sprouts

Lettuce and peas have begun to sprout. Carrots, not yet. Germination is 8-12 days on all of them, and we are at day 5.

I think I need more light. I had two big shop lights that were filling space in my already tightly packed garage, so I freecycled 'em. Dang. Wish I had one of these bad boys back right now.

Toolshed and chicken coop (my woodworking projects that are in the wings) are on hold for a couple of weeks while the finances recover from DD#4's brake job... I haven't made up my mind about the coop yet either. I have plans for one that looks pretty nice, and is light, if I can pull it off. Then there's a dog house at the home improvement store with a hinged roof and is insulated and probably costs less than I can build a coop for... I may just go with that surrounded by chicken wire.

Planted.

Lettuce, carrots, peas planted. Check. Put them in peat pots in absent daughters south facing bedroom. We'll see what develops!

So far, the potentially deadly PVC pipe has stayed in place. There has been little wind these past couple of days though, so I'm not convinced yet.

Today, I'm in a funk. I don't know what this means except that it's probably there's many little chores that need to be done - boy is behind in schoolwork because he's been sick - that's usually my number one panic inducer. If he's behind, I have the that-means-I'm-behind panic. Tutoring today, assignments to enter into the teacher-assignment program, planning for classes...DD#4's new used car is already in the shop - probably needs new brakes. Every day, news of friends and family loosing jobs... panic. What a former pastor referred to as "living in the gap" and "downward spiralling". Worrying about things that haven't happened or that I have no power to control anyway. Letting these worries feed others and my panic feeding my anger... So, enough. Time to "put it in the dumpster", plant my own feet and get on with the day.

I got the cover on the planter yesterday, but it didn't stay put during the night. I cut one of the pipes too short, so now it's a giant highly tensioned spring that will probably hit me in the head and quite possibly put my eye out until I get another pipe. The cover is clear plastic sheeting, stitched together with staples...


Today, I'll plant some seeds - these are seed packages that I bought last year - in like June. HA! I realized pretty soon after getting them home that with a 70 day til harvest window, that would be August before I saw a carrot, and that no carrot, pea or lettuce leaf is going to make it through July in Texas - much less August - no matter HOW much I watered them. So, instead of going all crazy and buying a bunch of new seeds, I will start with these. And I will keep them in the house to start. It's going to be hard to keep them wet enought if I put them outside now, and I'm sure we've got one or two more days of seriously cold weather ahead.


Peas. No one in my family likes regular peas, but these are sugar snaps, and everyone seems to like those fairly well. I'm not sure how they get pollinated this time of year - not many bugs that I see flying/crawling around.

Step One...Plant some seeds...

This is the year for experiments in self-sufficiency.

In the past, I've dabbled at growing food - with little success except for one or two AMAZING canteloups. My biggest problem seems to be waiting too late in the year to get started! A friend pointed out to me last year that our growing season(s)! are in the spring and fall - not in the summer! My other problems seem to involve tree roots and bermuda grass....

I've created a "real" contained compost pile full of browns and greens - even carted a couple of buckets of the neighbor's horse manure to fuel it. I plan to make another one and end with a third. When the weather warms up, I hope to have them cooking properly!

I've also created a raised bed for vegetables. It will have a greenhouse top to help make it through whatever freezes we have coming - the average last freeze around here is in March... can't decide whether to start seeds outside under the cover, perhaps with a light for warmth if need be - or just start them inside! Hoping to start off with sugar snap peas, carrots and lettuce varieties. I'm still reading and trying to learn - saw something today that said many seed companies hybrid seeds have some type of genetic "timebomb" built in that makes sure the fruit that is produced will not create seeds that can be grown - ensuring that every year you will buy more seeds! So, I'll start looking at heirloom seed companies...


Other experiments will follow, but these two are all I've got for now...

Festivities

Here it is, for those who have requested it.

Friday (yesterday) : Movie night - The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor
Saturday (today) : Pie making lessons at 2:30. Gift bags to those participating
Sunday : Church (9-12), Tamales (from Joe T. Garcia's) and Pictionary (5 pm).
Monday : Beignet brunch (10 ish), Break out Jigsaw puzzle #1
Tuesday : Make Your Own Ornaments at Vetro Glass Blowing Studio, Grapevine 1 pm.
Wednesday : Progressive Church services (CBC at 6, St. Nicholas at 9, St. Annes at 12 am)
Thursday : Home then Grandmas
Saturday :
Sunday : Church (9-12), Grapevine Bead Store (?)

It gets spotty after that... any suggestions?

Small Town

I never really feel like I live in a small town. Occasionally you might run into a friend, a neighbor, the mom of the kid on the baseball team... People are so busy and always on the go. I rarely have the It's a Wonderful Life kind of small town feel... Tonight was an exception.

When I walked out of the grocery, I saw a lady lying in the road, right in front of the store. She was on her back in obvious pain. Her buggy and purse were next to her, and another woman was kneeling down next to her. I dropped my purse and bag, and went around to the other side of the woman. It was bitter cold, so I took my coat off (I had two on...) and covered her. The teenager who had been helping her had put his coat over her as well, and had gone inside to get help. After a moment of figuring out what had happened, I realized the other lady lives a couple of houses up the street. Angela is her name. She was on her cell phone trying to get in touch with the woman's husband. Within a moment, I looked around and realized - hey! There's Betty Jo from church who gave her scarf to help keep the woman's head warm. (It was determined that the woman had tripped over the curb and hit her head pretty hard on the pavement, and so we made her stay there until help came). And there's Coach Mario from baseball! He was on the phone making sure to call 911, when we weren't sure the call had been made inside. A man I didn't know had kneeled down next to me. He reached out to hold the lady's hand. When I looked again, I believe he was praying silently for her. Then, he was gone, without a word. I looked over. Another man had taken on the task of directing traffic in front of the store. I remember hearing him shout something to the effect of "come on! come on! dont' **** with me!" The language seemed a little unnecessary I thought, but afterwards, I was thankful he had taken on that task. He kept people moving and kept anyone else from getting hurt. Without him, the fire truck and ambulance would not have been able to get through.

Just seemed reassuring at the time, during this 10 - 15 minutes of bizarreness, that the Flower plex isn't as hustle bustle and impersonal as it can seem. Just what I needed this Christmas.

Domestic Happiness

Yesterday's happiness...

1. Doggie Diapers arrived for our leaky senior citizen lab. She does not share my happiness about them.

2. The new Bucknell calendar arrived with many beautiful pictures of campus.

3. I'm planning an activity calendar for what I plan to do with our 2 ish week vacation. It will be published when complete and any of our family and friends who care to join us are welcome. I may be alone for many of these planned activities, but it will help keep me from spending 2 weeks on the couch watching football and Jim Carey movies.

4. I think I have mastered a crocheted hat that does not look like human anatomy. Of course, it's not finished yet.

5. My laptop came back from "THE DEPOT" all repaired and good as new!

6. Something that didn't happen that was supposed to happen, finally happened even after I had accepted the fact that chances of it happening were slim to none.

7. #1 son is under the weather, so instead of pushing a day of school work, he napped, did some math, and I got many household chores done - including shower scrubbing and rug cleaning! woohoo!

8. The felt advent calendar with little plastic velcro elves (circa 1969) is up and updated - officially marking the start of the 2008 Christmas season.

9. The remaining four of us sat down together for dinner last night. Spaghetti. That's not an everyday thing anymore, so I'm always happy when the planets align, and it happens.

10. Speaking of dinner, I have also planned out 5 weeks worth of dinners that I plan to try sticking with sort of. Hopefully this will keep me from scrambling at the last minute, and giving in to Sonic or Taco Belle for lack of a better plan....

11. I didn't spend any money!! Go me!!

I fully expect today to have just as much domestic happiness. With a math test thrown in for good measure (yep, seniors, that means you...)