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Monday, October 25, 2010
Sigh...
I wasn't prepared to wake up to an overcast rainy Fall morning. I need to be at home baking bread and knitting.
Saturday, October 23, 2010
A day of pumpkins
Here lately, I've devoted most of my life to work. Its unfortunate, but sometimes I love that place as much as I love my garden. The difference is the garden brings me peace and work brings on an adrenaline rush comparable to that of being dropped into the middle of a pack of wolves with a raw steak taped to your butt. I love that rush. Its a different kind of accomplishment and not as wholesome as my other hobbies, but its powerful and gives me confidence to face everything in my life. My heart is in that job for life. So, anyhoo, I'm back for the day. Slowing down, focusing on the season and upcoming festivities...HALLOWEEEEEEEEEN!!!!!!!!!!!!
I love it. Its cold in the morning. Crunchy leave are all over the yard. (I don't rake, sue me, whatever) I let the girls out of the coop this morning and they all ran out, feathers ruffled up like they put on sweaters. Still no eggs, but I love those chickens. I have dreams about going out there and finding multitudes of colored eggs and overwhelmed with feelings of excited bliss. I just want one pale blue/green egg. That's all. Its like a drug that I'm addicted to, but I've never even had it. I've wanted chickens and my own eggs for so long. Now they're here and they need to get down to business.
I'm hoping today is going to go as planned. I am drinking my homemade pumpkin spice latte. I'm going to pack Sophia up here shortly and go pumpkin hunting. This was supposed to take place in my yard, but alas, FAIL! Yeah, I'm still bitter about no pumpkins. I will try again next year and be more aggressive with the feeding and caring for them. Still organic, but more aggressive. I'm going to make pumpkin bread and work on Sophia's garden gnome costume. Hopefully a productive yet fun day for us.
I planted some fall broccoli and a few lettuces which seem to be thriving with the cold mornings and warm sunny afternoons. I actually prefer fall lettuces. The flavor is a lot better. If I can conjure up some hoops, I would like to see how long I can keep the lettuce alive through the winter. I have a feeling its going to be very mild for a good portion of this winter. If I had to guess, I'd say February will be cold, but I'm planning on starting my plugs much earlier this next growing season. Especially the potatoes, lettuces, and broccoli. This year was very informative, though not quite successful. I learned to can and make jams. Had other things not taken place during peak harvesting times throughout the summer, I would be more stocked up on my canned veggies. I'm still happy though.
I love it. Its cold in the morning. Crunchy leave are all over the yard. (I don't rake, sue me, whatever) I let the girls out of the coop this morning and they all ran out, feathers ruffled up like they put on sweaters. Still no eggs, but I love those chickens. I have dreams about going out there and finding multitudes of colored eggs and overwhelmed with feelings of excited bliss. I just want one pale blue/green egg. That's all. Its like a drug that I'm addicted to, but I've never even had it. I've wanted chickens and my own eggs for so long. Now they're here and they need to get down to business.
I'm hoping today is going to go as planned. I am drinking my homemade pumpkin spice latte. I'm going to pack Sophia up here shortly and go pumpkin hunting. This was supposed to take place in my yard, but alas, FAIL! Yeah, I'm still bitter about no pumpkins. I will try again next year and be more aggressive with the feeding and caring for them. Still organic, but more aggressive. I'm going to make pumpkin bread and work on Sophia's garden gnome costume. Hopefully a productive yet fun day for us.
I planted some fall broccoli and a few lettuces which seem to be thriving with the cold mornings and warm sunny afternoons. I actually prefer fall lettuces. The flavor is a lot better. If I can conjure up some hoops, I would like to see how long I can keep the lettuce alive through the winter. I have a feeling its going to be very mild for a good portion of this winter. If I had to guess, I'd say February will be cold, but I'm planning on starting my plugs much earlier this next growing season. Especially the potatoes, lettuces, and broccoli. This year was very informative, though not quite successful. I learned to can and make jams. Had other things not taken place during peak harvesting times throughout the summer, I would be more stocked up on my canned veggies. I'm still happy though.
Friday, October 1, 2010
Why?
The big question that everyone asks me is why? Why do I make things when I can just buy them? I have several reasons but mostly its for the process. I can't willingly rely on other businesses/people to provide me with my basic needs. I wish had been raised on a farm where making what you needed went without saying and was second nature. I wish I had someone in my family to sit me down and show me how to knit or make jam or tell me how to grow healthy tomatoes. I don't, so I make do. I love the process of learning. When I go to the bookstore, I go straight to the cookbooks or craft section. I don't read romance novels or biographies of famous people. I'm more star-struck by innovative local celebrities such as our 15 Thousand Farmers founders and my favorite local band, My Morning Jacket. I love how-tos. I want to learn forever about "how-to." Self-sufficiency. If it can be made, I want to make it. If I can grow it, knit it, can it, save it, build it, whatever, I want to try.
The process of making things, allbeit sometimes frustrating, is actually peaceful to me. Sometimes when I give handmade things to people you can see the disappointment in their faces. Its not shiny and new with a pricetag. Its pricetag is invisible, but its there. It is printed with my heart, my time, and my effort. Its not perfect or designer-labeled. But its unique and already has a history. It was specifically made for you by me. As my hands push the fabric across the sewing machine; as I sit for hours at a time with two needles and some yarn, as I watch to make sure the temperature is just right in the oven...it was made for you.
The process is something that I want to pass along, but I know not many will be receptive. When you understand the process, you understand the effort and why. A good friend of mine gave me some frozen applesauce that her grandmother made from apple in her orchard. I wonder if she took the time to learn how to make the applesauce herself from her grandmother. Soaking up every little bit of knowledge from those who understand self-sufficiency from neccessity is the most valuable form of knowledge. Thats surviving knowledge.
P.S.
She does know how to make the applesauce and I'm very proud of her for that! Of course, now she has to teach me. ;-)
The process of making things, allbeit sometimes frustrating, is actually peaceful to me. Sometimes when I give handmade things to people you can see the disappointment in their faces. Its not shiny and new with a pricetag. Its pricetag is invisible, but its there. It is printed with my heart, my time, and my effort. Its not perfect or designer-labeled. But its unique and already has a history. It was specifically made for you by me. As my hands push the fabric across the sewing machine; as I sit for hours at a time with two needles and some yarn, as I watch to make sure the temperature is just right in the oven...it was made for you.
The process is something that I want to pass along, but I know not many will be receptive. When you understand the process, you understand the effort and why. A good friend of mine gave me some frozen applesauce that her grandmother made from apple in her orchard. I wonder if she took the time to learn how to make the applesauce herself from her grandmother. Soaking up every little bit of knowledge from those who understand self-sufficiency from neccessity is the most valuable form of knowledge. Thats surviving knowledge.
P.S.
She does know how to make the applesauce and I'm very proud of her for that! Of course, now she has to teach me. ;-)
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