Squirrels – I Beg to Differ

From personal experience I have found that most people think of squirrels as a nuisance.   Granted I don’t particularly like it when they dig up my bulbs.  But there’s a quick fix – cayenne pepper!  No biggie! 

Now this might be hard for some to believe but I kind of admire them.  I look at it this way.  They are some of the hardest working critters around.  Constantly preparing for tomorrow.  An honorable trait in a person.  So why is it not so with a squirrel?

And when the odd black or white squirrel comes along, well people love them.  So in defense of l’il ole grey squirrels I will say that I like having them around.  They add interest and livelihood to the great outdoors.  At least they do in my outdoor life.

A Taste of Spring - Vintage Seed Catalog

The Original Victory Gardens

I love old seed catalogs.  This is one of my favorites.  A Salzer Seed Catalog from 1941!


The pictures have that beautiful vintage look but more interesting is that this catalog is dated January 2, 1941 putting it at a very important time in history - the midst of WW 2.  The era of the original Victory Garden. Within the pages there is a letter from the president of Salzer Seeds, Mr. Kenneth E. Salzer, encouraging Americans to plant gardens to help their country. You should read it.  It's really cool. (Click on the images to enlarge for reading / viewing.)

If you read this letter from the president you have to get the sense that life is coming full circle.  Moving back to eating local.

Purty, huh?   Spring is in the air!  OK - so I'm exaggerating.  Let's just call it a burst of color on a drabby winter day.

I am joining Tootsie’s Fertilizer Friday so check it out.  There’s always lots of pretties!

Unexpected Pretties - Fertilizer Friday

I read (and love) Tootsie’s blog but I’ve never participated in  Fertilizer Friday before so I’m the new (albeit old) kid in town.  I am not fortunate enough to live in a sunny house so I have to dig into my photos from last season.

Do you recognize this?

Notice on the lower right that a second bloom is bursting from it’s papery covering.

They were cut from these.Leeks!

I now know why leeks are so expensive.  These were planted in the spring of 2008 and over wintered in the garden into 2009.  I had no idea they would take so long to grow!   Oy....patience is a virtue.

So in addition to the scrumptious Potato Leek Soup that was made, a bouquet was born!  Waste not, want not.

That is my contribution to Fertilizer Friday for this week.  I would love to be contributing something that is “live ‘n kicking” but that is still months away.   Visit Tootsie’s blog where there are sure to be plenty.

P.S.  I am renovating my blog so please bear with me.

A White Christmas It Is…..

A lot of people dream of them.  Even Bing Crosby.  Me, not so much.  I’ve seen more than my fair share of snow and the novelty wore off decades years ago.  After all I grew up in Canada and only migrated south in midlife.  To New England no less.  Bright move, huh?

So without further ado, for those of you who long for snow at Christmas, this is for you.

Down at the creek.  (I am so grateful for zoom lenses!)

This next little guy is one of my favorites.  Talk about troopers.  They don’t even show up until the weather turns cold!   Dark-Eyed Juncos are ground feeders and hop around under the feeders to pick up seeds.  In case you’re interested, you can learn more about Juncos here.

 

With a friend.

Rummaging for seed.

Busy, busy feeders.

My neighbor’s roof!

And that was Mother Nature’s gift to us!  Thanks Mom!

P.S.  I double posted this to both blogs.  I figured this had more to do with my outdoor blog and I wanted to keep track of the outdoors in the “off season”.

Fall at the Mill – Out and About

Not much to say.  Just a few pretty pictures from a lovely Fall day.   (Taken Nov 12, 2009)

Milkweed

Kreativ Blogger - The Good, The Bad and The Silly

I would like to thank Lori E. of  Family Trees May Contain Nuts (Don't you just love that name!  What a hoot!) for passing this award along to me.   This is the second time that I have received an award (the first was in my other blog)  and I have to say it was a surprise both times.   I'm still not quite sure why but I don't mind playing.  

1. I became a mother for the first time on my birthday.
   
2. I am very quiet and  I'm fairly certain that I am incapable of yelling.  Just don't have it in me.
3. Contrary to #2, when I get together with a good friend, I am quite the chatterbox.
   
4. One day I hope  to swim with dolphins.  That would be an absolute thrill.
   
5. If I wet one hand, I have to wet the other.  I know!  So Silly!  A tad OCD perhaps.  And it doesn't end there.  The daughter mentioned is #1 is the same!
   
6. I used to be extremely shy.  But that was then, and this is now.  Not so shy anymore.
7. Karma is a powerful thing.  I firmly believe that "you get what you give" in life. 

Now I'm supposed to pass this along to seven other bloggers.  Thing is, I did this last week in my other blog and I don't want to inundate anyone so I will wait a little bit to do it.   I hope the blogger bogey man doesn't haul me off to jail!

Exploring My Neighboring Towns - Wrentham

Last week I was out and about enjoying the colors of the season and came upon a little farm in the neighboring town of Wrentham.  Several times I had been tempted to buy my pumpkins from the grocery store (chain) but repeatedly resisted.  It means far more to a local farmer that I buy from them.  So in a very haphazard way I found Adams Farm.  As a matter of fact, I am assuming that I was in Wrentham MA.  Actually factually, I may have been in Cumberland RI.  Either way my intention was well meaning and mission accomplished.  So here are a few pictures from my meandering trip.

Pretty New England Barn

Perhaps the farm guard?  He looks like he means business.

These were some good looking goats.  Look!  A Dalmatian!

These guys were just traipsing along the side of the road.

A horse in the field.  Just doing her thing.

What a beauty!  If I am not mistaken, she is getting her winter coat.

The waning days of Fall.

My Snake Gourd

I may not have had one single tomato sandwich from my garden this summer but I did have this.....

Isn't he sweet?  Just in time for Halloween!

Grown from seed too!

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A Bloom in the Nick of Time - Brugmansia

It has been a long wait!   My brugmansias (aka:  Angel Trumpets) were put out in April.  All rooted and potted and looking fine.  And finally, for the first time this year, I have a bloom!  Woo-hoo.  Only about 3 months later than expected.



Isn’t it beautiful!!  I really didn’t think that I was going to see one at all this year – with the arrival of the cool weather it wasn’t looking good.  But this baby pulled through and I am just delighted!

Final Harvest - Tongue In Cheek !

Harvest?   How dare I use that word!  I have been gardening for years but none compare to this year.  From the end of May until mid-July it rained.  And rained.  And rained.  Which would be great - if I were growing moss and mushrooms.  But that was not the case.  And I'm over it.  So in the interest of putting the garden to rest for this year.

Here is the final hu-hum harvest:

• 1 Snake Gourd - 8 1/4 lbs
• 1 Eggplant - 7 oz
• 1 Atlantic GIANT Pumpkin - 15 1/6 lbs (I kid you not!)
• Banana and Jalapeno Peppers - 6 oz
• And a whole helluva lot of acorns

And not one.single.zucchini!  Now that's a statement!

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Duck.Duck.Goose - Fall in a Pond

I love the outdoors.    Mother Nature paints the most beautiful pictures.  In all seasons.  Last week I came upon this pond of ducks and geese in a neighboring town.  What a blessing to enjoy animals in their natural habitat.

Pictures from Norfolk MA….

Ain't life grand.  Reminds me to “stop and smell the roses”.

Mother Nature’s Magic - Fabulous Fall!

Fall is in full swing in New England.   What a treat to get out and enjoy the riot of color.  The pictures I took in my yard this week are awesome.

The summer weather may not have pleased the garden but the trees must have loved the deep watering.  Pine cones and acorns are abundant!

The pine cones pose no threat.  But these……

…..are downright dangerous!  Oy!  It has been snowing acorns non-stop for the last 4-5 weeks.  The assault is relentless!   If not dinging us on the head then they are under foot.  Having to watch where you step while taking cover from the air assault can cause quite the contortions.  Which might be funny.  If it didn’t hurt so much!

Chicken Goes Dutch

Since the newly purchased dutch oven needs to earn it's keep, it was put into service again.  This go around was chicken. 

The recipe that I chose to experiment with was one that I found on one of my favorite blogs - 66 square feet.  I love this blog.  It chronicles life and times in THE big city - New York of course!  It intrigues me that a city dweller can produce food on a rooftop garden.  I would love to do it.  So that was the initial interest but beyond that it is diverse, informative and well written.  I sense a woman of character.

So, here we go.....no, first let's discuss vermouth.  This recipe called for a bunch of it.  Obviously I have heard of it before but had no idea - zero - of what exactly it is.  So since "Goodsearch" is my friend (Google's cousin but it donates money to worthy causes for your searches and shopping) I found out that it is a quasi-wine with herbs added.  K.

So here is what it looked like.....

The recipe called for whole chicken but I chose split breasts.  Legs will never be eaten in this house.

Chicken with potatoes, grapes, tarragon and other aromatics.

At the last minute I had some patty pan squash that needed to be used so I threw that in too.

 

De.light.ful!  Check out the recipe here.