Monday, October 31, 2011

What's a Mess for One?

I miss my Momma. Oh, not in a bad way, really. No, this past week has just had so many reminders of her as a person…and I miss that person.

First, there was one of those “grief ambushes” that my friend LCM wrote me about. An EMGV friend at a recent training session we were both attending, excused herself to make her daily call to her mom who lives in Virginia. The thought “I wish I could call my Momma,” just popped into my head as she walked off, cell phone in hand. My throat closed up, and I had to dash to the bathroom to keep from making a spectacle of myself.

Cold Weather's A-Comin':
Getting the Garden Ready
And then, I worked in the garden all day on Thursday, getting it ready for the cold weather that was a’comin’. Snipped flowers that would be nipped in the frost.  Took more cuttings of coleus and geraniums (see the Electric Lime coleus in the photo to the left.)  Sheared the ferns.  Covered the tender lettuce and spinach with row covers; put straw on the peas and the strawberry plants (which are covered in flowers and berries, if you can believe that). Then, because I seem to have gotten an extraordinary germination rate on the 7-Top Turnip greens, I picked a bagful (left). A mess for me, so to speak. Only…I think I may have overestimated the amount needed for a pot of greens for one person. When I was standing at the sink, washing and picking through that mound of greens, I started to tear up: I’m the only one in the house that eats greens anymore. (Mr. T wouldn’t touch turnip greens…won’t even be in the house when I cook them…not even in the same state, as he says.) I had once made the comment to Momma about this very subject…and now the day has come to pass.  It's a mess for one.

Most importantly, there was the realization that Momma would have LOVED the 2011 World Series. Loved. It. Although she was a Braves fan through-and-through, she had a sweet spot for the Cardinals… especially since she spent almost 6 years as a “local” fan when we lived in Missouri. She thought the world of Albert Pujols, the first baseman extraordinaire, and she would have been proud of his performance. Ditto “Yaddi” Molina, as she called the catcher. But the fabulous David Freese would have struck a chord with her: hometown hero and MVP of the series. And that extra-inning Game 6 that lasted until way past midnight here? She would have been wide awake at the end of it, whooping with the rest of us. She might have slept through the middle, but she would have been there at the end. Woo hoo!
Now, It's a Greenhouse!
The screen porch is transformed...

Sigh. Life moves on.

In addition to getting the garden ready for cold weather, we got the “grow-light” shelf set up in the plasticized screen porch and brought in the herbs. Then we arranged…and rearranged…the plants we plan to overwinter on the floor of the porch, and we set up lights on timers to provide both light and warmth (see the photo to right). Somehow or other, we were able to pack ‘em all in!

I tried something new this year:  I put my geranium cuttings (dipped in rooting hormone; rooted into potting medium in small plastic plant containers) in the big pots, arranged around the trunk of the large plants (the corn plant, the lemon tree, etc.).  Hopefully this will keep everyone happy and moist, without wasting water (or having it puddle on the floor of the porch).  We'll see how it goes.


Treats for the Houndz:
Mr. T hands out carrots to
Elmo (l.), Gus (c), and Duche$$ (r)
It’s the end of October, and time for the treats…hopefully no tricks. Mr. T is getting practice handing out some carrot treats to the houndz in that photo (left). He seems to have their undivided attention!  He's home this week, so I won't be trying to keep the houndz at bay while trying to hand the treats to the kiddos through the storm door...always a trick for me to accomplish.

I had so many flowers that I snipped before the frost nipped the buds that I fixed a vase for the dining room (photo below)…and one to take to Momma’s our family’s BFF AW. She treated us back that very evening with a chicken pie from Deep River Friends Meeting’s Chicken Pie sale. Yummy!  With a salad from some garden lettuce, it made a perfect supper.




New Dining Room chairs...
and the last flowers of the year
 Speaking of the dining room, I took this picture (right) of the new chairs that we found on a recent trip to TJ Maxx’s. We have had this DR suite for 33 years (!), and I still love the warm pecan finish on the table along with the bow-front glass on the doors of the matching hutch. The table has two leaves and can expand to one HUGE piece of furniture.  Amazingly, it has survived 11 (or more) moves...and it still looks pretty good.  And, since it was made by Stanley, it has “come home,” so to speak…since the Stanley Furniture factory used to be in Lexington, NC (no more, sad to say). But, the ladderback chairs have been re-covered for their last time, I think. So I was thrilled when I spotted these upholstered Parsons chairs in a nutmeg color. Mr. T loaded them up into his Outlander (which he is trading in today...time for a new co. car!) and brought them home on Saturday.  We tested them out last night, when we dined on our chicken pie…and both said they are perfect! (As soon as those flowers are gone, I’ll get out the Thanksgiving decorations…:)



Here I go again...
Goal:  50k words in 30 days!
So, here comes November! And, what happens in November, dear readers? Well, it’s time for NaNoWriMo, of course. The National Novel Writing Month, when challengers attempt to write a 50K-word novel in 30 days, beginning at 12:01 tomorrow morning. Once again…I’m signing up for the challenge. And, once again, I have such high hopes as the month begins.  Will our heroine be able to vanquish the foe or will her life intervene with her best laid plans?

I can already see it happening, and I haven’t even written a word yet! I have three Speakers Bureau gigs over the next 8 days, so I’ve got to be extra vigilant with my time. If you do the math, you’ll see that you must write an average of 1,667 words EACH day in order to reach your goal. I wrote a 500-word (which I then had to edit down to 300...:) article for the North Carolina Master Gardener Volunteer Association state newsletter on Wednesday of last week, and that took me most of the day! I’ll have to be diligent at following the advice of veteran NaNoWriMo’s: DO NOT EDIT, just write!

Easier said than done.

Monday, October 24, 2011

Catching Up

Here come the Blue Devils!
Ah, dear readers, forgive me.  I have been in such a whirl lately that I have neglected my blog...and you.  I can give you numerous excuses, but you've heard them all before.  And, I would rather spend our time together bringing you up-to-date on our adventures.

As you know, Fall brings football...and we have our season tickets to Duke again.  And, once again, their football team, er, struggles to bring a victory home.  It would be frustrating...except it's just so much fun to go to the campus on an Autumn afternoon and see a game. 

We returned home this weekend from a lovely trip to Asheville and the mountains. I attended the NC Master Gardener Volunteer Association's Western Regional Symposium, which was held Wednesday at the NC Arboretum...two "firsts" for me right there.  And, since I was already in the neighborhood, so to speak, I signed up for a class the next day at the Arboretum (what a beautiful place!) on Winter Container Gardening.  A real treat!


Biltmore House...from the front drive
 Of course, if we make it to Asheville, there are two places on my Must Do list:  Yarn Paradise and the Biltmore Estate and Winery.  Check and double-check!  I came home with a bag full of Koigu sock-weight yarn and 3 new patterns from YP (which is located in Biltmore Village).  And, after getting our photo ID's made for our Annual Passes, Mr. T and I spent a lovely day at the Biltmore on Friday before heading back to HPNC.

You might think we'd just relax once we got back home...and we did take it a bit easier on Saturday...but we have so much that needs to be done in the garden this time of year that we couldn't rest too long. 

To prepare for the protection of tender veggies, I got the "ribs" into the rows of lettuce and spinach, ready to receive the row covers when the temps drop below 38 degrees.  Mr. T tilled up several rows in the Way Back garden with the Big Tiller, as well as a nice, new flower bed next to the fence in the back yard with the Little Mantis. He's getting the Way Back ready to plant some new berry bushes and apple trees that we've ordered from the County 4-H...and, we came home from the Biltmore with a new Beautyberry bush (Callicarpa dichotoma, which has bright purple berries galore!), 4 "Scarlett O'Hara" narcissus bulbs, and three new Alive! Hardy Asters that needed a new home...along with the 100 daffodil bulbs I bought a couple of weeks ago.

Using the new potting table Mr. T built for me near the water faucet, I repotted 15 houseplants and then gave numerous herbs haircuts and a good dusting off...in preparation for over-wintering them inside.  I snipped several cuttings of the bright red geraniums on the deck and dipped them in rooting hormone...then put them in some fresh potting soil.  I also took lots of cuttings of the Electric Lime coleus...and new fav of mine.  Hopefully, I'll get lots of new plants next year.

Now, as the temps fall to the lower ranges of the 50's at night...possibly dipping into the 40's even...the population of the screened porch (which is wrapped in plastic sheeting for the Winter) has swelled...and we haven't even moved the palms inside yet. Pretty soon, you won't be able to walk through without being tickled by the fronds of a fern.  Winter weather's a coming', sooner rather than later...:)

Of course, neither of us will be able to move tomorrow...but that's another story for another day.

Thursday, October 6, 2011

It's Fall, Y'all!

Hummer on a break
I love this time of the year.  Absolutely. Love. It!  Fall is my fav. Well, until it's a beautiful Spring day after a long, cold Winter...then, I might sing a different song.  But as for now, it's Fall...y'all.

Cooler temps are bringing changes to Casa 3917.  Check out that picture of the hummingbird (right) that was just outside my window this morning while I was having my coffee. He was resting after being at the hummingbird feeder for almost a full minute. He comes regularly to the feeder, now that most of the flowers have stopped producing. Of course, I say that...and then I look out the window at the geraniums on the deck, which are blooming big-time.  They seem to like this reprieve from the heat and humidity that was August.  I'll soon have to give them a severe haircut and bring them in to overwinter.  I did the overwintering part last year...without the cutting back part...and they were too leggy come Spring.  Lesson learned.

The leaves around here are just beginning to change colors, but I understand from our news that the leaves in the mountains of NC are near "peak" color. We saw some pretty leaves as we drove through West Virginia last weekend on our way to Louisville. It’s cooler there, so there were more reds and yellows that we have in our trees.

It was Missy M's birthday on Sunday, so we were with her to celebrate. We went out to eat at the Macaroni Grill on Saturday night, then she requested that I make her pancakes on Sunday morning before we had to return home. Brother T, who lives north of Louisville, was able to join us for dinner, but SIL LaD had to take a rain check.  It was so good to see Bro T...who looked great.  He also remarked that it was good to finally see a smile back on my face. Yes, the little black rain cloud is almost gone now.
Mr. T and Friends Duche$$ and Gus...
on the sofa at Missy M's house

Oh, I wanted to share this picture of Mr. T, sitting on M's sofa with two of the Drool Gang, Duche$$ and Gus, in her living room (right). That quilt on the back of the sofa? She made it!! Here I have been talking about making a quilt "some day," and she just up and does it.  Impressive!

[Regarding the change in the spelling of Duche$$'s name...you see, she's recently had surgery to remove TEN benign cysts...and the bill was more than for Mr's T's recent surgery.  Sigh.  Gotta love'em.]

Back at home on Monday morning, I gave a Master Gardening talk on "Best Practices for the Fall Garden" at the Sumner Garden Club that meets in Greensboro at the Rehobeth United Methodist Church (which has been on that location since 1806).  They are a warm and welcoming group, and I like to think we all had a good time.  Volunteering for MG Speakers Bureau gigs is so fulfilling for me...I do hope that the audience members get something out of it, too.

Of course, talking about gardening isn’t nearly as much fun as actually gardening. I told you about planting our Fall vegetable garden in the Way Back in a recent post. Well, everything is up and growing now! It looks so pretty when I take my morning coffee out there…and I can’t wait to have our first Fall salad from the lettuces.

Mostly green tomatoes...
destined to be
Green Tomato Relish

I brought back a big bucket of mostly-green tomatoes (see the picture, left) from M’s garden. Louisville is a little cooler than we are here in NC, so she'll get frost before we do. She had a LOT of green tomatoes still on her vines in her garden, and she didn’t know what to do with all of them. I plan on making several jars of Green Tomato Relish (recipe below)…which I just love on those Black-Eyed Peas for New Year’s Day. I hope I have enough of jars to give a few away as Christmas gifts, too. We’ll see

It is so hard to believe that in just 12 weeks, we will be finishing up this year. I brought my amaryllis plant inside on Monday, hoping to force it into bloom by Christmas day. I just think they are such magnificent plants, don’t you? Momma always loved them…and enjoyed getting them to bloom again the next year. I’ve never done it "on my own," without her instruction, so keep your fingers crossed that it works

Speaking of the Holidays, conventional grief counseling says that one needs to keep busy, especially heading into the Holidays, and to pay attention to family rituals and traditions, which Momma loved. I know it will be hard, but we’ll make it.  I can say that with much more conviction than I felt just nine weeks ago tomorrow.

But before we get too far ahead of ourselves, let's not forget to enjoy the present season and the fruits of our labors. Fab Fall! Harvest time!  And here's a recipe for you to enjoy, now and later:

===================================================================
Green Tomato Relish

Ingredients:


24 large green tomatoes...or about 100 Super 100's
3 red bell peppers, halved & seeded
3 green bell peppers, halved & seeded
1 cayenne pepper (opt.)
6 large onions, more or less to taste
1 tablespoon celery seed
1 tablespoon mustard seed
1 tablespoon salt
5 cups white sugar
2 cups cider vinegar
 
Directions:


*In a grinder or food processor, coarsely grind tomatoes, red bell peppers, green bell peppers, and onions. (You may need to do this in batches.) Line a large colander with cheesecloth, place in sink or in a large bowl, and pour in tomato mixture to drain for 1 hour.

*In a large, non-aluminum stockpot, combine tomato mixture, celery seed, mustard seed, salt, sugar, and vinegar. Bring to a boil and simmer over low heat 5-10 minutes, stirring frequently.

*Sterilize enough jars and lids to hold relish (12 one-pint jars, or 6 one-quart jars). Pack relish into sterilized jars, making sure there are no spaces or air pockets. Fill jars all the way to top.

*Screw on lids. Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway with boiling water. Carefully lower jars into pot using a holder. Leave a 2 inch space between jars. Pour in more boiling water if necessary, until tops of jars are covered by 2 inches of water. Bring water to a full boil, then cover and process for 30 minutes.

*Remove jars from pot and place on cloth-covered or wood surface, several inches apart, until cool. Once cool, press top of each lid with finger, ensuring that seal is tight (lid does not move up or down at all). Relish can be stored for up to a year.

...adapted from AllRecipes.com 
 

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