Rhubarb

Rhubarb, can't wait am already dreaming about slices of strawberry rhubarb pie and rhubarb crisp!

Salad Garden

Bird netting now attached to the hoop house portion of the raised bed and just in time for the baby lettuce sprouts that are now breaking through the soil.

North Garden

Tilled!!!  Before raking.

After raking and ready for cattle panels and peas!

Circle Garden

Circle garden at the base of the crab apple, because you really shouldn't till close to the base of a tree, it once held strawberries but they kept escaping so I'm moving them elsewhere.

East Garden

Before

During

After

Now I just need to rake the garden and plant oats, a green manure, and then till it up again in about three weeks.  This garden will have cucumbers, two types of picklers, cabbages, brussel sprouts, mustard greens and kale.

'Cause Cute Matters!

I bought this at Clare's, at the mall, today.  It's a new coin purse for me and is rather largish, it has a place to hold my license, etc. so it could in fact be used as a mini purse :-)  I liked a LOT of the floral fabric bags, scarves, and headbands they had there but decided that I could make my own and for way less than what they were wanting... which was something like 75% less than what Younkers was asking for almost identical items.

Anyway, I'm off to check my fabric and pattern stashes as I have some skirts and new bags planned for my spring/summer wardrobe!

Garden Stakes

I needed garden stakes so John cut up some of the "shorts" that were littering his shop floor and made some really cute stakes for me, 9 inches long.   Given more time I could have put the plant names on the stakes in a prettier font, I scribbled the plant names on with a sharpie :-)

North Garden In Progress

Last years garden growth.

Raked and shredded with the shredder. I will plant peas in this garden this coming week, and later this spring tomatoes and yellow wax beans.

And now mostly occupying one of the compost bins.  The super wet vegetation is on top we won't shred this due to it being super hard on the shredder.



Salad Garden Planted

Filled with salad fixin's and various herbs for my summer menu.

Three kinds of lettuce to start with, spinach, chard, kale, anise, basil, purple basil, parsley, fennel, dill, and cilantro.  I have more lettuce and  herbs to plant, the other herbs go into another herb garden that's in serious need of raking first.

Raised Beds and Hoop Houses

This raised bed is waiting for it's hoops still, first I need to turn the soil and then plant it with lettuce, chard, and other salad nummies.

Tomorrow I'll add the mesh and then the plastic to the hoops.  The mesh is for later in the season to keep the critters out, the mesh I use is a half inch square plastic netting.

The boards are covering my leek trenches.

Cows 1 0001

Zumwalt Station Farm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dFVkkN0_lM

Spring Time Rocks!

Will post some pictures tomorrow, but was actually able to spend some time outside today in the gardens, mostly picking up debris, limbs, and the like.  Tomorrow it's supposed to be 62F here and if it's not too windy I will be uncovering the front gardens.  Still lots to do, leaves and branches to be shredded, horse manure needs to be fetched for the compost bins, pots to be cleaned, seeds to be started, but I sure do LOVE spring time!

Pasties or Hot Pockets

I used the left over veggie and chicken mixture, and pie crust, to make two hot pockets tonight or if your Welsh then pasties.  This is my first attempt EVER at making hot pockets.  It took about 30 minutes for them to bake, the bottoms are not burnt though the sides are rather brown.

Home Made Chicken Pot Pie

Made chicken pot pie for John tonight, he was in heaven!

1 pint chicken - dark meat
1 pound frozen mixed veggies thawed
4 medium sized potatoes peeled and cubed
celery salt
salt
black pepper ground
garlic powder

Mix the meat and veggies in a sauce pan if the meat isn't juicey add about a half cup of water.  Heat to a boil and boil about three minutes, put a lid on the pan to keep the steam in.  Season, to taste, with the spices a pinch of each will do.

If the mixture is super runny add a bit of corn or potato starch to a couple of tablespoons of water stir until well blended and then add to the veggie meat mix.  Heat until it thickens.

To make the crust brown I coat it with some milk before baking using a pastry brush.

Put into your prepared pie crust cover the mixture with a pie crust round, crimp the sides.  Bake at 375F for about 45 minutes or until bubbling.

Pepper and His Kill

Pepper caught a mouse tonight, John came and took away from him as it was freshly dead and I really don't want any late night gifts brought to me while sleeping!   He was laying beside my chair playing, I thought with Thomas, but when I looked down there he was with a mouse!

Snowy Garden

Soon, soon the snow will be melted, the ground thawed and I'll be able to retrieve last years remaining root crops!  The plans for this garden, this summer, are sugar snap peas and then eventually tomatoes and yellow wax beans.

Melting

The snow is slowly receeding soon I will be able to work in my garden again!

Snow covered garden

There really IS a garden under all of this white stuff!

Spring and Crows

The crows are back, a few weeks early actually, this means that in about six weeks the robins and cedar waxwings will also return.  Is this a sign that spring will be early this year?  John certianly hopes so as he's itching to finish painting the house.  I've started planning my gardens and will be starting seeds soon. 

Here the crows are sitting atop my house trying to keep warm.

Cuddled Up.

A serious cold front is moving in and the cats have hunkered down accordingly, on wool blankets no less.

 
Thomas in the upper left hand corner and Pepper in the center.

Rhutabega and Kohlrabi

A four gallon bucket full of Rhutabega's and Kohlrabi.  Will prep them and cook them for dinner tomorrow night.

Rhutabega

It was about the size of a large grapefruit.

Rhutabega and Kohlrabi

My garden yeilded about a half dozen of each of these, not much but considering how horribly wet our growing season was I'm just tickled to get this, and they are HUGE!

Hillbilly Holler Gets a Paint Job!

Hosta's

Fall in Iowa

The clouds were really wild looking when I took this photo, the wind turbines were a nice contrast to the soy beans.

Basket and Vines

A shot of my compost bin, this old slat basket has been propped on the post for years, this year it had vines growing in and around it.

Brown Beef Slices in Au Jus

We browned the meat slices before adding to the jars, added water to the drippings in the pan and then added the juice to the jars.  These will be processed for 75 minutes at 10 pounds of pressure (I'm below 1000 ft).  Can't wait to have a French Dip with Au Jus sandwich!

Busy Bee

Angel

Angel in my wet studio, I was singing Ava Maria to her in latin of course.

More Cheese Please

Pepper begging for cheese.

Rhutabega Blossoms

Rhutabega blossoms, my rhutabega's wintered over and are now blooming, they smell really sweet and quite similar to honeysuckle.

Violets

Clara on the Last Depression

I have to admit I LOVE Clara!

North Garden Planted

John tilled the north garden for the second time in 24 hours this morning, it is now two thirds planted.  I chose to plant mainly cold/cole crops in the north garden this year, later this spring I'll plant tomatoes in the remaining area.  So far I've planted rhutabega's, beets, carrots, purple and green kolrhabi, and red kale.  Can't wait for the greens to start popping up ;-)  We put up the fence, replacing parts of it that was damaged, and are now calling it a night.

He has Risen!

He has Risen!

Image Transfer Class

I'm teaching an Image Transfer Class at the Fisher Art Center, Marshalltown Iowa, this coming Saturday.  I've been making samples for the class.  This particular book is about my garden!

Watercolors over Ink, Rives BFK Paper
6x30 inches

Pineapples

Went to Aldi's tonight they had pineapples on sale for $1.49 each.  I'm planning to put up another batch of pineapple sauce.

Spring!

I spent 15 minutes or so outside picking up trash out of the front and side yards, it was great to be out in the sun.  Parts of my yard are still wet, as in mud hole wet, the front yard, however, is drying out nicely.  Looks like it's going to be a beautiful week, am hoping my one garden spot is dry and warm enough by the weekend to put in some cold crops.

Weight

Trying to figure out why I'm over weight, after watching the Nightline show last night - bashing fat people - I added up what I eat and drink in a day and I'm coming in right at or under 1400 calories. I just looked up on the fat caculator http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm  and it tells me I need to consume around 1984 calories a day to lose weight and 2156 to maintain my current weight. 

So what gives?

Winter Survival Kit for your Vehicle

RePost from 2006


This is obviously going to vary depending on the part of the country you live in. NOTE: I own a truck w/topper and I'm a military brat so I am programmed, by my dad who was insistant on teaching us winter survival skills, to be prepared for every possible situation. I also live in Iowa and my most likely winter survival situation involves being stuck in a ditch someplace, Lord willing my vehicle is not in water, upside down, and/or not on fire!

It can get dangerously cold here (Windchills of -30F to -60F are possible which can freeze you to death in minutes) in the winter. If your vehicle is trapped in snow STAY with your vehicle it makes for a much bigger target when searching in the snow! And buy a car color other than white for Pete's sake! So that being said here's my list:
TOOLS (The big Stuff for your vehicle):
Shovels - two differnt species: large scoop shovel and a flat blade shovel (Make sure the handle length is appropriate for YOU and this will make shoveling easier and faster producing the least amount of sweat).
Ice Scrapers and Snow scrapers
Tow Chain/Strap - A TOW CHAIN because someone like me might come along and can pull you out of the ditch!
Chains for your tires
Kitty Litter/Sand for those slick icy situations that don't require a tow chain/truck

Spare Tire, and tire changing tools - you know this should probably go without saying but you should ALWAYS have a spare tire in your vehicle - I carry two, for my truck, in the winter and 6 when I'm pulling
my tandem trailor!

Hammer, Screw Drivers, Ratchet Set, Wrenches, Channel locks, Vise grips (all in a small tool bag) -whats that you don't know how to work on your vehicle - well someone may come along and can fix it for your if you have tools!
Jumper cables - Make sure you have a new battery for your vehicle every few years.
Flashlights with fresh batteries
Flares/Emergency placards you put on the ground
Oil - 6 quarts and this one comes from personal experience
Antifreeze and if I'm really going to be in the middle of nowhere I take extra hoses and clamps
Gas - If I'm going on a really long trip and I'm not sure about the area, better safe than frozen to death!
NOTE: Most folks end up stranded because they have run out of gas - so fuel up before you head out.
CLOTHING:
Thin wool Hat and Gloves
Insulated wool Mittens that fit over thin wool gloves
Sheepskin bomber style hat that fits over wool hat
Down Parka with hood
Thin wool sweater
Down vest
Thin winter coat that fits over sweater and under the vest and under the parka
Carhart overalls - the insulated variety
wool long johns - I prefer duofold brand because they are cotton lined.
wool scarf
Wool Socks a thin pair and a thick pair to go over the thin ones
Boots rated to -40F
Cleats (boot cleats) for walking on ice - you'll have to go to the bathroom eventually

Wool removes moisture from your body and doesn't allow it to freeze on your skin. Cotton and other fibers promote hypothermia!!! Wet and cold equals a quick death if one is not careful. In extreme colds a lot of the fashion fibers will actually break and they can catch on fire easily - nylon being one of those fibers that burns easily. Wool doesn't burn so easily.
FOOD:
Peanut butter crackers - well if you are allergic to peanunts then substitute accordingly - can be bought in bulk at Wal Mart for very little money
Snickers Bars
Beef Jerkey or those sausage rolls
Gatorade
Extreme cold means you burn a LOT of calories protien is the way to go!
If I'm traveling with my dog I put a bit of kibble in the truck for her as well.
TP (Ok not food but I'm including it here anyway)
Handwipes - well you know, do I really have to explain???
Charger for cell phone - might be wishful thinking here but it can't hurt.
TOOLS: The necssary stuff!!!
Gerber multi tool (tis what I have)
Big knife (not sure what the brand name is)
Trowel/small hand shovel - for bathroom breaks (see TP above)
water proof and wind proof matches
instant light mini logs - if you need to make a fire
Those pocket/glove/boot heaters in the sporting goods section
Down Sleeping Bag rated to a minimum of 0F -40F would be better and is attainable with a down insert (Mine is Mountain Hardware)
4 Season Tent designed to withstand high winds (Mine is a Mountain Hardware)
the tent is in case you have to leave the vehicle!
2 wool blankets
Other TOOLS/SURVIVAL GEAR if your going out into the middle of no where:
MSR Stove and Fuel Bottle
Water purifier (I think mine is a MSR) & tablets - btw ditch water isn't all that yummy
small pot for melting or boiling water
Head Lamp (Flashlight on a strap that you can put on your head) these are great when you need to change that flat tire in the middle of the night.
Fishing pole and small tackle box, small hand net
Edible plant book (small pocket variety)
Walking Stick with pointy end - gives you extra balance on the ice
FIRST AID KIT
plenty of band aids & butterfly bandages.
Kotex (heavy duty pads) - can be used to absorb blood from major wounds (lets say your hunting and get hurt and then end up stranded due to an injury) each heavy pad holds approximately a half pint of blood and this lets emergency personnel know how badly you are bleeding!
Styptic pen (men use those for shaving) stops bleeding on small wounds.
Scissors
Tweezers
Small mirror

NOTE depending on where I'm heading I have all or most of tihs in my vehicle at any given time. Everything fits nicely in one of those truck boxes that looks like a small foot locker, and my quantities is for one person not a family of six.