tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52944004118344902942024-02-20T05:11:59.931-08:00Julie's Rants 2013Because homesteading and crafting a life don't always work out and sometimes I want to gripe.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger222125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294400411834490294.post-36069950526688136582014-02-12T20:29:00.000-08:002014-02-12T20:29:35.103-08:00Where Did Julie Go?Technically, I'm still right here. <br />
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What I did was move over to another blog. I do a lot of the same things there. Some is getting more technical and not quite so amateur hour. <br />
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If you'd like to follow to the new blog then leave me a comment and your email in the comments section and I'll let you know where the new blog is.<br />
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JulieUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294400411834490294.post-48352271104598213362013-04-26T12:55:00.000-07:002013-04-26T12:55:29.490-07:00Springtime Flies ByTime really flies when you're completely bogged down with too many responsibilities and stresses. You might even convince your husband to take you out of town because you can't look at the dishes and laundry another day without thinking it would be a good idea to just throw it all in the garbage can. He might comply. <br />
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The day before we escaped I noticed our oddball cactus had a flower. It was incredibly stunning. Not your ordinary cactus flower. The petals were delicate and tissue paper thin, not something you'd think of belonging on a prickly beast. <br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bQnL1VF94YQ/UXrTImFvyGI/AAAAAAAABvI/fg9b2_A2aJI/s1600/DSC02206.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bQnL1VF94YQ/UXrTImFvyGI/AAAAAAAABvI/fg9b2_A2aJI/s400/DSC02206.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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I was blown away at this next shot. I didn't do anything special with my camera. I just took the picture. I love all the details it picked up. Such vivid colors! </div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YdBffyBSGiI/UXrTJkcWFfI/AAAAAAAABvQ/6hmiswFQeoI/s1600/DSC02207.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YdBffyBSGiI/UXrTJkcWFfI/AAAAAAAABvQ/6hmiswFQeoI/s400/DSC02207.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cactus-most-beautiful-varieties-healthy/dp/0764112260/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1367005311&sr=1-3&keywords=cactus+flowers" target="_blank"><span style="color: #38761d;"><b>Cactus: The most beautiful varieties and how to keep them healthy</b></span></a><br />
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Here's the girl's pumpkin(?) I've counted 4 on the vine so far. </div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lZer9XTFQgk/UXrNfF50RHI/AAAAAAAABuI/AQwFSstcijk/s1600/blogger-image--1121548512.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lZer9XTFQgk/UXrNfF50RHI/AAAAAAAABuI/AQwFSstcijk/s400/blogger-image--1121548512.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Delicious-Pumpkin-Dessert-Recipes-ebook/dp/B00A2FQ3WC/ref=sr_1_8?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1367005489&sr=1-8&keywords=pumpkin" target="_blank"><span style="color: #38761d;"><b>29 Delicious Pumpkin Dessert Recipes {$2.99 Kindle Edition}</b></span></a> <br />
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Someone has moved into the garden! I was really quite surprised. They've moved in next to the pink jasmine. They obviously have good taste.</div>
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The first sunflower is open. I don't expect seeds from this one. We're patiently waiting for the next one to bloom. That one is a Mammoth. It's currently 5 feet tall. </div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ruLGxHlX-g4/UXrNj1PwHHI/AAAAAAAABuQ/TWR0F15TlUU/s1600/blogger-image--1250993177.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ruLGxHlX-g4/UXrNj1PwHHI/AAAAAAAABuQ/TWR0F15TlUU/s400/blogger-image--1250993177.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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These guys were a surprise. I didn't know we planted radishes. And only 3. </div>
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The square foot garden with corn, squash, and beans is coming along. This prompted a big discussion about why some plants grow bigger than others even when they are in the same soil. After much thought we came to a consensus: I don't know. </div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WewFdj0-Dtg/UXrNygGjoaI/AAAAAAAABuo/xBnfqPuJ330/s1600/blogger-image-1778068995.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WewFdj0-Dtg/UXrNygGjoaI/AAAAAAAABuo/xBnfqPuJ330/s400/blogger-image-1778068995.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Square-Foot-Gardening-Second-Revolutionary/dp/1591865484/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1367005876&sr=1-1&keywords=square+foot+gardening" target="_blank"><span style="color: #38761d;"><b>All New Square Foot Gardening, Second Edition</b></span></a><br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294400411834490294.post-84375418668520818422013-04-10T20:11:00.000-07:002013-04-10T20:11:39.307-07:00Update to No Poo HairI had a humerous moment today when I found a link back to a post I did on Pinterest. It was funny to me because of this pic. So the back of my head is on Pinterest. Who else gets to actually <i>say</i> that?<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hytFNt6Gxz4/UWYnXOLvPwI/AAAAAAAABt4/cRWb9HunX4A/s1600/nopoohairday1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hytFNt6Gxz4/UWYnXOLvPwI/AAAAAAAABt4/cRWb9HunX4A/s400/nopoohairday1.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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I'm just posting an update to the recipe. It still works. I use it, but not all the time. I have some other less chemical brands of shampoo I also use. Frankly, it depends on if I'm in a hurry. I have a 7 year old. What can I say. <br />
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<span style="color: red;"><b>Recipe:</b> </span><br />
<u><b>Shampoo</b></u><br />
2 teaspoons Baking Soda to 32 ounces of water<br />
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<u><b>Conditioner</b></u><br />
1 teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar to 20 ounces of water<br />
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I find I like it best if I blow dry my hair. You may have to play around with the amounts of baking soda/apple cider vinegar to water to get the best mix for your hair. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294400411834490294.post-38820623776008556412013-04-10T09:13:00.002-07:002013-04-10T09:14:56.612-07:00Fog AND RainThe weather is ugly today. It will be great for the plants. After the rain last week the plants are growing like weeds and the weeds are growing like weeds, too. I still have grape vines to plant and another salvia bush. In the meantime here's some pics of things I noticed. Hold on, the dog's crying so I have to go let him inside. For an animal that's supposedly been around thousands of years, dogs can be kind of whiney. <br />
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I came home from work and the husband had built this for me. He used my free pallets and fixed up my compost screen. I get the pallets free from Gardenville. Marriage tip: If your husband does things like this it means they love you.</div>
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<a href="http://www.decoist.com/2012-02-01/ultimate-pallet-furniture-collection-58-unique-ideas/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #38761d;"><b>Pallet Furniture Ideas </b></span></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.pallettruth.com/2012/11/myths-about-wood-pallet-furniture/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #38761d;"><b>Myths about wood pallet furniture</b></span></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Xw4JdN9u3-Q/UWV6IT7yVgI/AAAAAAAABtE/7HV3-PvDwl4/s1600/blogger-image-2136638649.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Xw4JdN9u3-Q/UWV6IT7yVgI/AAAAAAAABtE/7HV3-PvDwl4/s400/blogger-image-2136638649.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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Here's my glorious compost pile. It's mostly rabbit poo. The husband cleaned the old mulch out of the entire rabbit area and dumped it here before he added a new layer of mulch to the area. Rabbits make <i>lots</i> of poo in case you didn't know. </div>
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<a href="http://www.vegetablegardener.com/item/8156/rabbit-manure-in-the-garden" target="_blank"><span style="color: #38761d;"><b>Rabbit manure in the garden</b></span></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.hobbyfarms.com/farm-pets/pet-rabbit-information/using-rabbit-manure.aspx" target="_blank"><span style="color: #38761d;"><b>Using Rabbit Manure</b></span></a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q4YJS7s6_Rc/UWV6hNaFrGI/AAAAAAAABts/2QmdWrFD36s/s1600/blogger-image-1172039065.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q4YJS7s6_Rc/UWV6hNaFrGI/AAAAAAAABts/2QmdWrFD36s/s400/blogger-image-1172039065.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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"I don't know, what project do you want to work on?"- A usual conversation with the husband. </div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6x4Lrs2scMg/UWV6SU3NUiI/AAAAAAAABtU/wrTLR7ovNDk/s1600/blogger-image--1315919209.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6x4Lrs2scMg/UWV6SU3NUiI/AAAAAAAABtU/wrTLR7ovNDk/s400/blogger-image--1315919209.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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A rare sighting of the husband. Do NOT tell him I posted this pic. </div>
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This is a zombie eggplant. Everyone thought it was completely dead from the freeze we had but now it has lots of little green leaves growing. It might survive my care after all. </div>
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<a href="http://bonnieplants.com/growing/growing-eggplant/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #38761d;"><b>Growing Eggplant</b></span></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Hiwgn1IGj90/UWV6XbDBhPI/AAAAAAAABtc/hHIdXCMP8zI/s1600/blogger-image--10593318.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Hiwgn1IGj90/UWV6XbDBhPI/AAAAAAAABtc/hHIdXCMP8zI/s400/blogger-image--10593318.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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This is a pic of companion planting between a sunflower and pumpkin plant. Someone's tail had to be in the pic, too. </div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Carrots-Love-Tomatoes-Companion-Successful/dp/1580170277/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1365609800&sr=1-1&keywords=companion+planting" target="_blank"><span style="color: #38761d;"><b>Carrots Love Tomatoes</b></span></a><span style="color: #38761d;"><b></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="color: #38761d;"></span><br /></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Companion-Planting-Vegetable-Gardening-ebook/dp/B00BKLAGMU/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1365609800&sr=1-5&keywords=companion+planting" target="_blank"><span style="color: #38761d;"><b>Companion Planting in Vegetable Gardening {Kindle Edition $2.99}</b></span></a></div>
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Lastly, some of the onion plants from last year are flowering. I'll let them go to seed and collect the seeds and see if I can grow some more. Onions love me. I don't know why.</div>
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<iframe bordercolor="#000000" frameborder="0" height="200" hspace="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://ad.doubleclick.net/adi/N7433.148119.BLOGGEREN/B6693992.400;sz=200x200;ord=[timestamp]?;lid=41000613802464054;pid=869016;usg=AFHzDLu0NpIr9LkLdLp9UglrOu8YGYm5rg;adurl=http%253A%252F%252Fwww.surlatable.com%252Fproduct%252FPRO-869016%252F%253Fmr%253AtrackingCode%253D25F5E051-3D76-E211-8D02-001517384908%2526mr%253AreferralID%253DNA;pubid=631065;imgsrc=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.surlatable.com%2Fimages%2Fcustomers%2Fc1079%2FPRO-869016%2Fgenerated%2FPRO-869016_Default_1_430x430.jpg;width=200;height=200" vspace="0" width="200"></iframe><iframe bordercolor="#000000" frameborder="0" height="150" hspace="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://ad.doubleclick.net/adi/N7433.148119.BLOGGEREN/B6693992.387;sz=180x150;ord=[timestamp]?;lid=41000613802464054;pid=869016;usg=AFHzDLu0NpIr9LkLdLp9UglrOu8YGYm5rg;adurl=http%253A%252F%252Fwww.surlatable.com%252Fproduct%252FPRO-869016%252F%253Fmr%253AtrackingCode%253D25F5E051-3D76-E211-8D02-001517384908%2526mr%253AreferralID%253DNA;pubid=631065;price=%245.94;title=Progressive+Onion+Keeper;merc=Sur+La+Table;imgsrc=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.surlatable.com%2Fimages%2Fcustomers%2Fc1079%2FPRO-869016%2Fgenerated%2FPRO-869016_Default_1_430x430.jpg;width=85;height=85" vspace="0" width="180"></iframe><br /></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294400411834490294.post-65463648114614805402013-04-07T14:58:00.000-07:002013-04-07T14:58:30.154-07:00The Non-SuperWoman Way of Canning Green BeansI spend a lot of time reading blogs that have my head spinning at all the things they are able to accomplish. I, however, am not filled with that much energy or I'm just not able to cram that much activity into a certain amount of time. I work slow, but I do work.<br />
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I bought some green beans and thought I'd show you what a typical canning adventure would look like for me. Maybe it's a more realistic view you can appreciate.<br />
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The first thing I do is look for a recipe. I found a basic simple recipe on the <a href="http://www.freshpreserving.com/home.aspx" target="_blank"><span style="color: #38761d;"><b>Ball Canning</b></span></a> website. I follow Julia Child's advice to read the entire recipe, several times if needed, to get a clear picture of what I'll be doing and what will be happening.<br />
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<a href="http://www.freshpreserving.com/recipe.aspx?r=39" target="_blank"><span style="color: #38761d;"><b>Ball Green Bean Canning Recipe</b></span></a><br />
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Now I'm ready to start. I begin by cleaning my kitchen. This is best done by tricking some other family member into doing it but I usually have to do it. I like to have a completely clear space so things will stay organized and there's less confusion about what's happening in the kitchen and where things are at. This is a good time to gather supplies and ingredients.<br />
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Since I'm canning green beans I have to get them prepared and cut up. Food prep can often take longer than you might think, try not to take on too much. In your head you might think it's a great idea to can up all the green beans you'll eat in a year but you'll find yourself still cutting beans at midnight, unless you like to can at midnight, and that's o.k., too. It took me 45 minutes to get this standard sized colander filled.<br />
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My next step is to rinse the beans, get them into a big pot and cover them with water to cook. While they are heating to boiling I get my jars and lids ready. I wash the jars in hot soapy water, rinse and place on my cart. I keep the hot soapy water because I'll continue to use it by washing things as I go along. I put the lids in a saucepan of hot water and let simmer.<br />
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I have this wonderful kitchen cart that I love to use during the whole canning process. I'm able to arrange everything I'll need on top and can move it exactly where I'll need it. This speeds things along and keeps spills and accidents from happening.<br />
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Once the beans have boiled for 5 minutes I ladle them into the jars. I use a food funnel which I failed to have in the picture. I ladle in the boiling water and then top off with salt. I clean the rims of the jars, place lids and rings on the jars. I've had the canner getting ready on the stove by heating water in it. This will get the pressure needed quicker once the lid goes on. </div>
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I place the jars in the canner and lock the lid on. I push my little cart in front of the stove to block anyone from knocking the canner accidentally. Once the desired pressure is achieved I set my timer for 20 minutes and take a break! When my 20 minutes is up I turn off the heat and go take another break or work on something else since I won't be able to open the canner until the pressure drops. This is a drawback compared to waterbath canning. </div>
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When the canner drops pressure and I can take the jars out, I place them on my cart and then wheel them on over to the table. I move the jars onto a towel and let them cool. When they have cooled off I label them on the lids with a sharpie marker. The rings are reusable but the lids are not so I like to write on the lids. I'll write "Green Beans with Salt 4/7/13." I'll leave them on the table till the next day and then put them away till we're ready to eat them.</div>
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I finish by cleaning up the entire project. Everything is washed and put away. I keep all my tools and utensils for canning in the canner so they're easy to find. I even have a set of measuring spoons I use only for canning. It keeps me from having to search high and low for these things that other people can misplace. Then I'm finished!</div>
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This whole project from start to finish has taken me 3 hours.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2mgWB_Lqg9o/UWGYTgnU3eI/AAAAAAAABqw/k09ZU8KUAeE/s1600/4193FALQL6L.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="167" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2mgWB_Lqg9o/UWGYTgnU3eI/AAAAAAAABqw/k09ZU8KUAeE/s320/4193FALQL6L.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Ball-Canning-Regular-Mouth-12-Count/dp/B000LNW8Z6/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1365350396&sr=8-3&keywords=canning+jars" target="_blank"><span style="color: #38761d;"><b>Amazon's Ball Canning Jars</b></span></a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-S9jFkp48cEs/UWGY5tDWacI/AAAAAAAABq4/-ZNs73wqUnA/s1600/A17ENc0DoGL._SL1500_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-S9jFkp48cEs/UWGY5tDWacI/AAAAAAAABq4/-ZNs73wqUnA/s320/A17ENc0DoGL._SL1500_.jpg" width="268" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Guide-Preserving-Jarden-Brands/dp/B005SK6Y1Q/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1365350562&sr=1-1&keywords=ball+blue+book" target="_blank"><span style="color: #38761d;"><b>Ball Blue Book</b></span></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-usuvkSily7o/UWGal4zHeKI/AAAAAAAABrA/LOZAjdhWA6E/s1600/517ss7BB+iL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="259" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-usuvkSily7o/UWGal4zHeKI/AAAAAAAABrA/LOZAjdhWA6E/s320/517ss7BB+iL.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Granite-Ware-0719-1-Blancher-12-Piece/dp/B002KHN60M/ref=sr_1_3?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1365350976&sr=1-3&keywords=ball+enamel+waterbath+canner" target="_blank"><span style="color: #38761d;"><b>Granite Ware Canning Kit</b></span></a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294400411834490294.post-5743079204760553842013-04-07T07:31:00.000-07:002013-04-07T07:31:44.953-07:00American Red Cross Emergency RadioMy husband spends a lot of time on Amazon. I should clarify that, he spends ALL his time on Amazon. Most of the time my Amazonics Anonymous husband orders silly stuff and I just look at him wondering what planet he's from. Every once in awhile he'll order something truly useful (in my mind) and practical. Such is the case with this lovely radio from the American Red Cross.<br />
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Right now it is $30.05 shipped. It does not need batteries. It has a hand crank charger and a solar charger. It has an FM and AM tuner and a flashlight. It also has an USB port! This means you could charge all those pesky phones, etc. It is red, which is my favorite color. A great addition to your home emergency planning kit.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_USMJIRh3ks/UWF_INX2yMI/AAAAAAAABqY/lZUWbUTUKJo/s1600/61nDUvE6lGL._SL1500_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="427" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_USMJIRh3ks/UWF_INX2yMI/AAAAAAAABqY/lZUWbUTUKJo/s640/61nDUvE6lGL._SL1500_.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/American-ARCFR160R-Microlink-Self-Powered-Flashlight/dp/B001QTXKCE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1365343852&sr=8-1&keywords=red+cross+emergency+radio" target="_blank"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Amazon's American Red Cross Emergency Radio</b></span></span></a></div>
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What my husband usually orders...</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iwbFx-E_Wio/UWGCYa8IOBI/AAAAAAAABqg/cE0CauZ21tE/s1600/41r2znorGeL._SS500_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iwbFx-E_Wio/UWGCYa8IOBI/AAAAAAAABqg/cE0CauZ21tE/s320/41r2znorGeL._SS500_.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hand-Held-Scalp-Head-Massager/dp/B003NTKMLW/ref=sr_1_cc_2?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1365344781&sr=1-2-catcorr&keywords=wire+head+massager" target="_blank"><span style="color: #38761d;"><b>Amazon's Hand Held Scalp Massager</b></span></a></div>
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He can order in bulk and give to all his friends. Weirdos unite!</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294400411834490294.post-30138605618704688102013-04-05T18:27:00.001-07:002013-04-05T18:32:40.486-07:00Friday and the Sun Came BackYesterday afternoon the sun came back and it was still too cool and too windy to want to stay in the garden. We opted for the yearly ritual called Girl Flies Kite and Makes Big Knot. Another successful year! The girl has improved in keeping the kite in the air. Her attention span is not improved. After 5 minutes she wanted Daddy to hold the string. Daddy said no. Then her brain said, "get on your bike and ride while you fly the kite. What could go wrong?" And she was off on her bike flying her kite. Luckily, the wind intervened by going away and the kite fell. The girl no longer thought it a good idea. I was just happy knowing I wouldn't be in an E.R. trying to explain how my kid was inextricably tied up to her bicycle by a possessed kite. (In case you're wondering, composting, wood pallets, and things to go in a burn pile happen back here.)<br />
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I was driving through a little back neighborhood to get some produce from the discount produce supplier. I drove past this house and then came back around and took a very quick picture before they thought I was the IRS or something. What I was looking at was their greenhouse. The husband decided we will build ours. I'm hesitant about the materials due to the terrible winds we get here sometimes. I was happy to see someone else using the materials we're pretty sure we're going to use. The size looks about right so I can study the pic and guess pretty close how much supplies we'll need. <br />
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Back at the homestead it was time to throw down the first of the mulch. This is just to cover muddy areas that are our main walkways. <br />
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I know I said I was done with planting. I wasn't going to look at another plant. I lied. This hydrangea was 50% off at Lowe's. Along with some other...plants. Maybe some fern leaf dill, grape vines, and salvia. I'm happy with the hydrangeas because it got my imagination working on how to incorporate a flower growing area in the garden. I'm thinking of adding a section of white picket fence to the back corner. I'll want to grow only flowers there for cuttings. It should be a wonderfully relaxing childlike spot.<br />
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I stopped at the grocery store and they were selling their tomato plants for $1.25. I'm working really hard to have tomatoes this year so I'm growing lots and lots of tomato plants. Last count was 14 and I have seedlings inside. Overproduction is not a problem. I love to can food. Last year we didn't have hardly any tomatoes and it was depressing. I'm hoping to avoid it this year.<br />
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I also very quickly took a piece of wire fencing, formed it into a circle, and connected it to itself by bending back the wire edges over the other ends. I should probably bury it in the ground a few inches or get some metal brackets to keep it firm on the ground. I also planted these in the new low-raised bed. <br />
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At the grocery store I picked up some odds and ends that always seem to disappear. That's right I don't know where my salt and pepper shaker wondered off to. Someone in the house is always burning or melting the spatulas because they don't know how to cook with them. My knives seem to walk off. I haven't seen any sticking out of anyone's back so hopefully it's all good.<br />
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Lastly I picked up this beautiful Dutch Oven. I've been looking around on Amazon and stuff and haven't seen it priced/pretty enough. This is a 5.2 qt enameled cast iron. I just know I'm going to make all kinds of delicious things I'll need to use salt and pepper shakers, spatulas, and paring knives to make. <br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-EC4D33-Enameled-Caribbean-4-5-Quart/dp/B004QM8SJS/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1365211712&sr=8-10&keywords=enameled+cast+iron" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4NenCzbuvG0/UV96nG1j8LI/AAAAAAAABqI/CUNWY807KSo/s320/812WODVhKhL._SL1500_.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: #741b47;"><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-EC4D33-Enameled-Caribbean-4-5-Quart/dp/B004QM8SJS/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1365211712&sr=8-10&keywords=enameled+cast+iron" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;"><span style="background-color: white;">Amazon's Lodge Enamel 4 qt Dutch oven</span></span></a></b></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294400411834490294.post-20328007474373896242013-04-03T16:29:00.002-07:002013-04-03T16:40:22.929-07:00The Rain Made Me Change The Header<br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">The rain is still coming down so I had to find some things to do today. </span><br />
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<li><span style="font-size: medium;">Take the little one to the dentist. (No cavities! She didn’t bite this dentist so he’s a keeper.)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: medium;">I’m still very sore from the Chiropractor’s visit. (I have to go back tomorrow…)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: medium;">Nearly died of boredom then remembered I wanted to work on something that would make me feel like stabbing myself in the head. Hmm, I should try to change the header.</span></li>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">Taking a walk into unknown blog design territory always fills me with trepidation. I’m pretty sure it will involve some loss of blood and a computer smashed to a thousand pieces. I Googled the info and found some instructions I could follow. I would give you the link but I can’t find it anymore. (<i>Sure</i> she lost the link.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;">Basically, it involved creating a collage in Picasa with a selected file. This was surprising because I thought Picasa was not around anymore. I guess they changed their mind. I chose the pics I wanted, arranged them, changed the background color, added text, resized it and then saved it. In Blogger I uploaded the pic and selected “instead of title and description” and “shrink to fit.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;">What I would change next time: I would create a new folder with only the pics I wanted in the collage. It was a pain to go through and delete all the photos I didn’t want. </span><br />
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<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-OI9BnlmoI90/UVy5wbMEmjI/AAAAAAAABoY/zCGHjzwnbsg/s1600-h/DSC02203%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img alt="DSC02203" border="0" height="150" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-OuV8KSpAKYo/UVy5w6X6IGI/AAAAAAAABog/qan_sBo76t8/DSC02203_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="DSC02203" width="200" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-hcNJSHn3gOE/UVy5xuBRsPI/AAAAAAAABoo/J8W5DRGQ0Gs/s1600-h/DSC02204%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img alt="DSC02204" border="0" height="150" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-drS_9jQotCs/UVy5x-JLb0I/AAAAAAAABow/HGCUA2q4sUc/DSC02204_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="DSC02204" width="200" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;">The rest of the day I’ve spent dealing with homeschool stuff and reading my cookbook. I’m excited that it’s one of the original versions. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;">We tried the strawberry jam today and it was wonderful!</span><br />
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<iframe bordercolor="#000000" frameborder="0" height="200" hspace="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://ad.doubleclick.net/adi/N7433.148119.BLOGGEREN/B6693992.397;sz=200x200;ord=[timestamp]?;lid=41000613802464054;pid=151407;usg=AFHzDLs5NV1pUWORf-8fp66UVKuG5em93Q;adurl=http%253A%252F%252Fwww.surlatable.com%252Fproduct%252FPRO-151407%252F%253Fmr%253AtrackingCode%253D13E2E051-3D76-E211-8D02-001517384908%2526mr%253AreferralID%253DNA;pubid=631065;imgsrc=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.surlatable.com%2Fimages%2Fcustomers%2Fc1079%2FPRO-151407%2Fgenerated%2FPRO-151407_Default_1_430x430.jpg;width=200;height=200" vspace="0" width="200"></iframe><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294400411834490294.post-83142694603618855732013-04-02T21:57:00.001-07:002013-04-02T21:57:21.371-07:00Rainy DaysI'm getting better about paying attention to the weather forecasts and planning around them. In the past I have always stuck my head out the door to see what the weather was for the day. Now that I want to garden better I'm trying to plan ahead and work <i>with</i> the weather.<br />
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This week is going to have some rainy days. This leaves me with not much to do in the garden. There's no watering or feeding to be done. I can spread a little mulch for soil improvement. Mostly it will be just watching things grow. Here's some things I can do: <br />
<ul>
<li>Stalk the UPS truck. (This actually worked, my <a href="http://julie-rants.blogspot.com/2013/03/whats-cookin.html"><b>cookbook</b></a> came today) </li>
<li>Go see the Chiropractor. (This was the first time I saw one. Holy cow! The little one was totally freaked out watching. I may be a few inches taller now. Are you supposed to be really sore later?) </li>
<li>Grocery shop. (I had a dream last night where I went grocery shopping, came home, then proceeded to tell my husband about every item I bought. Sadly, it was one of the best dreams I've ever had.) </li>
<li>Can some jam. (I wanted to make <a href="http://julie-rants.blogspot.com/2013/03/whats-cookin.html"><b>strawberry jam</b></a> the other day but ran out of time. The little one helped me can up 12 half pints. People <i>love</i> when you give them jam. Like crazy love. I'm hoping to save some for a <a href="http://www.foodswapnetwork.com/"><b>Food Swap</b></a> in June.)</li>
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<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ZrZ3tqmg-HY/UVu2H7i9GoI/AAAAAAAABmE/Obk3TYgk_DY/s1600-h/DSC02196%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img alt="DSC02196" border="0" height="184" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-NiKRrBsf2js/UVu2IE8nA0I/AAAAAAAABmI/TEXs49Tzegw/DSC02196_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="DSC02196" width="244" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ggGxNJlP2ME/UVu2I_m4HzI/AAAAAAAABmU/AauMt7hMLoc/s1600-h/DSC02197%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img alt="DSC02197" border="0" height="184" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-TFTjyjZb_MY/UVu2JaMStyI/AAAAAAAABmc/l5X5O9YsX4Y/DSC02197_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="DSC02197" width="244" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-mwnFKzniuqU/UVu2J-A3vOI/AAAAAAAABmk/lwGG00xA2fw/s1600-h/DSC02198%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img alt="DSC02198" border="0" height="184" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-zkhFAVjCoxA/UVu2KRyUjJI/AAAAAAAABms/mZvprWX_X-w/DSC02198_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="DSC02198" width="244" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Sf2GS1VBGYk/UVu2LP7M6KI/AAAAAAAABm0/Qvf5X5sIBfs/s1600-h/DSC02201%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img alt="DSC02201" border="0" height="184" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-K-I2AnSojzg/UVu2LZE8l5I/AAAAAAAABm8/8asZ6bxmCUI/DSC02201_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="DSC02201" width="244" /></a><br />
<ul>
<li>Experiment with Windows Live Writer and hopefully not mess up this post.</li>
</ul>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294400411834490294.post-79613216835938847392013-04-02T09:00:00.000-07:002013-04-02T09:00:19.022-07:00Zulilly Shoe DealI just picked up these cute boots at Zulilly for under $25 shipped. They have lots of sales going on all the time for lots of other things. Check them out at <a href="http://zulilly.com/">Zulilly.com</a>.<br />
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There is also some really cute shirts from Food Fight.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294400411834490294.post-32445961050466729052013-03-31T15:51:00.000-07:002013-03-31T15:51:12.047-07:00Low Raised BedI was perusing the current edition of <i>Mother Earth News, </i>just minding my own business, and came across the article <i>How To Make Cheap Garden Beds</i> by Cheryl Long<i>.</i> I am completely all for this. If you know anything about my property you know it is nothing but rocks. Big rocks, little rocks, heavy rocks, round rocks, white rocks, brown rocks, etc. I have only ever built completely raised beds for gardening and hauled in dirt. I currently have 12 beds mostly 4 feet by 8 feet. <br />
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As I read the article I stumbled upon the phrase "low raised bed." Hmm, I might be able to do this. I found a test area and gave it a try. It was a lot of work but I now have a low raised bed which measures 7 feet by 2 feet. I dug up the soil and got it all loose 4 inches deep. <br />
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<a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-6gtKI4S6CUs/UVi3dQ4DfsI/AAAAAAAABlQ/_C4jaOhvkMM/s640/blogger-image-49425121.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-6gtKI4S6CUs/UVi3dQ4DfsI/AAAAAAAABlQ/_C4jaOhvkMM/s640/blogger-image-49425121.jpg" /></a></div>
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Let me tell you what's going on in the pic. At the bottom right side is what needs to be dug up. Notice there's still some green weeds growing. Next to that is a "small" rock that needs to be dug out. To the left is the tilled up soil mixed with very small rocks. In the upper left is what was finished and covered with mulch. In the upper right are not so small rocks I tossed to the side and form a border along the fence line. </div>
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Now the mulch can decompose and start improving the soil. I am going to try planting some extra seedlings there in a month to see if the bed is usable this season.</div>
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-yiHScImLgf4/UVi3iXlJQjI/AAAAAAAABlY/1uxXrr5KHD4/s640/blogger-image-581293996.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-yiHScImLgf4/UVi3iXlJQjI/AAAAAAAABlY/1uxXrr5KHD4/s640/blogger-image-581293996.jpg" /></a></div>
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I wonder where that pot went. Ah, there it is. Whoa lady, you're gonna need to get through me to get that pot. I need that pot... You're gonna have to scratch me. Pot. Scratch. Pot. Scratch. Fine, you win.</div>
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Today was the first official harvest of the season. I did a health pick of all the greens and it added up to quite a bit. I have spinach, swiss chard, 3 lettuces, and fennel. It was one gallon bag's worth.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294400411834490294.post-80029643551295029562013-03-28T18:14:00.000-07:002013-03-28T18:14:37.973-07:00Researching GreenhousesI've been battling with things in the garden for several years. The more garden blogs and pics I see the more I want a greenhouse. This seems to be the way to go to get plants grown and healthy enough to put outside. This is one of my downfalls of gardening with seed. I invariably put things out too early. Usually I'm running out of room in the house or the weather pretends it's going to behave. <br />
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Greenhouse by <b><a href="http://www.exaco.com/biostar.shtml" target="_blank">Exaco. </a></b> There's no prices on the website.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7QtFWC_MNMY/UVTSzOQt5II/AAAAAAAABkg/qlnySi3bUtM/s1600/68_YardBack_1_700.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="326" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7QtFWC_MNMY/UVTSzOQt5II/AAAAAAAABkg/qlnySi3bUtM/s400/68_YardBack_1_700.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Greenhouse by <span style="color: blue;"><b><a href="http://www.lowes.com/pd_336062-28572-80211_0__?productId=3578142&Ntt=greenhouses+duramax&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNtt%3Dgreenhouses%2Bduramax&facetInfo=" target="_blank">Duramax at Lowe's</a></b></span>. This one is under $1000 and is the largest so far for our budget. 70 square feet. I'd like to be able to attach shelves along the sides. I don't know if this is possible. If not I'd have to buy metal shelving units to maximize space.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Uo1DL02Narg/UVTVtW8137I/AAAAAAAABko/0buDfjwsQls/s1600/638801802112.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Uo1DL02Narg/UVTVtW8137I/AAAAAAAABko/0buDfjwsQls/s400/638801802112.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div>
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A one piece unit from <a href="http://www.solargemgreenhouses.com/" target="_blank"><b>Solar Gem</b></a>. No prices on the website. I've emailed them. I'm not sure how much I like the look of this. Obviously I can't attach anything to the sides and I would have to have shelving units.<br />
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The biggest consideration for choosing a greenhouse here is wind. It would be pure foolishness to consider anything with soft walls such as polyethylene. I might as well throw my money out the window. <br />
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I have awhile to consider what I will get. It's pretty much too warm here now to have anything growing in a greenhouse. It would only be used for storage or protecting plants at night from critters.<br />
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My only other choice is to carve out space somewhere in my house for 3 months out of the year and just be more patient with growing inside. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294400411834490294.post-68019138696970528812013-03-28T12:53:00.000-07:002013-03-28T12:55:41.493-07:00What's Cookin?Now that all the labor intensive work is done in the garden, I'm mostly watering and doing damage control. I've set a small goal to plant something everyday. Today I planted some okra seeds and coleus seeds indoors. I need a greenhouse... In other news I decided to buy <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Mastering-French-Cooking-Simone-Beck/dp/B001KK2NDQ/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1364497472&sr=8-4&keywords=julia+child+mastering+the+art+of+french+cooking" target="_blank"><u>Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child.</u></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Mastering-French-Cooking-Simone-Beck/dp/B001KK2NDQ/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1364497472&sr=8-4&keywords=julia+child+mastering+the+art+of+french+cooking" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7Jozets7gMA/UVSVSRqLlGI/AAAAAAAABjg/wh1IyVSH0P4/s400/718TRChnJLL._SL500_SY380_.jpg" width="287" /> </a></div>
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I've checked this book out of the library several times just to read. It's an invaluable resource. I'm happy I'll be adding it to my library and I'll be able to write notes in it.</div>
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<a href="http://www.food.com/recipe/strawberry-jam-58523" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ii6uVQzWmmQ/UVSclH4nUuI/AAAAAAAABjw/Hd01k81vCdk/s400/picMJ8Tzq.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Tomorrow I'd like to try making some <a href="http://www.food.com/recipe/strawberry-jam-58523" target="_blank">strawberry jam</a> with the little one. Strawberries are on sale cheap and I love have homemade jams instead of buying them. Now I just need to see if I have some jars...<br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394;"><b><a href="http://www.freshpreserving.com/home.aspx" target="_blank">Ball Ca<span style="background-color: white;">nning Websi<span></span>te</span></a></b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394;"><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Ball-Complete-Book-Home-Preserving/dp/077880139X/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1364500154&sr=1-3&keywords=ball+blue+book" target="_blank">Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving</a></b></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294400411834490294.post-16878935647041323022013-03-27T14:14:00.000-07:002013-03-27T14:14:21.192-07:00Gloomy Day<div style="text-align: center;">
I did not want to go outside today. I did not want to work on the garden. The freeze made me feel frozen. I was tired of gardening. I was tired of planting. The skies are so very cloudy.<br /></div>
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But outside I went. I was reluctant and petulant about it. I grumbled at the cats. I pulled all the dead plants out and reseeded. I planted new tomatoes plants. I left some of the zombie plants in the ground. They have a knack for coming back to life. I started some more cucumber seeds indoors.</div>
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" As God is my witness, as God is my witness they're not going to lick
me. I'm going to live through this and when it's all over, I'll never be
hungry again."-Scarlett O'Hara</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294400411834490294.post-56997117970484997422013-03-26T13:51:00.000-07:002013-03-26T13:51:41.620-07:00Death and DestructionDisaster hit last night. I feel a little sullen about it. It's the chance one takes with early Spring gardening. The late freeze. Not everything was killed, but enough that I will have to sow some more seeds. <br />
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Eggplant. 50-100% killed.</div>
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Beans and corn. 30-60% killed.</div>
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Cucumber. Under 20% killed.</div>
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Tomatoes were also 50% killed. Luckily beans grow very fast. The tomatoes I will just rebuy some new plants.</div>
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I haven't posted a pic of Onslo in a long time. He's still dumb because he keeps eating dirt. There's just something about new dirt he can't resist. He's gross. He's still a good little guard dog.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294400411834490294.post-48180338639569274362013-03-26T06:49:00.003-07:002013-03-26T06:50:02.708-07:00A Bit of FennelI finally broke down Friday night and harvested one of the fennel bulbs. This is what fennel looks like. At my store it costs $2.98. It has a unique lemon/licorice scent.<br />
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Since it was only one bulb I sauteed it in some butter till soft and lightly browned and ate it with some bread. </div>
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My usual favorite way to cook fennel is chopping it up along with some butternut squash, onion, and red bell pepper. I cook it in a pot on the stove until it's softened. It can be combined with many other vegetables or grains, and spices. It's considered a comfort food at our house.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294400411834490294.post-24399628180304456812013-03-22T15:01:00.000-07:002013-03-22T15:01:55.981-07:00Final Planting DayI slugged through today as best I could. Still getting over the plague and all. I was up and out in the garden around 7 this morning. It looks like we got a little more rain. The lemon tree looks like it will stick around for a little longer. I can relax a bit because the lemon tree and nectarine are still alive after one month of my nuturing care. We'll just see how those apple trees feel about it. So far the Fuji apple tree seems happy and is blooming. The Golden Dorsett apple tree looks like it's happy being a stick.<br />
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Whoa! Look at those beans. The instructions said to plant beans and squash once the corn was six inches tall. This is two days of growth for the beans. I think they are going to overtake the corn. I had some old tomato cages sitting around so I put one around each bean plant. I'm not worried about the squash since it <i>should</i> spread across the ground. </div>
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The eggplant is planted. There's actually 2 eggplants. I'm not a big eggplant eater. I like the color. I pulled that pesky leaf out from under the wire and fixed it so it can't try to hide under it again. </div>
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I planted it in this bed I just threw together yesterday. I'm not sure it will work but I wanted to try. I used 2.25 plain fence boards from the store. The boards are 8 feet long. I used 2 for the long sides and cut one board into 2 foot sections. I used 2 of those for the ends. I had some extra 2x4 pieces laying around. I used those for the corners and put together using 2 inch screws.</div>
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The last of the tomatoes are planted. Please, please, please let them grow. I love tomatoes.</div>
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Here is the last of the cucumber project. I'll take a full pic once they start growing up the lattice. I really wanted to be done with planting today even though I was a little wary about planting these today. While putting them in their hole I noticed they had a nice root system already. I hope I get to make pickles.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294400411834490294.post-48413294701328978412013-03-22T05:06:00.002-07:002013-03-22T15:02:14.093-07:00Beans, Squash, Waffles, and Ding DongsI wish the title implied this was a better post. I was finally down for
the count yesterday with, hopefully, the last of the Winter
illnesses/colds. I didn't work on anything and slept most of the day<br />
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A few days ago I had planted beans and squash with the corn and those are starting to come up. I kept real careful records and don't know which ones are beans and which ones are squash. I do remember they are beans and squash...with corn. Yep. </div>
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The lovely Mr. Man got me a present. We had talked about how I have never had a waffle iron and wanted one but never remembered when I was at the store. We would have bought one on Amazon <strike>because we're lazy</strike>, but it's cheaper at the store. Mr. Man broke down and bought me one from the store. It wasn't too hard to learn to use and by the 4th waffle I was a pro. </div>
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Have you ever found yourself calling someone a ding dong? "Oh you silly dingdong!" It turns out there is an actual person named Ding Dong. Ding Dong Feng to be exact. They live in Beijing, China. Who knew?</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294400411834490294.post-18675116706414773022013-03-20T20:38:00.000-07:002013-03-20T20:38:18.260-07:00Homesteading For Beginners SeriesI was over on the Facebook and came across a trailer on YouTube for this Homesteading for Beginners Volume 4. It is so stinkin cute!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/4ZdTCplw85w" width="560"></iframe><br />
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All 4 volumes can be found on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Homesteading-Beginners-Volume-One-DVD/dp/B003GDUWII/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1363836961&sr=8-1&keywords=homesteading+for+beginners+dvd" target="_blank">Amazon</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Homesteading-Beginners-Volume-One-DVD/dp/B003GDUWII/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1363836961&sr=8-1&keywords=homesteading+for+beginners+dvd" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ul0sc1sDcTw/UUp_DKlW8_I/AAAAAAAABfg/quNHz_nz3iY/s320/51j55ZOhfpL.jpg" width="227" /></a></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294400411834490294.post-11180909794039402992013-03-20T08:19:00.000-07:002013-03-20T08:19:15.540-07:00Apple TreeNooo you can't go into the garden. You must stay with meee and pay attention to meee and pet meee. Yes kitteh, I know you're there. Really, I must do all this work now and when I rest you will sit on my lap and tell me about all the injustice you have suffered.<br />
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I'm currently working on a post about my cucumbers but for now I will post about other things I'm doing. In the back garden I have this lovely statue. Well, she used to be lovely. I'm not quite sure of the hardships she must have suffered because she's now missing an arm and her head fell off. She's still smiling and it becomes sort of quirky and silly. I'll leave her there. She's keeping some onions company.<br />
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This shed is almost done. It needs to be painted. In the meantime I worked on this spot to give it a little happy color. I planted Mexican Heather and petunias. Even though it gets so horribly hot, I planted these due to the position of the shed. At just after noon the shed starts to create shade and shields these plants. I'm also going to use the shed shade to help grow my cucumbers. Anyone else use this strategy?<br />
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I wanted to plant an apple tree this year. So far we have a nectarine tree and a lemon tree. The little one and I made a pilgrimage to the store and got this Fuji apple tree. I planted it pretty easily and <i>then</i> read the tag. It needs a pollinator. This means it needs another apple tree to be able to pollinate and make baby apples. We'll be going back to the store today. The tag says a Golden Delicious apple tree is a good match. I like those apples, too, so I guess that's what I'll get. But that's it! No more fruit trees this year! <br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294400411834490294.post-4494340997759248702013-03-19T06:57:00.000-07:002013-03-19T06:57:30.484-07:00I Love Spring!I just love Spring for all the wonderful surprises it brings. It brings them everyday, too. I can't think of another season which things change so rapidly. Can you?<br />
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The lifeless and boring lavender has woke up and is getting fuller and now wants to flower.</div>
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The little one planted these. She has an amazing green thumb with sunflowers. If they grow to their intended height we will surely be the envy of the neighborhood, with many 10 foot tall sunflowers around the property.</div>
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Oh alien flower, what are thou? You have raised your majestic and strange head. We will know you soon.</div>
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I'm having some great results with fennel. I've never grown it before. It sort of wintered over before growing bigger. The deer don't seem to like it. I shall plant it everywhere.</div>
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Bronze tipped lettuces are yummy though they tend to look like they are turning brown and dying. </div>
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I like this lettuce for it's shape, not necessarily it's taste. </div>
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Aha! You are a Poppy, little alien flower. I'm so glad I didn't dig up all your friends. Now we will have lots of Poppies blooming.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294400411834490294.post-29477518208047464922013-03-17T08:04:00.000-07:002013-03-17T08:04:50.768-07:00Maurice's<span style="font-size: small;">Last Friday the little one and I had some <i>serious</i> shopping to do, I mean really serious. There was a princess party and she needed a real princess dress. Where else to go but the Disney Store. Once there I was sooo incredibly lucky because she found the dress she wanted right away. (Disney, you need to have a dressing room since I'm spending this much for a dress.) I had a coupon for 20% off and we made it out of the store ALIVE! </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Now I'm not opposed to shopping. Though I hate the traffic I like going to different stores and seeing all the new things out there. This is also where I have a problem: new things. A lot of things I see aren't really new. A lot of stores I see are regurgitating the same tired things year after year. There are certain stores I can't stand to go in anymore because there's simply nothing new and the quality is becoming subpar. The husband likes to go to Old Navy but this is one of the stores I no longer like because of quality and boredom. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">I had also received a coupon in the mail for 50% off at Maurice's. Now that's a coupon I can like. It was also by the Disney Store. This store has a wide array of sizes and is crammed full of stuff. The helpful store manager told me how the store was organized and I went off looking for something to use my coupon on.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xd6lkkbZDeE/UUXa9KuXPHI/AAAAAAAABcU/9bXQx791Iy8/s1600/hp_chip_0317.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="204" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xd6lkkbZDeE/UUXa9KuXPHI/AAAAAAAABcU/9bXQx791Iy8/s320/hp_chip_0317.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">While I was looking around the little one and the manager conspired against me and got me to try things on. The dressing room was great! It had this little couch and I wanted to get some tea and a book and just stay in there. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">In the end they convinced me I needed this lace edged camisole top and these capri jeans with a very sparkly behind. How cool are those going to look in the garden?! I also got some new sandals. (Warning: Only slender feet will fit into their sandals.) </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">My bill was like $2 because of all the coupons and promotions. I couldn't even keep them straight. I'll get something in the mail, and email, and the end of the month, and once a year, twice if it's a odd number year, and on and on and on. I can also stack them all on top of the store's regular sale. So they should be paying me to take clothes out of their store. </span><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294400411834490294.post-17997534830970133342013-03-15T16:05:00.000-07:002013-03-15T16:05:27.399-07:00Garlic, Sage, and Chard<span style="font-size: small;">I decided to make this easy sounding recipe in the crockpot. It called for some cloves of garlic. One clove of garlic had a green tip growing. I can plant this! I looked it up on SuperduperGoogle. Easy peasy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">I let it soak in some water while I went out to town for a bit. Ok, for awhile because I was at the garden center...again. When I got back home I planted it 2 inches deep with the green sticking up. We'll see if it works. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-eQ4aCdBeRaU/UUNDGb0HQ7I/AAAAAAAABbU/Fm2SDCZqXNg/s640/blogger-image--1008972634.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-eQ4aCdBeRaU/UUNDGb0HQ7I/AAAAAAAABbU/Fm2SDCZqXNg/s640/blogger-image--1008972634.jpg" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">At the garden center I found this strange plant. It's sage with variegated coloring. I'm not particularly good at growing herbs but I'll give anything a try. I found the salvia plants I wanted. I planted 5 salvia plants along the fence line. I also picked up some Mexican heather for the husband. I also am continuing my obsession with tomato plants. There's always that one vegetable or fruit I can't get enough of.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-26d-jqrtOJk/UUOjg3K305I/AAAAAAAABbs/ZlgKhQ7TaPQ/s640/blogger-image--51004844.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-26d-jqrtOJk/UUOjg3K305I/AAAAAAAABbs/ZlgKhQ7TaPQ/s640/blogger-image--51004844.jpg" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Here's a cute little guy volunteering in the garden. The yard has mostly prickly pear cactus. This is the only cactus of this variety I've seen. I'm not sure what the little white puffs are. Probably spiders...sigh.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">I decided to take a few leaves of the chard. I gave them to the rabbits who get very excited and act like a woman getting chocolate. </span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294400411834490294.post-33797634198522486822013-03-14T16:54:00.000-07:002013-03-14T16:54:54.664-07:00Seed Blitz<span style="font-size: small;">Today the little one asked if we could plant some seeds. Sure! Let me drag out all the seeds and let's go plant them all...everywhere. Let's not label anything either. I like a nice surprise. We also planted some experiments. Ever wonder what you get when you plant beans and watermelon seeds in the same hole? Us too. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">An unfortunate part of the landscape is having to cage everything in so the cats can't dig and pee all over it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">The onions I recently planted are looking very happy. The green part is thick and firm to the touch, which means they are settling into their new home nicely. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SVDpwk3B6sM/UUJegk0RdiI/AAAAAAAABaE/7kwH-9EHTDM/s1600/DSC02174.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SVDpwk3B6sM/UUJegk0RdiI/AAAAAAAABaE/7kwH-9EHTDM/s320/DSC02174.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"> Also in prison is this huge Swiss chard plant. It's been around for a couple of seasons. It likes to mock the cats. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EKThw9EHFFc/UUJehDvufjI/AAAAAAAABaM/W_sHtmrODTo/s1600/DSC02175.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EKThw9EHFFc/UUJehDvufjI/AAAAAAAABaM/W_sHtmrODTo/s320/DSC02175.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">I found a small bunch of spinach growing which I didn't plant. There always seem to be some surprise volunteers in unexpected places. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YIyHOnUX2YY/UUJeh78BS2I/AAAAAAAABaU/D01fr201NAg/s1600/DSC02176.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YIyHOnUX2YY/UUJeh78BS2I/AAAAAAAABaU/D01fr201NAg/s320/DSC02176.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">I really hope this bed turns out well. I took all my variety of greens and fennel seeds and mixed them all up and then planted my rows. I'm hoping it will grow with a variety of color and texture. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TeDb6fKxP64/UUJejp19AXI/AAAAAAAABa8/CdqKz6ZeA7E/s1600/DSC02178.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TeDb6fKxP64/UUJejp19AXI/AAAAAAAABa8/CdqKz6ZeA7E/s320/DSC02178.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">I had been racking my brain trying to figure out what to plant along the fence line. I want something pretty that grows well and the deer won't eat. I walked by this bush in our yard so many times. If only I could find something that grows huge and the deer won't eat. Hmm. Gosh, I wish this really huge deer resistant bush would stop getting in my way. Oh! I'll be buying some more of these soon. It's a Salvia bush. It also attracts humming birds. I'm sure the cats will like that except humming birds are insanely fast and they like to fly around very early. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t0kK2RVs7LE/UUJejmxfOnI/AAAAAAAABas/iBGmw5hr3ZQ/s1600/DSC02179.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t0kK2RVs7LE/UUJejmxfOnI/AAAAAAAABas/iBGmw5hr3ZQ/s320/DSC02179.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">The little one has been practicing with her bow and arrow. I'm no expert but I would say I'd better like the taste of cardboard if I ever have to rely on her for hunting food. She also shot a cactus. Getting the arrow out taught her she should think things through or she might be getting herself into a prickly situation. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5294400411834490294.post-49383230127030301842013-03-13T17:33:00.000-07:002013-03-13T17:33:06.077-07:00Applejack and The Alien PlantThe other day I finally got something I've wanted forever, a riding lawn mower. You'll notice it's already dusty and dirty from all the mowing I've done. It's a little like riding one of those kiddie roller coasters. It didn't shorten my mow time but I'm a LOT less tired. It even has a drink holder. Wooooo. Fanceee. Another feature is to disengage the blade and use it for hauling your really big wagon around and looking like a hot shot. Or letting your 7 year old steer it and growing some more gray hair. The 7 year old named it Applejack. I wanted to name it Legshredder or Catscrambler. Oh well.<br />
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<a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-DZEnP6wO1m8/UUEXk72NMiI/AAAAAAAABZc/4xHLXYrZ7js/s640/blogger-image--642478417.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-DZEnP6wO1m8/UUEXk72NMiI/AAAAAAAABZc/4xHLXYrZ7js/s640/blogger-image--642478417.jpg" /></a></div>
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Here's my usual garden helper. No, no pay attention to ME, not that stupid mower. You haven't pet me in like the last 5 seconds.<br />
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I am growing some kind of alien plant. I say this because I have no idea what it is and there seems to be a lot of them scattered around the property. Last fall I did scatter some poppy flower seeds. Is this them? No idea. It reminds me of the plant in Little Shop of Horrors. I can't wait till it blooms to see just what it is.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0