April Showers...

I took a walk/run early today to try to beat the rain (I didn't), but stopped in my garden on the way back anyway to pick a few peaches and make sure that the seedlings I planted on Friday had made a nice transition.  I wanted to know that I had watered deep enough when I transplanted them that the very light rain today would be enough (I did). 

I have lots of gardening things I want to blog about:  beets and the awesome way I found to plant them this year,  a funny labeling story I read and what it brings to mind, and some interesting things that have resulted from joining the garden writers association (including offers of free loot...hmmm).  But, I have things I want to shoot because the loft is like a gigantic softbox today. 

So, I'll quickly share these two tidbits:

One is a chart of my little 12 x 5 garden, even though it's only an iphone shot from this morning and you can't see the beets or herbs.  Excuse the typo in rosemary:

 

And the other is this contraption I built.  When I moved into a different loft two months ago, I lost a lot of storage where I used to keep all my gardening things:  seeds, seed starting trays, wellies, etc.  Now, I don't even have an out of the way hallway where I can keep my garden sneakers without being seen by the neighbors like a did before and I have less storage inside the loft, too.  Because of that, I settled on a space near the front door as the "garden center".  But, all the cabinets that would fit there were either really ugly or really expensive.  So, I took an old bookshelf and fashioned a fitted covering for it out of some cheap fabric I got at ikea.  It's simple and looks fine next to the front door without calling too much attention to itself.  Except for those buttons.  What was I thinking?  I'll find new and fun buttons for it when I have a chance...  I don't have a sewing machine so it was all various forms of iron seams and velcro.   Probably cost me about 12 bucks and a few hours of my time.  Look at me all DIY.  

A Gooder Friday Could Not Have Been Had

 

You might recall my whimsy about a bouquet in this post a few weeks ago.... Well, I think this lovely thing today can go rosemary to rosemary with it.  This time it's a bit more traditional, as I got to add some ranunculus from my very own plot.  I also bundled up some rosemary, chives, and this time some lovely mint from my newly designated "herb" section.  I think some mojitos are in order.  

It is quite a thrill to have "cutting flowers" this summer.  There are lots more buds so I'm looking forward to weeks of fresh flowers.  I noticed in Trader Joe's a bunch about this big was priced at $5.99.  I paid $4.98 for the entire packet of 18 bulbs which has already garnered me two cuttings for my vase. 

In less economically favorable news, I didn't start any seeds this year.  It fell under the keep it simple for myself category.  So, I visited the nursery.  I came back with new gloves (mine were stolen!), three tomato seedlings, two pepper plants (yellow and jalepeno), marigolds, sage, and a bag of red onions they gave me for a dollar because there were only a handful of viable onion bulbs in the bag this late in the season.  Oh, and a terra cotta pot to plant one of the peppers in.  So, $35.00 later, I'm sure (even accounting for a boom tomato season), I could buy the produce much cheaper.  But, I got my hands in the dirt for three full hours and my garden looks full of promise!

So, a "Good"er Friday could not have been had....

April 15th

Some people call it Tax Day.

Some people call it the first day of Fishing Season in Pennsylvania.

I call it my Dad's Birthday.

Love you, Daddy-O. 

Fight For Your Right...

This is a conventional apple.  See how shiny and perfect and fake it looks.  Pesticides and chemicals you can't eat on their own will do that for you...  And suck all the flavor out while they are at it!  Oh YUM.  I photographed this for a project I'd packed away awhile ago due to the cost of the complicated framing process.  But, I've pulled it out, am "re-borrowing" the film camera I shot it with and when it's done, I'll "frame" it digitally now. 

Last night Jamie Oliver's second season of THE FOOD REVOLUTION aired on ABC.  As of the episode last night, he had been forbidden to come into the LA Unified School District to see what our kids are eating and how it might be improved.  Shameful.

Here's the trailer for the show.  TRAILER  For those of you in Long Beach, you'll see a few glimpses of Chef Paul who is our own LB version of Jamie Oliver (bless his mutton side burns) THE FOOD REVOLUTION is fun to watch even as he exposes some pretty dare I say "icky" stuff.  

Jamie Oliver is not against burgers and fries.  He's not one of THOSE guys.  He just wants it to be the healthiest and best quality and tasting burger and fries you can get for your money. 

Cutting Flowers

I wanted cutting flowers this year from my garden.  

Just like the ladies in the books and the movies and the poems.

Today, I cut my very first ones.  They please me so.