A word about Durian

I have been interested in this tropical fruit ever since hearing about it on a cooking show a few years ago. My fascination for this fruit continues due to it's mysterious qualities. As an American, I find it intruiging that a foodstuff described as smelling like "rotting garbage" has conjured both a loyal and enduring fanbase.

First things first: Durian is a fruit grown in hot asian climates such as Thailand, Vietnam, and Malyasia. Roughly the size of a football(but heavier), this fruit is covered in a green , spiny exterior. The interior reveals large seeds, distinct segments, and a cream-colored flesh.

The popularity of Durian comes from it's creamy custard-like flesh and taste. Others compare it to vanilla pudding or almond scented custard. This inner flesh is smooth, soothing, and reportedly very filling.

But then there is the smell. Trust me, the smell of Durian is the stuff of legends. Just google it and you'll see what I mean. In countries where Durian is plentiful, there are laws against opening one on public transportation or in hotels. While some liken this odor to garbage left in the hot sun, others find it to be reminiscent of stinky socks. Mmmmmmmmmm, yummy.

I asked my local Vietnamese grocer about Durian malodorousness and she seemed surprised. "We have always thought it smelled good" she reported, as though she wasn't sure why I brought it up. Obviously, "good" is in the olfactory processes of the beholder.

At approximately 90 feet tall, the Durian tree is a potential hazard to those in the vicinity. A fruit falling from this height has been known to cause both injuries and fatalities. Smelly, spiky, and deadly-What's not to love about the Durian?

Last week a friend brought me a bag of Durian 'chips'. They were at once both pleasantly surprising yet slightly disappointing. The smell in this form of the product was very much tamed. I wasn't horrified at all-very disappointing. But the flavor was quite nice- custard like, smooth, and vaguely vanilla.

Anyone living in the larger metropolitan areas can find Durian without too much trouble. Scour you local Asian markets but be prepared to pay up to $40 for a single fruit. Visitors and denizens of San Francisco can treat themselves to Durian icecream. I've been told its one of the best.

-Ellen

The Goat Meat Diaries

Some time ago I wrote a post about goat meat. I wrote of its growing popularity in the U.S. I told of how my teenage son had tried it during a mission trip to Jamaica and liked it. But as of today, I myself have never tried it. All that is about to change.
Friends have given us a "wether', (a neutered male) for butchering. My first thought was one of delight, my second thought was, "oh, now I am actually going to have to cook it and eat."

What is it in Americans that makes us so afraid of food beyond the conventional, pre-wrapped offerings of our sanitized supermarkets? This is certainly not an urban area we live in. Many of us in this town grew up eating deer, elk, or cows and chickens raised on our own properties. Still, I have to wonder, what will Chevon (goat meat) look like? What will it smell like? Taste like?

And so I offer up myself and my family as guinea pigs. Or perhaps a better word choice would be 'product testers'. When we are finally in possession of our chevon, I will document our findings on this blog. If you have any recipes or cooking tips, offer them now.

adventurously,
-E

Cold Snap

To say it has been cold here would be a gross understatement. In fact, it has been "Where the heck are my gloves-The car won't start-Does anyone know where the icescraper is?-I need a new coat , this one isn't warm enough, "MOM, I'm FREEZING" weather.

Keep in mind this is the temperate climate of the Oregon. We don't typically get extremes of weather on either end of the mercury. Thus, a week in the low 20's nearly caused county-wide panic.

1. Our woodstove just couldn't penetrate the cold on that level. It was miserable in the house.
2. Pipes froze and some folks went without water for days.
3. Broken pipes at the stable meant that workers had to haul water to the horses by hand: terrible work in frigid temps.
4. The homeless suffered even more than usual.

God Bless the Green Spot Event Center. They opened their doors during the worst of the cold snap and provided both food and shelter for anyone who needed it- NO questions asked.

As our church meets there, our family had the honor and privilege of helping out. We had so much fun I'm almost sorry the weather has warmed up again. Almost, but not quite!

The Green Spot owner John, and his employees Anthony and Richard, did an amazing job of meeting the needs of the community. They borrowed cots from the armory, provided sleeping bags, and kept hot soup and coffee available at all times.

Word spread to the community and the donations just poured in. Peope would walk in the door with arm loads of pillows, blankets, coats, and clothing. Dante' and I enjoyed sorting and folding clothes. Phil helped wherever needed and Max served as unofficial taste tester. He really enjoys Richard's cooking, which by the way is fantastic.

About the food: There was always a hot soup bubbling in the pot. Usually chicken with noodles or dumplings and plenty of veggies. Boneless turkey and ham were roasted and made in to sandwiches. Breakfast was often biscuits and gravy. We also enjoyed cupcakes, muffins and cookies. In fact, the food was so good I would nearly get homeless to have some. (Okay, a tad of an exaggeration. But just a tad)

So that is what we are eating in Oregon this week. Food, love, fellowship and compassion. When a community turns out to help it's own, it is a beautiful thing.

Love and God Bless,
-Ellen

A Shore Acres Christmas

Another wonderful aspect of life on the Southern Oregon Coast is the annual Christmas lights display at Shore Acres State Park.

Few sights pack the dramatic impact of these botanical gardens on a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean. In the glow of the park's thousands of holiday lights, the roar of the close but unseen surf is an appropriate "sound track".

Every year we pack the kids into car, play a Christmas music cd, and hit the coffee kiosk for caramel steamers before heading to the light display.

Cranberry Farm

One of the best things about life of the Southern Oregon Coast is the fall cranberry harvest.

Bandon is a small town with breathtaking coastal views, a vibrant art community and a wealth of not-so-obvious cranberry bogs. I say this because they appear, to the casual observer, to be unassuming little plots of land. If I were driving past on highway 101, (and didn't know better) I'd wonder what the heck was growing in those concave square lots.

Earlier this month, Max and I had the pleasure of getting up close and personal with some cranberry bushes. My husband was visiting a client at a small mobile home park in Bandon. Max and I took our leave to walk a gravel county road adjacent to the park. We admired the homes in the cute residential area and marveled at the Chanterlle mushrooms growing right in peoples yards when a woman in a large SUV stopped next to us.

"Can I help you find something?", she inquired. I suspect she was being protective of her neighborhood. I explained we were just out for a walk. "Follow this road to the end and you'll find the cranberry bogs" she said with a nod towards my four-year-old. Well you don't have to ask me twice! I thanked her, said goodbye, and hustled down the road.

We were still surrounded by houses with no fields in sight when Max noticed small red berries on the ground by the road. Sure enough, cranberries. They must have fallen from a delivery truck?

We hadn't walked far from the Highway and I was skeptical that a whole cranberry farm could just pop up in this little residential area when we turned a corner and VOILA!- Acres and Acres of fields. It was amazing. A little like finding a sunny beach in the middle of Times Square.

The sunken plots of low growing cranberry bushes were surrounded by canals of water. This is to help with the picking. You see, cranberry bushes are small, dense, and difficult to pick from. Flooding the canals with water brings the berries to the top. As they float on the surface, a special machine culls them from the plants. Brilliant!

We were gamboling about and taking it all in when a large, white farm truck approached. My first thought was to wonder if we would get in trouble for being there. Turns out, the workers were super friendly and more than happy to give Max a sort of private tour. They even crawled into a bog and plucked fresh berries from the plants for him.

I don't remember the gentleman's name, but he explained to us that all thier berries are sent out to be cleaned, then frozen in large bags and finally shipped to OceanSpray. They don't really do anything with them here.

He also explained the myster of the 'white' cranberry. On the East Coast, where I lived previously, the cranberries were a pale color. That is because they have a shorter growing season there and must be picked before the cold weather. At that point, they have not yet turned their characteristic hue.

So Max and I returned with our greedy hands full of cranberries plus a few mushrooms
we harvested roadside. My husband just laughed when we got in the truck with our treasures.

I was so fired up I bought a few pounds of Bandon Cranberries, took them home and made cranberry sauce. I canned whole berries first, and then tried the recipe for the jellied sauce. For Thanksgiving dinner we tried both. The vote was split, My hubby and I like the whole berry sauce, while the kids seem to prefer it jellied.

If you haven't ever liked cranberry sauce, try making it fresh. The diffence is remarkable. It isn't necessary to do any canning. Making just enough sauce for a meal, (such as Christmas dinner) is super easy and quick. It requires just one bag of berries from the store. Most bags have the recipe right on them. You basically just add a lot of sugar and stir until they pop. (that's not a real recipe so don't take me literally)

So there it is. Happy holidays,
-E

What didn't work

So here's a hard look at the some of my less than productive efforts:

1. The goats- Despite my lofty declarations of a future filled with goat cheese and goat's milk soap, I produced nothing. The problem? As they say in the real estate world, Location..Location...Location. As I live in the city(no backyard goats allowed), driving several miles a day to milk a goat ain't gonna happen.

2. Growing eggplant didn't produce more than 2 small fruits. The miniature pomegranate died, and the mini blueberry plant has yet to do much of anything.

3. Home made bath soaps- Lots of fun, but too time consuming for me to do very often.

4. Our rabbits- We certainly aren't going to eat them, but we don't really have time to play with them. They just sit there creating fertilizer all day. Which I suppose isn't entirely a bad thing.......

Live and learn what works for you. Lackluster results give us valuable information that we can use to our advantage.

Never give up, always try something new. And don't forget to have fun!
love,
-EJ

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle Revisited

It's been more than a year since I read Barbara Kingsolver's book. It details a year of their lives spent growing and raising their own food. Anything they couldn't produce themselves they obtained from local farmers.

While I admit such a stringent endeavor isn't for everyone, I still recommend the book. It is honest, thoughtful, and at times, quite funny.

In our family's journey , we have made some great discoveries, achieved some exciting goals, and experienced some failures as well.

Below, some things that worked well:

1. Gardening- Now that we are getting the hang of it, the results are considerable. The food coming out of our garden is far superior to anything at the store.

2. Canning- Although still a relative beginner, I am really getting comfortable with the process. We achieved our goal this year of canning enough produce to line several shelves in our pantry.

3. "Make-your-own" - Laundry detergent, non-chemical household cleaners, candles, soaps, etc. My hubby is so hooked on our homemade firestarters it's a drag when we run out.

4. Whole foods- It can be hard to get excited about adding more beans, brown rice, and other whole grains to your diet. The good news is, they are delicious. The trick is finding good recipes. Search the internet and you'll find many innovative cooks have done the work for you.

5. Juicing- I admit I'm not in love with the prep time for this, but it is so worth it. Nothing compares to fresh juice. And I'm hooked on the instant "rush" I feel after downing a glass of fresh carrot juice first thing in the morning.

6. Foraging- This year we did a lot better at 'cashing in' on our natural Oregon resources. The cupboard is full of blackberry jam, we have blackberries in the freezer as well. We also have several quart size ziploc bags full of sauteed Chanterelle mushrooms in the freezer. Dried porcini are in the cupboard as well.

Next time I post, I will admit to things that didn't work out to well for us. But for now, I thought I'd just leave you with the positive. :)

Peace and love,
Ellen

blog is on temporary hold

I am in the process of updating my computer so this blog will be down for awhile. Stay tuned!

Slightly Off-topic

After reading my posts, it probably seems like I spend my days crouching in the garden or in the house making candles and crocheting like some kind of 'countrified' Martha Stewart. The truth is much less interesting, but I'm going to tell you about it anyway.

Confession #1- Sometimes I just loaf off in front of the telly or the computer.

Confession #2- My house is cluttered, the floor of my car has enough junk to feed and clothe a third world country, and I almost NEVER wear makeup.

Confession #3- Much of my consists of doing laundry, cleaning house and running errands.

I'm admitting to these things because so many people let being 'busy' keep them from pursuing their dreams. They have nothing to feel excited about, and that can be both emotionally and spiritually draining.

My intention is to encourage you. No matter how busy you are, you can pursue something you passionately believe in.

If you love peaches .......

I just finished canning 20 pounds of peaches with the help of my daughter. The heat of the kitchen was making us all mutinous. The good news? Lots of delicious jars of Elberta peaches to go into the cupboard.

Doing this brought to mind brought to mind the best-selling author and South Carolina peach farmer, Dori Sanders. This woman is a fantastic writer and a great cook.

Make it a point this month to buy (or check out from the library) her novels "Clover" and "A Place Of Her Own", as well as her cookbook. Dori is at heart both a humble peach farmer and vivid story weaver.


still Eating Oregon (I have the waistline to prove it!),
-E

Scratch-n-sniff Oregon

Mushroom season is just beginning. We comb wooded areas in search of Chanterelles. The forest floor smells of pine needles, decaying plant matter, and moist earth. Undergrowth is minimal, the perfect environment for little mushrooms.

I pick an apricot-colored chanterelle from its spongy moss bed. The light fruit aroma of it matches its color. Into the bag it goes.

Several paces away, clustered around a rotted tree stump, I see more of them. I'm like a child again, hunting Easter eggs. No dress this time. No basket, gloves, or shiny patent shoes. But the excitement of discovery is just the same as I remember it.

Days later I'm at the stables picking blackberries. As Dante' rides her horse and Maxwell plays, I stand before the prickly vines filling a small bucket. It is hot and the sun brings the odor of the berries to my nose. Hot, sticky, and sweet, they smell of late summer and fresh pies.

I shuffle my feet trying to angle my way to a better picking position without getting scratched by the vines. This crushes the wild mint under my feet. Inhaling deeply brings the cool refreshing scent deep into my lungs. Combined with the jammy sweetness of the berries, it is a gratifying moment.

Not all the smells here are wonderful. Low tide in the bay makes us look suspiciously at each other, wondering which of us was the 'offender'. " I swear I didn't!", vows the accused. "It's low tide!"

There is the pungency in spring of the skunk cabbage, the pervasive odor of 'cow' at the dairy farm, and the fishiness of the oyster processing plant.

Having said that, however, I wouldn't change any of it. After all these years, it all just smells like home.

-E

Summer melon recipe

Here is a refreshing way with summer melons. Bonus- it's fast and easy!


Ingredients:
any combo of summer melons- cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelon,etc.
honey
cinnamon
fresh mint

1. Cut your melon(s) into cubes. (as much you need for the number of people your cooking for)

2. Drizzle with honey.

3. Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon

4. Top with finely chopped fresh mint.

Colorful, light and fabulous.

-E

small post

A few days ago I related to a friend that I was excited to start canning peaches. She kind of looked at me funny and said "How long have you been canning?". I told her last season was my first and she smiled. Now I know why....

1. It gets old fast.
2. You become a slave to your produce. Since veggies and fruits are oh-so- perishable,it becomes necessary to put everything else on hold to deal with them.
3. While your dealing with fruits and veggies, the rest of your house(and life) falls to the wayside. You wake up at the end of the day from a steam induced fog and realize that your house, laundry and dishes are dirty. bummer.

Having said all that, I wouldn't change a thing. The payoff comes later, I know. But for now, don't expect much of me. And if you come over to visit, kindly pretend you don't notice the mess.
grins,
-E

" U-PICK pics #1"

I heard from the friend of a friend about a couple who live "up-the-river." They run a small U-pick farm and offer their gorgeous fruits and veggies for a jaw-dropping .40 a pound. Believe me when I say I was there just as fast as my dodge mini-van could take me!

Glen and Kathy don't advertise because I suspect they don't want large crowds of folks disturbing their quiet paradise. But those who know the way are always welcomed by them, their bird-dogs, and a yard full of chickens.

This lovely haven appeals to all ages. Dante' likes the country views and friendly banter with Glen. Maxwell loves the food, the chickens, and the major spoiling he gets when we are there. *Note below the soda in his hand and the chocolate-chip cookie on his face.

" U-PICK pics #2"

We just couldn't resist taking one of Glen and Kathy's humongous zucchini, dressing it up and taking it back. Below, Glen shows off the spiffed up zuke.

garden notes.........

Went to my absolute FAVORITE U-Pick place today and got a lot of peaches, carrots and basil that will need to be dealt with. It's early a.m. here so I'll have to post the pics of that after a few hours of sleep.

In the morning, my friend Dawn will come over and help can peaches. In the meantime, I've made several batches of pesto and stashed them in the freezer. As I type this, basil dries up in the dehydrator overnight. I'll use it all winter in casseroles, soups, and salad dressings.

Early yesterday, Max and I dug up our trove of fingerling potatoes. Fingerlings are rather small, irregularly shaped, and elongated. A bit like fingers if you've got a vivid imagination. :) They fetch a costly price in the store as a specialty item. I simply grew them because a friend gave me some starts.

The green beans have finished for the season. Secretly I'm happy. There comes a point when you've seen one too many. For now, I'll be content to make myself weary of the peaches.

And after all these months of waiting, guess what??? Soybeans!! Finally! I'd begun to think they'd never show up. At least once a week some inquisitive person wants to know what that 'green mound' is in my front yard. That, I inform them, is my soybean patch. Minus the soybeans. But now they are growing and I'm quite happy. We may yet have edamame to snack on this winter.

So tune in tomorrow, another spate of pictures is on the way.
Happy Eating,
-E

Myrtlewood leaves as a culinary herb

Those of you who are lucky enough to live in the great state of Oregon have most likely seen a Myrtlewood tree.

Wood from this tree has a lovely grain pattern known as 'fiddling' or 'fiddleback' thus, making it popular for woodworking.

What you probably didn't know is that Myrtlewood leaves can be dried and used as a culinary herb. Years ago, in the Eugene airport gift shop, I saw a tiny bag of 4-6 leaves sold for $2.00. The directions said to use them as you would bay leaves.

Now you know I'm not going to pay money for something that is plentiful and free. So I gathered my own and dried them. I encourage anyone who can get them to do the same. It's a fun and exotic addition to your spice cabinet that will get people talking.

Too much of a good thing?

I love late summer. Fruits and vegetables are so plentiful it's easy to get carried away. Often I find that I've purchased or grown too much of something and don't know what to do with it. Good intentions lead me to believe I really will can all 10 pounds of beans and Pickle three bags of cucumbers in one day. Then I don't. Panic and guilt set in. What to do? Read on......

Triage your projects, so to speak. If you have raspberries, corn and peas to deal with all at once, chances are your in over your head. Sure you wanted to can them all, but that's not look like a reasonable goal right now. If you just can't live without raspberry jam, deal with that first. You'll be glad you did. If your crunched for time after that, try freezing your corn and putting your peas in to the dehydrator. Or the other way around. Whatever works. Below are some specific suggestions:

Peas: These are best frozen. Peas are the one vegetable that even professional chefs tend to use from the freezer. They don't keep long fresh and tend to get mushy when you can them. Alternatively , pop them into your dehydrator. They'll be great for soups later.

Green beans: Can them, freeze them, dehydrate them. Use small tender beans for making 'dilly beans'. Large thick green beans are better for canning as they don't turn to mush as easily.

Corn: Freezing is great, canning is fine, dehydrating is easy and convenient. For something special, try making corn relish.

Tomatoes: Canning or dehydrating is best. Dehydrated tomato slices are delicious snacks, are great in pastas, and go well in salad dressings as well as casseroles.

Zucchini and yellow squash: These are a toughie. They won't taste very good after being frozen and aren't very tempting canned either. But there are some tasty exceptions: try zucchini jam, zucchini pickles, or freeze grated zucchini for cake or breads. Also, dehydrate the slices for use in winter soups.

Carrots: Who doesn't love carrots? They are so versatile! Again, you can freeze them, can them, or dehydrate them for soups. They adapt well to all types of storage.

Blueberries: Freeze for use in pies or baked goods. Blueberries make excellent jam and if you want to try something different, they be dehydrated to use in granola, pancakes, muffins, or just snacking.

Blackberries: My husband's favorite jam is blackberry! Around here they grow wild everywhere. Free Food, yay!! Take advantage and freeze as many as you can to make pies.

Apples: In the fall, I can't seem to make applesauce fast enough to put some away for winter. The kids eat it as fast as I make it. Which is good because it's very healthy and easy to make. For a fantastic snack, dip apple slices in sugar before dehydrating. Or leave the sugar out for healthier eating. Try pureeing apples to make fruit leather in your dehydrator. And finally, make some apple pies ahead of time and freeze them to bake later on.

*When you open your cupboards/freezer and see all the good the good things you've stored for winter it's a very good feeling. Best of luck in your endeavors. If you have questions, email me at edibleoregon@rocketmail.com

-E

Reasons why......

....you might be hesitant to get started gardening and my personal solution/rebuttal:

1. " I live in an apartment", "I have only a small backyard"

solution(s)- Container gardening. I've seen people use everything from actual flower pots, to coffee cans, to buckets, and even cheap plastic storage tubs from Walmart.
You can grow an entire salad garden on your window sill or in a pot on your back porch. Dwarf varieties of carrots grow well this way. So do herbs.


2. " I don't have time for that kind of thing."

rebuttal- Yes you do. The first year I gardened, all I did was put some seeds in the ground and water occasionally. I purposely chose easy care plants and kept it all low key so I would not get overwhelmed. It is only as hard as you make it!


3. " Look at my thumb. It's black! I'll kill all the plants."

rebuttal- There is no such thing as having a green thumb or a black thumb. If you want something badly enough- YOU CAN DO IT!

4. " Isn't gardening an expensive hobby?"

rebuttal- Again, it's only as expensive as you make it. Buy seeds once. After that, let some of your plants go to seed, collect those and plant them next year. If you save your own, you won't have to continually buy them.

Also, get your hands on the current issue of Backwoods Home Magazine. They have the cheapest, most innovative garden ideas. It isn't necessary to buy a ton of gadgets to have a good garden.

5." Gardening is for women, or old people. "

rebuttal- Not anymore. Although many of us have nostalgic memories of Grandma's kitchen garden, today's gardeners are of every age, social/economic strata and walk of life. They have discovered what others already know: gardening is fun and rewarding.

6. "My neighbors will complain about my garden"

rebuttal- Because my backyard is all shade, my garden is in my front yard closest to the street. I live in a nice neighborhood and feared complaints. My neighbors LOVE looking at our veggies. They have had nothing but nice things to say about it. Just keep your space clean and attractive.


If you have any other concerns or questions, ask me. If I don't have the answer, I will go find it.

hugs,
-E

Your front yard "gourmet grocery store"

Listen, anyone can grow fresh gourmet veggies. And there is very good reason to do so. Have you looked at the price of snow peas and sugar peas in the grocery store? $4-$6 dollars a pound!!

Here is another compelling reason to 'grow your own': Convenience. It's no secret that I love to cook. And it's frustrating to continually run to the store for every little thing. Especially fresh herbs. You pay $2 for half wilted basil that you only use a portion of . The rest turns black before you find another recipe.

Meal planning also becomes easier. I can stroll out to garden and see what is currently ready to pick and plan accordingly. In early spring it is usually just a green salad with a few fresh herbs tossed in. As the season continues, I can add spinach, radishes, and peas. Soon I'm planning meals around broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, new potatoes, zucchini, and yellow squash.

The sad truth is our economy sucks right now. And our pantry is showing the sign-of-the-times. The end of each month is often quite lean for us.

Yesterday I opened our fridge to look for a veggie for dinner. There was only a sad, old bunch of celery in the crisper. "Not salad again", I thought to myself.

Out to garden I went. And guess what? After 10 minutes of careful fussing and picking, I was able to get enough sugar snap peas to saute' for dinner for a family of six. No driving, no shopping, no money spent.

Tomorrow I'm going to address stumbling blocks to starting your own garden. Most gardening challenges are easily overcome. So do not fear!

Then we'll talk about some simple easy preparations of garden veggies. As side-dishes, soups, and even main meals.

Many friends have commented that we eat well at my house. You can do the same at yours! Stay tuned..........

summer dialogue

Peas hang abundantly like clusters of grapes on the vine. Our cat Aphrodite becomes "Mighty Huntress". She lurks in the green of the garden, imagining herself to be pleasantly dangerous. Bean,the kitten, pounces on her. She cuffs him angrily, her cover blown.

Hummingbirds congregate at the back porch feeder- the animal kingdom's water cooler. Grr, our largest cat, chitters with anxious desire. He longs to catch them.

I grow tired of the kitchen. The cooking, the dishes, the counters, the floors- all of it. So I take Dante' and Maxwell camping.

Forty-five minutes to freedom. Our campsite is spacious, the largest I have seen. Three tents or more could fill the open spaces. But we don't need a tent today. We are staying in the yurt. It has three beds, two tables, chairs, a lamp and a heater. Very luxurious camping indeed.

I feel better at once. All the best sights, sounds, tastes, and smells are here. The vibrant crackling of campfires, the laughter of children, the chirping of birds in the massive evergreens that loom above our personal haven.

A quick, black crow announces our arrival. Be careful, I tell the children. They will eat everything you turn your back on. That night we lick the remains of burnt marshmallow from our sticky fingers. Maxwell and Dante' are impossibly beautiful by firelight.

We fall asleep beneath the canopy view of the yurt's dome. The last sound I hear is the low droning of grown-ups who talk carefully around the campfire while their children sleep.

Mid-season garden update

I absolutely love this time of year. The garden really starts to pay off in June and July. We have more lovely salad greens than I know what to do with. The peas are getting quite prolific, lovely dark green heads of broccoli are appearing. Veggie Paradise!

Something new we tried this year was potatoes and boy was it worth it! 10 Yukon gold starts have yielded more gorgeous spuds than I ever thought possible. They are so large the ground above the plants is crumbling as they burst through. It is so much fun to dig into the ground and find large new-skinned potatoes just lying around like rich women on lawn chairs!

The spinach is all gone now. It got fairly large but bolted too quickly and began to gather powdery mold due to all the rain. I had to run outside and pull it up all at once to save it. In it's place I've planted a multi-colored carrot mix. The package promises purple, white and red carrots. If they really turn out, that is going to look so cool! We have a juicer and I want to drink some purple carrot juice.

Ahhh, soybeans. Such enigmatic little plants. I fear our climate gets too much rain and too little heat for them. But they shyly hold their own. I really have high hopes for them.

Also new this year: exotic radishes. Why radishes? I just don't know. Max likes them, they are easy to grow, and there are some wicked cool varieties available. We planted these monster sized red radishes that looked just like carrots. They were pretty nifty. But check this out, I just planted some variety of Black radishes. And since we are big lovers of Japanese food, Daikon radish has been planted as well. More on that later.

Also new, the herb garden. The unused space just outside the front door under the eaves is our new herb garden location. Up and running are Borage, Cilantro, Sage,Mint, Chamomile, Parsley,Rosemary and Marjoram. The Thyme is dead. What is it about Thyme? It always dies! Is there some Thyme god I need to sacrifice to , to get this stuff to grow?

Newly planted herbs include Lemon Balm, Coriander and, ummmmm..... shoot I forgot. Something else.

On the far end of the herb garden Is a new wooden trellis I added specifically for growing climbing beans. The particular variety we are growing this year are bright red. The pretty vines are winding themselves up the trellis and climbing higher each day. One of the vines has wound itself around a sunflower. Yes, that's right. Sunflower.

All those years I lived in Kansas and never grew the dang things. Now I have three of them in my front yard! It happened because we use our rabbit compost in the garden. The rabbits eat a mix of grain and seeds, i.e. sunflower seeds. A few of them sprouted and I am letting them do their thing out of sheer curiosity.

Also new this year strawberry plants in large flower garden and baby's breath growing around the mailbox. Whew! I'm almost as tired typing this as I was doing all that work. Thank goodness Dante' is such a good helper. :)

Confessions of a Face Book Junkie

My posts to this blog have been more and more infrequent lately. Some friends turned me onto Face Book and it has been occupying way too much of my time.

Call it and addiction, call it what you want- I think for me it just became a "reality avoidance" hobby, LOL :)

Another factor has been the flakiness of my camera.

To combat my writer's block and laziness, I am publicly vowing to post to Eating Oregon every day for a week. Now that I have said it, it will have to be done.

Wish me luck,
-E

Part II

Day Tripping part I

Although these pictures appear totally unrelated, they were taken during an afternoon outing. We drove about an hour to a small , rural town. Much smaller and vastly more rural than our own.

In just one day we encountered such a diversity of life it was amazing. I can't do it justice in just one posting so here is part I:





pic 1- Dante' and Rex by the river. Note the greenness of the water.

pic 2- An utterly gorgeous bloodhound sits watchfully on his porch.

pic 3- Max on the 'upside' of a teeter-totter.

Bleeding heart, Oregano, Society Garlic, lettuce....

Just some beautiful photos from our garden. :)

Eating Seaweed

Went to Eugene on Monday to take Dante' to airport. (she's in Colorado for the week) Took advantage of the trip to shop at the Asian Grocery store. Bought too many cool things to list all at once.

Max's choice? A jar of seasoned, roasted, seaweed. mmmm-mmmm. Actually they aren't too bad. Salty, crunchy and vaguely reminiscent of chips.

So we get home, open the jar and start sampling. Next thing I know, Max is feeding one to the dog-And he likes it! Now the three of us are chewing away when our cat Aphrodite suddenly wants a piece of the action. I tear it up and offer it to her. She likes it.

So Max, Rex, Aphrodite and myself had this odd seaweed eating moment together. Who knew it was a foodstuff that worthy of attention?

grins,
Ellen

I'm back finally!

Yes, I know I've been a bit of a sluggard lately. No posts, no pictures.

Lately I have been entertaining a bit of ennui and malaise all rolled into one lovely package. But enough of that. Writing is my place of peace and self expression, and it's good to be back.

Stay tuned for a deluge of mini-posts.

hugs,
Ellen

If you haven't already, go have some fun!!

It's tough to post this time of year with so much going on. The weather is beautiful, the gardens are going well, the baby goats want playing with..... Lots of wonderful distractions keep me from writing for the blog. :)

If your stuck in a rut, if your not having fun, be encouraged to try something new. I'll make a list to get you started with some ideas that are as frugal as possible.

1. Dig a pit in your back yard. Line it with bricks. Start a (safe) fire and roast marshmallows.

2. Dust off your tent and air it out. If you can't afford to go anywhere, just set it up in your front or back yard. Then camp out and do idea number 1.

3. If you don't have a yard, put a tent in your living room. We've done this and it's fabulous.

4. Lay blankets in the yard and watch the sun set.

5. Eat dinner outdoors. If you don't have a patio set (we don't) drag your dining set outdoors (don't laugh, we've done it) and enjoy a candle light dinner al fresco.

6. Roast corn on the cob for dinner. It is so delicious off the grill.

7. Go fishing and vow to eat your catch for dinner.

8. Make paper lanterns and hang them from your porch or balcony.

9. Borrow a telescope and stargaze.

10. Spend an entire day at the park, lake , or beach. No cheating and going home early.

11. "Summerize" your living space with wildflowers, throw pillows in summer-y fabrics, and don't forget to open the windows and let some light in.

12. Water balloon fight! You live near a dollar store, don't you?? Get 'em cheap.

Okay, that's plenty for now. Don't plan too much or think too hard, just go renew your spirit with some good old fashioned playtime.

love,
-E

Goaty Bliss

Maxwell wants to pet "Sheriff", who is orbiting his mother like a tiny, furry planet. She noses him indulgently, then turns back to her grain. As soon as Max gives up chase, Sheriff goes looking for him.

Feisty little Scarlett is happy to play with the humans, much to the chagrin of her mother. "Baa! Baa!", Robin calls her back. A tail wiggle, a pounce, and Scarlett is gone again.

Soon both babies are nursing their mamas. A deer watches this mixed-species gathering from the hill above. We notice her, she notices us and bounds into the treeline.

The Mamas are brought together to visit. Although grown mothers now, they butt heads like the doelings they once were. Their babies imitate their headstrong play. We laugh.

It is a great moment. One worth holding onto. :)

-Ellen

Quote of The Day

Lift the Wings
How can the small flowers grow
If the wild winds blow
And the cold snow is all around
Where will the frail birds fly
If their homes on high
Have been torn down to the ground
Lift the wings
That carry me away from here and
Fill the sail
That breaks the line to home
But when I'm miles and miles apart from you
I'm beside you when I think of you -
a Stóirín, a Grá
- From River Dance

Baby #3 is born!

John and Joy called about an hour or so ago: Robin gave birth to a little girl.

Locksley's babies are only 3 days old, maybe Robin was tired of her hogging all the attention. :) Robin has always been an attention hound.

More details to come. I am just happy that the mommas and babies are okay.
Oh, and that new baby goat? Her name is Scarlett. (as reported to me by Dante' LOL)

Honestly, I don't know how John and Joy get any sleep with all the goat drama. :)

happily,
-E

Eating Pasta , AKA "Please Try This At Home"

This isn't a recipe so much as it is an idea for what to make in a hurry. But it is one of the fastest ways to get a delicious meal when your tired of the same old thing.

you need:

long-cut pasta (such as linguine or spaghetti)
butter (margarine will do in a pinch)
anchovy paste or tinned anchovies (don't you dare say "Yuck", it doesn't taste like fish at all, but it imparts a gorgeous depth of flavor, I promise!)
Parmesan

optional: parsley, capers, fresh lemon

To Make:

1. Bring a pot of water to boil, add your pasta

2. While waiting for step one to complete, get out a saucepan and gently melt some butter. Use a few tbsp for one person, 1/2-1 whole stick for several people.

3. Squeeze in just enough anchovy paste for saltiness and flavor. If using tinned anchovies, start with one and take it from there. Stir to amalgamate the flavors.

4. Drizzle this velvety mixture over your already plated pasta. Top with Parmesan.

NOW, if you really want to make this dish _SEXY_ , add one or more of the following:

1. finely chopped parsley (chefs call it "chiffonade")

2. a sprinkle of capers (brined will do but the cured in salt kind taste better)

3. A squeeze or two of fresh lemon juice (don't used bottled, you'll regret it)

***** This pasta is the cure for bored palates!

Notes: keep tinned anchovy in your pantry as well as capers. You can make this supper anytime you want to without having to run to the store for ingredients.

First Pics!

Locksley's twins are one boy and one girl. They don't have names yet but we have some pictures to show off.

Twins!!!

We just got the call. Locksley had her babies last night. The first one popped out around two in the morning. The second one shortly after.

We are on our way to go see our new beautiful babies. We will post pics as soon as we return.

grinning,

Ellen

Quote of The Day

"Every 36 seconds in America a women lays her body down, forced to choose abortion out of a lack of practical resources and emotional support. Abortion is a reflection that society has failed women."

Patricia Heaton | Actress

This quote may seem off topic but I disagree. This blog is about living the good life in Oregon. Everyone should have the same opportunity.

It's a dog's life

Last Sunday we took Rex for a walk in a huge field behind the church. He even found a playmate while there. The cute little Boston Terrier in the pics is named "Omar".

New landscaping pics

Moonlight Gardening

We hadn't intended to stay up so late. But the moon was nearly full, and the evening was mild.

It all started with a desire to landscape. Then a shopping trip for plants and flowers led to an all day project. Dante' and I crouched over the dirt for hours. She constructed an absolutely beautiful stone path up the hill to the yard. Maxwell sat on the steps and kept us company as we worked.

In the end, we worked solely by the glow of the outside porch light. It wasn't until my husband came home that we all went inside. Dinner was served at 10:30 pm. Sweet Maxwell was asleep by 11:00.

Waking up this morning was thrilling. How would it all look in the daylight?

We are far from finished, but the results so far are exciting.

Perhaps we were called by the moon.


Ellen

et tu, Tuesday?

The dishwasher is still unusable due to sink not draining.

This evening my vacuum quit working on me. It coyly pushes the dirt around but won't commit to picking it up.

Now the space bar on my keyboard is refusing to work about 45% of the time.

I suspect we have a household appliance mutiny on our hands.

Send help.

laughing,
Ellen

Why, Monday Why???

Don't you just love Mondays?

We had a big 'ole wind and rain storm here and it was all fun and games 'til we had to go to the horse.

Ahhh, the pleasant feeling of driving rain pelting my skin. The sensation of the wind whipping my hair into my face as I shoveled horse poo.

The real fun started when the garbage disposal stopped working this morning. By this evening, the counters were piled high with dirty dishes. Do this equation:
Kitchen full of dishes + clogged disposal - the ability to use the dishwasher = a serious drag! ( Why didn't I score higher on the math portion of my SAT's? )

TGIT " Thank God it's Tuesday"

grins,
-E

The third time is the charm

I just planted my third (and hopefully final) garden. Corn, squash, and tons of beans. Thanks to my friends Leona and Marvin, this one should do very well. The bed is raised which Leona says means you can plant more veggies closer together.

This garden space also features a drip system so we don't need to babysit it much or worry about it drying out.

What was SUPER interesting about Marvin and Leona's garden is that they have two large raised beds with only 1 tomato plant in each bed. Just 1! The rest of the bed is bright orange plastic mulch and they are domed in a clear plastic frame.

Noting that the beds were about 4' by 15' (rough guess), I couldn't help but ask her where the other plants were. " Oh, that one tomato plant will spread out and fill the whole space," Leona assured me. Wow. How is that possible?

But it obviously is possible because Leona is a seasoned gardener and she has done this all before. I can't wait to see how it works out. Just think of the money you could save by not planting a whole fleet of tomato plants!

This week I will try to get out and get pics of the new garden space plus Leona's tomato beds. Until then, take care and God Bless!
-E

Attention Spinners

I met a really great lady recently at dinner at a friends house. Her name is Ellie and she makes custom bags for spinning wheels.

For those of you scratching your heads, spinning wheels are used to spin fiber into yarn or thread.

Spinning was nearly a lost art in this country. It was pretty much relegated to fairy tales. (Remember the poor girl left to spin straw into gold in the tale 'Rumplestiltskin'?)

However, spinning is surging in popularity. It is a hobby now, but in pioneer days spinning was an absolute necessity.

In our area, local guilds meet and have spinning sessions. Thus, the spinning wheels must be transported. A spinning wheel is an awkwardly shaped object for transporting so not any old bag will do.This exposes them to nicks and scrapes. Some of these wheels are antiques and no one wants their property damaged so carrying cases become necessary.

Go visit Ellie's website at www.the-baglady.net
You can find examples of her work, pics, and more.

If you have questions, Ellie can be emailed at thebaglady-1@msn.com

-E

Picture and Quote of The Day

This is not as easy to read as I had hoped it would be. The little plaque in our garden reads " Plant kindness, Harvest love."

wishing you a great harvest,

- Ellen

Eating Lemon Pie

Phil and I had dinner with friends to celebrate his birthday. Patti brought her amazing lemon pie. We would all gladly turn another year older (wrinkles and all) just to get a piece of her pie.

The recipe for this pie is a family secret. Since Patti isn't sharing I beseech someone to share theirs with me. I'd be happy to even approximate something like hers.

Cmon, send me your recipes.

full of lemon pie, happy, and headed for bed,
-E

Has anyone seen this bird?

Weeks ago when I first planted beans at the community, I knew they would take awhile to come up. So I was patient.

But days went by, then a week, then two weeks. No beans. What could be the problem, I wondered? Finally, I planted them all over again. "These will come up!", I tried to reassure myself.

Another week went by- no beans. Today I took my husband with me to check out the garden. " Have you checked to see if the seeds are in the ground?", he asked.

Honestly, I looked at Phil as though he had sprouted a horn right out of the middle of his forehead. Nevertheless, I grabbed a stick and began digging at the ground. Guess what? NO SEEDS!

It's like the opposite of Jack-and-the-Beanstalk. We have magic disappearing seeds.

Phil thinks the crows might be eating them. I think it's time to bake four- and-twenty-blackbirds into a pie. Dang birds.

BTW,the first person to get that reference and reply back to me wins a Dutch Bros Coffee.

much love,
-E

No Trespassing

Maxwell has discovered a new word. He likes saying it. Likes the way it sounds rolling off of his 4-year-old tongue. He experiments using it in a sentence. That word is "Trespass".

As I worked outdoors today Max kept putting his rusty yellow dump truck in my path. "Mommy , no trespassing!" he would say sternly. If I continued past him , Max was put out. "Mommy, you trespassed," he would inform me.

My desire to walk through the yard unhindered seemed pretty reasonable to me. Maxwell's desire not be trespassed upon seems reasonable to him. After the third time or so I was about to get grouchy with him when it hit me: I had trespassed on a friend this week.

I didn't see the signs. They were vague. Or maybe I wasn't looking. It was obvious to the sign's owner, but somehow not to me. hmmm. But the end result was a friend felt hurt.

Suddenly the issues of right or wrong, reasonable or unreasonable no longer matter. God says that ignorance is no excuse for sin.

The person for whom this post was written may never see it. If I could see her right now I would dust my footprints off of her sign, and hand it back with a hug and apology.

Regardless of the outcome, the story is worth telling.

peace to all,
-E

growing challenges and garden pics

The growing season on the Oregon coast isn't as long as in warmer regions. Often to have successful crops we need to plant quick growing varieties of the veggies we want or apply the use of creative gardening gadgets.

There are special "water walls" that when placed around tomato plants maintain the heat they need to grow properly. The use of cloches is another method of protecting plants from the cold and the elements while increasing the temperature of the growing environment. Take a look online or in any gardening catalog for ideas and products that maximize your gardens potential.

One woman I know grows her tomatoes next to her dryer vent. When most people around here are struggling to get just one ripe tomato, she has many. How does that work? Well, a couple of days ago I was told that it is heat, rather than sun that ripens tomatoes. If that's the case, then I may just go to the back yard and plant some tomatoes next to the dryer vent!

Finally, when ordering seeds, try to order from a seed company in your region . Small seed companies tend to carry seeds that work best in the region they are located. For example, I like ordering seeds from Territorial because they offer short season varieties that grow well in our cool climate.

So get gardening! Have fun and good luck!

Newest pictures of the goats

As you can see by the pics, Locksley is large and visibly uncomfortable. Robin, on the other hand, is the same as always.

Someone asked, "Didn't they get pregnant at the same time?"

Answer: No. Because although they were both in the company of the billy goat at the same time, they didn't go into heat at the same time. The billy was with them for 3 weeks so there is potentially that much space between the girls regarding due dates.

We continue to wait.

Still waiting

No baby goats yet. Technically they should still have about two weeks to go.
Still, I am convinced that Locksley will not make it that far.

We went to see her today, poor thing, and she is palpably miserable. She stands up, sits down, readjusts position-always trying to get more comfortable. She is not eating much right now except straw. Grain and other goodies are just holding no appeal.

Robin on the other hand is quite cheerful. She is probably going to last the whole two weeks remaining on her due date. While Locksley leans wearily against her lean-to, Robin dances around looking for attention.

So we wait. And we pray that all goes well.

planting asparagus, making soaps

A couple of weeks ago I did two things:

* Plant asparagus
*Make home made soap

Since my camera was non-compliant I couldn't share the pics, but they are here now.

The soaps:

The star shaped soaps were made by re- batching. We grated up bars of Ivory, added color, milk and wheat germ for softening properties and scent. They look pretty good.

The pink rectangular soaps were created from scratch. They need to cure for another week before we can use them. I will describe the process more in a future post.

















And now the Asparagus:



First off, let me say that baby asparagus are quite cute. They pop right out of the ground looking exactly as you see them in the store, but in miniature. Asparagus shoots are so difficult to see that at first you fear they didn't work out. But they do, and they are cool!

Check out this cutie: The really interesting part of planting asparagus is what they look like when you bring them home.

Asparagus grows from a mass of grey/brown roots. If you saw it in your garden, you'd likely pull it up and toss it out.

You take this mess of 'medusa hair' and plant it in the soil, taking care to keep it moist. And voila', little shoots emerge shyly from the earth.


After a bit more research, I'll print some tips for anyone who wants to grow their own.

with love,
-E

Baby watch!

Earlier this evening we got word from the friends who board our goats- They seem likely to give birth sometime this weekend.

Basically what's going on is that they are showing some signs of being ready. Their udders are much larger, the babies have dropped, and their 'backsides' are a bit pouch-y.

Dante' and I grabbed poor sleepy Maxwell and loaded him in the van at 9:30 to rush out and see the 'girls'. When we got there John, Joy, and Melissa had literally thrown up a separate shelter for each goat in about 20 min. flat! I tell you what, if life gets dicey and I need something done on the fly, I'll call the Weber family. They hustle!

So we kissed and hugged all over Robin and Locksley. We made much of them while Dante' brushed their fur. They were so funny. They are acting just like pregnant women. One moment they are desperate for affection, the next they want nothing to do with you. But if you leave them alone they come looking for you. I guess women are women whether they have 2 legs or 4. (LOL)

Dante' and I have a youth group car wash all day tomorrow. But Dante' has her cell phone with her and if we get a call saying the girls are in labor- We are OUTTA THERE.

I'll keep y'all posted,
-E

Rogue peacock on the loose

Just a quick note tonight as I am super tired, but this story just HAS to be told.

Yesterday Dante' and went to see longtime friend Shirley. Shirley lives a mile or so up a slough. It's a gorgeous country setting.

On the way home, we took a side road just to sight-see and enjoy the day. 8 minutes later I find myself saying "Omigosh, a peacock!". There it was, in the middle of absolute nowhere, reclining laconically on the side of the road.

We stopped, we gawked. "It's hurt," said Dante. After a little debate we decided she could knock on the door of the only house close by and see if it was someone's pet.

Did I mention this bird was beautiful and completely decked out in the finest peacocky glory? The tail dragged at least 5 feet behind it.

So a creepy old man answered the door and informed Dante' the peacock, a peahen, and a cat had been abandoned by a family that had moved away. The peahen is missing, he shot and killed the cat (his words), and he shot the peacock in the leg and didn't know why it was still alive.

Dante' hustled back to the car mouthing "let's go now!". We left and went to animal control who took down the address and promised to go talk to the crazy old man the next day.

Before we gunned out of our own version of "Deliverance", Dante' got a small pic of the bird with her cell phone.

head shaking,
-E

You just can't make this stuff up

Here is a play-by-play of a typical day in our life. It really should be titled, "The Good , The Bad , and The Ugly, (with yours truly playing the part of ugly) but that has already been taken. Read on. You'll laugh, you'll cry, it will become a part of you. Grinning- Ellen.





AM- * emptied the rabbit cages, lined the bottoms with newspaper, and filled both food and water containers. Shoot! We forgot to get more straw for bedding. It will have to be gotten today.

* Fed the dog and the cats. Rex generally fulfills most of his caloric requirements eating the neighbor's cat food. Aphrodite eats the dog's food. What's up with that?

* Friends come over to knit, crochet and talk. We exchange patterns, ideas and life stories.

PM* Dante', Max, Rex and friends pile into the van. We go to the community garden to tend
our plot. Surprise! Over the weekend potatoes have come up. We are jubilant. The
peas, radishes and green onions are tall. What ever happened to the beans, we
wonder? Organic slug repellent is sprinkled, stray calendula from last year's garden is
ruthlessly yanked.

* Rex ate a chocolate Easter bunny we didn't watch carefully in the car. We panic and
take him to the vet. She smiles and says he will be fine as he didn't eat enough to
make him sick.

* Next we head for the stable where we board our horse. The dog
comes along and usually causes trouble by trying to chase a horse. Max searches out
puddles and gets soaked-again.

* The goats need more grain and the girls want to see the cute guy at Milk-E-Way feed
and seed. So we drive 12 miles and buy the grain. The cute guy isn't there today,
which leaves the girls feeling rather deflated.

* We grab sandwiches and sodas at the McKay's. Full bellies make for good spirits.

* At Melissa's house we drop off the goat grain. Our pregnant girls are really fattening
up. Dante' takes some of the goats straw home for the rabbits.

* Home again, home again, jiggety-jig. We drop off Dante's friends and go back to our
house. The dog goes into his kennel, Max goes into the bathtub, and I go into the
kitchen to clean up and start dinner.

* Our cat, Aphrodite has brought a mouse inside. It promptly gets away from her and
is lost somewhere in the living room. Is that it? Did I see it? Paxson moves
furniture, Dante' shrieks, and Aphrodite grows bored. She leaves without retrieving
her prize. This would never have happened in her younger days. I realize she is
beginning to grow old.

* Phil comes home, dinner is over, we all scatter to the far ends of the house. William
helps with dishes. I fold laundry. Phil is working on taxes.

* Bedtime ritual for Max: Brush teeth, wash face, hands and feet. Read a bedtime
story before prayers. I steal a few moments of computer time before doing it all
over again.
Believe it or not, today was relatively quiet.(minus the dog drama) That is our life. It sounds crazy sometimes but it's real. You just can't make this stuff up.

Goodnight and God Bless,
Ellen

ps- I still don't know where the mouse is.

slugs

They eat the garden. Every tender shoot that dares rise above the soil line is chewn upon.( Hmmm, according to my spellchecker, 'chewn' isn't a word. I'm gonna run with it anyway.) Who knew gardening could be such a melodrama?

Slugs are just a fact of life in the pacific northwest. Our rain forest climate makes this area one big slug-growin' petri dish. They aren't typically a problem. Until you decide to actually grow things in your yard. Other than dog and cat poop, of course. I've got a bumper crop of those.

So What are my slug-killing options? Many Oregonians swear by putting beer in little dishes in your garden. The beer attracts the slugs who then drown in it. This little gem of a tip had to come from the old days when women just stayed home and played housewife all day. A few beers and even weed pulling is fun! Or was it conjured up by a couple of guys who thought drunken invertebrates would be a real knee-slapper?

But I had to try it. So I nabbed a cheap can of no brand suds from my 92-year-old grandfather's house and divvied it into custard cups. It worked. Not well enough to keep buying beer for the yard, but it did work.

At the community garden we are only allowed to use organic remedies. They keep a gallon jug of something called "Sluggo" on hand for us to use. It's a great joke to the slugs. The little pellets are sprinkled on top of the ground. Well, that's just fab for the large, above-ground slugs. But guess what I discovered while planting today? Little baby slugs living under the dirt. Holy cow, who knew? I swear they were laughing at me.

Suggestion #3- How about a pellet gun? Next time I spy a slimy critter munching on my would-be salad, it'd be more fun to just shoot it.
-E

The long, sad goodbye

I loved my digital camera. It was my very first, given to me by husband the Christmas of '07. It went everywhere with me, and provided the necessary pics for this blog. Now it's gone.

It all started when I carelessly positioned the camera bag in between the two front seats while driving. I failed to take into account that my four year old climbs between the seats rather than get in and out of his own door. I went to take a picture at a local park only to find the screen was crushed.

But it still took pictures. I had no way of telling how the pics turned out until uploading them to the computer, but hey, it still worked.

Now it's truly dead. I tried new batteries and pleading to no avail. Photo opportunities are slipping by and my blog is lackluster w/o pics. I'm sure another camera camera is soon on my horizon, but there will never be another one like the first.

If you would please, observe a moment of silence:............................................................................................Thanks.
-E

( :

Calendula From Hell

Last weekend I put Dante' and her friends Mariah and Danica to work. They planted most of the seeds that are set aside for the front yard garden.

I started by planting 6 asparagus plants. These things come back every year so that space is permanently occupied. Then the girls planted rows of salad mix, broccoli, soy beans, peas, cabbage, etc.

Each row was labeled with permanent marker on a wooden stake. Now for the challenges:

1. How to keep the cats from digging up the garden and pooping in it.
2. How to keep the dog from digging up the cat poop and eating it.

UGH!!

Today I went outside to admire the garden (such as it is at this point) and discovered soy beans and peas just sitting on top of the soil. What happened??? Probably a combination of two things.
1. Not planted deep enough.
2. watered too much.

At the community garden, plants are popping up everywhere. The problem is, I can't tell what the heck any of it is. Let me explain:

Last year, someone made use of their plot by haphazardly emptying TONS of Calendula seeds into the dirt and then never coming back. This resulted in hundreds of flowers that went to seed last fall. I remember thinking " I pity the poor guy that is assigned that bed next spring!".

Needless to say, that person was ME!! There are not words for how "less than thrilled" I am. Until all the plants are bigger, I have no cotton-pickin clue what is calendula and what isn't. And How many times a week am I gonna be pulling those blasted things out of the garden?

If I find out who planted those things last year, I may drive by their yard and empty packets of calendula seed.


Plotting,
-E

Fresh Garbanzo Beans

It goes without saying that I get unnaturally excited when I find something new in the produce section. The weirder the item, the more I have to try it.
Garbanzo beans don't qualify as weird , per se, but I have never seen them fresh and still in the pod. Until today.

The pod is loose and large for the beans, the garbanzos are green. They even taste green, but pleasantly so. I couldn't help but wonder, "What do exactly do you do with fresh garbanzos?"

After combing the internet for ideas, my favorite was simply to drizzle them with a good quality olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt, and broil until crisp/tender.

Eating fresh strawberry pie

I promised y'all some recipes and didn't deliver. So tonight I will make good on my promise. But let's address two things first:

1. I have no idea why the font looks like this and can't seem to fix it.

2. Don't bust me for saying "y'all". I may live in Oregon but I grew up in Florida! ;)

That aside, here is a recipe for one of my favorites, (aren't they all?) fresh strawberry pie.


Fresh Strawberry Pie

1 Quart strawberries, green tips trimmed off
1 C sugar
2 TBSP flour
8 oz cream cheese
pinch of salt
dash or so of Milk
1 pie crust, already baked. Or you can cheat and use a graham cracker crust.

Put sugar, salt and flour in saucepan and cook over medium heat until thick. In a separate bowl, beat cream cheese with just enough milk to soften it a little. When it is smooth and creamy, spread cream cheese mixture into the pie crust.

Now pour the thickened sugar, salt, flour mixture over the cream cheese. Take strawberries and stand them up over the surface of the pie. Chill and serve.