Surrounded by Chaos

Weekend Recap

2012-01-23T13:43:00.000-08:00

Just a quick recap of the weekend:
Got my seeds from Territorial on Friday! I ordered leeks, several different kinds of onions, french radishes, cucumbers, pole beans, and broccoli. I'll be starting some of these in the greenhouse soon and some will be going directly into the raised beds. I also got some PVC clips that I'm hoping will work better than the Velcro for the raised bed grow houses. To complete the order, I bought a salad spinner (finally). I've been wanting one for a while, but was always surprised at how expensive they were. This one wasn't too bad and is collapsible- a bonus when you have a small house.

On Saturday, it was back to Cara's house for more soap making! It's been about six weeks since we did our first two batches and we wanted to try some other recipes. We made more lavender soap as well as oatmeal/ eucalyptus and rosemary/ honey castile soap. Here's Cara pouring the Lavender batch into the mold.

And here is the castile soap cooking away. Castile is olive-oil based and ends up a nice, organic brown color when cooled into bars.

Now that the bars we made six weeks ago are cured, I got some pretty hand-made paper from Cost Plus and wrapped them in neat little packages, ready to give away as gifts.

Sunday I made more butter and remembered to take some pictures of the process this time.
First, I start off with regular heavy whipping cream...

After about 10 minutes, the hard peaks start to break down and start to turn yellow in color.

It then starts to turn grainy...

...and finally separates in to butter and buttermilk.

You let the butter drain, then massage it together while squeezing out as much buttermilk as you can.

Then, add whatever seasonings you want. This time, I added dill and lemon zest for an extra kick.

Ta Da!

I've Done It!

2012-01-18T15:21:00.000-08:00

I finally made a half-way decent sourdough loaf! One that kind of looks like the loaves I see in the grocery store! And I owe all the credit to my new Romertopf! I got it for my 30th Birthday and it worked perfectly! You soak the clay pot in warm water for 10-15 minutes...

Then let the loaves rise in a warm oven...

Brush the loaves with cold water, score, and bake! Here is the loaf that I made in a conventional sandwich loaf pan:

And here is the Romertopf loaf! Golden with a glossy, chewy crust. Yum. The steam from the Romertopf creates a cooking environment much like that of a professional steam-injected bakery oven. I had resigned myself to the fact that without a professional oven, I'd never get results that even came close to a professional loaf, but I was WRONG!! Thankfully...
Now, I just have to improve my crumb and make the loaf less dense in texture. I will continue my mission to make a truly great Sourdough loaf!

Another first for me this week was BUTTER! As in I made my own. It's so ridiculously easy, I can't think why more people don't do it. Literally, the recipe goes like this:
Buy heavy whipping cream. Pour cream into electric mixer. Whip the cream until it turns into butter. Drain buttermilk. Enjoy.
Now, I won't say that making your own butter is cheaper than buying it, but I will say that it's a heck of a lot of fun and it tastes great! Not to mention that the satisfaction of making your own is enough to offset the cost of the cream. It's totally worth it. Matt and I decided to make compound butter with herbs from the garden.
Here's the buttermilk. It's not sour like the cultured stuff in the grocery store. It's actually very mild and is less sweet than even 2%. Perfectly acceptable to drink with cookies. Or save it and make buttermilk biscuits. Or pancakes. Or custard. Get the picture? It's good stuff.

Here is the amount of butter made from three pints of heavy whipping cream- approx. one pound!

After I massaged most of the buttermilk out of it, we mixed in about two teaspoons of sea salt as well as rosemary, sage, and thyme from the garden.

Here's the compound butter on wax paper ready to be rolled.
Ta Da! All finished. These rolls will last at least 6 months in the freezer and up to a month in the fridge (if you don't eat it all first). It's great on bread, steaks, fish, chicken, the list goes on and on. You can also make sweet compound butter with pecans and brown sugar that's great on biscuits or scones.

The whole process took about 20 minutes from start to finish. What freedom! I'll never have to buy butter again!

A Very Quiet New Year

2012-01-03T14:12:00.001-08:00

Compared to the weeks before it, the New Year weekend was very quiet. Thank Goodness. After a trip to LA, then to Beavercreek, I was ready for some at-home R&R. Matt and I spent a restful, yet productive three days at home. I did some end of the year garden pruning and trimming while Matt cleaned out the chicken coop. I took down the tree (which always makes me kind of sad) and carefully packed away my ornaments. We finished the first season of Heros which Matt got from his grandmother and I read Cleaved, given to me by Val.
I also managed to finish knitting Matt's socks which I had started at Jan's house over Christmas. Mom sent me some Fireworks (since his favorite color is black), which I knitted double to make some very thick, sturdy socks.

These are the second pair I've ever made. Ever. I'm afraid one of Matt's legs will be an inch warmer than the other. Sigh...

I was really sweating it by the time I started to decrease for the second toe. There was about three hours there where I was convinced I didn't have enough yarn, yet I continued. This was how much I had left from the two balls:

I was blessed by the yarn gods.
After that project was finished, I moved to the kitchen for another. Val sent me four silicon tart pans for my birthday, which totally got me craving mincemeat tarts. I had meant to make some to take to Jan's for Christmas, but the Lemon Meringue pie used up all my kitchen stamina that day. So, last night I made a double batch of dough and used up all the odds and ends of jam in the fridge as well as most of the jar of mincemeat I'd bought.
Rolling out the dough and fitting them into the pans:

These are plum and strawberry tarts made with my own jam.

Here are the finished tarts! 33 in all and delicious!

Next time, I plan to roll the dough even thinner, since they took much longer to cook fully than the recipe said. Also, the strawberry jam was too wet- it made the dough underneath soggy. I've already promised an encore perfomance for Mom when she comes up next week.
Hello 2012!

Impromtu California Trip and Christmas!

2011-12-29T13:55:00.000-08:00

Hello, hello everyone! I hope we all had a wonderful Holiday Season! This happens every year- I mean to blog real-time and the pics just don't make it to the blog until January. Oh well, better late than never!
I had to make an unexpected quick family trip to California before Christmas, but before I left, I got to make soap for the first time with a friend of mine.
Behold: my first homemade soap!

Here is the cold-processed lavender soap, stamped with the image of a thistle.

Here is the Oatmeal Honey Castile soap stamped with a dragon! I got the stamps off the internet (what can't you find on the internet) and had fun whacking each bar with the rubber mallet. Both these soaps need to cure for about six weeks, so they should be ready by January 27th. Next year, I plan on making soap around early November so it will be ready to use by Christmas.

Then, it was off to LA! The reason for the trip was, unfortunately, the sudden passing of my grandmother Dori (Delores). There was no memorial or funeral, instead we had a swinging Christmas party and a great White Elephant gift exchange. Nana was always up for a good party and we laughed as a family while flipping through picture books. It was a great way to honor her memory.
The bright side of the trip included getting to spend time with Mom on her birthday. Steven and I got her an asian-styled teapot and warmer, which she can use for herbal tea before bed and Dad bought her an incredible succulent wreath. After presents, we went to see Sherlock Holmes 2 with Pete and Val, then had a wonderful dinner at the Crab Pot in Long Beach. It definitely felt like I had stolen time with my family and it was great!
While there, Mom had me work on a project- starching some tatted ornaments. Mom had been at some crafts fair with Ms. Audrey and there was an ancient craftswoman there selling these for only $3 each!--and none of them were selling. Spinning, knitting, and weaving have enjoyed a re-emergence lately and have become quite in vogue thanks in part to the new green/ sustainable movement, but (heart-breakingly), fewer and fewer people have (re)learned to tat and the skill is quickly disappearing. Apparently, the woman who made these ornaments is practically blind and knots these patterns from memory. The fact that these tiny pieces of handmade art were going unappreciated was unacceptable to Mom and she bought them all. After some internet research, we bought some extra-strength spray starch, saturated them and pinned them to dry on wax paper-covered cardboard.

It really only took a couple of hours to pin them all and by the next morning, they were dry and ready to hang on the little rosemary tree Mom had bought.

Once I returned home, I added the ornaments to my own tree. They were SO worth the time and effort.

I got back home just in time for the Christmas Holiday. Matt and I filled the chicken feeder to bursting and headed up to Beavercreek for a few days. Matt was a true champion since he took the 3am lamb checks and let Jan have two nights of uninterrupted sleep. My a fluke of timing, nothing happened lamb-wise while we were there, but we enjoyed watching the lambs that had already arrived.

Matt and I were in charge of Christmas dessert and opted for a lemon-meringue pie. Lemon is a popular favorite (it's so rare to find a dessert that everyone likes) and I had brought back several huge pink lemons from my trip to LA. Combined with the fact that after five days of no collecting, I was also drowning in eggs, it was a no-brainer. Matt and I followed a recipe out of Cooking Illustrated and managed to make this beauty:

It. Was. Good.

Matt and I also took up "Farmopoly", which is a farm-inspired Monopoly game, and played with Jan and Neil on Christmas night.

Jan totally mopped the floor with all of us- check out her Pile-o-Money!

We also opened gifts that night and Jan made Matt a complete chef's outfit! Now he doesn't need to wear one of my "loin-cloth" aprons when he's grilling. :-)

Here's Chef Matt breaking in his new outfit- homemade hamburgers and champagne was our New Years Meal!

It's Christmas Once Again

2011-12-08T11:30:00.001-08:00

This Christmas year, it's all about learning new skills. Nicole's cousin teaches wreath-making classes and we both signed up (for $5 including materials, how could I say no?) We got set up in her garage and after some brief tutoring, I went to town!
I chose fir and cedar branches for my wreath, then added some gold accents and ribbon I got at Michael's (on sale, of course). I never knew how easy it was to make wreaths! I'll never have to purchase another one again! I've got lots of ideas for a dried herb wreath or maybe on made with succulents! I shall start potting shoots off my succulents now that I know how easy it is...

Voila! Here it is hanging brightly from my back door. I'm quite pleased with how it turned out. I'm also pleased about learning something new for only 5 bucks!

Last weekend, Matt and I went over to my friends' farm where they grow Christmas trees. We picked a Grand Fir out of this lot:

Matt and Richard loading it into the truck...

For me, the Christmas season really starts when I decorate the tree. I dig out all my Christmas movies, including some classics from my childhood and sing along while stringing lights and hanging ornaments. It's a yearly tradition that gets me in the Christmas spirit. Between the cold, frosty weather we've been having lately, making my own wreath, the Silverton Tree Lighting ceremony, everyone putting up their Christmas lights, and the manger-esque feeling of the chicken coop at night, I'm starting to get excited about the holiday season!

New Bathroom- sort of...

2011-12-08T10:57:00.000-08:00

Ah, things keep progressing at my house, both intended and unintended. About a month ago, the toilet started leaking. At first, I was terrified that the dripping I heard was coming from behind the wall, but (THANKFULLY), it was just the old toilet telling me it was on it's last legs. So, over my vacation/ birthday/ Thanksgiving break, Steven and I went to Lowe's and picked out a fancy new throne! It's dual-flush, has an elongated bowl, and is about two inches taller than the old toilet. Matt always complained that the old toilet made him feel like he was waiting for a bus, so I made sure to get a toilet that would be comfortable for anyone who would visit.
Rob (my handyman), came over the day after Thanksgiving and replaced the old toilet with the new one. Apparently, the old toilet had been there so long that both the bolted gasket and the wax seal had long deteriorated- the only thing holding the toilet down was it's own weight. By the shock on Rob's face, I realized that I had narrowly avoided some kind of bathroom plumbing disaster, for which, I am still thankful.
Behold, the disaster:

I figured while I was at Lowe's, I might as well get some new hardware for the bathroom. I took much pleasure in ripping out the faux green marble and brass accessories and throwing them in the garbage! I picked simple brushed nickel replacements:

Since Rob was coming to install the new toilet, I had him put in the pedestal sink that's been sitting in the garage for over a year (I bought it off of Craigslist long ago). Two birds- one stone! We ripped out the old vanity and replaced it with a clean, classic sink.
Here is Matt installing the new brushed nickel faucet.

Ta Da! What a difference just a new toilet, sink, and hardware make! Next on the list is a new light fixture and, eventually, a new shower and floor.

A before and after-
This is what the bathroom looked like when I moved in over two years ago:

And here is what it looks like now! I'm totally loving it!

Thanksgiving 2011

2011-11-28T15:19:00.000-08:00

I hosted Thanksgiving again this year and it was a very quiet affair after all the excitement of my 30th Birthday celebration (which was awesome, by the way).
For dinner, I had Mom, Dad, Steve, Matt, Jan, and Neil over and we made all the usual dishes such as creamed onions, potatoes au gratin, green bean casserole, pumpkin pie (which Matt made with my eggs), and pan fried brussel sprouts. I did try two new recipes this year, one being chocolate mousse!
I was easier than I thought it would be. It turned out to be a little rich, so I think I'll reduce the amount of chocolate next time. I got the mousse dishes at the Red Bench for $6.95 for a set of four- score!

The other new recipe was for a stuffed, rolled pork loin wrapped in prosciutto roasted on apples. This was also easier than it looks, especially since I had the help of Mom and Dad in the kitchen. Mom made the stuffing and Dad layed out the prosciutto on wax paper for wrapping. We dressed it the night before, so all I had to do on Thanksgiving was pop it in the oven- Totally painless!

Here they are, ready to go into the oven.

Here's the picture of what the loin was supposed the look like off the cover of Bon Appetite magazine...

And here is what it looked like at my house! Not bad for trying out a new recipe, I must say.

It was juicy and delicious; the apples and prosciutto helped keep it moist. The only think I would change if I made it again is to only halve the apples instead of slicing them into wedges. I think they would have held their shape better.

Thanksgiving was wonderful and I'm looking forward to Christmas!

My Vacation

2011-11-28T15:04:00.001-08:00

I took some time off starting on my Birthday and used the time to finish up some canning projects!
First- harvest my leeks! We've had a couple of freezes, which makes them sweeter, so they were ready to come out of the ground. I grew these from seed and was pleased with my modest harvest. They'll go in soups all winter long...

Next- pickle more Brussels sprouts! Because 13 jars aren't enough!

I also had a chance to break in the new Pressure cooker I got from Mom for my birthday! It cooked a 4lb. beef roast in an hour! I'm looking forward to trying out lamb in it next!

Finally- Can this year's cranberry sauce supply! I made 25 jars after getting two monster bags from Costco (I'm learning to love that place). There are several jars already on their way to California with Mom and Dad!

Matt's Birthday

2011-11-28T14:28:00.001-08:00

For Matt's 26th birthday, he wanted to go to the Portland Japanese Garden. I had always wanted to go and never had, so I was really looking forward to seeing it in all its Autumn glory. It did not disappoint! After a wonderful lunch at Wildwood and a quick stop at City Market, we headed up into the hills to the Garden. It was crisp, but not raining and the maple foliage was absolutely dazzling!
We saw every fiery shade of red to orange and yellow as we walked along the paths.

Then, we sat and admired the quiet beauty of the "rock lake"

and admired the clean simplicity of the rock garden...

and enjoyed the sound of running water and watched the sluggish koi swimming to the surface.

It was spectacular- fall is such an amazing time to visit the Japanese garden. It was quiet and not very crowded. There was a feeling of stillness as if the garden was going to sleep...

What's Up?

2011-11-07T10:56:00.000-08:00

A lot! I'm always surprised at how busy I am every fall. When the weather starts to get colder and the days get grey and gloomy, I always want to just curl up in flannel pj's and listen to the rain beat on the roof. BUT, there always seems to be numerous things I have to attend to and get ready before finally settling in for winter. First, there's Halloween; my favorite holiday. I didn't decorate this year, but had lots of fun chilling with Nicole while we handed out 1oz. bags of Kettle chips instead of candy! I have lots left over if anyone's interested...

Fall is also a great time to work on Christmas projects since it starts to get dark so early. My latest: hand blown eggs from my chickens! It's so easy and yet leaves you with a very pretty product. I tend to think that the natural colors of the eggs are so pretty, that they don't even need dye. Hopefully, they will grace the Christmas trees of all the people I love this holiday season.

October is also the time to start thinking about bulbs! I've planted irises (bearded and dutch), daffodils, and tulips in all the little nooks and crannies in the backyard. I also ordered my garlic online and planted 10 heads worth in this little spot I cleared:

Fall is also a time of clean-up. I tidied up and organized the greenhouse so it's all ready for starting seeds come February. Got the hoe, shovel, and rake cleaned up and stored in the garage. Potted up my strawberry shoots and picked the last of my tomatoes. On the list for this weekend: harvest the leeks and celery!

Since the tomatoes were so late to ripen this year, October was also the month for making lots of good tomato sauce. I made plain as well as seasoned, both of which are frozen in large recycled yogurt containers. The possibilities are endless...

Fall is also the season for pears, Brussels sprouts, and apples! Nicole and I trimmed Brussels sprouts while watching a movie and handing out chips on Halloween. We had eight stalks done in no time! I pickled 13 jars worth last night and I'm wondering if that's going to be enough...

Nicole and I also collaborated on applesauce, spiced apple butter, and a new apple/ pear butter recipe.

This food mill came in so handy! Thanks Mom for this great gift!

Glad we made so much apple butter at once- it takes forever to cook down!

BEEF! It's what's for dinner!

2011-10-06T10:06:00.000-07:00

For the next 12 months!
Linda and I split a half, but before she came over to take her share, I had to get everything organized by cut.

There was tri tip, T-Bones, rib steaks, soup bones, skirt steak, tenderloin steaks, chuck roasts, riblets, brisket, and lots of other juicy wrapped tidbits that Linda and I split; right down the middle. Then, we flipped a coin and took turns selecting the odd numbered cuts.

A side's worth of ground meat:

Here's my portion, all nicely tucked away in my new freezer! Between the lamb and beef, I'll have plenty of red meat to last through winter.

It's very satisfying knowing your freezers are full of fresh, wonderful food. I have blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, cherries, figs, lamb, green beans, and soup stock all put up and frozen. Should be enough to keep us going 'til spring!

Drying Herbs

2011-09-28T14:03:00.000-07:00

Another little job finished! Cutting and drying herbs for winter. The kitchen now smells like sage...

Salsa...in September!

2011-09-28T13:48:00.000-07:00

Yay! We finally, after several false starts, made salsa this weekend! Between the late spring and cool summer, I didn't have very many tomatoes to offer, but EZ Orchards did- 25lbs. worth! I made salsa last year, but I used the wrong type of tomatoes and it was a little on the watery side. This year, we tried two different recipes. The first one was out of the Ball Blue Book and was the same one I tried last year. This year, we roasted the onions, jalapenos, and tomatoes on the grill to reduce some of the juices and give it a nice fire-roasted flavor. I also used Romas this time instead of slicing tomatoes, which also helped to give the salsa a thick, meaty texture. The other recipe Nicole found on the internet and was much different that mine. It had a lot more peppers and used lemon juice instead of red wine vinegar. I can't wait to try them!
Here's Nicole trying to keep a lid on the dirty dishes. Good luck...

Here are all the beautiful Romas we used from EZ Orchards. Believe it or not, we had to go get even more tomatoes after we used up this box!

We put all the seeded tomatoes on the grill to skin them instead of blanching them to cut down on the water content.

And here are the finished jars! We made 18 pints and 12 jam jars full! Nicole wanted the jam jars for Christmas presents.

Towards the afternoon, Emma stopped by with Mark and Abel since Don was working in Mt. Angel. They had lots of fun playing with the cat toys and the glow-in-the-dark stars they found in the attic. Also, my mail basket was a great source of entertainment for Abel:

Peek a boo!

The New Refrigerator

2011-09-20T09:50:00.000-07:00

Before I get into the latest saga of appliance hell, I want to explain something.

From the minute I moved in, every appliance in my house was against me.

Really.

Every. Single. One.

When I moved in, the house came with a refrigerator, a washer and dryer, a dishwasher, a water heater, a toilet, a gas stove, and a couple of sinks. As a first time home buyer, this was a big plus for me since I owned none of these items after moving from an apartment. Many of the other houses I looked at didn't come with these essential items and I was relieved and thankful that I had found a place that was move-in ready.
That feeling was short lived...
After listening to the dryer squeal and whine for a whole year at my rental, I was over the moon to be moving into a new place. That dryer would be far behind me as I made my way through my new life. During the first week in the new house, I triumphantly sorted my laundry and started the washer machine. Forty minutes later, I was mopping water off the floor; the washer had backed up during the spin cycle. After a $150 Roto Rooter bill, it was explained to me that there was no trap between the kitchen sink and the laundry water pipes. The pipes were so clogged with food matter, that it was backing up the drainage line. Wonderful. "Ah, well. It's an older house, stuff like this is bound to come up from time to time", I thought. I started up the washer again and went back to unpacking. Twenty minutes later, I was staring at the washer drum, which was refusing to spin. It did make a lovely growling, metal-on-metal noise as the little engine tried unsuccessfully to spin a load of wet laundry around. I had to take each piece of clothing out and wring it out by hand before throwing it into the dryer. "Well, at least I have a dryer. It will take longer, but it will eventually be dry", I thought. I finally got the load in the dryer after squeezing myself into the narrow space between the appliances and the stairwell to the attic. As soon as I turned the dryer on, I heard it. The same "someones beating a cat in heat" squeal that I thought I'd left at my crappy rental had followed me to my new house! Ever stalwart, I retreated into my bedroom and turned up the Darling Buds of May until I couldn't hear the whining anymore. Two hours later, I opened the dryer to discover that the corner of the plastic seal on the dryer was loose and trapping corners of my clothes as they went around. Not only does that leave a great big grease spot, by the way, but it also twists the clothing beyond recognition. It was with great relish that I replaced those monstrosities with my new washer and dryer in April. I replaced the ancient water heater as well with one that was actually up to code. Out of the 8 original appliances, I replaced 3 in one fell swoop. It felt glorious! I transformed the cramped laundry area into a laundry/ mural/ pantry area and couldn't be happier.
Now, after all that, I've only had to deal with the kitchen sink draining at a snail's pace, the toilet clogging, and the wheels on the dishwasher racks suddenly popping off and derailing all the dirty dishes. Irritating, but tolerable. Until last Tuesday...when I came home at 10pm after a long day at work and dinner and a movie at Matt's to find that the refrigerator had quit. Not only was it not cold, but was blowing warm air all over my food. I was up until 11 at night throwing out all the defrosted food from the freezer and moving the few things I could salvage into the garage refrigerator (thank god I had it- thank you Suellen and Paul!). After slogging through the rest of the week, making breakfasts and lunches in the garage, We (Jan, Neil, Matt and I) went shopping and finally found the best deal at Lowe's. They delivered it yesterday and it is fantastic!!

Ta Da!!!

It's so shiny and clean! None of the door racks will suddenly pop off, spewing milk all over the floor. I won't have to search around in a dark fridge because the light doesn't work (despite a new bulb). And I won't have to worry about spoiled food or something going wrong with it for at least five years (yep, I got the warranty). Two nice young men from Lowe's came, took away the old piece of shit, installed the new one, and left me to enjoy the contented hum of my new refrigerator.
While I wasn't expecting to buy a new fridge quite yet, it was Worth. The. Money.
I'm off to have a chilled glass of wine!

The Cool Season Cometh...

2011-09-12T13:28:00.000-07:00

Finally! I have tomatoes!!! Not a whole lot, mind you, but enough to give some to Matt and put on the dehydrator for winter. My cherries are really starting to come on, but the romas are badly lagging behind. I've put off canning salsa twice in the vain hopes that I would be able to use my own tomatoes, but I've just run out of time this year. I'm going to implement plan B and buy a crate of tomatoes from Wilco this weekend instead. Local tomatoes are the next best thing to my own, so I won't feel too bad. As long as I have salsa to put on my grits, everything will be ok :-)

Last weekend was spent in the garden, transitioning to cool-season crops. I dug up all my potatoes and I have to admit, they were very underwhelming. I think the raised beds with the automatic spray nozzles kept the soil too wet for them. And, I think they needed more sun. So...potatoes will be going on the other side of the fence next year where the sunflowers are now. There's more room, the soil has more sand, and it gets more sun hours than the rest of the backyard. Hopefully, I'll get a much better yield next fall. Meanwhile, here is what I got out of the plants this year: Yukon Golds, Norland Reds, and Russet Burbanks! There may not be many, but I'll bet they taste great!

Another little chore I finished up was an experimental greenhouse for the raised beds. If you remember, a few years ago, me and my friend Bill made a pretty decent one out of PVC, chicken wire, and plastic. It was good, but it had some drawbacks. It was difficult to store, since it didn't fold up and it was very difficult to reach the middle of the beds, since only the ends were open. So, I came up with another plan with the help of Matt and we put it together after a trip to Ace Hardware.
The plastic just covers the PVC and attaches with Velcro. That way, when we want to take it down, we just fold up the plastic and stack the frames. Easy!

Even during the development of this frame, Matt and I came up with even more ideas on how to improve the next one we build. I've got some custom PVC connectors on order...

Here's the prototype all finished: The end pieces are also attached with Velcro so I can flip them up for ventilation.

I also brought my broccoli out of the greenhouse and put it where the shallots used to be. I started them in June and they've got a good head start.

I put in more carrots, radishes, and onion seeds in where the potatoes used to be. All these are supposed to grow pretty well in cool weather, so it's all a big experiment. I'll build a hothouse for this bed as well as soon as I get all the supplies.

I planted Swiss chard rainbow starts and seeds as well as some turnip seeds in this bed. I have two more Brussels Sprouts and Cauliflower that I grew from seed as well in here.

And here's an updated shot of the strawberry pyramid. The plants are really liking it here and have gone to town, sending out new starts. I've potted up a couple in an attempt to fill some hanging baskets and give out as gifts. Strawberry plants are so accommodating...

I also potted up the other two carnivorous plants I had in the kitchen. These little terrariums are so nice to look at while washing dishes!

A quick pic of dessert last week: cottage cheese with strawberries and honey from the farmer's market. The basil was out of my garden- it was fantastic!

And drunken plums! Finally found some light rum and got all my sugar weighed out. We'll be spooning this onto ice cream right around Thanksgiving!

The Many Adventures of Samuel

2011-09-06T13:17:00.000-07:00

*Update*- Had to add this picture I took Monday:

When faced with a fresh bowl of water or a very expensive kitty water fountain, he picks the toilet every time. In fact, he paces around whining until I'm finished and can't hardly wait until I'm off the throne before hopping on the seat....
Ah, to be a cat...

Need I say more?

I'm in a Whirl!

2011-08-29T14:51:00.000-07:00

A quick update of some recent excitement:
Matt built another laying box out of scrap materials- this one is bigger for the Welsummers, but it doesn't stop the Barred Rocks from being curious:

While Tanta Cinti and Uncle John were visiting, we went to the Oregon Gardens where I saw this great composter. Every time I go to the gardens, I get new ideas!

They've used screens that separate the compartments to allow air flow...

And the sides are made up of individual boards, so you can build up as you fill the compartments...

They also have their own spot for carnivorous plants; these are pitcher plants.

I love this idea! Especially for pole beans. I'm thinking this would look really good in the front yard next year...

We also went to the Silverton Art Festival and I splurged on a beautiful jewelry rack for all my bobbles:

Now, just because the weekend ends, doesn't mean the fun is over! During the next week, I got together with my friend Linda and we raided the gardens of some of her friends. First on the list was picking blackberries at Joanne's farm. They have beef cows and I plan to purchase one-quarter of a grass-fed Highland cow!

Here we are admiring the new calves:

Next on the list was Martin's place, just down the road from Joanne's. Linda got some kohlrabi and I picked some green tops to take home.

Here's Martin's garden in all it's glory- I envy his carrots!

When I got home, I got to do some raiding of my own: my first carrots (!) and some other ripe goodies:

Terrariums

2011-08-23T13:36:00.000-07:00

I recently acquired a book about terrariums which has inspired Matt and I to try some of our own. Matt tried to grow herbs, but they don't do well when you go over to your girlfriend's house for days at a time. So, we're going to try something new!
Succulents are very low maintenance and don't require much care, other than an occasional light watering; perfect for Matt's apartment. After a shopping spree at Lowe's, here's what he brought home:

And here's my attempt at a terrarium with one of the Venus flytraps I recently bought for the kitchen. Kinda cute, right?

Summer Produce Photo Shoot

2011-08-10T09:41:00.000-07:00

Say hello to my photographer friend: Steve Surbaugh! We've been trying to get together for a while to do a "Four Seasons" produce photo shoot and we finally made a date for last Saturday. We met at the Salem Farmer's Market and shopped for scrumptious looking goodies. I dear say we were victorious!!

Here we are back in Steve's studio. We started with a white backdrop and arranged all the food just so...

Then, we changed the backdrop to black, which made the deep colors really pop!

It was so much fun! The whole morning was lovely and creative; what a great Saturday!

Life Goes On

2011-08-03T09:36:00.000-07:00

Life is good, but busy. Matt had his hernia surgery on Monday and recovery is slow and painful. Thankfully, we had a very nice weekend before going to the hospital on Monday. For the next few weeks, my life will consist of checking on Matt during my lunch break and after work as well as Vicodin, Ibuprofen, and anti-biotic regiments. Combined with making food, doing dishes, watering my plants, selling eggs, and running errands, my days whiz by. Like, it's already Wednesday. Trash day. I'm thankful that I remembered (well, I noticed everyone else's cans on the street) cause all my cans were full. I look forward to Matt feeling better and our daily routine slowing down to normal.

Success!

2011-07-25T10:12:00.000-07:00

Quick Update: Scorpio has (so far) successfully reintegrated with the flock without any bloodshed. It's been over a week and I think everything is going to be ok. She still sleeps by herself, which is sad to watch, but no bodily harm and eight of my ten chickens are laying. I'm drowning in tiny pullet eggs!

Martha Stewart- Eat Your Heart Out!

2011-07-22T13:53:00.000-07:00

Aren't these eggs just beautiful? I should develop my OWN egg shade paint line...

Blog and Run

2011-07-20T12:45:00.000-07:00

It's a hit and run blogging! Just wanted to post a few quick pictures of the garden I took this week.

The green beans are going gangbusters and I plan to pickle them this weekend. Imagine: pickled green beans out my very own garden. Yay!

St. Helens Dye Day

2011-07-20T09:50:00.000-07:00

I took last Friday off and carpooled with Linda Kirsch up to Mom's house for a dye day! Much fun and food was had by all! Check out what we did!
From Mary, we learned some basic Shibori dye techniques, which is very similar to tie-dying if you've ever done it.
Here is Carrie's scarf wrapped around an empty wine bottle (we had lots of those) using string. You dye the exposed parts of the scarf, then unwind it. Some people wrapped the same scarf several times in order to get different effects.

Here's Carrie's finished scarf after being unwound from the bottle:

Linda and Kirsten Peterson moving dye pots around...

Kirsten's finished scarf. She mixed colors until she ended up with beautiful shades of green and blue.

Sheila Ernst and Linda Kirsch untying their scarves after dying.

Here are the two I did. I think they turned out rather well! I've already worn the purple one twice and gotten lots of compliments. Great Christmas gift idea!

We had lots of great eats to sustain our creativity. Steve Peterson sent a yummy casserole with Linda, Jan brought raspberries from her garden, I brought homegrown lettuce along with pickled asparagus and potato chips, Linda Kirsch brought brownies, Anne brought wine, and Lindsay made this amazing chocolate cherry ganache cake. It was a wonderful day with friends!

We Need This To Work!

2011-07-14T11:38:00.000-07:00

Poor Scorpio...still a pariah. Since her little head has gotten pecked so much, it's not growing any new feathers. Which means that she's got a permanent little bald spot on the back of her head witch is a huge bulls eye to the other chickens. She's been separated for so long that she's now the "new guy" ripe for picking on. So, after thinking long and hard, Matt and I came up with this new living situation for her. The other chickens can see her through the chicken wire, but they can't pick on her. It's our fervent hope that with slow reintroduction, Scorpio will find a place within the flock.
As of this morning, things were promising...

Blondie's been permanently banished to the planter, which she now has all to herself. She's not laying anymore and picks on the other chickens. I'm afraid a trip to the Woodburn Livestock Auction is in her future.

Vancouver B.C.

2011-07-11T09:05:00.000-07:00

Whew! Back from a whirlwind vacation in Vancouver B.C. (ironically, over the American Independence Holiday)! We drove up on Saturday and were off and running early the next morning for whale watching. We were surprised to learn that we were required to wear heavy-duty rain gear before loading the boat. The getup included wading pants with suspenders, a big yellow rain jacket, mittens, and stocking caps. We all looked like extras from The Deadliest Catch!

On our way out to the San Juan islands, we saw lots of seals soaking up the rare Canadian sunshine.

Whales! We found the resident group of Orcas called J-pod. They were herding salmon and feeding all morning, swimming back and forth along the shoreline. By law, we weren't allowed to get too close, so the pictures are a little vague unless you enlarge them....

We even saw a few spy hopping!

After our morning on the boat, we drove to Granville Island and toured the market. It was really crowded since the weather was so nice, but Mom and I lucked out and found a parking spot near the shops.
Even hundreds of miles away, I'm reminded of home via Kettle Chips! These are our Bakes translated into French!

The stall that sold them also had bulk flours and grains for sale.

My favorite: cured meats! I bought two different types of speck ham to bring home.

A sweet shop...we got the most delicious chocolates at another stand...

Beautiful produce...

Outside the market, there was a totem pole workshop. They make designs into stencils, then transfer the design onto a pole.

They then start carving according to the original drawing.

The next day, we were off to the Vancouver Aquarium and met up with some family before starting our tour.

At the aquarium, there was a fantastic Amazon exhibit, complete with exotic birds and butterflies. As you walked through the exhibit, butterflies flitted around your head and sometimes landed on you. It was amazing!

At noon, we headed toward a different area of Stanely Park and had lunch at the Teahouse.

I had clam vongole...

and Mom had a seared tuna salad; both were amazing!

We sat outside during lunch since the weather was superb and enjoyed the gorgeous view.

After lunch, Mom wanted to take the Horse and Carriage tour through the park. This is a great way to see the park if you don't have a lot of time for wandering. Here we are stopped at the Totem Pole park. One of these poles is a funeral pole and has the ashes of a chief inside!

Pepper and Mattie, our couriers...

After Stanley Park, we were off again towards downtown Vancouver! We ended up in Gastown while waiting for some dinner reservations. We did some shopping and got some really wonderful souviniers. This shop was full of native artwork. The statues and masks were amazing, but eh, a little out of my budget. I got some silver Orca earrings and a dream catcher for Matt instead...

We then went to a Charcuterie and Cheese tasting room called Salt in Blood Alley. They write their daily menu on a large chalkboard in the dining room. You can choose your own combination of cured meats, cheeses, and condiments. We had a great time listening to all the product descriptions and found some new favorites to start buying.

We arrived back at Rosemary's house around 7 and had a few hours of down time by the pool before we were off again to White Rock. Apparently, it's a local tradition to view American Independence Day fireworks from the Canadian side! The pebble beach was filled with onlookers and the fireworks display in Washington was spectacular!

We had a great time and are hoping to go back soon!

All Grown Up...Sigh

2011-06-28T15:41:00.000-07:00

Sunday was a big day at the Andersen household! One of this year's chicks layed her first egg! Scorpio has been in seclusion since she was pecked by Blondie and, as a result, has had no competition for food. She's reached her mature weight before the others and beat them to the egg-laying punch! Matt was thrilled that he got to be at the house for the event and so was I, since I missed it last year (I was in Chicago on business). It was a decent sized egg considering it was her first and the shell was a very pretty light cocoa color.
Check it out!:

Some of the other pullets have been getting more and more interested in the nest boxes, so my next project will be to build more in order to avoid bottlenecks during peak laying hours (10am-2pm).

Update: I fried up Scorpio's first eggs last night and one was a double-yolker! It was delicious...

Some Projects Completed

2011-06-22T11:42:00.000-07:00

Two big projects done; only 134 more to go! Ha, just kidding, but it sure feels like that sometimes. I get one thing finished, only to come up with three other great ideas. I do take immense pleasure in crossing something off the list that I've been wanting for a long time and I got to cross out three thing this week!
First:
Plant sunflowers in long bed out front. I traded my neighbor some bush bean starts in exchange for some rototilling. About four weeks went by and I was beginning to think Bob had forgotten. But, one day I came home to a beautifully turned bed, just waiting for flowers! I had started some in the greenhouse and had used a coupon at Wilco for five free packets of other sunflower seeds. I did a little weeding, pulling out rocks as I went and before long, it was ready!
Here is the bed nicely rototilled and ready for receiving:

And here it is after I planted all my started sunflowers. I know it looks a little sad now, but there are dozens of seeds hidden among the plants. I hope to see them peeking through in the next week or so. Sooner, if the warm weather holds.

Last Sunday, my friend Mary came over and we jammed! 36 jars to be exact! The strawberries were from the Silverton farmers market and smelled awesome! I put the extra berries on the dehydrator, which makes the garage wonderfully fragrant.

Next! A pantry- finally!!!! I was so excited by this! I've been waiting a very long time for this idea to come to fruition- since February, when I started the laundry area remodel. When Dad was up in April, we brainstormed about what would be best in the narrow area between the kitchen wall and the laundry unit. I was warned by the laundry service man not to build anything permanent, in case the washer/ dryer had to be pulled out for servicing. I knew I was going to need shelves that were sturdy, functional, but that were also pretty to look at and matched the rest of the house. After describing what I wanted, the handymen returned three days later with this:

It's a completely free-standing unit that tucks right in between the wall and the laundry unit. It hides all the cords and plumbing and can easily be removed because it has a back and wheels! I can roll it right out into the kitchen without moving a thing!

It holds all my cookbooks, all my dried fruit, all my preserves (which are now out of the garage-yay!), all my dry goods, and there's still more room! This means that I now have two wooden storage bins free for my onion and potato harvest. I plan to line them with cotton fabric to keep light out.

Look at all the goodies! I go grocery shopping in my own house!

They also finished the strawberry pyramid! Here it is before I filled it:

And here it is after! All the strawberries from the green house went in and I filled every other rung with plants. This way, when they send out runners, I can root them right in the empty rung underneath.

This is what the raised beds look like with the pyramid placed in the middle. I think the vertical effect of the pyramid really compliments this area.

Next on the agenda: a permanent shelf above the back door for platters, hang the herb drying rack (salvaged from my rental), and hanging the pot rack!

Zing!

2011-06-13T12:48:00.000-07:00

Finally! Finally, the sun is out! The days are nice more often than they're nasty. Finally! Every evening I get home and go straight to the garden and stay outside until the motion sensor light starts to come on. The garden has reached the point where the plants are growing faster than I can post pictures! Most of the free space has been planted and I'm starting to empty out the greenhouse. I thought it might be a good time for some reflection.
Here is what the backyard looked like when I moved in:

And here is what it looks like now!

It takes a comparison like this to really hammer home just how much this space has changed. I've gotten so much done in only a year and a half and I'm not done yet!

I'm beginning to harvest early season crops like radishes and salad. I pulled my first batch of radishes before I left for Beloit last week.

The second batch of radishes I pulled after I got back:

And here's my very first home-grown salad! I mean I've had salad out of someones garden before, but the garden has never been my own. It was delicious!

Here's what the salad bed looks like now. Radishes are crowding out the onions, so it looks like I'll have to harvest them all soon and plant more Bumper Crop radish seeds- they're ready after only 28 days!

The carrots have finally started to come up; they sure took their time!

My potatoes are going gangbusters too! I had so many seed potatoes after chitting, that I gave some to Emma and Linda and planted more in some empty pots I had. Yesterday, I sprinkled them with diatomaceous earth as proactive pest control.

The shallots are really starting to thicken and some are setting bulbs already. The celery grows taller everyday...

My Blackberry and Loganberry are sending out new canes; I'll have to get the wire supports up soon!

I planted some poppies and pansies I got at the Iris Garden in with the clematis and the partly shaded bed seems to be the perfect spot for them. The clematis is really liking this spot and has two spectacular flowers already.

My blueberries have fruit, which is incredible since I didn't see any bees around. I plan to put out my Mason Bee house soon.

And here is a new addition to the ornamental bed- Calla Lily. Isn't it beautiful?

The shade garden is really starting to perk up after the three hailstorms we had this spring. The hostas are sending out flower stalks and the ferns and heuchera are all putting out new leaves.

Now, even thought the plants outside have been making amazing progress, they look like they're growing in slow-motion compared to the plants in the greenhouse! These strawberries were just potted up this year from a bundle I bought at Gardenpalooza. Because they've been in the greenhouse, they're a full two weeks ahead of the mature strawberries planted outside. I've already harvested ripe strawberries from these plants!
*Side note: the strawberry pyramid is done!!! I've just recently hired some new handymen and they took the tower and finished it in their shop. I'll be sure to post pictures when it comes home*

Here are the Brussels Sprouts I potted up before I left for Beloit; they had just starting peeking out of the soil.

And here they are, six days later- what a difference!

Here are the cucumbers after I got back, a full four inches taller!

Here are the tomatoes before I left...

And this is what they looked like when I got back! They were actually pushing the lights up!

As time goes by, I get closer and closer to cracking out the hammock. Maybe this weekend....
Until then, I'm enjoying the sunshine and the last of the bleeding hearts.

In Spite of the Weather

2011-05-25T14:05:00.001-07:00

Things are happening at my house! On Saturday, my friend Mary and I went on a grand Willamette Valley adventure that included a trip to Voget's meats and Garden Ironworks in Hubbard, Goodwill and Al's Nursery in Woodburn, Beauman's and EZ Orchards in Salem, and a burger at the Creekside in Silverton. We got lots of asparagus which I have resting in water, waiting to be pickled.

We picked up my new pot rack (yay!) at the Ironworks place- now I just have to figure out how to hang it.

Then I saw this at Beaumans Farm and just had to have it! The perfect snap pea support! You just re-string it each year and it was a bargain!

Sunday started as a lazy day, since Mom and Mary The Intern didn't get to my house until late Saturday night from Conference. We had a great breakfast of bacon, bangers, fried tomatoes and shitake mushrooms, home made sourdough toast with home made jam, and fried eggs! Have to start the day off right!
Anyway, Mom and I worked outside since the weather was halfway decent while Steven and Mary worked on the computer inside. We got all the snap peas planted on their new support.

I also managed to make "Tomato Tuxes" for the tomato cages. These help to protect new tomato starts from inclement weather and wind. I was glad to have Steven's help, as Gorilla Tape can be tricky to work with.

I think I made them sturdy enough to last a few seasons. I'll need to do more field research to be sure...

My onions, radishes, and salad aways look exactly like the day before and I was beginning to get discouraged with the lack of sunshine, when I saw this picture I took a few weeks ago:

And compared it to this picture that I took yesterday:

I was shocked when I realized how much everything had actually grown! I suppose there's lesson about patience that I should learn here (insert pause). Okay, moving on...
My potatoes are coming up! Finally, my Norlands are above soil and I've noticed a few Russet Burbank and Yukon Gold plants poking their way above the surface.

During our trip to Al's Nursery, I picked up some sage, shallots, celery, and a tomatillo. The sage will go in the herb bed, but the other plants managed to fill one whole raised bed. I only have 1/2 of a bed left with nothing in it; I'm thinking Brussels sprout seeds.

On Sunday, Mom and I planted most of the bush bean plants I had started in the greenhouse. We quickly ran out of room and the rest of the starts have found homes with Bob across the street and Linda Kirsch.

And finally, I saw the first honey bee in my yard! It was sluggishly visiting each chive flower. I hope he finds my blueberries soon!

Did You Know...

2011-05-25T10:27:00.001-07:00

...that my house is a four-bedroom? I know that to the casual observer, my little 866 square foot house would be impossible to sleep four people, each in their own bed, but it does. Allow me to explain:
My Bedroom with my bed (ahem...unmade):

The Office with Spare Bedroom #1:

The Front Room with Blow-Up mattress and Spare Bed #2:

The Attic with Spare Bed #3:

It's a little crowded, but it can be done! I'm also thinking of adding a new love seat with a pull-out...hmmmm...

A Small Speedbump...

2011-05-17T13:16:00.001-07:00

...on the Road of Life.
Tensions are high in the chicken coop right now, which affects the whole household. On Saturday night, Steven and I put the chicks (well, pullets now, actually) into the coop with the rest of the hens. I've already had one henpecking injury, but you'll be glad to know that she's recovering nicely in the planter by herself. So far, it's been an isolated incident. But...I'm wary of what I'll find when I go home today. Steven and Matt were at the house all day yesterday and could keep an eye on them to reduce further bloodshed.
Thankfully, it seems as though the babies have learned how to stay out of Blondie's path rather quickly, which should cut down on confrontations. I still think there may be a trip to Woodburn Livestock auction in Blondie's future...

Time Passes...

2011-05-10T14:58:00.000-07:00

...oh so quickly. It's May already, people!! And it's still raining! Where's the sun? I NEED it!!
Okay, mini tantrum over. Now, on to the important stuff: Oregon Brewfest!
It's held at the Oregon Gardens and the Brewfest ticket includes admission to the gardens and your own tasting mug. Matt and I had a good time strolling in the on-again, off-again sunshine while tasting beer.
Here's Matt reading the Rediscovery Forest project sign. It's a section of the Oregon Gardens reserved for ecological and forestry training.

It was also the inspiration for Tanglewood Fiber Creations new colorway: Discovery Forest!

Matt pretending to be lost...not too much of a stretch there.

The rest of the weekend was devoted to garden work (of course). I got started on the strawberry pyramid project, which proved to be more difficult than it looks (again, of course!). Here is Alexandra's miter saw which is temporarily living at my house since she's on the road and I have this project to finish. Wish me luck...

Here's how far we got before calling it quits. The base and support pieces are in place, but the slats are still pending...

I finally got some seed potatoes in the raised beds. Since they need to be planted so far apart, I only had room for less than half of what I cut up. Anyone need seed potatoes??? I have Norland Reds, Yukon Golds, and Russet Burbanks sprouted and scabbed, ready to plant...

I moved some salad from the greenhouse into the raised beds about a week ago and it turns out I was a little over-confident in the weather. Last Sunday, we had hail the size of peas fall out of the sky, which took its toll on the delicate leaves. But, thankfully, salad greens are pretty resilient and there wasn't too much damage.

My onions and radishes are coming right along, growing bigger every day...

Onions, radishes, carrots (that have yet to show themselves), and salad mix- two beds full so far!

This weekend, since I had the help of Steven, we completed project Light Up Greenhouse!! Finally, after Dad wired all the electricity, I have light! The finished effect:

Light over the sunflower seeds I potted up a couple of weeks ago. They're finally poking up through the dirt!

My bush beans and snap peas reach for light!

Alexandra's seeds are also enjoying the extra light and her salad and beets are growing more everyday!

Sam and Lily...

2011-04-28T16:44:00.000-07:00

..BFF's forever.

Things are Growing..

2011-04-28T10:03:00.000-07:00

As we hurtle towards May, the sky is still opening up and drenching us with steady rainfall. I'm getting antsy to be outside and sit in my beautiful new garden, but the weather just isn't cooperating!! I know, I know, I'm far from the only person who feels this way and I know the rain won't last forever, but jeez! A spanking-new garden and all I can do is hide in the greenhouse or stare wistfully outside from the office window.
With that being said, my plants haven't minded the weather at all. In fact, they've enjoyed the fickle Spring weather immensely. The brief, glorious bits of sunshine when mixed with intermittent showers are the perfect conditions for my blueberry bushes and raspberry canes. My new shade garden is reaching out and up everyday and it seems that new life appears overnight in the greenhouse!
Now, an update!
Seabright Hosta Nursery's greenhouse. Matt and I went a couple of weeks ago and I picked up most of the shade plants for the garden under the bay tree. I've never seen so many different kinds of hosta all in the same place! I marveled at the different sizes, colors, and shapes.

They also have some wonderful display gardens that were just starting to come awake when we visited. The gazebo...

Hostas just starting to emerge...

Matt was very impressed with this "dinosaur plant". Very primordial looking...

And here's my loot! We had lots of fun reading all the fabulous hosta names and choosing the different colors. I won't list them all, but the highlights were: King Tut, Moonstruck, Green Eyes, Captain Kirk, and X-Rated!

Here's the finished effect. The hostas, ferns, and heuchera combine to make a very pretty, whimsical garden under the shade tree. The stones were on the property already; we just had to strategically place them.

Another project that was completed recently: electricity in the chicken coop and greenhouse! During Dad's stay in Silverton, he was nice enough to wire both with plugs. No more extension cords from the garage, YAY!
Two plugs in the chicken coop...

...and four plugs in the greenhouse!

Oh, the possibilities are now endless! I've already saved tons of money growing my own seeds instead of buying plant flats. And, it's been awesome seeing the progression. I mean, you buy potting soil, spend hours filling trays with seeds, then you wait. And wait. And wait. You agonize whether you potted them too deep or too shallow. Are you watering too much or not enough?? Then...finally...you see bulges and cracks in the soil where it used to be smooth. Then, the smallest bit of green shows through and tiny shoots struggle towards the sun. You go from fretting to relief to being overwhelmed. Suddenly, you realize that you have twenty pots of snap pea shoots with two seeds each pot and they've ALL sprouted! What the heck are you going to do with forty snap pea vines?!? And the bush beans and the cucumbers and the salad and the tomatoes- all going crazy!
The answer to this dilemma?? Trade, baby! So far, Neighbor Bob is going to rototill my front dirt patch for a few snap peas and Alexandra is going to help me build a strawberry pyramid for some greenhouse space and some cucumbers. Also, they make a great substitute for cut flowers as a hostess gift (which is what I did for Matt's mother when invited over for Easter dinner).
Anyway, here's what I'm talking about:
Tomato shoots...

Snap peas...

Salad mix...

Cilantro, parsley, leeks, and basil...

Burpless cucumbers, pickling gherkins, and strawberries...

...more strawberries from Gardenpalooza...

...and two kinds of bush beans. I'll need a lot of these to enable my canning addiction. Mine, mine!

So, life flourishes at my house right now. Sipping a mimosa while swinging in my hammock...not quite yet.

More Garden Work

2011-04-11T15:29:00.000-07:00

Progress, progress!! I have Spring Fever and want it all now!!
Ha, I know that's not going to happen. Time and money (the usual suspects) are always a limitation, but progress has been moving forward over the last two weeks.
Here are the beginnings of some new garden supports! Matt and I made a trip to Wilco and got some wooden posts for clematis, veggie, and berry supports. I already had the chicken wire, so it was a relatively low-cost project.

Matt hammering the chicken wire with metal staples.

The finished product! Destined for cucumbers and snap peas, which are already getting started in the greenhouse...

Here's the finished clematis support. I'm sure this vine is happy to finally be in the ground after about seven months in a gallon pot!

Seed potatoes I got during our Wilco trip! I got Russets, Reds, and Yukon Golds. They are in trays, happily sprouting in the greenhouse. Then, I'll cut them up, wait a week for them to scab over, then plant the sections in my raised beds.

Here are the snap peas and bush beans in the greenhouse. Hopefully, the greenhouse will be equipped with new grow lights this week to aid germination.

My salad is coming up! I took this picture about a week ago and since then, this flat of greens has been going gangbusters! In fact, I'll probably have to thin them out!

I also made a hanging basket with all the primroses I got from Jan and Suellen.

Here's a red seedless grape vine that Matt picked out at Wilco. I still have to decide where I'll put it, since grapes can grow up to be humongous!

I potted up the columnar apples I got at Gardenpalooza. One red type apple and one green type apple. At maturity (even though they're dwarf apples), these trees can produce up to 50 apples each! I'm hoping the bee hive living in the abandoned house on the corner finds these irresistible!

I got the climbing hydrangea in the ground..

As well as the blueberries. These poor blueberry bushes have been through so much over the past two years. They've come a long way from my rental and survived some very cold nights in their pots before finally being interred here. No more moving for these plants- we're finally home!

Now for the Fun Part

2011-04-04T16:04:00.000-07:00

Now that the bones of the garden are in place, it's time to start thinking about plants! This weekend was Gardenpalooza in Canby and I was able to go for the third year in a row. We had great weather for plant buying- sunny, warm(ish), with only a brief sprinkle as we started to leave. I got lots of wonderful ferns for my shade garden along with rhubarb and two strawberry bundles along with a couple of very sturdy tomato cages.
Some of the plants layed out under the bay tree.

After Gardenpalooza, Mom and I stopped by the iron works place on our way home. We had been there before and I'd regretted not getting a few things I saw last time. One was this beautiful spire support. I'm not sure what I'll plant under it yet, but I'm thinking maybe snap peas?

The other item was a pot rack- finally!! I saw one, but needed to make a few modifications for it to fit in my kitchen's low ceilings. They're custom making it for me and it should be ready within the next few weeks. Yay! No more banging my head on pots! Now, I just need someone to hang it for me...
Anyway, the next day, I got a major energy burst and decided to clean out and organize the garage, clean out and organize the greenhouse, and make up a whole bunch of plant starts, all in between making four loaves of sourdough bread.
Here are all the flats I put together yesterday:
Three kinds of tomatoes, two kinds of cucumber, two kinds of salad mix, leeks, cilantro, and parsley. I also potted up some trumpet lily bulbs I got at Gardenpalooza last year as well as the strawberry bundles and rhubarb.

Yeah....I'm a little sore today.

The Mystery of Bread

2011-04-04T11:08:00.000-07:00

Sourdough and I have a long, unhappy history. As I've moved into my new life as someone who gardens, cans, has her own egg supply, and makes her own yarn, I've always thought I should be able to make my own bread. I mean, how hard can it be, right?! It's only flour and water and salt...
Wrong.
They key to making a killer loaf of bread is ALL about timing and details. I tried while in college with the basic yeast recipe out of a cook book and those were ok, but not great. I tried again while living in LA with sourdough starter I got in Alaska and that was a complete disaster. The loaves turned out hard as a rock and flavorless.
I had pretty much given up and labeled myself as someone who just can't make bread, then Linda brought me some sourdough starter. At first, I was excited to be given a gift so full of potential- barm is certainly the gift that keeps on giving! Then, I remembered all the times before I had tried. Tried and FAILED, epically. But, the more I thought about it, the more determined I became to give it one more shot. Several things influenced my decision to try again. One, I now have a Kitchen Aid mixer, which I didn't have before. Two, Linda's starter was an old one; it had already proven itself time and time again and should have lots of good flavor already built up. Three, I still had my baking stone and all the equipment (on which I had spent a considerable amount of money, which also contributed to my frustration when I ended up making hockey puck bread). Four, I now had Mom's support since I halved the starter with her.
So, I put my pride on a shelf and tried again.
First, I tried a recipe out of a sourdough starter envelope, thinking it would be more straight forward than my Baker's Apprentice Bread Cookbook (which is more like a cooking school textbook). It was easier, but didn't really give me the results I wanted. No shortcuts here!
Behold the result:

Obviously, I needed more practice...

A week later, Mom came down for the weekend and we each made dough out of the split starter. For a week, we had been feeding it independently and were curious if that would make a difference in the finished loaves.
Our two starter bags:

Creating the finished dough...

Here are Mom's proofed loaves, ready to go into the oven. Jan said the batard looked more like a...well, never mind...it tasted just fine.

And here are my finished loaves after my second attempt. We followed the convoluted instructions of the Bread Apprentice Cookbook to the letter and, I must admit, the result was much improved. It was slightly crunchy on the outside, moist and light on the inside, and tasted great with softened butter.

This is only the beginning, but I feel success within my reach...

Cherry City Roller Derby!

2011-04-01T14:39:00.000-07:00

Warming up...

Lining up for a Jam...

Bill and Lugene enjoying the action...

My Project Wish List

2011-04-01T14:25:00.000-07:00

Last month, Jan, Neil, Matt, and I went to the Garden and Patio show in Portland and I saw some things that I absolutely loved. I took lots of pictures, but these three rose to the surface as easy projects that would make a big impact. Now that my garden's basic structure is finished, I can start thinking about adding finishing touches.
This tall post would double as string light anchor and bird feeder station. I already have several seed feeders and hummingbird feeders that would look great on something like this. I also have a mason bee house that needs occupants!

I've been seeing these more and more in magazines. "Live" art is a growing sensation and I have so much fence surface area that I could easily tuck in a few of these frames around. Once established, the succulents are low maintenance and drought resistant. Perfect wall art!

This raised planter is light enough to move easily, but sturdy enough to stand up to inclement weather. I would love to have something like this right outside the kitchen, under the windows, to hold kitchen herbs like rosemary, thyme, sage, and other culinary plants that I use frequently. That way, their permanency wouldn't take up room in my raised beds. Maybe I could even fit in some salad mix....

What do you think???

New Additions

2011-04-01T14:12:00.000-07:00

We have some new additions to the Andersen Household- Silverton Location! Matt moved into a new apartment and has left his cat Samuel with me until he gets settled in. Here's Sam acquainting himself with his new digs...

And...new chicks!! Here we are getting the coop ready for new additions. Cleo, of course, supervised...

Unfortunately, we had a very sad loss at our house after the new year. Red became egg-bound and passed away before we could get her to the vet. It was very sad, since she had lots of personality and was one of my best layers. In order to ease the blow a bit, Matt and I went and got six new chicks to add to the flock. Three Barred Rocks and three Welsummers. Here they are one their first day home:

Here they are after a few weeks. I forgot how fast chicks grow! They get feathers and dinosaur feet before you can look twice.

And here they are in their new Condo. It's really a raised wooden planter, but works great as a tween half-way house for young birds. They're already outside in the coop with a couple of heat lamps. They are enjoying the extra room and growing like gangbusters!

The Big, Exciting Project

2011-04-01T10:36:00.000-07:00

My new backyard!!!! I got a killer tax return and decided to put some towards a garden finally! Gardenpalooza is this weekend and it looks like everything will be ready for planting. After all the work I did in my rental, only to move out and buy a house was tough to adjust to. I went a whole year with no garden at all and it killed me!
Anyway, here are a few pictures of the garden mostly finished. They have since put down hazelnut shells as path material. Here are the four 4x8 raised beds, full of black gold and ready for veggies!

They also have timed irrigation, so I don't have to worry about killing plants when I go to Beloit for a week...

Here are two beds that border the new patio. I'll plant my berries here (red and golden raspberries along with some thornless blackberries). As the canes grow, they will enclose the pation and make it feel room-like.

Here's the other side of the patio with another bed that will contain clematis.

Here's the long bed that runs along the fenceline. Asparagus, snap peas, and green beans will hopefully fit in here.

There's also a bed along the garage. Not sure what will go here yet..maybe a climbing rose or blueberries or perhaps another clematis...

Laundry Update

2011-03-24T14:18:00.000-07:00

As a way to enhance the Doing-Laundy experience, I had one of my friends from work come by and paint an under-water mural on the non-shelf side of the laundry area. It's very, very cool...
Here it is mostly finished...

..and here it is all the way finished.

We have a stingray...

an octopus...

...a nautilus..

..of course, mermaids!

..and a couple of little sea horses hiding in the weeds...

Here's Marsha signing her work. It was such a wonderful addition to the laundry area, it will be a pleasure to do laundry from now on. Thank you Marsha!!

Ta Da!!!!

2011-01-12T10:53:00.000-08:00

Yay!! Most of the painting is done (just some trim is left) and the new washer and dryer are in! I'm going to try it out tonight and see how it works. God, I hope nothing leaks....

Laundry Area Remodel

2010-12-30T10:47:00.000-08:00

I've started my first remodel project at the house-finally! I was so tired of listening to that stupid dryer squealing and moaning every time I turned it on! As you know (via the post below), I bought a new washer and dryer set. That was the easy part. I then had to get the laundry area ready to receive the new appliance and promptly got on the phone with a contractor. After a brief ten minute discussion, we'd made a Date for Demo!
Here's what it looked like before:
Note the beautiful faux tile linoleum glued to the wall and trimmed with metal flashing. Also, admire the gargantuan particle board cabinet screwed into the drywall...

Ahahahahah!!!!! Destruction!!! Tear, tear! Rip....It...Off!!!!

Now, fast forward to yesterday. Here's the new drywall, all clean and nice. New plumbing also was completed yesterday.

Ta Da! The new water heater, now located in the hall closet. Neatly tucked away where no one needs to look at it...

Ah, isn't it beautiful...

Today is hopefully the last day for construction. They still have to finish puttying and texture the walls. They have to re-attach the electrical outlets to the wall (unfortunately. There was no easy way to move them) and patch a few holes. With any luck, I'll have this area primed and painted this weekend.

Pray for me.

The Holiday Weekend

2010-12-28T16:14:00.001-08:00

A quick recap of my Christmas Weekend:

It seemed like I was on the go the whole four days. And, looking back, I was. There was so much fun to be had!
First, Friday night dinner with Matt at my house. I got a killer deal on live Dungeoness crab since it's in season. So, I drove home with a wriggling paper bag full of dinner gleefully anticipating the carnage!
Here we are, just sitting down to eat. ALWAYS put plastic under the newspaper (just a little tip from me to you), as crab can make for a messy dinner...

Before Matt would let me tear into mine, he set them up for a little duel: Food Fight!!!

The next morning we got to take it easy and leisurely pack for our overnight stay at the Oregon Garden Resort. It was fantastic! It really did feel like we had gone away on vacation, but it was only two miles from my house. All the pleasure of vacation with the convenience of being in your hometown. We went out to dinner and Skyped family and just had a great time.
Christmas morning dawned early, as we had to be at Matt's mother's house by nine in Salem. We had a lovely time opening gifts and cooking breakfast (which included my first introduction to grits. I was pleasantly surprised). Here's Matt and Strauss (his little brother) putting together a train set after the present-opening frenzy:

Then, I was speeding off to Jan's house in Beavercreek as I said I'd be there by noon to help set up dinner. We talked and played with lambs and watched the ewes like hawks as they ponderously went about their business. I volunteered for the 3am lamb check Sunday morning so Jan could get a much-needed full nights rest. I found a set of twins only a half hour old when I went into the barn and got them settled in a pen, then fell back into bed about 3:30am. Here are some of the baby shots I took while I was there:

Jan's decided to name these triplets Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato...BLT for short (Matt's idea).

Later Sunday morning, I awoke and we were off again to look for a new washer and dryer for me. I just can't take the dryer squeals anymore! After two years of having a dryer that complains loudly every time it's turned on, I need some peace! Combined with the fact that my washer trips the safety on the electrical outlet when I turn it on, it was time for a new set. While I was at it, I decided that a new water heater would be a great idea too, as the one I have now is 15 years old and not installed up to code. So, after a trip to the Sears Outlet, behold:
My new Washer and Dryer Laundry Center!!!!! YAY!!!

More to follow soon, as I've already contacted a contractor and we've been scheming...

Hawaii- Part Une

2010-12-22T13:57:00.000-08:00

After our Alaska cruise and now our Hawaii vacation, I've decided I cannot let Mother out of the hotel room alone, no matter how much I want to sleep in. The first morning in Hawaii dawned bright and warm and I spent the morning of my birthday swimming in the Maui ocean and sunbathing in my new bathing suit. It.Was.Heaven. Mom had disappeared early in the morning and finally showed up after breakfast with an envelope full of purchased tickets- no expense spared! I supposed plying my fingers to the bone IS worth it :-)
Anyway, here's Mom on the beach our first night in Maui. After the five hour flight, sitting on a beach in Hawaii was very surreal...

Here's me in my super hot bathing suit!!

After sunbathing and swimming in the ocean, for my birthday dinner, Mom and I went to one of the best Luaus on the island- Old Lahaina Luau! We were greeted with leis and Mai Tais while waiting for the pig to cook.

Here's a view of all the tables and people...

A view of the stage...

Here's the pig pit!

They're digging around the pit...

Lifting the lid off the pig; they use banana leaves and river rock...

Ta da!! Slow cooked pork! The food and entertainment was fantastic- one of the best birthdays EVER!

The next day, we stopped at the fruit stand and picked up some goodies. Here's some dragon fruit...

and Maui gold pineapples!

Scuba diving and the Road to Hana below!

Hawaii- Part Deux

2010-12-22T11:59:00.000-08:00

Our first excursion: the road to Hana in a luxury van!

the Black Sand Beach on the way...

We then took a helicopter from Hana, back down to the airport. Here's Mom in the air:

Some views while in flight...

The day after the Hana and helicopter trip, we went snorkeling at Turtle Town and Molokini. Mom will probably kill me for posting this picture, but she just looked so proud! Here's Mom in her bathing suit and a scuba top!

To be fair, here's me in a scuba top. We saw sea turtles, spinner dolphins, eels, and lots of tropical fish. It was an absolute blast and Mom was the last one back onto the boat!

The next two days, we went to a Lavender farm (Mom's pick, of course) and a goat dairy, both wonderful experiences.

We had a great time and Mom cried alligator tears as we loaded the plane to come home.

Glass Blowing Class 2

2010-12-22T09:56:00.000-08:00

After my success in the first class, I decided to sign up for level two. Here I am shaping a vase with some wet newspaper...

Swinging hot molten glass at the end of a long metal pole- very exciting!

Shaping a bowl with the jacks...

More shaping...

Me blowing into the pipe...

Me at the glory hole getting my glass hot!

All in all, it was a very educational experience and I'm very pleased I got to cross something off my bucket list. Not sure if I have what it takes to be a glass blower, but I have a couple of glass flowers and lopsided bowls that I'm very happy with!

Halloween Party 2010

2010-11-02T09:57:00.001-07:00

Glass Blowing Class

2010-11-02T09:35:00.000-07:00

I Like a Busy Kitchen...

2010-10-04T15:47:00.000-07:00

If you're a preserver, you know the work doesn't stop until it snows. There's always new recipes to try and old favorites to reproduce. Last year, I didn't get my act together enough to stop by the apple stand and make applesauce. This year, I was determined not to waste the wonderful opportunity of local, fresh apples! I got thirty pounds of this "bargain" apple mix for sauce and several pounds of Jonagolds for dried apples. I also stopped by EZ Orchards to see if Brussels Sprouts were in yet; they were! At $1.75 per stalk, they're a bargain! I got seven...

Here's the day's haul; brimming with potential! Last year, I was at a loss with what to make out of two pounds of mini sprouts, so I just pickled them. They were such a stupendous hit, that I promised to make more this year. Since I haven't gotten my garden established yet, I had to buy the raw materials. Going to EZ Orchards is the next best thing to growing it yourself, so I only felt slightly sad about not having a garden yet...

Here's the applesauce production line! Wash, Peel, Slice, Dump, Repeat...a lot.

This little machine is worth it's weight in gold! I think I paid $20 for it new, and I can't even tell you how much time and aggravation it saved me! It peels, cores, and spiral slices apples all in one fell swoop and is THE ONLY WAY to process thirty pounds of apples without driving yourself mad. This and my cherry pitter- gadgets WELL WORTH THE MONEY!

While the sliced apples cooked on the stove and the jars were being sanitized in the dishwasher, I plucked sprouts off their stalks; behold the carnage!

Here are all the raw sprouts that need to be trimmed...

Here are the Jonagolds on the dryer!

Ah, the finished product; seven jars of pickled Brussels sprouts and six jars of applesauce.

I also found the time (finally) to prepare some candied ginger root. I use it on top of my gingerbread cookies and I know a certain Grandfather that loves to eat it straight like candy!

I candied about two pounds worth of ginger. It's not hard to make, but if your going to do it, it's worth doing in big batches. You also end up with a by-product called "ginger sugar". It's great for spicing desserts or rolling cookies in.

All in all, it was a very productive weekend, but there's ever more to be done. There are still apples and sprouts left that need to be canned as well as a dirty kitchen to clean!

OFF and I'M AWAKE!!!

2010-10-01T09:18:00.001-07:00

Last weekend, I jaunted off to Canby to see all my friends at Oregon Flock and Fiber! Since I look so much like Mom, I got to meet a lot of new people who kept mistaking me for her. She was down in LA this year, braving 100 degree weather while I was taking refuge from torrential downpours in the barns.
I saw Sheila and Mike, who make beautiful glass knitting needles and buttons...

And I saw the "basket people" who always come every year with fabulous project baskets...

I stopped at Jan's booth and chatted with her and Geri....

And got a ride in the Roc so Jan could take her humane trap home. Apparently, there had been a skunk invasion in her coop and she wants to try and trap it before it makes off with any of her new hens! I heartily agree since I'm the one that raised them!

Anyway, Tuesday morning comes along and I'm groggily trudging to the chicken coop for feeding time at 7:30 in the morning when lo and behold I come face to face with THIS!!!!!!!!!:

I was shocked into wakefulness right quick, I can tell you! It was just a baby, but stunk to high heaven nonetheless and I was faced with getting it out of the coop without being sprayed and still get to work on time. I was saved by a large plastic black nursery pot that I covered him with, then slowly walked him out of the coop underneath. After quickly shutting and locking the coop door, I tipped the pot over with my hay rake and scooted back into the house. I suppose this catch and release was mostly a success, but I did smell slightly of skunk the whole rest of the morning....

Pastry Table at Last!

2010-09-21T15:37:00.001-07:00

It's finally done, YAY!!!!!! It was sitting in the garage for several months before I got Joe to fix the drawers, then another couple of months before Alexandra got the top finished, but what a top! It's all made out of 1-inch pieces of Maple and wow, does it look good.
Here's Alexandra unwrapping the top and applying the first layer of the beeswax/ mineral oil mixture we made. After several coats, we moved the table inside and I continued to put coats on until it wouldn't soak up anymore.

Isn't it just the Thing?! I knew it would look fabulous after some TLC and it does! It has already been great for canning because of the larger work surface and because it's longer, I don't hit my head on my hanging pots anymore!

The tin flour bins are perfect for my cloth napkins and tablecloths- now I don't have to search in my bedroom closet anymore. Kudos to Handyman Joe and Alexandra for facilitating my wishes for this table!

State Fair

2010-09-21T15:19:00.001-07:00

Bill and I decided to buy tickets to see ZZTop and the State Fair and thought going early would be fun, so we both took the afternoon off from work and spent it wandering the fair!
First on the agenda was food! I got the BBQ chicken which was amazing! Mommom would say I "washed my neck in it", which I did...

Then, it was off the poultry barn to see how my chickens stacked up to show stock. I'm proud to say that my little band looks just as plump and shiny as these birds!
My brother Steven used to raise chickens just like this one: Japanese Silkies!

Love the headdress!

This was the hugest hen breed I've ever seen. The rooster must have weighed 20 lbs.! I'd like to see a possum try to bother him!

Then, we were off the livestock barns and guess who I should see? Maria Rooney and Kendall showing their white Romney's. She won, of course...

And finally, before the concert we hit the Carnival where bill won a bowl for me and a shot glass for himself. ZZTop rocked and the venue was great! It was a great day with perfect weather for going to the fair!

More Canning!

2010-09-21T14:53:00.000-07:00

Again this year, I've been furiously canning every free minute and I've managed to put up more fresh pack pickles, peach jam, peach quarters, pickled green beans, and salsa!

The prep work...

Salsa!

The finished product, cooling on the outdoor picnic table: green beans and gherkins!

Peach Jam!

Aloha!!!

2010-09-02T10:43:00.001-07:00

Well it's decided: we're going to Hawaii this fall!!! Just in time for my 29th birthday. There are so many good vacation deals right now, that it seemed like the perfect time to go. Ireland is still on our radar, perhaps after tax return time (since I'll finally be getting a good return this year- thanks house!). I'm so excited to go someplace tropical! We plan on snorkeling, taking helicopter rides, boat tours around the bay, lazing on the beach, and eating good food! I'll keep you posted as we nail down the details!

ALOHA!!

Kettle Taco Party!

2010-08-15T13:52:00.000-07:00

What can I say? Lots of people came. There was tons of killer food. We played pictionary and Mexican train. We drank lots of margaritas and cervesas. Much fun was had by all. Mary's already planning a Hawaiian luau for next year...

Monster!!!

2010-08-15T13:49:00.000-07:00

I know that Lily has already been featured lots on Mom's blog, but she's stayed with me quite a bit due to Mom's jet-setting and I found quite the collection of photos:

Here she is climbing all over Paula Schull after getting her nails trimmed...

Hanging out on Mom, getting in the way of knitting...

Nap time with Cleo...

Hanging out on my bed...

Oh..so cute, right? Wrong! She's an absolute MONSTER! I've had to fix a wall in the front room TWICE as a result of deep nail gouges under the window. Not to mention the number of times I've had to do laundry because of a messy trip to the cat box, followed by a stroll around my house! Oh, and don't forget the time she twined several balls of singles around the frontroom like a huge spider web.
DON'T LET THIS PICTURE FOOL YOU!!! Cause this is how she lulls you into complacency, then attacks your feet while you're sleeping!

Chickens and Home Improvement

2010-08-15T13:44:00.001-07:00

After four months of careful rearing, I finally introduced the chicks to the big chickens in the coop. It was not exactly smooth sailing and I had to quarantine two that got henpecked pretty badly.
Here is the recovery pen complete with two victims. Thankfully, they both made a full recovery and have since established a tentative truce with Red and Blondie.

In an attempt to give the chicks a place to rest and keep out of the older chickens' way, I had Handyman Joe come over and build a roost and shelf. It worked great and kept the chicks off the coop floor in case my resident skunk got too interested...

Here's one of the chicks all grown up! While I was in Chicago in July, I got a text from Mom who was chicken-sitting. One of the chicks has started laying! I was so bummed, missing out on the first egg. It's like watching a video of your kid walking for the first time; just not the same as seeing it in person.
Here is the overachiever: Susan!

Her eggs are so tiny and cute and so GREEN! They're the perfect egg Mcmuffin size!

There's also been a lot of home improvement going on at my house. Handyman Joe's been over quite a bit, doing lots of little projects. One being a new screen door on the back porch! When Mom and I did canning, we realized that having both doors open created a very pleasant cross breeze and made the kitchen tolerable. The side effect was lots of flies in the house, which grosses me out! So, Joe and I bought a pretty wooden door and planed it to fit perfectly (since, of course, the door was not a standard size).

Joe also refurbished the pastry table that I got off of CL. It needed a little TLC, namely new drawer bottoms and cutting boards. Now, all I need to finish it up is a new granite top, then it will go in the kitchen!

And last, but not least, my killer deal of the week: a new greenhouse! A lady in Dallas is moving and didn't want to try and take this with her. It fits perfectly in a weird corner of the garden created by the chicken coop. For $400, I got the green house (which fit exactly on the trailer), steer manure, peat moss, a rug for the floor, and countless pots of all different sizes. So, I'm all set for next spring. Now, I need to run water lines from the front of the house for irrigation in back. One more project on an endless list...

We're Jammin'

2010-08-15T12:50:00.001-07:00

Well, summer was very late in coming this year in Silverton. It rained and rained and rained, then suddenly, it was ninety degrees! Unfortunately, I missed the very small strawberry window, but got plenty of blueberries to make up for it!

Mom and I got together and made lots of delicious jam! Here are the blueberries grown on a farm about 5 miles away from my house. They became Blueberry Rhubarb and Blueberry Lime jam as well as dried blueberries for muffins and oatmeal.

My next door neighbor ("Biscuits and Gravy" Bob) has a blackberry bush in his backyard and we worked out a trade: jam for all the blackberries I can pick. What a deal! Here is Mom, seeding the raspberries and blackberries for a batch of Mixed Berry Jam.

Here is the beginning of Apricot jam: cooking to the "gelling point"!

Cherries that we pitted with my fancy pitting machine- best $20 I've ever spent. We canned them in a light syrup for cherry pies, Dad's favorite!

Here is Mom loading up my dehydrator with left over blueberries....

The day's haul: Bluebarb Jam, Apricot Jam, Mixed Berry Jam, Blueberry Lime Jam, and canned Cherries. Whew, what a day!

Jars of summer goodness waiting to be sent out to spinners at Christmas!

A Silverton Weekend

2010-05-17T21:24:00.000-07:00

Hello, hello everyone!! I know, I've been remiss, but I've got lots of new stuff to share!
This weekend was a particularly nice one in Silverton; sunny weather does much to improve one's outlook on life! I was up early on Saturday, mopped the floor, tidied the house, then took a lovely walk to the Silverton Farmer's Market.
I got more strawberry starts (supposedly fall-bearing) and some tomato starts for Alexandra and Mataniu. It was a great day to be out and about, munching on a blueberry scone bought at one of the stands.

Just as I had finished my shopping, the annual Silverton Pet Day Parade started! There were goats, chickens, rabbits, kittens, horses, sheep, and hundred of dogs, all showing off during the parade. Everyone in the crowd seemed to know at least one person/pet team in the parade and there was lots of waving and candy-throwing!

Sunday was another early morning as I got ready to cook breakfast for Alexandra and Mataniu. I used up a lot of eggs (yay!) as well as bacon and toast with my home-made jam. Then, we were off to the Oregon Gardens! I wanted to see the irises blooming and ended up getting lots of ideas for my front and back gardens. Because I have so much fence line in my backyard, I have lots of opportunity for vines! I saw several things I could try and was hoping some of my more loyal readers could way in on their favorites...
First, here is what I envision for the front yard. An espalier fence with apples and pears. I really like the way they have this layed out, because it's not too high and would be easy to maintain and pick once the fruit was ready. There isn't that much material cost, either. A few pressure-treated posts, some heavy galvanized wire, fasteners, copper tops, a box of u-staples and I'd be set! My only dilemma now is what varieties of apples and pears I want. I would love to find trees that have several varieties grafted on, but we'll see...

Next, I saw several great ideas for vine supports. I just can't decide which one I like best.
Support #1:
I like this one because the materials used to build it are pretty and functional. Also, they built it in such a way that it's curved, which would be great as a natural wall around a paved area I want to build in the back. This would be perfect for snap peas, or flowering vines.

Support #2:
Mostly I like this because it looks cheap and easy to build. It's probably only really good for berries or grapes and it's not quite as pretty as some of the other alternatives.

Support #3:
This one I really liked because it seemed very sturdy and effective for plants like snap peas or beans. Clematis would also like it because of the close gauge of the wire. Plus, I already have fencing like this left over from other projects, which would keep the initial cost down...

Also, with this structure, it's easy to attach netting to cover the new growth, deterring any hungry deer that might be silly enough to come into town.

Support #4:
Lastly, I like this support for many of the same reasons I liked #1. It's pretty and would add a nice texture to the backyard. It would take a lot more materials and time to put up, but perhaps it would be worth it as a focal point in the garden?

This was a pic I sent to Mom- everyone knows how much she likes artichokes!

This greenhouse is just like what I want someday, tucked in by the chicken coop...

After a very envigorating walk through the gardens, we rested in the shade...until mosquitos found us...

Here are the chicks I got in February, almost fully grown! I cleaned out they're cage which riled them up into a frenzy.

And after a morning filled with excitement, I plied yarn and made dinner for myself: Jan's lamb from last summer, asparagus that Jan gave me from the Beavercreek farmer's market, and fingerling potatoes Mom left in my fridge before she left. I didn't have to buy one thing!

Then, just to top the day off, I made a batch of chocolate chip cookies and ate them while cuddling a very persistent cat :-)

The Work Continues...

2010-04-13T10:32:00.001-07:00

After Dad joined Mom and I at my house, we got busy doing home improvement jobs. First on the list: a new workbench for the garage. I took lots of pictures in the hope that I could, at some point, do this myself on the other side of the garage.
Here is Dad finishing up the electrical boxes he put in the day before. He also put up three shop lights so I wouldn't have to dig around in the dark for a hammer anymore...

Here's the first piece to go up: the support onto which everything else would be built.

Dad cutting...

Next, crosspieces, a front piece, and legs. There was lots of checking, leveling, rechecking...

Apparently, my garage floor isn't level...hm, imagine that...

Here it is, all framed up and waiting for the top pieces.

We nailed on the three top pieces and voila a new workbench! I still have to put on a back-splash, front trim around the plywood, and seal the top. I love the way my garage is starting to take shape and can't wait to get it all organized!

Inaugural Tea Party

2010-04-13T10:19:00.000-07:00

Behold my first party in the new house! Mom and I did nothing but party Easter Weekend, starting with First Friday in Silverton and ending with Easter dinner and Mexican Train at Paula Schull's house. Party, Party, Party! is Mom's mantra and it's hard not to get swept along in the tidal wave of fun.
We had smoked salmon, marinated cucumber, and herbed cream cheese prosciutto tea sandwiches, two types of tea, salad, pickled Brussels sprouts, trifle, and chocolates. It was very good. I enjoy entertaining and loved that the first get-together in my new house was such a success!

Here is Paula chatting and Cynthia enjoying one of the scrumptious chocolates from the Chocolate Box in Silverton.

Linda, Mom, and Bill Schull discussing something important...

Palace de Poulet

2010-03-19T09:15:00.001-07:00

Can I just gloat for a minute? This is a KICK ASS CHICKEN COOP! Ok, I'm good now. I just needed a minute to express my absolute joy with how this turned out. Mom was kind enough to buy the materials for it and her and Joe conceptualized while I was in Beloit. After a few days of hard work, this is what had materialized:
Here is the coop mostly finished. Joe used leftover fence boards to line the outside as an additional deterrent to critters, plus, it looks cool!

I helped Joe put up the chicken wire, as it can be a pretty cantankerous material to work with.

We even wrapped the wire over rafter gaps and pinned an extra five inches into the dirt floor. Hopefully, this will stop wild birds stopping in to steal food and deter burrowing.

We also put up metal flashing to cover the cut chicken wire ends. This is more for my peace of mind than for the chickens. I had visions of me trying to untangle myself from ragged wire edging at six in the morning and decided that an extra ten bucks to cover the edges was totally worth it...

Here's the finished inside, complete with feeders and coop (a gift from Jan and Neil). Don't Red and Blondie look happy? I think they do...

Here it is, all finished and beautiful. I am just tickled pink at how this turned out and couldn't have imagined how my original idea would morph into this palace! Thanks Joe and Mom for creating such a enviable coop!

Oh, and here is Miss Red "Houdini" Hen trying to escape while I was taking pictures. My iphone inadvertently took this shot while I was chasing her down...

My Peeps

2010-03-18T15:42:00.001-07:00

My friends and family are....the greatest. I had many offers of help with my recent move, some of which I took. I want to thank the people that heaved and pushed and pulled and carried all my crap to the new house. People like Johnpaul and Linda, Alexandra, Suellen and Paul, Mary, and Carlos with his Magical Moving Team of Three. I sincerely appreciate all your efforts and hope that I get the opportunity to repay you in kind.
There are, however, a few people that have given me so much support over the years (emotional, financial, physical) that I could never repay them even if I tried. And the real clincher? They would never expect to be repaid. They are the best people a girl could know and I'm constantly amazed at what we accomplish together. I would like to publicly thank those who mean so much to me and helped me immensely with this most important step in my life.

Adrienne and Paul Lulay
Loyal, Creative, Always Prepared, and TALL!!!
This super-duo always have the right tool, always! If it's not in the house, it's in the truck. If it's not in that truck then it's in the other truck. And if they (by some crazy fluke) don't have something, they know someone who does. If you need help, they hook up the horse trailer and blaze up I-5 to the rescue! They give great advice, enable my crazy schemes, and make a mean breakfast!

Jan and Neil McMahon
Practical, Wise, and Unendingly Supportive
What can I say? They're the best surrogate parents I could ever hope for. Since the age of 14, I've earned valuable spending money trimming sheep and farm-sitting (something I would have done for free) at Spinning Ewe Farm. They know when I'm down about something and always know how to cheer me up. Whether that means getting on the computer and helping me do legwork, or sitting me down with a bowlful of lamb stew and Maury, it always works. I leave feeling more prepared, or reassured, and with whatever else Jan feels I need (cheese, dishtowels, a silverware set, a new chicken coop, wine glasses, potholders, a Carhart t-shirt, eggs, and the list goes on...), the most valuable of which is advice stemming from years of experience. They tell me when I'm overreacting (or under reacting), when I should take action and when I should be patient. They are truly the best of people.

My Parents
How on earth could I have gotten this far without them? Answer: I wouldn't have. They are a source of unending support and encouragement. If I need help, they're there. If I need money, they're there. If I need someone to talk to, they're there. Mom is always willing to jump on a plane to bail me out when I start to freak out and Dad's voice of reason is only a phone call away. I would not have had the confidence to buy a house on my own had my family not been willing to go look at houses on Christmas Eve. We all loaded into Joe's truck, crawled through freezing empty houses, then ate dinner at the Creekside while debating the many pros and cons of each house. Had they not been willing to hash out all the details, I would have been very hard pressed to make a decision on my own. I love my family and while we're not perfect, we're pretty damn good.

These are the special people in my life and I just wanted to take this opportunity to say "thanks", even though that single word seems to be excruciatingly inadequate. They help me get through life with all it's ups and downs and I hope we can stick together always. They are my Posse!

So close....

2010-03-18T14:03:00.000-07:00

...and yet so far! This is absolute kitty torture, but what the hell, it builds character!

The ten little Ameraucana chicks are all doing great and getting new feathers everyday!

The Cutest Little Sushi Eater in Oregon

2010-03-18T13:53:00.000-07:00

Mark's favorite are the salmon eggs, which he eats by the handful!

More Progress!

2010-03-04T18:48:00.000-08:00

Here's a table that they were going to throw away at our Nut plant, but I rescued it. It would make the perfect dye table or potting bench. Alexandra came and picked it up and will use it when she dyes until my garage is more organized.

Here's the final look into my newly cleaned-out garage! It took several days and SIX dump loads (the last of which is in the back of my truck, ready to go), but it's finally done, swept out, and ready to receive all my precious tools and gardening supplies!

Next on the list, is a new chicken coop that will (hopefully) curb the wanderlust of Red Houdini chicken and a new fence around the backyard. Also, I have been convinced that my kitchen needs to be painted before I move in, so there's a trip to Lowe's scheduled for my lunch break. Stay tuned!

Home Improvement

2010-03-03T07:27:00.000-08:00

Well, things are ticking right along at the new house! Yesterday, Mom and Jan volunteered to come over and help me get organized before Moving Day. Apparently, there are things about the new house that bother the two of them much more than they bother me. Granted, the crooked striped wall paper in the kitchen bothered everyone, but they are determined to paint the kitchen, even though I'm planning a larger re-model later....
Here's Mom, happily cleaning. After seeing the picture, she challenges anyone to drive 12 hours, arrive at midnight, clean their daughter's new kitchen the next day and look better than she does in this picture :-)

It's amazing how much better mint green paint looks when it's clean. Not great, mind you, but better...

Here is Jan, gleefully removing the hideous striped wall paper. The glue-smeared wall underneath looked better than the actual paper...kind of shabby- chic.

On Saturday, my very loyal friend Bill came up from Philomath to help do Demolition! We ripped out a very moldy office that had been "creatively" built inside the garage. Now, I just have to schedule some dump runs to get rid of old drywall, carpet and wood!
There's one wall down!

Three walls down! After I took this photo, we cleared out the last of the insulation and wood. The only thing left to rip out is the carpet and a few pieces of wood bolted to the concrete. Then, I can get started on my dream garage and seed-starting station!

Sausage Smoking Party!

2010-02-27T09:37:00.000-08:00

Ever since Janell, my friend from work, got a smoker for Christmas, we've been planning a Sausage Smoking day. Finally, on the 20th, I packed up my smoker and spices and hauled everything to Stayton where we made sausages all morning, then partied in the afternoon!
Here's the Kitchen Aid mixer with it's grinding attachment...

The spices all weighed out and ready...

Janell pre-grinding the meat...

Me mixing away on a batch of English Bangers..

Here we are finally stuffing the meat into pork casings...

The finished links. We definitely got better as we went along.

And here are the finished sausages after about three hours of smoking! They were smoky, juicy, and delicious! After the word got out at work that the party was a success, there were many requests for a second sausage party day!

C'mon a My House!

2010-02-27T09:09:00.000-08:00

My new house! Yes, I finally found one that suited me and took the leap over Christmas. It's the biggest present I've ever bought myself!
Here is the living room. This is before I had new cadet heaters installed and the walls painted....

My bedroom...I've since had the closet rebuilt and the room painted green (of course).

The tiny bathroom that needs updating...

Bedroom #2, commonly referred to as "Mom's Bedroom", which is also now boasting a new closet and color- blue!

The kitchen which also desperately needs a facelift. Not to worry, I'm already scheming!

A very awkward space containing a water heater that's not up to code and a washer/dryer that doesn't really fit. More scheming...

Here is the narrowest staircase I've ever seen going up to the partially finished attic space...

Heads up!

Perfect hideaway for any little boys that might come over and visit...(hint, hint Adrienne)...

Here is an outdoor shot of the back of the house, the most common entrance. The front door is more of a formality.

Here is the spacious side yard, just waiting for fruit trees and an espalier fence!

Here is the front of the house and more yard, just bursting with potential!

The detached garage..stay tuned for pictures of demolition! My friend Bill is coming up today and we're ripping out an office that was built inside. I have modest plans to turn into a beautiful workspace and seed starting station!

And, finally, the backyard which needs a new fence. All this un-utilized space makes me so excited to start from scratch and really make something spectacular. I can't wait to get started!

Pike's Market (or) My Vision of Heaven

2010-01-26T20:13:00.001-08:00

Andersen Trip to Seattle!

2010-01-26T20:04:00.000-08:00

Jeez, where have I been???

2010-01-10T13:12:00.000-08:00

Shit, I'm behind on posting! Naturally, I have lots of pictures to share, dating way back to Jan's Christmas gift exchange party!

Here's Cynthia showing off her wonderful White Elephant gift of dried lamb scrotum (that was Jan's idea) and creepy sheep puppet!

Next, we have Jan sipping wine and trying to remember the "rules" of gift-picking and stealing...Neil had to be consulted throughout...

Here we are all very festive with our paper crowns, reading the jokes from the Christmas crackers...Cynthia still with creepy sheep puppet...

Sean, after grabbing said creepy sheep puppet off chair, proceeded to kill, kill, KILL!!

Ginger on the couch while Elizabeth knits and talks (she so talented...I can't do both...)

Now, ZOOOOOM forward to the Andersen/ Lulay arduous journey into the high, high hills of Sweet Home Christmas Tree Hunt. The higher we drove, the more snow started to appear on the roadside and we finally had to turn around (after I had a major melt down after feeling the truck slip).

Finally, after...ahem...getting my tree in a lot...we decided to head home. I got all my presents wrapped in brown paper packaging, tied up in string just in time for a trip to St. Helens.

SHE.........

2009-11-13T20:45:00.000-08:00

.........WHO SEES ALL!!!!!!!!!

You mean there's still stuff to do in the garden?!?

2009-11-09T21:53:00.000-08:00

Yep, there is. Just when you think it's safe to hole up indoors with a nice hot cup of tea, you realize you still have work to do! So, you end up gardening in the rain.

Well, first I had to muck out the chicken coop, which was no fun task, given the mix of straw, mud, scraps, and...whatever else...that had built up since Spring. I used muscles that had lain dormant for many weeks and I'm feeling it now, boy. But was all worth it when I saw how happy the chickens were to have a clean yard and coop and fresh straw to root around in. And, to top it all off, I got two eggs that day, even though it's the first week in November. Very happy, indeed.

Anyway, after the chicken coop, I ripped out all the tomato and tomatillo remnants and gathered two baskets full of green tomatoes that hadn't had time to ripen. This year, with the help of my DIY Greenhouse, I'm going to try and plant the tomatoes earlier next Spring and get a head start.

Behold the remnants of Summer!

Jan McMahon gave me two bags of super manure, which was just enough to cover my two fallow beds. The rain and weather will slowly break down the nutrients and seep them into the soil...

Next on the outdoor agenda was to make a shelter for the chickens in their yard. With all the rain and wind we've had lately, their yard gets really muddy and unpleasant, plus it ruins their food before they can eat it all. They stay in their coop and soil the nest boxes and I end up with dirty eggs! No good, so I went and bought a heavy-duty tarp and covered half the yard with it. Fastened down with zip-ties (my new favorite "tool"), it looks kind of Redneck, but does the job wonderfully.

No sooner did I have the last tie in place when it began to rain. The chickens took cover immediately and waited the storm out while pecking at their still-dry layer feed.

I also harvested the Brussels Sprouts since we'd had our first frost. The chickens also got the brassica leaves to munch on before I took the stalks in the house.

I had trouble with my Brussels Sprouts this year. I was plagued with caterpillars and aphids, which sucked the life out of them. I sprayed a couple of times, but those pests are persistent and I thought the sprouts were a loss until I started to cut them off the stalk.

No, they weren't big like the ones in the grocery store, but they were edible and sweet. It was too early to save them for Thanksgiving, so I decided to pickle them! They were the perfect size for pickling. I'll use them on antipasto plates, as gifts, even in martini's instead of onions or olives!
Here is the sum total of my sprout harvest after trimming and sorting: 2 pounds, 11 ounces!

And here is the finished product! Six half-pint jars, and one quart jar full of vinegar-ed goodness!