Cold Frame Gardening

Where I live in Michigan, winter weather gets to be a little overdrawn.  Winter seems like it is never going to end.  My way of coping is to dive into seed catalogs and gardening magazines.  It is like feasting on dessert after you have been on a starvation diet.  All of those plants with their lovely greenery and colorful blooms just lights up the soul and lifts the spirit.  Not only that, but when you are trying to buy fresh produce you quickly realize the high cost of fresh fruits and vegetables during the winter.  Cold frame gardening can help relieve the burden on your wallet if you build a couple of frames to supplement your produce needs.

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Lazy Day of Fall With a Touch of Winter

     Today has been one of those lazy, do nothing and enjoy it kind of days.  Those are few and far between…but, so very necessary for the soul to rest and build up strength to do what must be done every other day of the week. 

      It has been cold and wet.  We woke up this morning to a growing blanket of fluffy white snow…the first of the season, to lightly coat the ground.  Of course, it did not stay there because the ground is not frozen yet…so, the warmth of the earth melted the brilliant, white snow early in the day.  This is just a mini preview of what is to come in the next few weeks.

       The snow brought joy to my child’s face…and, a look of acceptance to mine 🙂  Now is the time to contemplate making a nice homemade, chunky sort of comfort meal…like maybe a hot, hearty chicken noodle soup with homemade dumplings…or maybe a rich, smooth, smoky pea soup, or possibly a filling fall harvest kind of soup with some happy orange carrots, and some limey green cabbage surrounding floating chunks of the all american staple of potatoes in a nice rich broth of ham pieces or some pieces of bacon. However, this is work…and, cannot stand alone.  One must complement the meal with some fresh- from- the- oven homemade doughy, buttery rolls.  This is the treat that we offer ourselves when the reality of 6 months of cold, wet, dark and dreary winter comes sneaking upon us.  Oh, if that sounds ominous…then you will have to come back on another day when the snow is cherished and given glory…just not today when i have to grow to appreciate it’s beauty.

       Golly, you will just have to check back in a few weeks, when i paint the picture of a cheery morning; when the snow crystals sparkle in the sunlight and underscore the weight of the evergreen branches that bow under the weight of the heavy flakes of snow that have fallen overnight, much to our surprise.  Then you will see that the human spirit is flexible and has the wisdom to recognize all of the gifts in life. 

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More Time in A Day-25 th Bonus Hour

       You know how people are always saying that they need more hours in a day ~*~  well, today, they have it.  If you didn’t remember…you were supposed to set your clocks back(Fall back) an hour (in most states in the US).  So, remember…you may need to do so in your settings on your blogs as well.  🙂

        Enjoy your 25th hour today!  Put your money where your mouth is…what did you do with your extra hour?

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Did You Agree To Rip Yourself Off?

       Here is something to think about with all of the financial crisis making the daily news.  Have you signed anything legal agreeing to rip yourself off financially?  Many people probably haven’t realized this aspect of the times yet…but, a normally smart thing to do each summer is to sign up for a budget plan with your winter heating fuel supplier…agreeing to “lock in” a price when the prices are low during the summer…just in case the price of heating oil/gas goes up, like it normally does in the fall and winter months.

        This year…against any predictable reasoning…gas prices have fallen, sharply.  Still, once people sign on the dotted line to lock in a heating source price…they truly are locked in at that price.   I think as people discover this situation for themselves…there is going to be alot of anger of being caught in this situation.  Some say, that most years it makes sense to lock in and it works out to their advantage…but, this year has really challenged that theory.

          Locking in makes sense usually; the agreement is usually accomplished in mid summer.  Well….if you remember correctly, in July…gas prices were sky high.  In my neck of the woods…gasoline prices have dropped from an all time high of approximately $4.25 down to now a $2.88 cents a gallon.  If you apply that thought process to home heating oil/propane….you can just imagine how much money that people are loosing.

          With the rising cost of food, rent/mortgage payments, health insurance, and other necessities…people can ill afford to pay extra when they don’t have to.  I, for one, am glad that i didn’t lock in my propane prices; like i was advised to! 

          Did you get ripped off by signing an agreement to lock in your heating costs this year?  If you did…you are not alone…and personally i don’t think anyone expected such a situation…but, it really is a gamble trying to predict the future with heating costs.  I am pretty sure that, next year, companies will have a hard time getting people who were burned this year, to sign on the dotted line.  Just stop and think about how many people are living on fixed incomes…i almost hate to see winter arrive because…we will see more people suffering and living in dangerous conditions, in colder climates, because of this.

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The Things We Learn-Right In Our Own Backyard!

        I find things that are the most interesting to me, are often things that are going on right around me; figuratively, in my own backyard.  That is why, when i read an article today about a man who lived less than an hour away from me; and actually at one time in my life, lived less than 10 minutes from my childhood home…i took a major interest in the story of his life and his death.  He was an inspiration to watch and learn from.

         This man’s name was Lewis (Luke) Arends.  He lived in Sparta, Michigan.  You might find by reading this post that you may share a connection with him as well.  Luke was 91 years old when he died on Monday.  But, what i found is that he was the man who “discovered” the Paula Red apple, that many of us know and love.  Paula Reds have a sweet/tart tingle on your tongue and when you taste them, they almost remind you of a ripe strawberry.  When mixed with a couple of other variety of apples…they make a wonderfully, tangy applesauce to feed to your family.  The texture is smooth and cool.  The skins remind me of the old saying, red apple cheeks. 

         It seems that Mr. Arends was an apple grower in the 1950’s.  One day, he noticed an apple tree that was a little bit different than the rest.  He continued to watch this tree grow and eventually, produce apples in time.  He learned that this apple tree was different, in the fact that the apples began to ripen much earlier, in August, than the other apples that he had growing in his orchard.  This new variety of apple tree was good and he decided to name it after his wife, who’s name was Pauline.  The tree is still standing there…a natural tribute to the man; and to the fruit growers who were wise enough to recognize a gift from above.  The tree provided early income needed to bridge the gap from one season to the next…helping fruit producers to ride out the ups and downs that naturally occur due to mother nature’s temperment year- to- year.

         This is when the apple called Paula Red was born.  So, through patenting and propagating the species…everyone gets to enjoy a good tasting, early ripening apple before the first bite of autumn makes it’s presence known.  Thank you Mr. Arends for paying attention to the gift growing in your own backyard.  God bless!

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Bye Bye September

       Bye Bye September…tomorrow is October…Fall is truly here and making it’s presence know.  That only leaves one more season left this year…and it isn’t going to be pretty what with the rising cost of living… I hate to see winter come.  With any luck, winter will be mild. 

        With all of the financial uncertainty hanging over the United States…thinking about heating homes is the last thing anyone wants to do.  Yet, i can’t help but admire the beauty that is Fall.  The golden yellow, the burnt oranges, the flaming reds and the burnished brown of the leaves as they glisten in the mellow fall temperatures.  The evenings are pleasantly cool enough to be enjoyed and yet not bothersome enough to turn on the furnace.  This is the beauty of fall.  Reaping the bounty of the earth’s growing season and preparing it for the winter.  It is all a gift. 

        Even the beauty of the first heavy snow fall as it coats the trees and the ground with it’s sparkling diamond dust is a work of art.  It is knowing that it wont be the last snowfall that wears on the novelty of it all…calculating the financial cost of removing all of that frosty diamond dust!  OH well, it is time to enjoy the moment.

        Time to walk in the leaves, smell the warm earth, gaze upon the fall flowers in a final burst of color…stand around a roaring campfire…heat up some tarty spiced apple cider…roast a few dogs over the open flame and stare at the glittering silver white stars as they twinkle in the deep blue black of the night sky.  This is a moment to remember and to treasure.  Bye Bye September!

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A Sense Of Accomplishment

       Today was one of those days where…i felt..i had little to contribute in my normal sphere of interaction.  Others relieved me of my duties out of a regular shifting of schedules and it was an opportunity to rest and relax.  It was nice…but…feeling a little lost as i was out of my normal comfort zone.  It didn’t help that i have been fighting sinus pain and pressure, off and on, for a month or so…today, it was right there…my constant companion.

        However, when i got home…i had an agenda.  I “needed” to clean, process, and can some tomatoes that have been sitting in a box…silently taunting me with their presence.  I was procrastinating for the last couple of days…because i hadn’t been feeling well. 

         Since the sinus pressure was not going away…i had strengthened my resolve to get those babies canned; and, to do the same with the salsa that i had prepared days ago and was letting “marinate” in my fridge waiting for the primo opportunity to put them up!  I had made a committment to myself.

          I dug in and got to work.  I feel good because i actually like canning once I get it started.  It is getting prepared and getting started that annoys me.  I just want to see progress…my impatience is showing i guess.

            When my hubby gets home from his business trip tomorrow…he will find the table littered with my accomplishments.  The jars have to sit undisturbed for 24 hours before they can be moved.  But that is fine with me…it is the “proof” of what setting your mind to accomplishing your goals can achieve.  Now, i have a bit of tomato juice prepared for the winter as well as some wonderful, homemade salsa, all ready to go!  Tomorrow is the first day of fall…that means that winter is right around the corner.  Time to get prepared for it…by being a good steward of the harvest season.

          Ahh…now on to the preserving of the squash!  Oh my…we are blessed…thank you God for providing for us! 

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Trusting Your Instincts

       I have a friend who i am very proud of.  About 6 months ago her mother died.  She had been placed in a nursing home due to falling and breaking her hip at her own home.  Shortly after being placed in the nursing home…she was dropped and injured.  The family members moved her to a new facility but, it was too late.

         Most nursing homes are good ones.  They care for their patients and they do it lovingly.  Family members are encouraged to be part of the environment.  They are included in the treatment, care and decision making regarding their loved one.  Most nursing homes treat family with respect.  Most people who get into the medical profession do it with pride and passion; they care deeply for those who come to them in need.

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