Monday, July 30, 2012

The Garden

These are Viking Red Potatoes.

I dug a few tonight.  Aren't they pretty?!?

I started growing potatoes a couple of years ago.  I love having them in my garden.  This is a new variety though and I'm excited to try them out.  They look very pretty and I think the insides are milky white.  I've also planted some fingerlings, some yellow and some different red potatoes.  They taste completely different from potatoes one buys in the store.  This year I planted 3 raised beds of potatoes and a couple of large containers.  We'll see how they come out.

The garden is prolific this year.  I can't keep up with the beans.  I've given beans to everyone that comes near me.  Today I resurrected my canning skills and "did" up a huge batch of green beans.  The beets are magnificent this year too.  I'm going to try to store some in the basement for the winter.  And hopefully, I be able to make a trip down to NYC to share the produce with my boys.  The kale is still producing, but I've pulled the buttercrunch and romaine lettuce.  I think I will plant a row of spinach for the fall in their stead.

My tomato plants are almost 7 feet tall.  I have a variety of cherry tomatoes and the larger ones are coming on strong.  The eggplants are developing nicely and I've also had to give away bags of cuccumbers.  I've rediscovered cucumber salad which my mom used to make in the summer years ago, so I'm using quite a few cucumbers.

I've harvested my garlic.  I think I have enough for the whole neighborhood, but I seem to cook with garlic almost everyday.  And one clove goes in each of the chickens various water buckets.  It seems to help prevent parasites.....at least that's what I read in my Backyard Chicken magazine.

The only thing I seem to have trouble with in the garden are peas.  Everyone else can grow peas like crazy but I have the most meager pea production ever.  I think I will skip them next year.  And they are supposed to be the easiest vegetable to grow.  Oh well.

I had blueberry pancakes at the Inn this past Sunday.  And the blueberries came from my own bushes.  I managed to get out and harvest them before the birds and chipmunks could get all of them.  I've heard we are supposed to have dominion over all these creatures.....but somehow they still seem to get the best of me in the blueberry patch.

It's been unseasonably warm up here in the North Country this year.  But thank goodness we are getting rain a bit.  I went out to my neices baby shower the weekend before last and flying in we could tell that everything was just completely burned.  My friends family had a big farm in Iowa and he said all the crops are dead and they will just have to plow them under.  So sad.  Farming is not for the weak at heart.  He's optomistic next year will be better.

But we've had a wonderful summer.  Hot, but everything is still green.  And I think the corn is just about to be harvested!!

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Rejoice with those, and Weep with those......

Two weeks ago we were rejoicing and celebrating.  God's goodness, his faithfulness, and hope for the future.

This weekend we are weeping over two friends who have died.  Much to early.  And looking to HIM for hope for the future.

Sunday, July 15, 2012

"And that's the way it's done!!!"

The four of us were sitting quietly on the bench in the garden.

Waiting.

The plan, so far had been implemented perfectly.

Timing was crucial.

And so was the canine participation.

Then around the corner and up the path Ethan came.  Fist in the air saying..."and that's the way it's done!....that's the way it's done!!"  He was so excited.  The plan had worked perfectly....even better than they had planned.

Jon wanted the families to be involved in this special weekend.  He was going to propose, under the Brooklyn Bridge, on their way to the River Cafe.  Otis, Jon's chocolate labrador, was a big part of the plan.  Ethan was to tie with a pink ribbon, the engagement ring (Grandma Nordberg's engagement ring) to Otis's collar and have Otis tied up to one of the park benches.  They would come upon Otis and she would see the ring and say "yes!!"

Ethan, coming from work in his suit, secured Otis from the Suburban, tied the ring to the collar and Otis to the designated bench and proceeded to hide in the bushes.

People started passing by wondering out loud who this dog was and if they should call the police.  Ethan, from the bushes giving hand signals, indicated that Otis was part of an engagement strategy and that everyone should act normally.  Then everyone wanted to linger and witness the event.  One older couple got so excited that they indicated to Ethan that they would take pictures and just pretend that they were taking pictures of the scenery.  Ethan quickly reached into his breast pocket and gave them his business card, securing promises that they would send him the pictures.

Otis, of course, behaved perfectly, knowing his role in this adventure.  Jon and Jill came upon this dog sitting quietly beneath the Brooklyn Bridge.  Jon proposed, Jill said yes and the ring fit perfectly on Jill's finger.  And 75 people who just happened to be milling around the Brooklyn Bridge broke out into a round of applause.

She still did not know that her folks and we were sitting just a few hundred yards away.  They came up the path to the restaurant garden and we jumped up and shouted "surprise!!"  More tears of joy as she saw her mom and dad, Rob, Ethan and myself waiting to congratulate them on their engagement.

The folks at the restaurant joined in our celebration with champagne, wine and a special dessert of the Brooklyn Bridge made from chocolate with "congratulations" written on a square of chocolate.

It was magical from start to finish.  And then we proceeded to have a wonderful weekend filled with a trip to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, picnics, a swim in the waves of the Atlantic on a beach on Robert Moses State Park, a trip to Manhattan and Broadway to see Newsies, a Sunday at Redeemer and brunch on the sidewalk cafe on the upper east side.

Perfect.  We reluctantly said goodbye.  A trip back north, a new week filled with responsibilities, and dreams for the future.

The weekend was too short.  And we need to be closer.  But those are things for the future.  And plans for the upcoming event are already being made.