this is my cold frame with the windows pushed to the left.
done right it can produce a LOT of good food.
Gratitude #83 - Sweet Biddies!
13 years ago
Friday, February 29, 2008
cold frame
this is my cold frame with the windows pushed to the left.
done right it can produce a LOT of good food.
first seeds
Having been particularly glad for a bit of spring weather, I have been working outside.
Spring stuff. There is plenty to do, maybe since this is the first year that I haven’t “worked” I can keep up with the work better, we will see.
We have too much land for one person to keep up with and have a job. Miriam used to take care of the flowers and the house side, but that stopped a few years ago.
Anyway, I really got the itchy fingers and planted some seeds as well.
I have a cold frame, which is a small unheated greenhouse like structure. Mine is about 4 by 8 feet with a couple of old windows on the top. Last fall I planted some lettuce seeds, for eating about now, but half the bed was empty.
So I planted. There is a bunch of veggies that have this message on the label: “Plant as soon as the soil can be worked in the spring.” So, I did it.
It will be may before much of that is eatable, but just putting some seeds in the ground was exhilarating.
Yo spring, almost.
Spring stuff. There is plenty to do, maybe since this is the first year that I haven’t “worked” I can keep up with the work better, we will see.
We have too much land for one person to keep up with and have a job. Miriam used to take care of the flowers and the house side, but that stopped a few years ago.
Anyway, I really got the itchy fingers and planted some seeds as well.
I have a cold frame, which is a small unheated greenhouse like structure. Mine is about 4 by 8 feet with a couple of old windows on the top. Last fall I planted some lettuce seeds, for eating about now, but half the bed was empty.
So I planted. There is a bunch of veggies that have this message on the label: “Plant as soon as the soil can be worked in the spring.” So, I did it.
It will be may before much of that is eatable, but just putting some seeds in the ground was exhilarating.
Yo spring, almost.
This morning, for breakfast I made a fruit smoothy.
That is not unusual, I do that often. But this time it had a secret ingredient!!
I started out with a bit of plain yogurt, added a cup of left over applesauce, and a half cup (more or less) of some pineapple left over from my last upside down cake.
Put in a fresh banana and a big fistful of frozen strawberries. I looked at the tofu but didn't add any!
That is all pretty standard stuff, but along the way I included the secret ingredient.
There was part of a can of diet cola in the refer and it went in too.
When I talked to Emily (granddaughter 2) on the phone, she summed it up: Icky.
But it was pretty good, but I made too much so what is left is in the bread I am making now (along with a pint jar of home canned prunes, for good measure). So, as I said to Emily, there is diet cola in the bread.
You know what she said!
That is not unusual, I do that often. But this time it had a secret ingredient!!
I started out with a bit of plain yogurt, added a cup of left over applesauce, and a half cup (more or less) of some pineapple left over from my last upside down cake.
Put in a fresh banana and a big fistful of frozen strawberries. I looked at the tofu but didn't add any!
That is all pretty standard stuff, but along the way I included the secret ingredient.
There was part of a can of diet cola in the refer and it went in too.
When I talked to Emily (granddaughter 2) on the phone, she summed it up: Icky.
But it was pretty good, but I made too much so what is left is in the bread I am making now (along with a pint jar of home canned prunes, for good measure). So, as I said to Emily, there is diet cola in the bread.
You know what she said!
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
spring orchard and grapes
We sure aren't here yet. There is snow on some of the garden yet, but there is promise in all of those buds.
the b word
Daughter one sent an email to me saying that I had not cogitated lately.
Hmm. Interesting way to say it. Much of my life is pretty boring, I fear.
I did pick the first Mesclun from my cold frame this week and include it in our daily green salad. The last couple of days I have been pruning our grapes and our orchard. We have about 20 grape vines and close to two dozen fruit trees.
I am not a great orchardist. Miriam’s dad made a good living with an orchard of rather small size, but I don’t work so hard at mine. Maybe with retirement I can do better.
We don’t get a fruit crop every year, a late frost often takes out the crop, but even then the trees and vines provide us with sufficient fruit and grape juice.
I don’t make wine, like I said, it is boring around here often.
Hmm. Interesting way to say it. Much of my life is pretty boring, I fear.
I did pick the first Mesclun from my cold frame this week and include it in our daily green salad. The last couple of days I have been pruning our grapes and our orchard. We have about 20 grape vines and close to two dozen fruit trees.
I am not a great orchardist. Miriam’s dad made a good living with an orchard of rather small size, but I don’t work so hard at mine. Maybe with retirement I can do better.
We don’t get a fruit crop every year, a late frost often takes out the crop, but even then the trees and vines provide us with sufficient fruit and grape juice.
I don’t make wine, like I said, it is boring around here often.
Friday, February 22, 2008
my sweetheart
We were so young when we married. Thin and clueless. I don't know why it all worked, but I am glad it did. I still find myself amazed that a woman as beautiful as Miriam would put her life in my hands and trust me so much.
I am glad she did.
I love you Miriam.
thoughts from a comic
A friend sent me a piece by George Carlin.
It is not new, I think it was written soon after his wife died of cancer 10 years ago. George and I are two weeks different in age, it turns out.
The piece talks about the inconsistencies in life, but ends up being very personal. He reminds us to spend time with our loved ones because they won’t always be around.
With the sword of Alzheimer’s hanging over our heads, we never really know how long we have together.
I have been able to spend a lot of time with my dear Miriam in the last few years. When I was still working I would take her with me. My customers didn’t mind (I told them ahead of time she would be with me) and it was good for us both.
But even as I roll around in the wonders of this relationship I have enjoyed these years, I know it is finite. Her memory is shorter each day, not by much, but a little. She may not forget who I am, but she might too. I cannot know.
So, here I am wallowing in her love, doing my best to return that love. I guess that is the advantage of a long term love. I am glad.
I love you Miriam.
BTW, if you want to read the Carlin piece you can find it here:
http://www.7streets.com/oh-georgecarlin.htm
It is not new, I think it was written soon after his wife died of cancer 10 years ago. George and I are two weeks different in age, it turns out.
The piece talks about the inconsistencies in life, but ends up being very personal. He reminds us to spend time with our loved ones because they won’t always be around.
With the sword of Alzheimer’s hanging over our heads, we never really know how long we have together.
I have been able to spend a lot of time with my dear Miriam in the last few years. When I was still working I would take her with me. My customers didn’t mind (I told them ahead of time she would be with me) and it was good for us both.
But even as I roll around in the wonders of this relationship I have enjoyed these years, I know it is finite. Her memory is shorter each day, not by much, but a little. She may not forget who I am, but she might too. I cannot know.
So, here I am wallowing in her love, doing my best to return that love. I guess that is the advantage of a long term love. I am glad.
I love you Miriam.
BTW, if you want to read the Carlin piece you can find it here:
http://www.7streets.com/oh-georgecarlin.htm
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
em n linda (daughter #4)
Emily said I needed to post come cute pictures of her or her mom. Emily was born hair challenged and was beautifully bald for a long time.
Emily: is this one cute enough?
em and corn
This was Emily's first encounter with an ear of corn.
She wore a lot of hats in those days, but not much now days.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
pepper, alan and I
It's a dull day so I'll just add a picture.
This is Alan, who is 17 now, and Pepper my great companion for many years, and my then new chevy pickup.
Alan is graduating from high school this spring.
Pepper and the new pickup have gone to their final reward.
I miss them all, but I will see Alan again soon.
Friday, February 15, 2008
sweet one
Linda about 2. We quit the photography business when Linda was fairly small so she isn't in as many photographs as her sisters. Sorry Linda.
going
Our decision to make that trip was made from scratch in about ½ hour.
It had been a rough emotional week, for a lot of dumb reasons. One day I really felt low so I stopped at the clinic to talk to our doctor’s nurse. I have been told that at some point I would welcome some emotional help in pill form.
It seemed that the time had come, so I stopped and got a prescription. It is weird stuff and makes me sleepy mostly. I have been taking it at breakfast, but I’ll take it tonight at bed time, as the pharmacists suggested.
Soon after I got the call from daughter 3 that she really should stay home last weekend, my emotions dropped even lower. She had called her sister and sister had told her exactly how I would react.
If she came she would have had to leave her two boys (11 and 15) home alone, since her husband was out of town on business for the weekend. My heart wanted her to come so badly, but it was really a no brainer. “Stay with the boys, that is all that makes sense right now.”
A few minutes later Daughter 1 called: “Well, get up here.” That was about 9 Friday morning. Miriam pitched a fit with all sorts of reasons why it was a dumb, stupid, evil idea. We sat down to eat and after we had eaten about half of our breakfast I turned to Miriam and said: “we are going.”
This time she didn’t argue with me at all.
I had some church business to take care of, some holiday decorations to move, arrangements for the church discussion group I lead, we even decided to cancel a potluck we had planned for after church, and by 1 we were on the road.
The trip did all my daughters had hoped. I am back home basking in their love, feeling a lot stronger emotionally, and still sleepy.
Thank you Arline for insisting.
It had been a rough emotional week, for a lot of dumb reasons. One day I really felt low so I stopped at the clinic to talk to our doctor’s nurse. I have been told that at some point I would welcome some emotional help in pill form.
It seemed that the time had come, so I stopped and got a prescription. It is weird stuff and makes me sleepy mostly. I have been taking it at breakfast, but I’ll take it tonight at bed time, as the pharmacists suggested.
Soon after I got the call from daughter 3 that she really should stay home last weekend, my emotions dropped even lower. She had called her sister and sister had told her exactly how I would react.
If she came she would have had to leave her two boys (11 and 15) home alone, since her husband was out of town on business for the weekend. My heart wanted her to come so badly, but it was really a no brainer. “Stay with the boys, that is all that makes sense right now.”
A few minutes later Daughter 1 called: “Well, get up here.” That was about 9 Friday morning. Miriam pitched a fit with all sorts of reasons why it was a dumb, stupid, evil idea. We sat down to eat and after we had eaten about half of our breakfast I turned to Miriam and said: “we are going.”
This time she didn’t argue with me at all.
I had some church business to take care of, some holiday decorations to move, arrangements for the church discussion group I lead, we even decided to cancel a potluck we had planned for after church, and by 1 we were on the road.
The trip did all my daughters had hoped. I am back home basking in their love, feeling a lot stronger emotionally, and still sleepy.
Thank you Arline for insisting.
sisters
Our middle girls are 10 1/2 months apart, so have always seemed to be twins. This is them with their little sister Linda. Those were good days.
home again
We are back home again.
We had a wonderful week with kids and grandkids and sons in law and dogs and cats mixed with lots of love and good food. It was about as good as it gets.
When we got home the house was cool but after running the wood burning stove for a few hours it is quite comfortable, again.
Daughter one, where we stayed most of this trip has two sons and one daughter still at home. The oldest boy is still a child in many awful ways, the girl is a teen and the younger boy is a tease. They picked at each other without undue malice as they interacted.
Daughter never lost her cool. She was happy and shamelessly positive all day long. There were admonitions from time to time, but when it was time for them to go out the door for school and jobs, she stood at the door, made sure each one had a lunch and gave them all a hug as they began their day away.
Even though the kids were often acting just like kids, I was amazed, and pleased.
The second daughter runs a very disciplined household. The kids are adept at a lot of tasks and work like little beavers. This family home schools, so they are together all day every day. They worked together with an occasional spat, but actually they do wonderfully well, I think.
The oldest son is graduating from high school this year, along with 4 or 5 other home schooled kids in the area. The father, my son in law, is a certified teacher, so that may explain a few things.
Both families get on with just one worker spouse. One daughter stays home full time, scratch cooks, grows a garden and takes good care of all of them. The second daughter is the wage earner in her family. She is an RN and works 12 hour night shifts. There are several days each week when the kids don’t see a lot of mom.
But when I used the kids bathroom, I saw a post it note stuck on the wall above the vanity sink. I loved it’s message:
“I love you my children” (heart) mom.
What else might one say?
We had a wonderful week with kids and grandkids and sons in law and dogs and cats mixed with lots of love and good food. It was about as good as it gets.
When we got home the house was cool but after running the wood burning stove for a few hours it is quite comfortable, again.
Daughter one, where we stayed most of this trip has two sons and one daughter still at home. The oldest boy is still a child in many awful ways, the girl is a teen and the younger boy is a tease. They picked at each other without undue malice as they interacted.
Daughter never lost her cool. She was happy and shamelessly positive all day long. There were admonitions from time to time, but when it was time for them to go out the door for school and jobs, she stood at the door, made sure each one had a lunch and gave them all a hug as they began their day away.
Even though the kids were often acting just like kids, I was amazed, and pleased.
The second daughter runs a very disciplined household. The kids are adept at a lot of tasks and work like little beavers. This family home schools, so they are together all day every day. They worked together with an occasional spat, but actually they do wonderfully well, I think.
The oldest son is graduating from high school this year, along with 4 or 5 other home schooled kids in the area. The father, my son in law, is a certified teacher, so that may explain a few things.
Both families get on with just one worker spouse. One daughter stays home full time, scratch cooks, grows a garden and takes good care of all of them. The second daughter is the wage earner in her family. She is an RN and works 12 hour night shifts. There are several days each week when the kids don’t see a lot of mom.
But when I used the kids bathroom, I saw a post it note stuck on the wall above the vanity sink. I loved it’s message:
“I love you my children” (heart) mom.
What else might one say?
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