Lions in Winter

Waiting for Rain

Hoe Hoe Hoe

Tis the season to be scuffle hoeing.
Great upper body workout.
Cleared many paths between the beds ,then covered with landscape cloth and straw.
Keeps the weeds under control and looks tidy.

Hard freeze last night. The nasturtiums died.
Winter veg all good.
Harvested for Culinary Fellow, Niki.
Carrots, broccoli crowns, baby brassica mix

Catch of the Day

Promises, Promises

Ordered seeds, full of promise...
Cardoons
Jerusalem Artichokes

Started seeds, more promise...
Chives

Oh Rain Gods, please promise RAIN!

Owl Totems

No Ma, I didn't join the Owl Cult!

We put these Owl decoys on poles around the exterior of the house to scare away the woodpeckers.
Perched high, they say "Predator" to bird brains.
The shiny ribbons blowing in the wind further confuse the pests.
Otherwise they wreak havoc on our house, chipping away at the wood siding and lodging acorns in the holes, which are left to rot and attract rodents. Not pretty.
The pecking noise is enough to send one to the loony bin.
So far, as long as we move the "Scare Owls" around periodically, this method seems to be working in an environmentally friendly sort of way.
Meanwhile, legit Owls have been sighted.
Attracted by the fakes, they hover around looking for a good time, whooooing it up at night.
And the little peckers have moved on to the power poles.

ADVENTURES IN MUNDANIA / JANUARY LOG

A day of weedn' and feedn',
in the garden with Eden...

Saturday, January 7
Scotty Bed -weed, clean up chard, Asian greens and spinach, watch aphid activity in the broccoli.
Sam Bed - weed, clean up kale (4 varieties), and chard.
Prepared a row of 10 gallon pots in front of the New Room for favas.
Soaking own beans overnight in preparation for planting.
Thinned out the rest of the arugula in the green garlic bed, fertilized and watered the young shoots.
Fertilized (a mixture of horse manure and magic powders) and watered the tuscan and curly kale, mache, and spinach on the 2nd terrace.
Recovered the compost, the critters dug up some egg shells and old bread.
Planted spring bulbs: crocus, narcissus,daffodils,lily of the valley.
Planted more garlic next to the frisee. It was almost dark. Never tried planting garlic in January.
Harvest carrots.

Friday, January 13
Planted:

• Purple Cauliflower starts in the Gabe Bed. They were seed planted in pots last October and sitting dormant on the deck, talk about root cramped.
• Snow Peas in pots, Asian Ho Lohn Dow variety, hoping for purple flowers. Starting some outside and some inside. Its still January. Will plant out later.
• Wasabi Arugula in flats, a new variety, my signature crop after all.
• Little Gem lettuces in flats.
• Valentine (Red) Lettuce mix in flats.

Saturday, January 28
Spent the morning spraying kale with Safer Soap and removing the most infested leaves.
Start snap peas

Gettin' Lucky

Friday the 13th, an auspicious date. Lucky for me.
Not so lucky for the gopher caught pillaging my chicory patch. R.I.P.
Perseverance furthers....

On a less philosophical note,
Planted:

• Purple Cauliflower starts in the Gabe Bed. They were seed planted in pots last October and sitting dormant on the deck, talk about root cramped.
• Snow Peas in pots, Asian Ho Lohn Dow variety, hoping for purple flowers. Starting some outside and some inside. Its still January. Will plant out later.
• Wasabi Arugula in flats, a new variety, my signature crop after all.
• Little Gem lettuces in flats.
• Valentine (Red) Lettuce mix in flats.

Set up a starting bench in the the New Garden Room.
Yay! Out of our bedroom!

Marie Antoinette Salad

My friend and food collaborator, Jon, is catering a Marie Antoinette themed baby shower.
Not sure what that means, they'll probably eat cake, but Jon loves my greens and ordered a special salad for the occasion.
Oui, Oui, Oui, all the way home....