Spring Time!

Spring has taken it's sweet time getting here. Last year, Spring had sprung in March/April. It's mid-may and now everything is finally blooming. We finally got a few sunny days and 60-70 degree temperatures so we got to planting our garden!

I was pretty happy to find out that we had a few perennials--which means I didn't have to buy them again this year and it could go to something else fun to plant. Here, the sage came back to life:


The Greek Oregano also snuck back to life:


Three types of mint came back with a vengence:


Unfortunately, due to poor planning, I put these mint right next to the house thinking it would be pretty and easy for me to harvest. What I didn't consider was the fact that the bug guy sprays pesticides around the perimeter of the house basically rendering the mint poisonous. It supposed to be non-toxic pesticides but non-toxic for who? Obviously not for bugs. So, I went and got more mint this year for culinary purposes. I put them in pots so they don't take over the yard.


Here's my herb garden.

I added a lime thyme (bottom right), a lemon thyme (above the lime thyme), Genovese basil, and at the very top a jalapeno plant. We're in for a wild thyme. *hee hee*

Our A-frame is back out ready to take on six different heirloom tomatoes and one tomatillo plant. I can't remember all the names of the tomatoes but I know I got Cherokee Purple (my fave!), Amish Paste, and Lemon Boy. I wonder if I got Green Zebra again (another fave!). I got tomatoes that had high yields and produce more complex flavors for sauce.


Here's our mini compost pile from last fall. Notice all those green patches?

Those are sprouting lettuce! We let the lettuce go to seed last fall and when we pulled it out, I guess it decided to replant itself there.


Finally, we've got some purple potatoes (no, not Okinawan Sweet Potatoes--I wish!)


Finally, we've got some wild violets

and what I like to call hydrangeas with a sweet perfume (these are really Lilacs and are my new favorite flower).


I don't know what the white flower is but it smells sweet and almost reminiscent of Jasmine. I just made myself a mother's day bouquet.


I've got to find a tracker and see if my garden will yield a ton of food. I also planted lettuce, beets, bush cucumber and some squash (I don't remember what kind of seeds I saved so it'll be a surprise--I'm hoping for butternut). I can't wait to start harvesting!

Hunting trees and making ornaments

We typically don't get a Christmas tree. Secret Agent Man feels that it's ecologically wrong (besides being a waste of money). But THIS year, we decided to support the local farm around here and purchase a Christmas tree. Besides, I need to feel a little Christmas-ey.

So, we went a-huntin' for our tree.




Look at all these different trees! We chose a Frasier Fir and harvested it ourselves.


And here we have it back home doing it's job!


The ornaments in the foreground were made for my ornament swap. Can you tell what it is? It's a santa beard and I made it so that the recipients can change out the ribbon with elastic to actually wear it!

Now, on to the gift making and festivities!
Cheers!
Sugar*mama

I did it again!

I joined a holiday ornament swap! It's great because you get 8-10 different *handmade* ornaments sent to you by the first week of December. It feels like Christmas arrived early and it's a great way to really get into the holiday spirit.

The only catch is that it is a swap so you have to make 8-10 ornaments (all the same) to send to different people. So this might be a source of stress if you don't enjoy the crafting part but it was fun for me...except that my group one year had a punk who accepted all the ornaments but sent nothing and gave this lame excuse (very much frowned upon) but another person made it up by sending TWO ornaments because she was a few days late. Ahhh...the holidays.

If you're interested, click the picture below or the one on my left-side bar. I'm looking forward to Thanksgiving weekend when I can get these done and shipped out!


I swap with Swap-bot!

Cheers!
Sugar*mama
p.s. It's expected to snow again on Thursday.