The fog rolled in this morning as I prepared for a day of canning. These vegetables were picked just yesterday and they are freshly washed and ready for the jars. My farmers grow their food without pesticides and they rely on the weather to provide sunshine and rainfall for the crops during the growing season.
I know this food is nutrient dense and I look forward to eating it when the winter has set in and fresh vegetables are no longer available from the farm.
I first became interested in canning when I saw a picture of my great grandmother, we called her Doozie, standing in front of shelves loaded with jars. There were jars of all sizes and they were filled with food that she had put up herself.
My curiosity was peaked! I started reading about canning and preserving. I found recipes galore. I learned about the water bath caner and the pressure canner. My grandmother told me stories of how her mom would can all that she could including chicken, sausage and ground beef.
For my birthday that year, I asked for a pressure canner. My citified family thought I'd lost my mind. Indeed, when that thing arrived, I began to think so myself. Undaunted, I dove in head first.
I decided on corn for my first attempt. Corn was in season so it was the freshest I could get. My kids and my nephew where put to work shucking while I prepared the jars, scraped corn from the cobs and boiled water.
Then came time for the fun part. I had read and re-read the instruction book and as I filled the canner with jars, I read it once more. This thing was scary! I had heard horror stories of people letting too much pressure build and how they blew the tops off their pressure cookers. I had an eighteen quart pressure cooker right in front of me. Perhaps my family was on to something...
The canner was filled with quart jars of sweet, summer corn. The water was beginning to bubble. I put the lid on, turned it to the locking position and waited for steam to begin venting. Sure enough, it did just what the book said it would.
After venting the steam, the cap went on and I anxiously watched the gauge as pressure began to build. I kept adjusting the fire on the stove to keep the right amount of pressure and I set my timer to know when the corn would be ready. Before long, the whole house smelled like popcorn. My kids and my nephew had long ago abandoned me in fear for their lives but I wouldn't have missed this for the world.
Finally, the time came to open the canner. Nervous and excited and the same time, I give the lid a twist. It slides to the unlocked position and comes off without incident. I got a nice, warm, corn-steam facial but other than that, no harm was done.
I used the cool jar gripper to remove the jars from the canner and set them on a towel on my counter top. A few minutes later I heard the sound that to this day, still brings a smile to my face. "Pop!" and I was hooked... "I did it!" I said to no one. Then I looked to the sky and said "did you hear that Doozie? I did it."
Canning is again on the rise as more people become concerned with their health and they realize the food they eat is directly associated with it. When you know your farmers and you buy fresh food from them and you put it up yourself, you're more likely feel healthier. At least I know we do.
When winter comes and I open that first jar of corn, what a true delight it is. It feels like summer even when the ground is blanketed in snow. Best of all, I know me and mine are being nourished with some of the best food to come forth from the earth.
I encourage everyone I know to give canning a try. I even help them get through their first batch if they want me to. I love their smile when they hear that sound and I love knowing that I've shared with them what I felt when I first saw that picture of my great grandmother in her root cellar.
Sunday, August 10, 2014
Friday, June 27, 2014
A Volunteer on a Real Working Farm
I had the opportunity to go see what it's like to be part of a real, working farm. The ladies of Pinewood Farms welcomed me one sunny morning in late spring. Within, oh, about two seconds time I was put to work rinsing and sorting beets that had just been picked that morning.
The beets were covered in dirt from their dark red roots to the bright green tips of their leaves. A perfect job for me! I rinsed them first in a bucket and quickly had them separated by size into several piles. They needed additional cleaning so with sprayer in hand I thoroughly washed each beautiful beet until their red color was beaming and the leaves were sparkling with water drops. I could have eaten them right then and there! But no...
The girls had other plans for those beets. Some were set aside for restaurant sales, some for their farmers market sales while others were separated for their CSA (Consumer Supported Agriculture) sales. Before long, I was rinsing leeks, onions and radishes. A very organized plan keeps things in this area running smoothly. I was very impressed and had already learned so much in such a short amount of time.
Two very important things I learned right away, everyone is welcome to help and when you show up, you get right to work!! I think that's a very smart business move.
In no time more help arrived and plans were made to get out in the field and set tomato cages. The girls made the cages themselves over the winter months when not much was going on in the garden. These cages aren't your typical, flimsy, store-bought cages. Indeed, these are strong, tall, hardy, home-made cages. I could tell a great deal of time was spent putting them together and I eagerly volunteered to be a "cager."
With a straw hat on my head and leather gloves on my hands, I tromped off into the field with everyone else. Some people were hoeing while others were setting cages. We were all working together with determination and a goal in sight. The end of the rows and rows of tomato plants!
The plants had grown so prolifically that the cages were a bit late going over them. We had so much rain the week the caging needed to be done that no one could get out in that field. As a result, it took two people to set one cage. One person held up the branches of the plants while the other tried to fit the cage over the tender limbs without breaking them.
In due time quite a bit of work was accomplished and I was very impressed with the teamwork. It just didn't feel like work. I guess it's true what they say that if you're doing something you love, you're never at work. The ladies running Pinewood Farms must love their lives!
I worked alongside some of the friendliest people I've met since I moved here and I look forward to volunteering another day sometime soon. There was happy conversation, great organization (which I'm freaky about!), lots of fun and lots of tomato plants! If you know me, you know that this day at Pinewood Farms was a dream come true.
Many thanks go to Crystal, Nicole, Sam and Bree for sharing their knowledge and letting me work side by side with them. While I was only able to be on the farm for about three hours, these ladies made me feel like I was part of a family. Imagine that... 'me' part of a farm family!!! How much better can it get?
"There can be no other occupation like gardening in which, if you were to creep up behind someone at their work, you would find them smiling." ~Mirabel Osler
The beets were covered in dirt from their dark red roots to the bright green tips of their leaves. A perfect job for me! I rinsed them first in a bucket and quickly had them separated by size into several piles. They needed additional cleaning so with sprayer in hand I thoroughly washed each beautiful beet until their red color was beaming and the leaves were sparkling with water drops. I could have eaten them right then and there! But no...
The girls had other plans for those beets. Some were set aside for restaurant sales, some for their farmers market sales while others were separated for their CSA (Consumer Supported Agriculture) sales. Before long, I was rinsing leeks, onions and radishes. A very organized plan keeps things in this area running smoothly. I was very impressed and had already learned so much in such a short amount of time.
Two very important things I learned right away, everyone is welcome to help and when you show up, you get right to work!! I think that's a very smart business move.
In no time more help arrived and plans were made to get out in the field and set tomato cages. The girls made the cages themselves over the winter months when not much was going on in the garden. These cages aren't your typical, flimsy, store-bought cages. Indeed, these are strong, tall, hardy, home-made cages. I could tell a great deal of time was spent putting them together and I eagerly volunteered to be a "cager."
With a straw hat on my head and leather gloves on my hands, I tromped off into the field with everyone else. Some people were hoeing while others were setting cages. We were all working together with determination and a goal in sight. The end of the rows and rows of tomato plants!
The plants had grown so prolifically that the cages were a bit late going over them. We had so much rain the week the caging needed to be done that no one could get out in that field. As a result, it took two people to set one cage. One person held up the branches of the plants while the other tried to fit the cage over the tender limbs without breaking them.
In due time quite a bit of work was accomplished and I was very impressed with the teamwork. It just didn't feel like work. I guess it's true what they say that if you're doing something you love, you're never at work. The ladies running Pinewood Farms must love their lives!
I worked alongside some of the friendliest people I've met since I moved here and I look forward to volunteering another day sometime soon. There was happy conversation, great organization (which I'm freaky about!), lots of fun and lots of tomato plants! If you know me, you know that this day at Pinewood Farms was a dream come true.
Many thanks go to Crystal, Nicole, Sam and Bree for sharing their knowledge and letting me work side by side with them. While I was only able to be on the farm for about three hours, these ladies made me feel like I was part of a family. Imagine that... 'me' part of a farm family!!! How much better can it get?
"There can be no other occupation like gardening in which, if you were to creep up behind someone at their work, you would find them smiling." ~Mirabel Osler
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
A Fencing Adventure
We didn't begin the day with fencing in mind, but that's what happened regardless...
We were sitting in the living room just watching the television when the phone rang. Our neighbor called to say that her sister saw a couple of horses running through the field across from her house. That field happens to back up to our property. The horses she said, one brown and one black, were headed down the road towards Lyles. Wonderful.
We grabbed some horse treats and headed out in the truck to find them. Not only was this a chilly day, but it was also a rainy day...the drizzling kind of rain that doesn't really stop, it just rains harder every so often. Great, cold and rain. Just the kind of day for rounding up escapees on the run!
It didn't take us long to find them. Catching them was a whole different story. We tried walking up to them very slowly, holding the treats out for them but they were on to us and they had new found freedom that they weren't anywhere near ready to give up.
After trying to catch them in several yards, a couple of wooded areas, a pasture and even cruising down the paved road, we decided the 4 wheelers would be more effective. Back to the house we go. We grabbed the lead ropes and feed buckets and headed out again. I stayed in the truck while Wally rode through the woods on the 4 wheeler. Yes, it was still raining.
By this time, a couple of neighbors were helping and when we finally got them back out on the street, they crossed over and rounded themselves up in a pasture that, thankfully, was gated. They had no idea what they had just done to their freedom run. LOL
As we had been on a horse round-up for about 4 hours, the neighbor had no problem with us leaving them there overnight. Whew! What an evening. We were wet, tired and cold but the horses were safe and we could start out fresh in the morning.
I know I titled this "A Fencing Adventure" and truly it was. I just needed to update you first on why. There are only two ways for the horses to get out of the fence. Either we leave the gate open or, more likely, the fence is down somewhere. The question is where. If you've been here, you know there is a lot of property for the horses to roam and that means a lot of fence to maintain.
We had to get the horses home and penned up and fed, run some errands, and still get back home in time to check the fence line before dark and more cold weather. So with barbed wire, a couple hammers, fencing staples, the chainsaw and some wire cutters, we started out on the 4-wheelers.
There is a dry creek bed just off the trail so we stopped to check the fence out there first. Typically, this creek bed is rocky and rough to cross. It was my luck that all the rain from the day before had filled the bed and it was now a fast moving, regular, old creek. Yay! I'm not the most coordinated person on the farm so crossing had its challenges. I found a good walking stick and with the help of Wally guiding me and the stick keeping me out of the water, I made it across mostly dry. This was just the beginning.
We walked the fence line but didn't have far to go when low and behold we came upon a tree that had fallen on part of the wire. Further down from the tree the wire had been intentionally cut. We assumed this to be the work of hunters without permission but no point worrying over that on this day. There were no hoof prints but still it had to be fixed.
Now, I've never fenced before and I've certainly never used barbed wire, though it's clear why it's named as such. I became a very quick learner. I learned how to hold it tight so it doesn't curl up and get all tangled in itself - that's a mess worse than bubble gum in hair. I learned how to hold it in the hammer while tightening it so that the fencing staples could be nailed into the trees. I learned how to pick my path in the rocky terrain and how to keep from slipping in the wet leaves with barbed wire all around me. It didn't take me long!
We repaired that area and moved on to the next. There was so much wire down that we were repairing what we could and replacing what couldn't be repaired. This fence is in the woods so there is no path other than what we make and there are limbs, briers, bushy shrubs, holes, rocks, you name it. It's a bit like an obstacle course out there. But I was in the woods, which always makes me happy. I was learning something that is an absolute necessity out here and I was making a difference on the farm. Not a bad way to spend the day.
We finished up fencing for the day just before dark, crossed the creek - me with my walking stick, loaded our gear and rode on back to the cabin. We brought water to the horses and gave them some hay, broke the water for the dogs (it had frozen again!) and only then did we take care of ourselves. We showered and had a nice warm dinner and planned our fencing for tomorrow.
Don't I wish it was just the one day!
We didn't have a much to fence the next day but getting where we needed to be proved to be a bit more difficult. I crossed the creek like a champ, tromped through the briers with only a few of them catching my pant legs, navigated the rocks and leaves and all this with a 5 gallon bucket loaded with supplies. Talk about a fencing girl!!!
We went straight to work and in no time had the better part of the barbed wire all stretched out and nailed to the trees or clipped to the fence posts. We headed back to the 4 wheelers where I took a much needed break.
I watched the water running downstream carrying leaves and sticks with it. I put my hand in only to find it so cold it hurt. I watched and listened as the birds flew and squawked in annoyance of my being in their place. As I always do when I'm in the woods, I admire every bit of the beauty of nature even in this, the middle of winter. I watched the sky as the sun began to set and to my absolute delight, I saw an eagle fly over. With a white head and white tail feathers it could be no other bird. It wasn't huge but it was magnificent in flight.
With the fencing completed, we let the horses run free. They shook their heads and bucked and ran and played. A beautiful sight it is to see those big animals act like children in the first sun shower of summer! I laughed and watched them until they finally wandered off to check our work.
In the woods there will always be something for me to see. To my eyes there is always something new and so I never tire of it. Even if fencing isn't my favorite thing to do, it does mean going out into the woods, one place where I am quite happy to be at any time.
"To me a lush carpet of pine needles or spongy grass is more welcome than the most luxurious Persian rug." ~Helen Keller
We were sitting in the living room just watching the television when the phone rang. Our neighbor called to say that her sister saw a couple of horses running through the field across from her house. That field happens to back up to our property. The horses she said, one brown and one black, were headed down the road towards Lyles. Wonderful.
We grabbed some horse treats and headed out in the truck to find them. Not only was this a chilly day, but it was also a rainy day...the drizzling kind of rain that doesn't really stop, it just rains harder every so often. Great, cold and rain. Just the kind of day for rounding up escapees on the run!
It didn't take us long to find them. Catching them was a whole different story. We tried walking up to them very slowly, holding the treats out for them but they were on to us and they had new found freedom that they weren't anywhere near ready to give up.
After trying to catch them in several yards, a couple of wooded areas, a pasture and even cruising down the paved road, we decided the 4 wheelers would be more effective. Back to the house we go. We grabbed the lead ropes and feed buckets and headed out again. I stayed in the truck while Wally rode through the woods on the 4 wheeler. Yes, it was still raining.
By this time, a couple of neighbors were helping and when we finally got them back out on the street, they crossed over and rounded themselves up in a pasture that, thankfully, was gated. They had no idea what they had just done to their freedom run. LOL
As we had been on a horse round-up for about 4 hours, the neighbor had no problem with us leaving them there overnight. Whew! What an evening. We were wet, tired and cold but the horses were safe and we could start out fresh in the morning.
I know I titled this "A Fencing Adventure" and truly it was. I just needed to update you first on why. There are only two ways for the horses to get out of the fence. Either we leave the gate open or, more likely, the fence is down somewhere. The question is where. If you've been here, you know there is a lot of property for the horses to roam and that means a lot of fence to maintain.
We had to get the horses home and penned up and fed, run some errands, and still get back home in time to check the fence line before dark and more cold weather. So with barbed wire, a couple hammers, fencing staples, the chainsaw and some wire cutters, we started out on the 4-wheelers.
There is a dry creek bed just off the trail so we stopped to check the fence out there first. Typically, this creek bed is rocky and rough to cross. It was my luck that all the rain from the day before had filled the bed and it was now a fast moving, regular, old creek. Yay! I'm not the most coordinated person on the farm so crossing had its challenges. I found a good walking stick and with the help of Wally guiding me and the stick keeping me out of the water, I made it across mostly dry. This was just the beginning.
We walked the fence line but didn't have far to go when low and behold we came upon a tree that had fallen on part of the wire. Further down from the tree the wire had been intentionally cut. We assumed this to be the work of hunters without permission but no point worrying over that on this day. There were no hoof prints but still it had to be fixed.
Now, I've never fenced before and I've certainly never used barbed wire, though it's clear why it's named as such. I became a very quick learner. I learned how to hold it tight so it doesn't curl up and get all tangled in itself - that's a mess worse than bubble gum in hair. I learned how to hold it in the hammer while tightening it so that the fencing staples could be nailed into the trees. I learned how to pick my path in the rocky terrain and how to keep from slipping in the wet leaves with barbed wire all around me. It didn't take me long!
We repaired that area and moved on to the next. There was so much wire down that we were repairing what we could and replacing what couldn't be repaired. This fence is in the woods so there is no path other than what we make and there are limbs, briers, bushy shrubs, holes, rocks, you name it. It's a bit like an obstacle course out there. But I was in the woods, which always makes me happy. I was learning something that is an absolute necessity out here and I was making a difference on the farm. Not a bad way to spend the day.
We finished up fencing for the day just before dark, crossed the creek - me with my walking stick, loaded our gear and rode on back to the cabin. We brought water to the horses and gave them some hay, broke the water for the dogs (it had frozen again!) and only then did we take care of ourselves. We showered and had a nice warm dinner and planned our fencing for tomorrow.
Don't I wish it was just the one day!
We didn't have a much to fence the next day but getting where we needed to be proved to be a bit more difficult. I crossed the creek like a champ, tromped through the briers with only a few of them catching my pant legs, navigated the rocks and leaves and all this with a 5 gallon bucket loaded with supplies. Talk about a fencing girl!!!
We went straight to work and in no time had the better part of the barbed wire all stretched out and nailed to the trees or clipped to the fence posts. We headed back to the 4 wheelers where I took a much needed break.
I watched the water running downstream carrying leaves and sticks with it. I put my hand in only to find it so cold it hurt. I watched and listened as the birds flew and squawked in annoyance of my being in their place. As I always do when I'm in the woods, I admire every bit of the beauty of nature even in this, the middle of winter. I watched the sky as the sun began to set and to my absolute delight, I saw an eagle fly over. With a white head and white tail feathers it could be no other bird. It wasn't huge but it was magnificent in flight.
With the fencing completed, we let the horses run free. They shook their heads and bucked and ran and played. A beautiful sight it is to see those big animals act like children in the first sun shower of summer! I laughed and watched them until they finally wandered off to check our work.
In the woods there will always be something for me to see. To my eyes there is always something new and so I never tire of it. Even if fencing isn't my favorite thing to do, it does mean going out into the woods, one place where I am quite happy to be at any time.
"To me a lush carpet of pine needles or spongy grass is more welcome than the most luxurious Persian rug." ~Helen Keller
Friday, January 10, 2014
All Things Winter
As days go by during the winter I find myself doing a little reflecting and even more planning. One thing leads to another in my head. I reflect on the springtime and my gardens both flowering and vegetable. Then there's the farmers market and the new friends I made while visiting. Last but not least the shopkeepers, where I never failed to find something I had either never heard of before or something that brought back fond memories of our family getting together for various occasions. We did a lot of that.
I look at the canning jars and begin to make a list of what we have chosen to eat first and what seems to stay on the shelf for another day. So far the tomatoes are going fast and the salsa, well, it's almost gone. Note to self... make twice as much salsa next year! We went through 8 jars of pickled squash last winter. This winter, there are at least that many still on the shelf. hmmmm, perhaps we burned out on it? It happens.
There are plenty of jars of corn and green beans though I know they won't last as we move into the final months of cold weather. Warm, buttery, salty corn can't be denied its place on our table and the green beans taste as fresh as they did the day I bought them from the farmers market. The ones I grew are in there too... there just weren't as many of them as I would have liked. Pesky rabbits!
With the gardening magazines and seed catalogs I again get out my list. I like to try growing something new every year and last year it was tomatillos. I set them out too late so just about the time they started coming in like crazy, so did a killing frost. Another note to self... set them out sooner!
What will it be this year? I've no idea but I'm always up for suggestions. Perhaps purple hull peas or the white zipper peas we shared with Doug and Rebecca while they were visiting. Neither had ever tried them before and both enjoyed them thoroughly. Doug even said he was going to see if Publix carried them... guess he really liked them! I told him to try the farmers market for the freshest he could get but apparently there isn't one close to him?
That's a shame. He's in Florida. They have the longest growing season of all and yet no farmers market?? Truly a shame.
The farmers market here isn't huge but the quantity of fresh produce the farmers bring is vast not only in volume but in variety too. Have you ever tried zipper peas? Do you know what they are? Sometimes they're referred to as creamer peas. They have a white, papery sort of pod and the peas themselves are white too. When cooked, they get creamy - hence the name variation. Quite a tasty little vegetable and so easy to shell and freeze. Bonus... your fingers don't turn purple!
In my flower gardens I had just enough time to add a few new perennials before the cold weather set in. I planted lots of hostas that were shared with me by my friend, Claudia. She's a very giving friend and already has more starter plants to share when the weather warms. I planted the hosta around the trees in the shady area by the flag pole. There are probably four different varieties which will, hopefully, provide lots of color and give a cooling effect to the garden when the heat of the summer tends to make plants wilt.
I planted some hibiscus plants; one white with purple centers, one purple with dark purple centers. They didn't have time to bloom before the cold came so I'm anxious to see how well they do come spring. As a flowering shrub, I'm hoping they'll also add a little more shade to help protect the ground plants.
As most gardens go, this one is already in need of redesigning. Some of the bulbs need to be moved into a group to better show off their colorful bloom time. Problem is, now that it's winter, I don't know exactly where they are LOL That's okay, I can move them after they bloom without doing any harm.
While this, the coldest winter in twenty years, slowly moved across the land I watched in awe as many things changed outside and in. Running the water 24/7 for three days is something this Florida girl never had to do before. Leaving the cabinet doors open? Who ever heard of that? Well I know now what it means and just how important it is. I even know how difficult it is to walk past those cabinets and resist the urge to close them. Trust me, the OCD kicks in making it darn near impossible!!
The winter is pretty with the dusting of snow and sparkling of the ice crystals in the sunshine. The mist hanging in the trees on the hillside gives me a view I've just never seen anywhere else. I rarely stop looking out the window and am glancing there now as I type.
The magazines I saved through the summer have been poured over and finished. The stack of books I bought is dwindling in size as the cold keeps me on this side of the doors. I'm a avid reader and a huge fan of James Lee Burke. If you've never read one of his, I highly recommend you do. He's a great story teller. If you have favorite authors, I'd love to hear about them so I can maybe add them to my list for next year :)
Winter also brings birds to the porch and the feeders. The great red-headed woodpecker has been back for a couple weeks now. He's not shy and flies right over my head making a funny 'chow-chow' sound as he goes. The junco, nuthatches, chickadees and bluebirds are now plentiful and apparently hungry as they rarely leave the feeders. The doves pick up what all the other birds drop from the feeders. They love to sit on the hitching post and are so fat I wonder how it is they don't topple over!
This winter was also a challenge for me as I have been trying to harvest my first deer for three years. The day finally came and I couldn't have been more excited, a little nervous but mostly excited. It's not that they aren't plentiful, indeed they hang out in the yard in numbers most days. It's just the fact that for the price of one bullet, I put a bunch of meat in the freezer. The meat is tender and not too gamey tasting. I'm learning not only the skills of skinning and gutting but also new ways to prepare this meat and learn about the nutritional value of an animal that is vegetarian. Such a great experience for me!
So we have a couple months left of this quiet, cold time of year and I plan to enjoy every day of it. I know what's coming and I look forward to it but I'm not one to rush the seasons. I love them all equally for the education they provide and the balance on which they insist. The winter may keep me inside but it also keeps me reading and writing which are things the summer has no power over. I'll get my hands dirty again before too long but for now, I'll keep turning the pages.
"In the winter she curls up around a good book and dreams away the cold." ~Ben Aaronovitch, Broken Homes
I look at the canning jars and begin to make a list of what we have chosen to eat first and what seems to stay on the shelf for another day. So far the tomatoes are going fast and the salsa, well, it's almost gone. Note to self... make twice as much salsa next year! We went through 8 jars of pickled squash last winter. This winter, there are at least that many still on the shelf. hmmmm, perhaps we burned out on it? It happens.
There are plenty of jars of corn and green beans though I know they won't last as we move into the final months of cold weather. Warm, buttery, salty corn can't be denied its place on our table and the green beans taste as fresh as they did the day I bought them from the farmers market. The ones I grew are in there too... there just weren't as many of them as I would have liked. Pesky rabbits!
With the gardening magazines and seed catalogs I again get out my list. I like to try growing something new every year and last year it was tomatillos. I set them out too late so just about the time they started coming in like crazy, so did a killing frost. Another note to self... set them out sooner!
What will it be this year? I've no idea but I'm always up for suggestions. Perhaps purple hull peas or the white zipper peas we shared with Doug and Rebecca while they were visiting. Neither had ever tried them before and both enjoyed them thoroughly. Doug even said he was going to see if Publix carried them... guess he really liked them! I told him to try the farmers market for the freshest he could get but apparently there isn't one close to him?
That's a shame. He's in Florida. They have the longest growing season of all and yet no farmers market?? Truly a shame.
The farmers market here isn't huge but the quantity of fresh produce the farmers bring is vast not only in volume but in variety too. Have you ever tried zipper peas? Do you know what they are? Sometimes they're referred to as creamer peas. They have a white, papery sort of pod and the peas themselves are white too. When cooked, they get creamy - hence the name variation. Quite a tasty little vegetable and so easy to shell and freeze. Bonus... your fingers don't turn purple!
In my flower gardens I had just enough time to add a few new perennials before the cold weather set in. I planted lots of hostas that were shared with me by my friend, Claudia. She's a very giving friend and already has more starter plants to share when the weather warms. I planted the hosta around the trees in the shady area by the flag pole. There are probably four different varieties which will, hopefully, provide lots of color and give a cooling effect to the garden when the heat of the summer tends to make plants wilt.
I planted some hibiscus plants; one white with purple centers, one purple with dark purple centers. They didn't have time to bloom before the cold came so I'm anxious to see how well they do come spring. As a flowering shrub, I'm hoping they'll also add a little more shade to help protect the ground plants.
As most gardens go, this one is already in need of redesigning. Some of the bulbs need to be moved into a group to better show off their colorful bloom time. Problem is, now that it's winter, I don't know exactly where they are LOL That's okay, I can move them after they bloom without doing any harm.
While this, the coldest winter in twenty years, slowly moved across the land I watched in awe as many things changed outside and in. Running the water 24/7 for three days is something this Florida girl never had to do before. Leaving the cabinet doors open? Who ever heard of that? Well I know now what it means and just how important it is. I even know how difficult it is to walk past those cabinets and resist the urge to close them. Trust me, the OCD kicks in making it darn near impossible!!
The winter is pretty with the dusting of snow and sparkling of the ice crystals in the sunshine. The mist hanging in the trees on the hillside gives me a view I've just never seen anywhere else. I rarely stop looking out the window and am glancing there now as I type.
The magazines I saved through the summer have been poured over and finished. The stack of books I bought is dwindling in size as the cold keeps me on this side of the doors. I'm a avid reader and a huge fan of James Lee Burke. If you've never read one of his, I highly recommend you do. He's a great story teller. If you have favorite authors, I'd love to hear about them so I can maybe add them to my list for next year :)
Winter also brings birds to the porch and the feeders. The great red-headed woodpecker has been back for a couple weeks now. He's not shy and flies right over my head making a funny 'chow-chow' sound as he goes. The junco, nuthatches, chickadees and bluebirds are now plentiful and apparently hungry as they rarely leave the feeders. The doves pick up what all the other birds drop from the feeders. They love to sit on the hitching post and are so fat I wonder how it is they don't topple over!
This winter was also a challenge for me as I have been trying to harvest my first deer for three years. The day finally came and I couldn't have been more excited, a little nervous but mostly excited. It's not that they aren't plentiful, indeed they hang out in the yard in numbers most days. It's just the fact that for the price of one bullet, I put a bunch of meat in the freezer. The meat is tender and not too gamey tasting. I'm learning not only the skills of skinning and gutting but also new ways to prepare this meat and learn about the nutritional value of an animal that is vegetarian. Such a great experience for me!
So we have a couple months left of this quiet, cold time of year and I plan to enjoy every day of it. I know what's coming and I look forward to it but I'm not one to rush the seasons. I love them all equally for the education they provide and the balance on which they insist. The winter may keep me inside but it also keeps me reading and writing which are things the summer has no power over. I'll get my hands dirty again before too long but for now, I'll keep turning the pages.
"In the winter she curls up around a good book and dreams away the cold." ~Ben Aaronovitch, Broken Homes
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