Garden dreaming

I've been taking pictures of banana bread and sewing projects to post on here, but they are all sitting on the camera. One of these days I'll post a bunch of photos with no actual post. "One of these days....." is the story of my life right now. I went for a walk this afternoon because the sun is shining and Baby Boy needed a change of scenery. Of course, he promptly passed out in the stroller. Short walks in my neighborhood are very grounding for me. I"m trying really hard to stay grounded and take the time to really enjoy my life. I'm finding little bits of time to work in the garden. Tomorrow, when my husband has his day off I need to get him to roll the very heavy composter over to the beds so I can cover them in nearly finished compost. After that I just need to cover them with leaves and wait!

One of my mama/neighbor friends was ordering seeds so I split shipping with her and put in an order for the spring garden. I'm so excited! And a little nervous because I've never done this before. Until recently, actually, I did not believe I have a green thumb. More than anything I'm just kind of forgetful so plants would go neglected. Since the garden is staring me in the face when I walk to my car AND we are turning it into a homeschool project, I think we might actually be able to keep up with it.

I know you want to know what I'm planning to plant. I'll spare you the fancy varieties. Jalapeno, cucumbers, watermelon, tomatoes, onions, okra, edamame and pumpkin. We'll see if all of those actually make it into the ground this spring, but that is what we are shooting for.

While everything is decomposing in the beds and I'm waiting to plant the seeds I guess I need to figure out a border. I really want to do a wine bottle border. We have bottles collecting on the side of the house and in the garage. I'm doing my part to contribute and my aunt has been saving up empty bottles to bring. If you have any wine bottles that need to be recycled, think of me!

"Those who dwell among the beauties and mysteries of the earth are never alone or weary of life.” - Rachel Carson

Busy busy busy

I'm currently trying to print up hangtags for some burpcloths that I'll be selling in a little boutique starting tomorrow. That sentence is so surreal. I started teaching myself to sew right around the time I had the baby. While I was pregnant I was struck by the shortage of cute baby boy clothes out there. So I started to sew. Our roomie/niece taught me how to sew in her brief stint with us. I instantly fell in love with it. None of that pesky counting like in knitting. Oh no! I can fly by the seat of my pants when sewing. Which is good because, well, that's how I roll.

*Side note: I just figured out how to make the front and back of the hangtag print on opposite sides, going in the right direction, in a way the cuts will line up. I'm kind of amazed at myself right now.

A couple of weeks ago a mama friend of mine had us over for a playdate (where we unwittingly unleashed RSV on her house, oy) and we talked crafts. She is renting some artist space at a local crafty/arty boutique place and she is letting sublet some of that space. So now all of a sudden I have a deadline! I need deadlines! I'm one of those people that cleans house when company is coming over. Motivation!

So I've been furiously sewing and ironing and trying to figure out presentation (husband to the rescue!) and prices and all that. I've also been working on my etsy shop because, oh yeah! I put the link on my hangtags! See? Motivation!

Okay, I've been neglecting my baby long enough. He is fed up with daddy.

Sunny January Saturday

Well, I'm hoping that posting in here will be more than a once a month thing. Funny how life has a way of staying too too busy. As it is I have a wheezy (again) baby reaching for me so this will be short.

I have a working sewing room that doubles as the baby's room. Not for sleeping, mind you, but for all of his clothes and diapers. Right now I'm working on some burp cloths to give to my cousin when her baby arrives. I'm also trying to get enough together to sell via a friend that has rented some local artisan space. Those and my baby cubes are it for now. I'm also working on some napkins that I am giving for :ahem: Christmas. Thankfully she is patient. Hah!

Last weekend I had the generous couple behind Dirtiest Kid in the World come over to advise me on gardening. I think I'm going to do a leaf design bed with the path down the middle with smaller ones shooting off of it. I'm collecting newspaper to start prepping my beds using the lasagna method, which they talk about. Bet you can guess what the big new homeschool project is around here!

Okay, grabby baby is now getting whiny. Ciao!

I could say that I am going to make an effort to post here more regularly in the new year, but I have so many other goals for myself that this is not too high on the list. Taking regular time for myself to do the things I love, like sewing, pilates, and studying....wait, what? Yes, studying. I want to get this degree and I want to do well in my program. These days, sitting in a quiet room (or at Border's) by myself studying feels like a luxury.

My life is very full these days.




Our niece has moved back home leaving the house a little quieter. With her room empty we're doing some rearranging around here which will result in a bigger office/sewing room for me. We're even making space for Teo to be able to play while I'm sewing. In theory this will result in me making things that I can actually sell. We'll see how it really plays out.

planting

We hit out favorite Farmer's Market this morning, and the weather couldn't have been more perfect. We bought red onions and cucumbers as always. The mustard greens from last week were such a hit that I bought the last three bunches. We also branched out with radishes, parsnips, and a tatume squash. We've been planning to make some big batches of soup, so these seemed perfect. I also splurged and tried some Basilberry jam that looked like the perfect combo for the bread I've been baking.

Over the past week, as I've been plotting out time to try to sew some diapers, make the aforementioned soups, and attempt naan, it struck me. I'm a hippy. Or I am some city-dwelling version of my mother from when we were little. I'm dreaming of gardens and preserving my own food. I want to make some peace flags to hang across the front porch. I'm veering to the point of no return and I love it.

We had lunch with the husband, and his sister and mom. On the way home I had to fill some prescriptions for the wheezy baby and buy some dirt. I bought 120 pounds of dirt and I just used half of it. Since the yard is not garden-ready, I'm starting small. I have a large pot with swiss chard and butter and romaine lettuce. Another pot with banana peppers, garlic chives, and mexican oregano. Rounding it out, I got a little bitty bay tree. I'm very excited. I hope I don't kill them.

Fall is falling

The sick has taken over my house. Thankfully it isn't the big scary sick is lurking around every corner, but it is the sick nonetheless. I'm feeling better but the baby, the husband and the roommate are all feeling it. The big kid just got back from 5 days at his dad's house so it hasn't hit him. Hopefully it won't.

The weather and the time of year are trying to force a dark cloud over my head, but I'm trying to fight it off. We instituted a chore list and a meal planning schedule. Hopefully that will help keep things somewhat sane around here.

I'm watching Antiques Roadshow with the roommate. The husband and the big kid are in the kitchen. The big kid is getting a lesson in making adobo and, it is awesome to listen to. Home ec a la the Philippines. And I get to eat adobo at the end of it.

This week for "school" we are drawing a map, to scale, of the front yard. I got a neat little book with permaculture projects, including designing beds like mandalas and herb mounds using recycled tires. Pretty cool. I'm excited to get started. Of course I want to start planting all sorts of things NOW NOW NOW, but I'm going to use this gardening experience as a growing opportunity and do it the proper way. So, we're going to plan the beds and then prep the soil over the winter. I know it will pay off in the long run. In the meantime, I'm trying to keep myself busy learning how to make bread, sew skirts and curtains(I just ordered about 5 sewing books from the library), and freeze some meals.

Is this like postpartum nesting or something?

Into the garden

I picked up Food not Lawns and Farm City at the library and they accompanied me to the beach this weekend. Consider my mind completely blown. FNL is opening my eye to so many possibilities and ideas. I like that it breaks things down and causes you to take your time and plan. That is a concept I struggle with in all aspects of my life. It also makes it easier to turn it into a household project. Over lunch on Saturday I started babbling to the husband about soil Ph and microclimates and he got this funny little grin on his face. Apparently he likes it when I start to get all geeky.

Farm Ciy, on the other hand, was pure fun with some education thrown in. I won't be slaughtering my own Thanksgiving turkey anytime soon, but I love memoirs and the picture they give me into someone's life. I found myself laughing out loud more than a couple of times, which is always a good thing in a book.

In other garden news, I spent some time weeding the backyard today to help the hubby out with his deck-building project. Note to self: allergic to weeds is serious business. Wear gloves. Also, mosquitoes are not deterred by "Mosquito Sticks". I'm itchy.