Gardening

[soon]

I feel that I am the person who is willing to do whats needed, thank you for saying so  Im less confident in my ability to discern what situations require that and when. Ive lost my sea legs, so to speak. Gotta regain my bearings. But the example you gave is really helpful. And Im most definitely in full on 'sacrifice' mode. And removing barriers, including weed. Its also frustrating to be so much more able and healthy then before but also still need to take care, go slow and keep up strenuous healthcare routines. I wanna run to the finish line, but I guess Ill walk. Im really appreciating your encouragement and support. And wisdom.

Prolly a good move to stay out of those emails. Just let us plant some plants already! Everythings gotta be so complicated!

Interesting how you both had ideas about leveraging gender, but just the opposite genders  But seriously, I can appreciate how off putting their suggestion would be. Gross. (you did recently get mistaken for a young bride though!)

Beakers gassiness is giving an entire different meaning to "escape room" 

I love that you wore that outfit!!! lol. You got these Lantanas. They really are slow, all it takes is just a little patience 

I lost one little seedling of kale in the up-potting. Theyre hard to injure, I wonder if it was deliberate on some subconscious level??

 

Edited December 7, 2019 by soon

[cineater]

Yeah, cut yourself a break on the confidence.  That comes from experience and you're going into new things.  If you fuck up it's not a total loss just a setback.  Health issues really fuck with your head but when that's all you focus on you sink down in a deep, dark hole.  I bet this new stuff you've got going on has put a spring in your step.  One of the reasons you see me doing so much stuff.  When life gets routine, it's time for a change.  It's freaky leaving your comfort zone but you start living again.

You know, fuck that stuff all the people think about you when they first lay eyes on you.  I could fight it up front but they just label you a bitch.   I'm not dealing with what's going on in their head.  I've got drive and determination in here.  Yeah, I'm one of those fucking people.  Let's get down to business.

I am please to report I can stop screaming in my head.  The meeting with the leads and those other meetings went rather well.  The leads are on board with making the gardens more educational.  I have a group that is going to focus on that.  The creek project is a go.  May be throwing good money after bad but a plan is coming together to save the property, ie the gardens and the greenhouse.  I'm way out of my comfort zone.  We're both going to spend the next year freaking ourselves out. 

I'm getting better about not saving every seedling but it still kills me to lose one to injury or neglect.  I have a number of plants in mind but it's the extras I have trouble just putting in the compost bin.  I try to find them homes with other people instead of space in my yard.  

 

[soon]

The new stuff really has put a pep in my step! It really does feel like fuck ups are the end of the world, though. Its also a weird form of fear about how by this time next year I might have a life that is 100% different in every way. Even though I desire all those changes.

I like your attitude 

Im so happy to hear that the meeting went so well! Now, time to freak out!  I hope things keep heading in this good direction. Lets get down to the business of freaking out!

Came across this lentil and zucchini fritter recipe. The batter is only the blended lentils! Since zucchini is so ubiquitous with veggie gardens, and with me growing lentils, it seems like the perfect 'gardeners recipe.' It also uses Kashmiri chilli powder and Id been curious about Kashmiri foods. Thought Id share it with you

 

[cineater]

Not 100 percent different.  There's that cat and you still have to cook dinner.  And if fuck ups were the end of the world, you'd be done.  Just means you have to do it again.  Yeah, oh god damn it to that.   And out of all of it, you'll have some new people in your life.  A new route to the path you walk in life and new familiar places.  All that kind of gets ignored while you're trying to establish yourself but it's happening.  It's the good stuff to changing things up.

I have baby big hostas!  There's 3 of them.  No lantanas yet.  

Edited December 9, 2019 by cineater

[soon]

Good point about the cat and making dinner. Very comforting to think. Maybe even new people to cook for and new people to shower my cat with love. Speaking of do-overs, I have all these tiny holes in my walls where I tried hanging things but then decided to move them elsewhere . Its as if my changing life is also being represented in a near obsession with hanging stuff and mounting shelves. I realized that a dude I X'ed still has my staple gun and hammer. Sigh. But all this stuff, puttering around with home improvements and trips to the hardware store feels part and parcel with everything else.

Thats awesome about the Hostas! Lantanas soon. I wonder how quickly the Hostas grow?

I just reorganized my grow room and mounted my solar panel in the window. I replaced the towel I was using as a window blind with a gorgeous tapestry. Feels good.

But on the other hand, as I collected up all the stray pots I really took stock of just how much 'out door' soil had made its way into my current grow. I was so short on soil, so I took a little from here, a little from there, but it really adds up. Also, it makes the various pots have different watering needs. I think I might scrap it and start over with a uniform, proper potting soil.

Edited December 9, 2019 by soon

[cineater]

lol, I just came from the hardware store.  Did you know they make those smart light bulbs with speakers in them?  Play your phone music through your light bulb.  Not the coolest thing ever made but close.  I'm wondering if you can blow it up by playing the music too loud?

My growing medium has no fungicide so it's prone to that green algae stuff.  I've noticed when I reuse it, I get more of the green stuff on the (fake) soil.  Haven't really noticed it's a problem.  I use that, dirt, time released fertilizer and leaf mulch in the potting mixture I use for the outdoor containers.  Starting from seed though, what I make up is to heavy and holds water or doesn't get wet enough for the seedlings.  It's just not uniformed enough.

Not sure what's going on with the baby hostas I have up.  Some the leaves have almost dried up edges.  Did I forget to water?  Or are the lights burning them?  Disease?  I'm thinking light burn as they are shade plants, Marsha thinks so too.

My psychic is all abuzzed.  She thinks I'm about to see some karmic justice.  I love karmic justice but still not paying "at the low price of $24/month" to find out what she's talking about.  I like her.  I just don't think she has a clue, I'm still waiting for all that wealth she saw coming my way.

Edited December 9, 2019 by cineater

[soon]

Ha, great minds think alike. I kinda feel like going back to the hardware store. I have never heard of anything like that - a light bulb that plays music?? Sounds wild.

I definitely need something that retains more moisture and more evenly across the trays. I havent even turned my thoughts to building outdoor soil too much, just top soil and compost usually. Yours sounds great! I havent decided if Ill toss it or not, but I just might today.

Ill be curious what Marsha says about those Hostas. My guess would also be that lights are too close, maybe.

I hope you do get that money! 'I see you retaining $24/month in your savings account' . All that astrology and psychic stuff is really popular again, isnt it? I dont know if its something you've always enjoyed? Its certainly always been part of Buzzfeed but now it seems like its everywhere.

[cineater]

I'm not sure how the psychic found me, something I clicked on.  But you know how they are.  Your thinking cold hard cash and they call it at the cat loving on you.  Yeah there are things that are priceless out there but there's stuff that cost money too.  I can recognize the first on my own but I could use a little help with the second. 

I transplanted some of the hosta last night.  What I thought was a plant with two or three leaves was actually two or three plants.  I like to wait until each plant has two or three leaves before transplanting, better root system.  I might lose some of these.  I did 18 and left the rest in the nursery.  I've got no problem where the stem and the soil meet so it's most likely not any kind of disease.  Marsha thinks lights too.

I'm down to the fun gifts with shopping.  I got him the light bulb that changes the color in your room.  I'm thinking you probably need twenty of those to actually make a difference and really who cares but he's into that sort of thing.  Who knew a light bulb could be a gift?  I'm sending my daughter an early surprise, a Christmas Hippopotamus hoodie.  Amazon has gotten over loaded and shipping has slowed down.  And of course I forgot to include a gift tag so she's going to be going where did that come from.  The mystery gift, I may not own up to it, lol.

My son called, a half hour out of town.  He's been hiding from me for a few years or putting the kids in the middle of us.  He knows I'd know and he knows I've known for a while.  Spectacular crash and burn.  If he's about to crawl out of that hole, I'm here.  If he's still digging, not much I can do but take care of his kids.  I can tell by the way he talks he's still wallowing in it.  Yeah, I won't be giving him any cash.  He'd make a bad choice.

Edited December 10, 2019 by cineater

[cineater]

I was going to wait until after the holidays to get started on this but let's go.  I'm putting together a whole program to use the demo gardens for education.  

If you came to the demo gardens what kind of educational stuff would you expect to see Soon?  What classes would you hope we'd have that were actually in the garden?

I'm checking out what other places are doing.  This one group calls their classroom Tool Shed University, how cute.  I've got a greenhouse, tents and a pergola and can always jump in the building classrooms.  You got any cute gardening related names for education? 

That other group, they are miles ahead of us on what they are doing.  They keep telling us we are a big deal.  We ain't shit compared to them.  I'm not even sure I want to be like them.  

[soon]

Nothing sounds remotely as cool and fun and Tool Shed University. But heres a few brainstorms for the name:

Trowel Academy

Nursery School

Bloom U

Roots University

The Wild Classroom

Blue Skies Gardening School

Plants as Teachers, Outdoor Classroom 

Birds and Bees, Garden Classroom

Honey Bee Alliance, An Outdoor Classroom

The Soil Factory, A Garden Classroom

The Veggie Underground

Paw Paw Mews

The Carrot Commons, Outdoor Learning 

Earth Worm Learning Centre

Earth Worm Academy

(Your Hardiness Zone) Outdoor Classroom 

School of Green Thumbs 

Valley Gardens School (I think you live in or near a valley, maybe, because you mentioned mountains is maybe why I think this?? )

[soon]

On December 10, 2019 at 11:25 AM, cineater said:

I transplanted some of the hosta last night.  What I thought was a plant with two or three leaves was actually two or three plants.  I like to wait until each plant has two or three leaves before transplanting, better root system.  I might lose some of these.  I did 18 and left the rest in the nursery.  I've got no problem where the stem and the soil meet so it's most likely not any kind of disease.  Marsha thinks lights too.

What a surprise, 3 times as many hostas! Hopefully those changes fix it all up.

On December 10, 2019 at 11:25 AM, cineater said:

I'm down to the fun gifts with shopping.  I got him the light bulb that changes the color in your room.  I'm thinking you probably need twenty of those to actually make a difference and really who cares but he's into that sort of thing.  Who knew a light bulb could be a gift?  I'm sending my daughter an early surprise, a Christmas Hippopotamus hoodie.  Amazon has gotten over loaded and shipping has slowed down.  And of course I forgot to include a gift tag so she's going to be going where did that come from.  The mystery gift, I may not own up to it, lol.

A christmas hippopotamus? 

I think festive tins of homemade snack mix will be most of my gifts this year. Someone asked me for my wishlist and I only wanted them to buy a prisoner 3 months of a monthly books subscription from my favourite press, in my name. They were not pleased.  Note to self: dont gift anyone prisoner book subscriptions in their name.  You are much better at this than I am!

On December 10, 2019 at 11:25 AM, cineater said:

My son called, a half hour out of town.  He's been hiding from me for a few years or putting the kids in the middle of us.  He knows I'd know and he knows I've known for a while.  Spectacular crash and burn.  If he's about to crawl out of that hole, I'm here.  If he's still digging, not much I can do but take care of his kids.  I can tell by the way he talks he's still wallowing in it.  Yeah, I won't be giving him any cash.  He'd make a bad choice.

Oh this sounds complicated. I'd forgotten or didnt know that you had a son. If he's still got his kids, things must be at least somewhat stable for them? I hope you get to see your grandchildren lots over the holidays if he's back though. How sad.

 

[soon]

19 hours ago, cineater said:

If you came to the demo gardens what kind of educational stuff would you expect to see Soon?  What classes would you hope we'd have that were actually in the garden?

Your demo gardens that you've described all sound incredible.

For demos. Theres this carrot growing kit for kids that Ive seen and always wanted. It is just this enough to fit a single row of carrots and the sides are clear glass. So you can observe all the growth under the soil. Something like that might be fun? I forgot if you have a pollinator demo bed? That would be cool, all sorts of pollinator plants with all the bees and butterflies swirling about it. Maybe a permaculture design bed? Companion planting herb and veggie bed?

Some of the classes like the tool sharpening one would be cool outdoors. And building various growing mediums/soils workshop would be the one Id sign up for first these days. Composting class. One foot gardening/ salsa garden, maybe, including companion planting? Another one Id love - and I think would be really on trend (around here at least) - would be how to cross breed hot peppers to make them hotter!! Although I think that might be a long process with very few tasks? Maybe cross breeding coleus to invent new colour patterns, instead.

An intro to permaculture design would be so fascinating.

Maybe an edible weeds walk could start and end at the classroom?

I know Id love a class on using flowers and berries to make dyes/ink.

I think on top of the soil building class, maybe part 2 could be about soil ph and amendments for acidity?

Indigenous peoples crops, herbs and such.

Id love a plant monograph class too!! Learn about them and then create one including real plant pressings?

Wreath making.

Flower arranging.

EDIT: Ooooh - pest control, without pesticide.  <--- my fave so far!

I dont know!  You seem to have a good sense of this project!

Edited December 11, 2019 by soon

[cineater]

Good ideas.  I'm going to copy and paste those into my examples of things.  We have your pollinator beds.

My son wasn't born to me.  He was 18 when my daughter was born.  He had a lot of baggage before he got to me.  He's struggled at times when all that baggage came calling.  Sensitive kid who takes it all really hard.  Worst all, he didn't want it to affect his kids but it has.  He's out of state and the kids are with their mother here.  It's better he's trying to get it back together away from them but it's killing him he is not being a good dad.

[soon]

i knew you had pollenator beds! Dont know why I was confused in that moment.

Im really happy that your son has you. Oh those kidos. Sounds like he's in a lot of pain. Hope all goes well for you all.

Got talking about peppermint patties in other thread. When I order my potting soil Ill see if I can get a peppermint cutting sent too. Gotta make some patties!

Are garden meetings paused for the holidays?

[cineater]

Oh hell no, lol.  I keep trying to turn the garden off and it just won't.  Appears I'm being shoved into the role of education lead.  Okay, I did do all those library classes and I'm scheduling some workshops for the garden leads and plotting how to use the gardens for more education but I am not the education lead.  Damn it, did it to myself didn't I?   Just don't call me the lead.  I'm just doing some stuff.

All mint plants are container only.  You and I know that but it's an automatic response from me whenever it comes up. 

We hit up the bookstore yesterday.  Everybody gets a book for Christmas.  Our book donations went to a kid's group.  The bookstore is the next best place to a garden.

I get to judge the Christmas light displays tonight with my new garden group.  How cool is that?  And Saturday I help distribute the toys to families for Christmas.  All good stuff.

[soon]

You absolutely did it to yourself!  You'll make both of us leads if Im not careful!  You sure seem like the educational lead already anyways. But it all pays off when you get to judge the christmas lights 

Its winter here - of course I can only grow my peppermint in a container. Although it could be fun to pair in with some Stinging Nettle and just let them battle it out for space! 

My basil, kale and anise are starting to take off. Tossed just the most suspect outdoor soil, with least absorbent soil today though. Still plenty growing though.

Have fun on Saturday and with the Judging tonight!! 

[cineater]

5 hours ago, soon said:

You absolutely did it to yourself!  You'll make both of us leads if Im not careful!  You sure seem like the educational lead already anyways. But it all pays off when you get to judge the christmas lights 

Its winter here - of course I can only grow my peppermint in a container. Although it could be fun to pair in with some Stinging Nettle and just let them battle it out for space! 

My basil, kale and anise are starting to take off. Tossed just the most suspect outdoor soil, with least absorbent soil today though. Still plenty growing though.

Have fun on Saturday and with the Judging tonight!! 

It was fun.  Really hard to choose between 1st and 2nd place.  The person who won got it because they had music playing.

Look at these gnomes made out of tomato cages and evergreen branches.  People use potatoes for the nose.

[soon]

Yay, Im glad it was fun! I cant imagine how difficult it would be to judge. 

Those gnomes are incredible and hilarious!! So creative!

 

[cineater]

There's all kinds of stuff you can make out of tomato cages.

There's some stuff going on that's not sitting very well with me.  The Creek Stabilization project has now become Help Save the Gardens campaign.  For 10,000 the greenhouse gets named after the donor.  Hold on, we raised the money for that, built it and maintain it.   It's all us.  That donor's name goes on a boulder in the creek.  Our demonstration gardens are being billed as learning gardens.  That's an overstatement but I like it and where I want to go with what I'm trying to do out there.  I'll do my best to see we live up to that.  All the sudden the Master Gardener group has been pushed to the forefront as the reason to give a donation.  There's a bunch of other groups using that place too.  It feels like we're getting sold without being asked if we mind being used this way.

Are you busy?  OMG, I made the mistake of running by the house for a cup of coffee.  No, I made the mistake of leaving the house without enough coffee in me in the first place.   But I've got groceries, finally!  Just need some cat food.  You wouldn't think it would be so hard to get those things.

I'm done with the garden for the year.  Total volunteer hours over 806 and that doesn't include all the emails, phone calls and taking care of plants at home.  Plus I'm sure I missed some shit.  And how many times did I do a drive through just to check on the gardens?  Not feeling like I accomplished very much, just got myself in deeper. 

Edited December 14, 2019 by cineater

[soon]

I can imagine that would feel awkward and a bit wrong about the Donor business and the MGs being trotted out as an advertisement. And to have all the things that you paid for being branded with Jonny come lately's. Ugh. Seems like the big corporate wheels are churning. I didnt realize any other groups use the garden?

Haha, I tend to schedule my grocery shopping around cat food needs, too  Gotta keep drenched in coffee!! Sipping mine now. Kicking ass on the ol' to do list this morning. Weekend house cleaning routine, a few loads of Scrubba laundry, slow cooking a pork shoulder for pulled pork, made magnesium oil, then garbage out, bank, grocery, vices, then starting my Lebanese Mountain Bread. First time trying that - its a flat bread that you stretch the raw dough out over an upside down mixing bowl until its see through. This gives it its famous stretchy and toothsome bite.

806 hours is incredible! And youre right, its likely far higher. Well done. You accomplished lots from where I stand!

I have this urge to start sprouting and doing some micro greens... these both feel like the childs play of indoor gardening... like its embarrassing for one of us to grow sprouts  Its like you start to garden and then quit, but cover it up with fancy titles like "micro greens" 

[cineater]

That mountain bread sounds like fun.  I've discovered that Golden Milk is really good ice cold.  I'm trying French Dip Sliders as my new Christmas dinner recipe.  Using the family as guinea pigs, lol.

Mother nature is getting ready to ground me to the house for a few days.  Shovel a little snow, wrap some gifts, it's Christmasy.  Going to run by the greenhouse and pick up some pots and promix.  Time to make some more coleus.  No lantana yet and I'm not liking how the soil looks.  Lets just buy lantana plugs.

Sprouts scare me.  They're kind of alien looking.  And look like worms crawling on your salad.  

I don't know what to say about the whole donor thing or the project in general.  I'm going into areas I don't really want to be.

[soon]

Ice cold golden mil sounds so good. I want those slider now!! What the recipe, please?  

Glad you get to be snowed in for some christmas spirit. Sounds cozy. Keep out all the donor business for a few days. Im holding out hope for those Lantana! Maybe Christmas morning.

You just ruined sprouts for me  I was intending them for in wraps and pad thai. But I also figure between sprouts and micro greens Id essentially have the textural and nutritional substitute for lettuce on sandwiches. Lettuce is something Ive not successfully grown in doors, and I never use up all the store bought in time. That plus the contamination of the pre-shredded stuff freaks me out. So it seems like a well rounded solution to many problems.

I just ate homemade from the garden jalapeño poppers that were in the freezer... they must have been in there a while... stomach is not pleased. Tasted great though, if I do say so myself! 

 

[cineater]

https://www.chelseasmessyapron.com/easy-french-dip-sliders/?epik=dj0yJnU9U2RFc3ZZZzl2RDVFS1hrYk5KWFprQnM2Mmd5cnlSclcmbj0wY25kR0xTUVdMNFcyRGR5em1wNjNBJm09MyZ0PUFBQUFBRjN1dnZz

and if you never had these 

https://www.pillsbury.com/recipes/cheesy-potato-casserole/30357dc0-fead-4289-b46b-7a72d8c862d4

I haven't made the sliders before but I've had them, yummy.  The potatoes are a family favorite.  You can make them up the night before and put them in the frig.  Bake them the next day.  I am a meat and potato girl.  I'm done with the spicy peppers too.  Don't care how much cheese you put on them.

You get sprouts down and a few restaurants who want them, you have a business.  Don't let worm food freak you out.  There are people out there trying to introduce insect as food into the American diet.  If there's anything to stop overeating, crickets is going to do it. 

Toy give away went well.  Each kid got 5 gifts.  The teens always get screwed over when it comes to toy donations but they had some gift cards for them.  Ran some leftover duffle bags by the kid's shelter.  The staff look like they could be the older kids to me, lol.  Ran into the guy whose home just burned down.  They lost a child.  That's the second time since this happen that family has come to my attention.  Not sure how I can help but I have a feeling the third time it happens I'll know what to do.  They shouldn't even be on my radar but there they are.

[cineater]

So here's how this went down.

I ordered my daughter a surprise Hippopotamus hoodie right.   It was suppose to get there on Wednesday.  I told Caleb to keep an eye out for it.  On Thursday she's with me when he texts and ask if she got a package.  So I tell her I sent her a little something.  On Friday she texts me and says thanks for the shirt.  Get kind of a weird reply like maybe she didn't like it.  Tonight I'm checking on orders and see the hoodie is still showing it's in process.  So I ask her if she got the hoodie.  She says shirt.  I ask what shirt she's talking about?  She says the owl shirt I sent her.  I ask what owl shirt?  I get nevermind.  I text back that I'm going to lmao if that's her gift to me.  She texts back it might be. 

[soon]

These recipes are exactly what I want to learn to make! Thanks. They sound so delicious. Would it be weird if I made the identical christmas dinner as you?? Its great to have make ahead stuff like the potatoes. I want to eat only that forever  I am pouring over this slider recipe and cant wait to try it out 

Thats a great idea about the sprouts. I would love that!

Ive got a bag of cricket flour in my pantry thats going unused so far . I once considered getting a meal worm farm (can also eat those) and just the thought of having it gave me anxious creepy crawlers for days.

Oh thats great about the toy giveaway! Its so cool that you do that. Im sure the teens loved the gift cards! I know just what you mean about the youth shelter staff... in my experience sometimes some of them even act like the 'cool crowd high school seniors' in my experience (not all of course). My friend just finished doing a placement in a youth shelter and shed look younger than some of the youth, and all punk rock. Its sorta like with professors too though - some of them stay 'young' and up on youth culture. Had a neighbour whose a prof ask me if I wanted to "link up on Tic Toc"!! 

Hmmm, isnt it interesting when someone keeps crossing your radar like that? He must be in so much pain. Im sure you will know exactly what to do next time