How to make salad bowl planters

We are still a little too wet for me to get all my planting done.. so yesterday I went around and started a bunch of salad bowl planters.

Instead of growing lettuce in the garden I'll plant all the fixings I need for salads in pots or planters. This way I can get started earlier and be that much closer to an over flowing lettuce bucket.

Start with some good potting soil and start adding your fixin's....

 First the celery...

Then some tiny basil that I started in trays...

These onions sets do great!

Green onions do great in planters - just pop a few in where ever you have room. I start these sets and can use them as "green onions" - even tho these are the red varieties.... or let them bulb out. This was one of my easiest and best strategies last year.  You can also just cut the tops off the onions and let the bulbs get bigger - that works too.

I started these seeds in the planter because I just got them the other day.

And why not add some radishes! Have you seen this variety - Easter Egg Blend? They are absolutely lovely. I had in my notes from last year to get some - so I did.

Done! It doesn't look like much but once they are full they are beautiful. And tasty.

So why don't I just start seeds in the planters?  A couple reasons... and all of them meow and hunt rats. Cats. I'm talking about cats. The barn cats think my planters are fantastic .... their own handy little litter boxes! Yep. And ew!  So this early in the season I start everything in trays that I can cover and keep the barn cats out. As it was, yesterday our Shine, King of Barncats, was out there sitting on my trays. I gave him a scolding and sent him on his way.

Also if I start seeds in trays it's just that much easier to bring them inside if it gets too cold or too rainy - and if I need a bit of heat I can more effectively cover the trays then all my planters which are scattered around.

Here is one that I started last week - see how the onions are taking off and the lettuce is moving right along?

But does it work? Yep! Not only are they delicious they are absolutely beautiful have to have the garden.   And no, it's not like everything is done at the same time - the radishes may or may not be ready when the lettuce is ready to be cut.... but it's fun to have everything in one place. I just go around to the different salad planters and get what I need. 

 

Beautiful and tasty! And everything you need for a salad.

Having these little salad planters is really fun and handy. Sometimes it's quicker just to step outside into the kitchen garden to grab a handful of herbs or lettuce then to trudge all the way up to the upper garden where I'll have a bigger salad garden going soon. Anything to make it easier, right?

During the summer I'll just keep these salad planters going. I'll pop out the lettuce after several cuttings and start new ones... and then I'll make sure the basil doesn't go to flower. I just restart whatever I need. I think I had in my notes to get more onion sets to get some started for later towards the fall. I should get some today.

Happy Friday everyone - are you starting your kitchen gardens? Do you make salad bowl planters?

Potatoes peepin'!

I just love growing potatoes! Check it out....

Potatoes peeping up already.

These are the potatoes I planted on March 27th. I had these taters left over from last fall - I just kept them in the a basket in the basement. When the ground was ready I planted them. I love "free" potatoes. They should be ready about at the end of June  - just in time for potato salad season!

Happy Monday everyone - are you about ready to run right out there and get some work done? I am! Have a great day!

Seed notes and plantings

Is everyone scrambling to get their seeds in? We are moving fast here. Yesterday I waited for it to rain the whole day and nothing..... Drat. So I ended up mowing the grass and it just made me mad. I did not kill the mower so I'm calling it a win.

How about this variety? I bet it tastes like victory. 

New and different varieties... has anyone tried the Polish Lingursas?

Someone asked what seeds I direct sow and which ones I start in trays. Mostly I start just about everything in trays. We have horrific soil and our chickens are worse..... and then add in the regular bird loss. Starting seeds in trays is just easier for me.

I start potatoes, onion sets, and beans directly in the ground and then most everything else - including herbs and lettuce - in trays.  Half the time the stupid jays pillage the beans tho so I'm careful to cover the rows with half rounds of field fence covered with netting or row covers. This also defeats the chickens.

The only problem with the netting is that the snakes will get caught up in them.... and last year I found one of the tweety birds caught in it. It was very sad. So I try to stay away from the finer netting.

But once the seeds get started - or are transplanted - they take off.  I'm not sure what inhibits the sprouting but I've never had that trouble before. I continue to improve the soil but the going is slow.

I think I might have caught a glimpse of one of potatoes peeping up thru the straw yesterday. I'm pretty excited to see things growing.

Someone remind me that beside the potatoes I have a row of "rotten beans." They really aren't rotten. I kept them from last year but didn't do a good job of over wintering them. I just let them dry out, tossed them in a basket, and kept them downstairs. I put them, pods and all, directly in the ground. They are either going to grow or not. We'll see. I have high hopes.

Next to the rotten bean row I planted some dwarf horticulture beans. Maybe. I'm not sure. I should probably learn to label things better. Hey, surprise beans! Why not!?

Today we'll keep up with the garden prep. I did a ton of tilling over the last couple days. I mowed off and then tilled under the winter wheat/ground cover. I'm leaving a patch of turnips planted last year tho because they have gone to bolt and the flowers are making the beez happy.

Happy Saturday everyone! Are you getting your seeds going?

Woe to you, Varmint!

The Dread Commander Zander Hannibal BoneCrusher. The Black Death. The Foe Hammer. 

The Night Fears Him.

A Psalm to The War Hounds of These Good Lands.

Woe to you, Varmint! Woe to you!
Did you think you would come here to these Good Lands and steal from us?
Did you think you would bring your malevolent putrescence here?
Woe to you! I say again, Woe to you!

My Most Excellent Good Sir Titan did spy your filthy form.
My Fighting Uruk-hai did run you down.

And then, like a storm, The Black Death did thunder across the field on flashing feet
and did wrest your miserable soul from your now stinking corpse.

Did you think you would test these Good Dogs?
Did you think you would try these Good Lands?
Nay, Varmint, Nay!

Feel you now the full weight of my VengeanceBringer!
Feel the grip of My Right Hand!
Learn ye now the full measure of the name BoneCrusher!

Get thee hence to your miserable death, Varmint, and trouble these Good Lands no more.

So say we all.

Sunny, 84*, and seed planting!

Yesterday was just like summer. The dogs and I worked outside all day doing garden prep and seed planting. It was glorious. Everyone was happy...... except for Zander who got hot and wanted to go back inside.

Today is more of the same.  I can't wait to get out there! Look at these cheap seeds!

If you think getting a garden going is expensive then, friend, you aren't living right. Cheap and easy - that's how we do it around here.

First, make your own seed starting mix. Toss together peat moss, compost, and a soil lightener like vermiculite. I've used perlite in the past so I'll letcha know how this goes.

I found this huge bag of vermiculite at Meynards. I've never seen it in a big bag before. It was $16.

Next, get a bunch of freebies from Lowes. Do you know you can just walk into the back of the Lowes Garden Center and get free nursery pots and trays? These are really great - they are nice and deep. Perfect for starting seeds.

Then get your seeds! I actually really love the $0.20 ones... or for just $0.59.... or these nice ones from Burpee that I got on sale from Meynards's. Tractor Supply usually has them on sale also. For $2 or $3 you can grow all the tomatoes you can carry.

Then get growing!

I'm heading out again this morning. Happy Tuesday everyone!

Stories like this....

Stories like this make me really glad we have a gate...  Did everyone see this hubbub about the guy who lets folks come to his farm for tours and birthday parties? Turns out some gal showed up and very nearly had kittens over the farmer's plan to make meat from a cow.

Quick! Someone please save Nibbles! Can't you see how abused she is!?!

So she got a bunch of folks together to protest it. The protesters want the cow to be moved to a sanctuary instead of going to butcher.  I can't find the link now of her phone interview where she was telling the reporter that the farmer should just go to Whole Foods like everyone else and buy his antibiotic free beef there. I'd laugh if this wasn't as serious as a heart attack. Can you believe it?

So the farmer, Mr. Benner, moved the cow off this property. Yep. Minnie the Cow is on the lam.

Mr. Benner was also being harassed... but he was also getting a lot of support as shown on the farm's facebook page.

The lesson here is if your big plan is to move out to the peaceful countryside, start a farm, and let everyone come on over to see your cows, pick berries or beans in your U-pick fields, or have their wedding at your place.... you might want to add a line item in your budget for "legal defense." Justice is expensive, folks, and defending yourself might be something you haven't thought about. But you should.

We never let anyone on the property and spend more time than we thought trying to keep people - and such - out of here.We are constantly annoyed...and surprised.... at the sheer numbers of fools who want to just show up here and look around. No. The answer is NO. You may not come over. Do not come thru the gate. Stay off our front field.

One of my friends deals with this also. She said the worst case of people coming on her property was when someone intentionally showed up and put her buck rabbit in with her does. She never found out who it was but there was a lot of babies bunnies after that. And no it was not funny at all. Maybe it was a little funny....but not to her.

Moving the cow off his property was a great idea.... You never know if someone would have tried to take the cow. Undoubtedly someone would have ended up getting hurt. Sure that cutesy-putesy cow is adorable until she gets startled and starts swinging her head around. Or if someone tried to get her in a trailer and got kicked. What farm people know that other people don't is that the barnyard is not one big petting zoo.

Livestock can be big, mean and dangerous....even if they aren't trying to be. Any animal can have a bad day. Well intended, but stupid people, can find out the hard way that rustling someone's cow may not only be a hanging offense, but a really really bad idea. It's pretty bad when you have to make considerations for this kind of thing.

Sure it sounds like a fun idea to have folks out to enjoy the country ... but you never know who is going to call animal control because your pigs are in the mud. Or your ducks are outside in the rain. You might think that all's you're doing is living your life but now anyone can plaster your name all over social media and create some kind of protest.

People are crazy, friends, so think hard before you open your property up to scrutiny. As for me, I think Mr. Benner was very wise to stand his ground. I hope that cow is delicious and it tastes like victory every time he has dinner. I'm very glad to see someone stand up against the crazy people in this country who are offended at everything.

Happy Sunday everyone! Were you fixin' to have folks come to your farm? Do you have the name of a good attorney?  Times are crazy, friends.

So, it rained a little.... and sprouts!

After the last real snow... so we hope... it rained a little. Actually it rained a lot!  We are a big muddy soup now. Yesterday the ducks were hanging out by the new "pond" by the driveway. They thought it was terrific.

Everywhere. This mud soup is everywhere. 

The good news is that my sprouts are doing great! The bad news was that it was not supposed to freeze last nite....I woke up to 26*. I hope my salad is going to be OK.

Potential salad.

Today more sunshine! Allegedly this will be the last cold nite.

Just in case I started another tray of sprouts. I'm hoping for a salad by the end of may

In other news, The Big Man fixed the mower. You know what this means, don't you? Yes, that I will break it again soon. Yipeeeee!

Happy Wednesday everyone!

Obligatory snow picture.....

I really just need to have in my notes that it snowed this weekend. It was a bunch of snow and it was very very cold. Come on, spring, get it together.

Dogs in snow. Saturday morning when it all started.

Pretty much it snowed most of Saturday and then Sunday morning was in the 20*'s. However by the time we did evening chores I didn't even need a jacket. Then the rain started. What a goofy spring we've been having.

In the meantime I've been working on a variety of inside projects. We had to unplug the stove yesterday and now the kitchen is in total disarray. Chaos is actually a better word. So our big idea was to get a bucket of KFC so we wouldn't have to cook anything for dinner. Ha!

We are such goofs. Instead of getting "the $20 bucket of chicken" we inadvertently asked for the "20 PIECE bucket of chicken."

I'm not gonna lie... this is a lot of chicken. We laughed hilariously as they handed us the huge bag of fried chicken-y goodness. As there is just two of us it was even worse. We mighta tried to mumble about "all the other people" who were coming over to eat at our fried chicken party.

Guess what I'm having for breakfast, lunch, dinner and then who knows tomorrow?

Happy Monday everyone!  Did it snow where you live? Did you end up with an inordinately large amount of fried chicken?

Money for nothing....

Seeing as the long and enduring winter-ish, non-spring of doom just keeps dragging on I've been doing nothing but worrying about my peaches and doing super duper annoying cleaning projects inside. Really, really, really annoying cleaning projects. But it isn't all bad - sometimes you can get money for nothing.

Completely unrelated picture of an adorable cat. Actually two cats - Pep and Peep.

One of the problems of living so far out is that there is no way we could ever have a garage sale. Not only would we never get any passers-by... but they would inevitably end up falling the drainage ditch, touching the electric fence, or being chased by angry poultry. Not to mention we have a completely blind driveway and there is no way I'm taking the liability for someone getting killed just for the opportunity to sell our junk. So most of our stuff gets donated to Goodwill.

That is... until I discovered there is a better way to get rid of stuff like books, video games, and DVD's.

Does everyone know about Amazon's Trade In program? This is my new favorite thing. It's even more fun then taking all your change to the Coin Star machine.... which is just as fun as Vegas but  you always win.

Amazon's Trade In program is a great way to get rid of books, movies, games, phones, and electronics. Just start here. 

All you need to do is look up the item you have, see if Amazon will accept it, agree to the price they offer, print out a label, and box it up! How easy is that? And it totally works. I absolutely love this.

Yesterday we went thru a bunch of old movies - we have a ton of DVD's that we never watch. I started here and checked the movie titles. How much did we get for each item? It depends.... about a dollar is really good and sometimes it's just $0.35. But if you get a box of them together it can add up. Yesterday our big winning added up to $30!

Just keep searching the titles and adding them to your Trade In 'order' until the box is full or you don't have any more. You can put a bunch of stuff in one box. At the end of the process you confirm the Trade In and print out two things - one is the mailing label the other is the packing slip.

The packing slip goes in the box with your stuff. The mailing label gets affixed to the outside of the box. They ask that you securely tape up the box and make sure stuff isn't loose and sliding around.

The best part about this? It's completely FREE. Shipping is paid for and if you are like us you have a ton of cat traps... I mean... boxes from Amazon anyway. You can even use the packing fluff from your last delivery!

Once your box is ready for shipping just drop it off at the nearest UPS store. I think you can arrange for pick up but.. ha... um... that doesn't work out for us very well. I'm always surprised when I just hand the UPS store a box and I always say, "Is that it?" and they always say, "Yep!" How easy is that?

Then, magically, about a week later I get an email notification and credit on my Amazon account! Is that fantastic or what!?! It's like a reverse treasure hunt that always pays off.

A couple things:

1. Yes. This totally works and it's totally legit.

2. No. They don't take everything. Sometimes they will take one title and another time they won't. For instance I had a cook book that was worth about $5 thru this program but instead of trading it in I took it to the used book store... and they gave me about $0.30 for it. I was so mad! Then later I checked that cookbook again and Amazon was not accepting that title. So rats. If they don't accept the title you have then check in later and you might get lucky.

3. No. It is not a hassle. I do this when I know I'm going to town anyway so dropping the box off isn't a problem. It just takes a few minutes to set up your Trade In and check the titles. Honestly the longest part of the process is for me to find the packing tape and some scissors.

4. Yes. You can only get a credit to your Amazon account. But heck, if you only get a couple bucks that still enough to watch a movie or TV show on Amazon Video or put it toward your next purchase. Or you can save it up and then buy Amazon Prime!

5. I haven't used Ebay but something about it just seems kind of iffy.  With this program no one is going to accuse of me not sending the stuff and I don't have to worry about if their Paypal works or not. So using this kind of program thru a reputable company really puts my mind to ease.

Will this solve all your problems? Nope. But it's fun and at least you know that someone is going to love that old copy of Wayne's World you have. I hate throwing stuff in the trash - especially if it can be useful to someone. This program works great for me because I can do it whenever I have time, I can drop it off when I'm heading to town, and it gives me credit for stuff I'm going to buy anyway.

Not to mention it's helping us shovel out the house. The annoying cleaning projects can be emotionally tough - most of the junk we have is more about the emotional attachment we have to the memories of that stuff...and less about it's true value. There is a "cost" to keeping stuff - and I'm not talking about the storage fees for the stuff you have that you will never use again... I'm talking about how it weighs you down in your life.

I'm not a huge fan of Marie Kondo..and it will be a cold day before I spend that much time folding my underpants.... but she does have some good points. One of the things I keep coming back to is the notion of taking a picture of your stuff to retain the memories. But it seems stupid to me to have a picture of a box of stuff.... so then why would I have that stuff to begin with? That was kind of a light bulb moment.

To be fair, these guys are much more my speed. But.. ahem... warning for the naughty language. Their tagline, "you are better than your mess" is convicting and easy 20 minute challenges make tackling big projects a little more manageable. I don't understand Tumblr but these daily lists and seeing other people "uncrap" their habitats give me a little shove toward better organization.

It's a tough thing for me. My family is known for its unnatural attachment to inanimate objects...and we all have stuff that we need to let go of. It doesn't help at all that both my husband and I tend to tune out our physical environments. So that is what part of these cleaning projects is about - letting go of stuff that is holding us back and cleaning up our act.

How about you? Do you have a box of DVD's, old video games, or a shelf of books that isn't helping you? Why not try Amazon's Trade In program - you never know how much you can get for stuff that you aren't using anyway!

Happy Friday everyone! Are you cleaning up your act?

Editors note: Ooops.. Almost forgot... I need to tell you that there are affiliate links on this page.....and that I get a tiny portion of the sale when you click on one of the links, go to the Amazon page, and purchase something. It can be anything - books, movies, or something you need from Amazon anyway.  Do you need anything Amazon? You can support this blog by just clicking one of these links. Or using the black Amazon search box on the right side of this page. It doesn't cost you once cent more but helps me with the "cost" of this blog. If you like this blog, or if I've helped you at all in your farming efforts, just make a purchase from Amazon from one of the links, my store, or the black Amazon search box on the right side of this page. Thanks!

I miss celery.

Remember when it was summer and everyone was happy?

Soon.

I have really been missing real food lately. Here in that weird space between bitter winter and the greening of spring it's agonizing waiting around for the growing season to start.

I really miss celery.

The other day I needed to get some celery from the store. But after this story broke I couldn't help but look at it suspiciously. I'm getting more and more wary of store food. I can't tell if there really are more outbreaks like this or if there is just better tracking. Either way, I can't wait for real food. From my yard. Especially being able to go out and load up the lettuce bucket any old time I want.

It looks like we have another week of cold. I'm holding off on starting anymore seeds because our morning are going to be so bitter cold. Hopefully my peaches will be OK.

Until we get back into the swing of the growing season let's all just think good thoughts about celery.....

Happy Thursday everyone! Have you started any seeds?

An April Fool's Day delivery - no joke!

Under the heading of "there are two kinds of people....."  You are either gonna snicker immaturely at this or wonder, "What is so funny?" If you are the latter, than bless you, good and decent person... you are a rose among thorns. The rest of you sons-o'-golly-whats.... well. You know who you are. Shame on all y'all for your impure thoughts.

Isn't Bubby so handsome in his new collar?

Friday happened to be April Fools Day. I don't particularly like that whole concept but whatever. I was also expecting a package so I was keeping an eye out for the new delivery guy. I had ordered some cleaning products and a new dog collar for Zander. No big deal, right?

So the delivery guy - who is new - snuck in for a drive-by instead of honking for me. I suspect this was because the last time he showed up we mighta scared the crap out of him. You know in the cartoons when someone comes around the corner carrying packages and is startled? And they stop short and throw the packages up in the air? Yeah well, he pretty much did that last time he was here when he was greeted by the Dog Horde and their Mouth and Teeth Show.

"Just leave the packages there, honey." I called to him over the barking dogs. He did and then drove away as fast as he could.  That guy will be very glad when we finally get delivery drones to come to our house.

So that's why we are now getting sneak deliveries.

Zander gets to wear the 'good dog necklace' while Titan is in a snit. Dogs.

So Friday, me and the dogs went outside when we finally saw there was a package hastily tossed over the gate. It was here! Finally! My cleaning products and the new dog collar! I was gleeful as we all ran out there.....

...until I realized that my April Fool's Day delivery was an extra large, heavy duty choke collar....and a feather duster.

My steps slowed as my mortification grew...... "Oh my." I thought. We are good and decent people. We don't tend toward shenanigans. We lead a rather monastical life. We don't even have cable. There in front of me lay the box...of what could be considered ..... something untoward.

I urgently felt a need to explain my purchases to Amazon. Then the sinking feeling really hit - what kind of ads was I going to get now? What mail list would I be added to? What exactly would my movie recommendations be based on... based on that particular combination of items.

Eeep!

As it was my purchases were entirely respectable. A pal had recommended the duster to help with all this dog dust that gets all over the house...and Zander needed a new collar. That was it. No shenanigans here. The dog gets the collar and no one's fancy is getting tickled. It is for cleaning.

As I stood in my embarrassment the dogs were hopping around wondering what we got so I ripped the box open right there in the drive way. As expected Zander immediately bit the fluffy end of the duster. Believe me, in this house full of predators I'm making sure it always gets put away. Nicholas also has his eye out to kill that thing.

The dogs all gathered round while I took the collar out of the box. They all began hopping from foot to foot. They all knew it was a "good dog necklace" - the only question was who got to wear it.

We don't collar anyone here - not the dogs, goats, or cats. We think it is unnecessary, can be dangerous, and is largely ineffective. But what if I have to grab someone? Son, if anyone is so out of control that I have to snatch you up - then it's gonna be by the hide - and you and me are gonna have a problem. Everyone knows this. We don't have any issues with this. At all.

Also, when they were little Kai and Zander figured out that a collar was just a handle to grab your opponent by and throw them to the ground. We gave up trying to make that work. The only time the collar comes out is when someone gets to go somewhere. They were all very excited - some lucky dog was going to go in the car with me!

Recently I've been taking Kai down to the local dog park - she loves it. We put on her harness and a collar and we do laps around the park. We are doing this for a couple different reasons - including that the walking path is flat so it's easy on my wonky hip. Being stuck inside for winter had driven me nuts and walking around our uneven property was not working at all. So we found a fun park for us to walk laps. It's good exercise for everyone.

We also want to teach the dogs something new. Smart dogs need to be kept on their toes so this is a great skill to teach them.  Kai is doing great and has become a celebrity down in the park. The older folks like to oooohh and aaaah over her and want to hear about her progress in "learning something new." Kai is perfect in her "heel" and happily trots along side me like a pro.

I've been wanting to take Zander for park walks too but we didn't have a collar big enough for him. What about his working dog harness? He wears that also - but the collar is so I can keep him pointed in the right direction. It's how I steer him.

However, I couldn't find a collar big enough for him locally so I ordered one from Amazon. (Since someone is going to ask this is it.) I fished the collar out of the box and held it up for all to see - the dogs fixed their eyes on it and all looked as demure as possible hoping they would be lucky enough to get the 'good dog necklace.'

Then there commenced the slow motion big dog shoving match to determine who got to wear the collar. In the end Titan won the rights to wear the 'good dog necklace'... and he promptly went and pounded on Zander. After a scolding everyone took up their position in the dog parade, led by Ti, into the house. Ti went and laid on the best bed while everyone else glared. Eventually they all got a turn to wear the 'good dog necklace.'

Yesterday was Zander's big day. We put on his new collar and then he hopped right in the car. We drove down to the park and he did the walk like a champ. By the time we got home, tho, he was exhausted and pretty much slept all day. Little does he know that he is going to be my new running buddy.

Happy Tuesday everyone! Did you get an April Fool's Day package? Were they completely innocent - just a dog collar and cleaning supplies? Did you feel the need to explain your purchases to Amazon? Will anyone actually believe you?



Editors note: Sorry to interrupt a funny post - but I need to tell you that there are affiliate links on this page.....and that I get a tiny portion of the sale when you click on one of the links, go to the Amazon page, and purchase something. It can be anything - books, movies, or something you need from Amazon anyway.  Do you need anything Amazon? You can support this blog by just clicking one of these links. Or using the black Amazon search box on the right side of this page. It doesn't cost you once cent more but helps me with the "cost" of this blog. If you like this blog, or if I've helped you at all in your farming efforts, just make a purchase from Amazon from one of the links, my store, or the black Amazon search box on the right side of this page. Thanks!

24* and an Alberta Clipper

Yeah so that whole "winter is over" thing was just a big fake out. After about a week of being in shorts and having the windows open... winter came back.

I was really worried about the peach blossoms. They might be OK. 

Everything was going great until it wasn't. We had a particularly cold morning yesterday. Today it was better but we'll have another round of cold. Luckily we didn't actually get any snow - but I know folks who did.

What about my onions and potatoes? They are fine. But I'm glad that I didn't try and get more planting done. I put in a few peas and they seem to be OK also.

The weird thing was the wind - we have had very high sustained winds for the last couple days. They call this kind of storm an Alberta Clipper. It's when very cold air whooshes down from Canada. It's kind of exciting. And by 'exciting' I mean that everything is blowing all over the yard and all the dogs are nervous. Today we'll have more of the same.

This is an extremely frustrating time of the year - I just want to be outside and get the season going. But nothing I can do outside will matter because the seeds won't start.... and if they did they wouldn't get far. What about the greenhouse? Our over night low of 24* is a pretty hard freeze even for the greenhouse.

So I wait. Impatiently.

What am I doing instead? Working on a ton of annoying cleaning projects inside the house and out in the garage. I'm doing a terrible job but I'm chipping away at it.

When people ask me what I miss about my old life I always say the same thing - I miss my cleaning lady. I loved her so much. So... soooo much....  But now I'm living like a barbarian and have to clean my own house. I'd rather just live outside than have to deal with the detailed cleaning that we need right now. I even had to order some specialty cleaning products... hum... I should tell you about that... maybe tomorrow.

Anyway,  that's what has been going on. Cleaning, cursing the stupid winter that needs to leave, and waiting for spring to really get here.

Happy Monday everyone! Are you still having too-cold-to-garden weather or are you in the clear?