deer vs gardener...and other lessons of a novice gardener.

It has been a lot of work, but so exciting to watch the garden progress. Love watching for the blossoms, and then the produce. There is something so ridiculously satisfying about helping something grow and providing for your family!

We have had amazing radishes so far, and the rest is coming along really well. But we've got our challenges, and disappointments.

We are in the worst drought in decades. We ran out of the natural water stores (from rain and sump pumps) last week. Note for next year - we need a few more barrels and bins. There were too many days when we had to let the sump pump water run, and we could SO be using it right now. While we don't like to, we've resorted to watering every other day with the sprinklers. We are at a critical point for water right now - with everything heavy with produce. We have no choice. I am thankful we are not on a watering ban!

But much worse right now is what ELSE the drought has done. It has the deer on the move, and they are eating up my garden right before my eyes. I first noticed the damage on Sunday night, and I could have cried. My chard was eaten to the ground, and beans trimmed off completely.

Tonight I went out and found that the deer have also been feasting on my broccoli leaves and jalapeno plants.... so disheartening. But it is nature's way, and I will simply have to be a smarter gardener next year.

I don't want to resort to chemicals, so we are trying it old school - with smelly socks on fence posts and pie plates making noise in the wind...

So while our harvest will not be as big as expected, and I am not getting a chance to eat all of the amazing things I've been growing, there is nothing I can do right now, and I've accepted the fact that these animals are also just trying to survive this drought.

Just wish they didn't have to eat in MY garden!

sigh.





Fun in the kitchen

I am a little behind on blogging.... been SO much going on. Last week, I had the chance to take a cooking class, and I HAVE to tell you about it.

The class was a farm to table class. It was a great class, offering up information on all of the area opportunities for locally grown produce, locally raised meat, etc. I am SO passionate about doing all we can to buy local - and this is the culmination of that. Growing, buying, and eating food all locally!

The class was wonderful - three teams, each making three recipes, using locally purchased products. I found that there were several spice combinations new to me, that I would not have tried had it not been for the class, and that is always a good thing!

So while I found that I am way ahead of some others - in what I grow myself, purchase from local farmers, etc., it was a great chance to share stories, and have some great fun in the kitchen!

Empty nest day two

Today was one of those days I envision as an empty nest day.... busy from beginning to end! Started the day heading to Marshfield to get errands run - maintenance at the building, working on an awning for the store front, bank, supplies for the party coming up, etc. Had lunch with a wonderful friend - too long in between. Then tonight I took a cooking class - from farm to table - which was a blast. Ended the evening with some cold lime a ritas on the screened in porch of a friend. Doesn't get any better than that, does it?

you never know who is watching

Shot an email to a good friend today - just checking in - miss working with her. Didn't hear back from her, but she is typically busy 15 hours a day, so I figured I'd check back later. So tonight when I gave up trying to get to sleep, I checked my email, and at just about 9pm, she'd responded. With nothing more than an attachment, saying she'd found something in her old Dale Carnegie folder, a speech she'd done in that class.

When I opened the speech, I realized it was about me. And how my attitude when life gets hard had inspired her.

What an awesome feeling, to think that how I lead my life mattered to someone. And that they saw my actions, and my reactions to life.

It's an important lesson. No matter how much you think you don't matter, someone is watching. When you least expect it, they see what you are doing. Whether it's a smile, holding a door, or in my case, the reaction I took to some horrible life events, people see what we do, and it matters.

So make it matter for the GOOD!

Empty Nest "experiment"... day one

While my husband and I go away often for vacations that don't include the kids, this is the first time that we've been the ones left at home, just the two of us. Our oldest has stayed at school for the summer, so she's been gone. But our baby, for the first time, left this morning for three days of intense basketball training.

Day one of our empty nest experiment was a hot one - with temps in the 90s. So a large amount of gardening was out of the question. I did get two bags of mulch laid and a little bit of weeding done before the heat set in, but that was all I could take. Because it was a hot, windy day, I ended up spending much of the day on laundry - washing and hanging out five loads to dry on the line. Green, frugal, and just homey. I LOVE hanging clothes out to dry in the fresh air. What a treat.

Today was also one of my cooking days, so I made chicken noodle soup and baking powder biscuits, and then had to clean the kitchen from all the cooking. Now that the meals have been picked up, and the fifth load of laundry is drying, I think we'll relax with a glass of wine and dinner. I'd say day one was a pretty big success.

the good work....

I love working with my hands.

sweating.

getting dirty.

Today I was able to clean up all of the rock around the house, as well as get the grapes cleaned up. We've been gone - vacations - so I haven't had a ton of time to work outside. Today when I got back from church, I dug right in - and it felt so good. The DH got me some new mulch tonight, so I'm hoping to beat the heat and get it laid in the morning.

There is something soul-cleansing about working in nature.

To feel that body ache, to taste the sweat. It's all SO GOOD. 

'nuff said.

Sharing.....

Since I've left the corporate world, I've been cooking dinner for three of my friends, and their families. All young families with children, twice a week I offer to cook for them - so they can pick up dinner on their way home. Scary at first, I worried about menu choices, etc., but have come to realize that each family has their own tastes, and by constantly changing up the choices, each gets something they want once in awhile.

What I didn't realize is how much it would mean to me to be able to share this love of cooking with these families. And the JOY it brings me! I love getting texts or messages with comments from the kids.

"two thumbs up from our clan"
"you are an angel"
"your bread is amaaaaazing" (I often add a loaf of homemade bread for dinner)
"I need some more of that yummy chicken"
"my tummy is happy!"

All three moms are great cooks. So the kids are not lacking by any means. THis just gives the moms a break once or twice a week. But for the kids, it's like having a restaurant deliver.

Early on, some of the kids were confused. "Why aren't we eating this AT Melissa's?".

Some of them offer suggestions. a.k.a. requests.

They all make me smile. ALL the time.

When I took a few weeks off after my accident, they gently asked (both parents AND kids) when I'd be able to start cooking again. It made me smile. :-)

Delivering one night, one of the kids asked "what's for dinner tonight Melissa?", and I couldn't help but laugh. Two nights later, he was surprised when I showed up, confused to what day it was. I thought it was awesome that he knew I cooked on Mondays and Wednesdays...

I have found that the joy it brings me to share this gift with people I love is more than I ever could have imagined. AND I get to do what I LOVE. Doesn't get any better than that, does it?