For the Birds

 I put up a new bird feeder.

Is this a fun place to live or what?

I don't mind having to fence off my garden and orchard as long as I can have

scenes like this right outside my windows.

Spring Projects

"Use it up, wear it out,

make it do, or do without."

I can't even begin to count how many times I heard this phrase while growing up.

  A child of parents who learned this the hard way during the Great Depression.

I guess that's why I still feel it's wasteful not to scrape the last bit of peanut butter out of the jar or find a recipe to use up all the stale bread left in the bag before opening up a new loaf.

And so I  hold on to things. Not hoard, just hold on to.

Like this pile of aggregate concrete from our old front porch and sidewalk.

Not useful or beautiful right now, but it has such possibilities...

Raised garden beds?  An abstract water feature?  Mulch?

Pile of rocks for the grandchildren to play on?

Yard art?

Roger's really hoping that I decide on something soon.

I'm just having fun enjoying the possibilities.

From Couch to 5k running program

I think that really should be "From Couch Potato to 5k".  wow.  3.11 miles.

(Okay, I didn't really know that, I had to look it up.)

 I have never run that far in my whole life, all at one time, with no walking breaks.

 And it says I can be ready in 8 weeks. wow. 

My new treadmill is beckoning.  A new adventure is calling. Thanks, Kari

Country's Best

As far as I'm concerned, country living brings out the best in people.

Take for example - and you understand that this is only hypothetical - two little boys. Inside the house you might hear, "thats' mine, you'd better leave it alone!", or maybe, "stop looking at me!", followed by a loud thud and some footsteps on their way down the stairs to tattle. Then it's, "Okay, that a time out for you!"

But, get them in the great outdoors and everything changes.

Antagonist becomes ally, foe becomes friend.

Those who previously were at odds are now companions and comrades,

 holding hands as they walk through the deep woods, ready to fight to the death anyone or anything who might threaten their union. Even that loud growling they hear somewhere out in the trees is no match for their

combined courage.

Yes, indeed, after a walk outdoors,
soaking in the mist and splashing in mud puddles,

Grandma becomes a much nicer person.
I promise to share now and it's okay if they look at me.
I still might give myself a time out, though. I kinda like those.

Rainy Day Blues

What to do, what to do, on a cold, rainy day, when what I really I want to do is work in my garden? It's time to plant tomatoes! So, I put on my boots, tromped through the mud, out to the greenhouse, grabbed a bag of sterilized pots, seed starting mix and my planting trays; stopped by the chicken coop/garden shed and pulled out the heating mats; and then back into the warm house to sort through my seeds from last season to find the tomato varieties that I want to plant this year.

I know, I know...they're not freshly packed for the 2011 growing season. Yes, I do keep and use my seeds from years past, but only 3 years at most. The germination rate might not be as high, but I just plant them a little thicker. Must be my upbringing, but I just can't bring myself to throw them away. I'll  still buy some new seeds, too. I like to try at least one new variety a year.

This year the chosen few are from Territorial Seeds. (http://www.territorialseed.com/). I want some tomatoes to eat fresh and I want them as early as possible, so for that I've chosen :

Oregon Spring - it's called an "extra early" because it can be planted outside a full month before the last frost.

Siletz - supposed to come in about a week before Oregon Spring. These two are called "parthenocarpic". That means "virgin fruit". The plants will form fruit without pollination. These first tomatoes won't have any seeds, at least until the bees enter the picture. (plan for the worst, hope for the best!)

Early Girl -a wonderful variety that produces well, especially if we have a cool summer, like last year's "summer-that-never-was". They will start producing even when the weather is still too cool for most other tomatoes.  I'll give them a good start and set them out maybe middle of April, surrounded by Wall-o-Water's.

I'm also running low on canned tomatoes for soups, stews, chili, and sauces, so that means I need a good mix to put into my jars next summer. So, in addition to the above,  I'll plant:

 Heinz 2653 -  a Roma-type. Not sure how it will taste, I only got a few last year. The catalog says it has a "workhorse-ability to mature loads of fruit all at the same time". I have high hopes for this one. Maybe it was the name that sold me.

Big Beef- mmmm. BLT sandwiches...and maybe some left over for canning.

And the new addition will be (drum roll, please)

Momotaro - supposed to be one of the most popular in Japan, named after a hero in Japanese folklore. Territorial describes the flavor as "an intricate and harmonious combination of sweet and tangy." Good enough for me. A little culture in the garden will be an enriching experience. And maybe the gophers won't like it. I can always hope.

6 dozen plants should be enough: 2 dozen for me, 2 dozen to donate and 2 dozen for the gophers.Yup, that should just about do it.