It’s never too early to plan next year’s garden

Our squares are not even properly tucked in for winter and I am already thinking about next year’s garden.

I want to do more carrots. Carrots are easy and they taste completely different out of the garden. We never had enough at once to really enjoy them as a dish so I think several more squares will get carrots next year.

I want to try beets again as our attempt at beets got smothered by the summer squashes and tomatillo. As much as I love square foot gardening I think some things take up too much room. We have some buckets already to go for the zucchini, crookneck and tomatillo. We can move them around to allow them the space they need, and it they get to grow in Mel’s Mix. And I swear to prune and thin the tomatillo vigorously. We had pounds and pounds of marble size tomatillos, and the poor lady was still making flowers when we decided she was done.

We are also going to try growing potatoes in straw. I will let you know how that goes. Our corn was too much fun so Brian will get his box again. However next year we will properly support them as well as space out the planting. When you plant all at once, they are ripe all at once.
I think we will skip radishes next year. They are fun to grow because they are ready so fast, but we don’t really eat them.

We had fun with the Anaheim’s once we learned to properly roast them to remove the skin. And please learn from my mistake, capsaicin has cumulative effects that you might not expect. Even if the peppers are not hot, if you have more than a couple, use gloves.

I think we are giving up on cilantro. Not that we don’t love cilantro, we just can’t seem to grow it. Please let me know if you have the secret. I am not so sure about broccoli either.

I will defiantly do pickling cuc’s again. However not so many unless I decide they are the ‘neighbor’ gift for Christmas 09’ Although, with all those cuc’s and a husband who will not eat them in salad or plain, I did find a recipe for a cucumber lime aid that was yummy! Here it is:

Auga Fresca de Pepino

3 quarts water

3 cucumbers, peeled and chopped

1/2 C freshly squeezed lime juice

1/4 C sugar

Pour 1/2 C of the water and 1 cup of the cucumbers in blender, Blend until cucumbers are pureed then add more cucumbers and water until all cucumbers are pureed.

Using a fine mesh sieve, strain cucumbers into a pitcher to remove seeds and pulp. Stir in remaining ingredients.

Chill before serving over crushed ice. Garnish with a slice of lime.

I am falling in love with my husband.

I am falling in love with my husband all over again. We are both feeling a love and a peace that has been missing for a while now. The decision to adopt has been a difficult one, and has torn us apart in ways we didn’t even realize until we decided that this is what we are going to do. It is such a big decision, not only to add a child to our family, but to do it in this way. You don’t know what you’re getting, but you know it is going to be hard.

We had been talking about adoption for years, and had finally decided that we would not bring a child in our lives. We had decided that Ian was enough, the few weeks he is with us and the little contact we have. We have a great life and why fix what is not broken. And then my biological clock, which had never ticked, rang. Loudly!

It took a while for Brian to hear that this is not something I want but something I NEED. I need to care for a child. I have raised corn and cats, and hopefully one day chickens, but I need to raise a child. And while I love my step son, it’s not enough. While I think our relationship is special, I am not his mom. He has a mom.

Brian on the other hand was thinking that one kid, that breaks his heart with the distance between them, is enough. He worries about having enough money for the things that we enjoy and that are important to us. He worries about having enough time to be a good parent and for our marriage and for those things he likes to do. He worries that a child might come between us.

Somehow he has come to the decision that he will trust me that this is right for us. And that leap of faith in me, in us, has my heart doing loops of love and joy. What an amazing man I married.

Kitchen Cleaner

Here is a recipe for an organic kitchen cleaner that will disinfect, deodorize and cut grease. And its cheep, at least per sprayer full.

Years ago I tried several “Organic Cleaner” recipes but found that they didn’t really work as good as what you can buy at the store. But I didn’t like what you can buy at the store. Either the chemicals bothered me or I felt ripped off paying for what is basically vinegar, or bleach, or ammonia and water.

My favorite cleaner was bleach and water; kills 99.9% of the bad stuff and that smell lets you know it’s clean. After I ruined 2 new shirts in the same week, Brian decided it was time to reconsider.

This is based off of several recipes found in various places on the internet. I have been using this version for a few months now and love it! The oils can be hard to find and expensive, but you only use drops (literally.) It is easy enough even I am willing to mix some up when it is time to refill.

In a large spray bottle place:
2 Cups Water
1 Cup vinegar
10 drops tea tree oil
20 drops (about 1/16 t) your favorite essential oil (see note)
Shake and spray, allow it to sit a couple of minutes on the surface you wish to fully disinfect. Shake before each use.

Note: The 20 drops essential oil are optional, however the vinegar and tea tree oil smell funny. I am currently using Sweet Orange oil and 20 drops are not enough to make it really smell orange, just enough to neutralize the smell.