'sucked' into the TV vortex from the 'newness' of this old habit .. and must once again break free from it's hold.  I have put down the remote .. and will bake bread today!  Turn on some nice music .. and get to work.  Daylight is burning.  If I can just learn to monitor my viewing .. it will be a nice pastime to sit and knit after all chores are done for the day.  We get quite a few cooking, nature, outdoorsy shows to choose from .. plus local ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX .. etc.  If you're paying too much for cable or satellite TV .. you might want to make a small investment in a 'rabbit-ear antenna' and ditch your monthly bill.