I am in my happy Place today!

Cherlynn
Cherlynn Posts: 169 ✭✭✭
edited June 2018 in Our Garden: Growing Food
Cherlynn that's awesome! Glad those little bees are doing their work on your pepper plants! Our creek is full of frogs and sometimes at night it is so loud! I love when they all start and stop simultaneously!
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Comments

  • bmaverick
    bmaverick Posts: 175 ✭✭✭
    edited July 2018
    Nice.  I sure miss them back in TN.
  • Marjory Wildcraft
    Marjory Wildcraft Posts: 1,615 admin
    edited August 2018
    Awww Cherlynn, thanks so much for brightening up my day too!

     
  • Cherlynn
    Cherlynn Posts: 169 ✭✭✭
    edited August 2018
    I keep going to my Happy Place!  We got close to 4 inches of rain this week.  It took 2 whole days for the puddles to get soaked into our very dry land.
  • Marc Thoma
    Marc Thoma Posts: 77 ✭✭
    edited August 2018
    My happy place is my garden as well. I'm so grateful for being able to go out and pull up an onion or some carrots for dinner. Or pick a peach fresh off the tree, sun-warmed and so sweet to eat with the juices dripping off my chin!

    I want my 5-year old daughter to grow up that way too so she has her own little 2x3' planter box where she's had some success growing veggies in. In fact considering of slowly converting my 1/8 acre urban backyard into a full homestead and documenting the journey on my blog.

    We could use rain here in Victoria, BC, Canada (normally we call it the we(s)t coast but right now it is awfully dry). I hate to see my water bill next month. Need to get some more water barrels setup to harvest rainwater at least for my container plants. And I'm still waiting for a truckload of free arborist wood chips - might have to call a few more tree companies.
  • Cherlynn
    Cherlynn Posts: 169 ✭✭✭
    edited August 2018
    I can say our drought is over.  My pond is full and the forecast for the next ten days is rain every single day!   I think we are in for an early winter so hoping I will be ready for it.  I will start striping my garden that survived the drought and hope to get herbs and greens transplanted to come in.  We are really hoping to have the new house far enough around so we can work on it during the winter.   Got a late start but we are permanently setting walls now and should be ready to start inside  early next week.
  • christen
    christen Posts: 16
    edited August 2018
    For the first time in a long time, I can hear crickets in the evening every night!  I live near the downtown area of a growing suburban town so it's been very nice!  Hearing them always makes me smile.
  • Cherlynn
    Cherlynn Posts: 169 ✭✭✭
    edited September 2018
    Lighting bugs is another thing we lost!  Just realized that this week and called but they said those will return in time.  I sure am getting tired of the rain!  Having spent the entire summer in a drought I try not to complain but 10 full days of rain????!!!!!!

     
  • Marc Thoma
    Marc Thoma Posts: 77 ✭✭
    edited September 2018
    Do you have rain barrels setup? I had mine setup but when we got our house roof redone two years ago I disconnected them to avoid getting the algicide in the water and never hooked them up again. I plan to hook them up this winter to my greenhouse roof that I can collect rainwater safely from.
  • NanC
    NanC Posts: 53 ✭✭
    edited September 2018
    We have had so much rain downfalls at once that our gutters have overflowed all summer long.  I keep barrels at the corner downspouts and have been able to use them like rain barrels all summer to water the garden when we would get up to 2 week drought intervals because of really oppressively hot heat before the next wet episode.  But most of August and September  it's been raining.  We are expecting heavy downpours and severe thunderstorms this evening (the forecast keeps turning into rain 1-2 days before the previous one said only partly cloudy skies).  Losing the sun so many times has an effect.
  • Cherlynn
    Cherlynn Posts: 169 ✭✭✭
    edited October 2018
    I am so happy that you are in your happy place today!   My replacement frogs are in their happy place too!  Nonstop rain has them hopping about cheerfully!  During our searing heat and drought I would place little dishes of water out for them but now that we are getting nonstop rain they are so very happy!
  • Marjory Wildcraft
    Marjory Wildcraft Posts: 1,615 admin
    edited October 2018
    Ah Cherylnn, that's so sweet.  I too keep a thing of water out for the little froggies in the unbearable dryness of the Texas Summer.

    I am in a really happy spot this morning, although it has been rough for the past few weeks.

    Going outside and feeling my feet on bare soil helps a lot!

     
  • Cherlynn
    Cherlynn Posts: 169 ✭✭✭
    edited October 2018
    These little frogs are different from the ones we had before.  They are much darker instead of the bright green ones we had before. But having lost so much this year I am grateful for any frogs, bee's and wasps!  I am really hoping to hear my Spring Peepers again next year!   We are suppose to have our first frost on Sunday so I will spend this week saving the warm crops.  My daughter borrowed my best dehydrator so I will have to dig out my old clunky one to dry my basil and oregano.  I hope we are all in our Happy place today!
  • Dominica
    Dominica Posts: 42
    edited October 2018
    That's wonderful! I love the sounds of frogs. :-)

     
  • Alison
    Alison Posts: 179 ✭✭✭
    edited October 2018
    Wow, frogs, bees, rain and a new house, that is an amazing combination. I am sure the frogs are happily multiplying with all the wet weather. I'm sure your pepper plants are going to leap into action as well (:
  • Marc Thoma
    Marc Thoma Posts: 77 ✭✭
    edited October 2018
    Yes, rain is precious. Especially when you are trying to grow things. We had a drought here in BC, Canada that lasted from May to August. While I did irrigate, plants really need that deep soaking they get from a decent rainfall. Now of course in winter we'll have plenty of rain. I need to setup my water barrels again so I'll have enough water in spring and early summer next year.

    I too am in my happy place, just in the final stages of finishing my new eBook - it is a passion project and dear to my heart.
  • Marjory Wildcraft
    Marjory Wildcraft Posts: 1,615 admin
    edited October 2018
    Marc,

     

    what is your ebook about?

     
  • Marc Thoma
    Marc Thoma Posts: 77 ✭✭
    edited October 2018
    Marjory, I posted a link to it (and I hope that is okay, if not, please remove it) in this thread: https://thegrownetwork.com/forums/topic/childrens-2x4-foot-cedar-planter-raised-bed/

    This has been a passion project for me. At points in writing the sales page and other material, I was close to tears because I really want to see so many other children benefit like my daughter has benefitted from having her own garden. She said to me yesterday when I picked her up from kindergarten that she tells her teacher almost everyday about her garden. I hope it is infectious just like the colds kids get in school and bring home!
  • DebiB
    DebiB Posts: 92 ✭✭✭
    edited October 2018
    Congrats Marc!  That's wonderful to hear.  Kids can learn a lot from growing their own gardens.

    When my son was little he had his own garden in the corner of our yard.  I liked to call his style of gardening "chaos gardening".  He took all my flower seeds and threw them in the corner of the yard and saw what came up from it.  I have to admit I was amazed at how well the flowers took care of themselves.  His favorite at the time was the big, tall sunflowers.  At one point we put a bird feeder back there too.  He's older now and is growing a Carolina Reaper Pepper plant this year.
  • Marc Thoma
    Marc Thoma Posts: 77 ✭✭
    edited October 2018
    I've had good luck overwintering my celery plants and I think this is now the 3rd winter for them. So long the roots don't rot, the tops can die off and sprout new stalks once it warms up again. I'm in Zone 8b, in Victoria, BC, Canada and our winters are usually mild, very rarely dropping below freezing for more than a few days at a time.

    We did eat sunchokes once when we had them in our CSA box, but they gave us very bad gas! So we haven't bothered planting them in our garden. Any cooking tricks to make them less gassy?
  • Marc Thoma
    Marc Thoma Posts: 77 ✭✭
    edited October 2018
    Lisa, we've had drought conditions too. It rained in April and then nothing of significance until sometime in late August. I need to get my rain barrels setup again in winter and try and collect as much as possible in our wet winter. Mind you this has been the driest October as well, with a stretch of dry weather for the last two-three weeks.

    Maybe we'll try sun chokes again - from what I remember we tried roasting them and boiling them. At the time we were still eating meat but now that we are mainly vegetarian, maybe they will digest better as you say.
  • Wendy
    Wendy Posts: 20
    edited October 2018
    The nickname for sunchokes is "fartichokes"....lol.  The inulin in them makes you gassy.  I made a few into our potatoes or turnip, less gas that way.

    Here in the Canadian prairies we had quite a drought this year as well.  We went into last fall in a drought situation, then next to no snow over winter.  The last three weeks has seen significant rain which is great but too late for a lot of plants that started going dormant in September.

    I guess I am very lucky.  Even when I lived in the city of Winnipeg, I still heard crickets in fall and croakers in the spring.  Lots of green spaces there.

    My happy place is at my pond on my "farm".  Or the shore of any of the lakes we are blessed with over 100,000 of them in my province of Manitoba.  Bare foot is best but we are below freezing now, so it will be about 6 months or more before I can do that again.  So happy to see wildlife being re-introduced!   That's awesome!
  • Marjory Wildcraft
    Marjory Wildcraft Posts: 1,615 admin
    edited October 2018
    "Fartichokes!  LOL love that name Wendy...

    Yeah, they make me super gassy too - which is such a shame as they are tough, tough plants that grow almost everywhere.  I had wished they would work for me...  I think they are high in oxalates?

     

     
  • Marjory Wildcraft
    Marjory Wildcraft Posts: 1,615 admin
    edited October 2018
    Hi Lisa,  I did boil mine, but not with lemon or vinegar...  Hmm, I was so gassy though I am not sure that would help.  Pickling?  That could possibly do something :)  You know, if I find some at the co-op I'll try that.

     
  • Cherlynn
    Cherlynn Posts: 169 ✭✭✭
    edited November 2018
    How fun to have a blessed week off  Lisa!  Our snow still hasn't melted. We only have a few more days that are above freezing so hoping it all melts.  We are frantically trying to get the rest of the metal put up on the upper  outside walls before Saturday when we go into the deep freeze.   I need to make a bunch of mini pies tomorrow.  Got Herbed rolls, Cranberry whip and my Mom's Orange Jello made up today in between work sessions.  My son got called to do an emergency delivery to Des Moines and Cedar City tomorrow so he will leave at 3 AM and not get home until evening time.  So there goes our extra help on the new house and in the kitchen.  He was planning on helping with the pie baking.  Now I just hope I have time to make the pies!   But I would rather be working outside when its 40 instead of when its 20 and raining or snowing which is what is headed here by the weekend.   If we get the rest of the metal up I will be back in my happy place!    I can deck out in my nice warm house and enjoy the winter that is coming.
  • Cherlynn
    Cherlynn Posts: 169 ✭✭✭
    edited December 2018
    I am pea green with envy for those who are putting in Fall gardens this time of the year!  But I am still very happy here on the open plains even in the winter time.   I get to rest and so does my garden.   I am hoping for fresh snow for Christmas.   Well as long as it doesn't fall on the days my husband and son are making their deliveries.  One does Omaha/ Lincoln NE and the other does NE Iowa.  Snow and ice can change their 15 hour delivery route into a much longer day.  So far this year has been kinder to them but just getting into winter real good so who knows!
  • Cherlynn
    Cherlynn Posts: 169 ✭✭✭
    edited December 2018
    I love white Christmas's but most of our snow has melted away and it goes a little above freezing each day now so I will not have a white Christmas this year.  Which is fine as we are not going anywhere but many others will be traveling and I hope they have nice safe travels this holiday season.   That is more important then my looking out at the pretty white snow.  I'll have plenty of time for that in January and February.   Last year we had snow clear into May.   I just read Majorie's blog on making wild yeast starter.  I have used starter for years but it's starter I started using a dab of yeast.  I am wanting to do up the wild yeast starter but will have to wait until June or July to get those 70 degree days.   I don't eat much bread any more.   Used to live on it but my food allergies over the last years I gave up all grains until I learned that GMO stuff was the problem.   Just don't care for it much anymore.   Mostly eating fresh veggies and fruits.  Just got one last gift to get done for Christmas.  A tent for my grandson's.  I've been waiting for my husband to make the frame before I finish up the quilt panels for it but thought of a way to make it work no matter what size it ends up being.   Hope you all have your Christmas pretty well wrapped up too!
  • Cherlynn
    Cherlynn Posts: 169 ✭✭✭
    edited December 2018
    I think everyone is busy with The Holidays.  But I am still in my happy place even if we don't have any snow right now.  Heaven knows we have had plenty so far so a week without should be a treat!   Tomorrow is a delivery day so I will take off early morning to pick up my daughter and grandson's and go visit my sister who lives well into Kansas.  Then I hope to get my hair cut and finish up my grocery shopping that was mostly done last week.  I put off finishing up just to get closer to Christmas so I can get fresh brussel sprouts as mine bit the dust in all the snow we've had.  Or maybe I'll get asparagus instead.  Been a while since we had asparagus.  I frozen some but it's all been used up.  My son is doing up a taco bar for Christmas Eve.  Giving me a break before our big meal on Christmas day.  Most everything gets made ahead of time and the chicken and ham will go into crock-pots.  Doing a potato casserole so just got the fresh veg that only I and my husband will eat.  Neither of our two son's that live with us do cooked veggies.  All the rest have plans made. So a nice quiet Christmas.   I will see my grandson's again on Christmas Eve.  The tent frame my husband made won't fit into my car unless I want to take out all the screws and then put them all back in which I don't.  I think Grandpa wanted to go see them again!   Anyway, Hope every one has a lovely extended weekend with those you love.
  • AmyWhitney
    AmyWhitney Posts: 5
    edited January 2019
    Right now, "happy" for me is planning the next version of my garden! I have the list of what I would like to grow, my box of saved seeds from last year, and seed catalogs to peruse for filling in the gaps between what-I-have and what-I-want. This is a great time of year!
  • Cherlynn
    Cherlynn Posts: 169 ✭✭✭
    edited January 2019
    Amy I am so happy you have found your happy place today! I'm so discouraged with all this snow.  10 day forecast is nothing but this 4 lettered word.  We can't even get out to go to the store, work, schools are closed.  I guess my happy place these days is my nice warm house with lots of food stored up.  We've actually crawled out of single digits today, we are at a balmy 12 degrees.
  • Marjory Wildcraft
    Marjory Wildcraft Posts: 1,615 admin
    edited January 2019
    Hi CHerlynn,

    Whew, just having moved to snow country I am learning a lot.

    But the local folks here love the snow as it means there will be moisture next growing season.  One farmer told me she knew that if she had at least 8" on the ground at her place there would be enough in the mountins for the ditch water to run all summer.  She was happy for more too.