I'm right there on the soapbox with you. People are very weird. It really irks me when they get these exotic animals, only to release them.
What are your non-gardening hobbies? - Part 2
Hobbies....hmmm.
Rescue bunny rabbits
Feed/Watch birds,
Photography
Make Candies
Cook/Bake ~ & decorate cakes
Dry/Silk/Fresh flower arrangments
Ice Skate
Fishing
Hiking
Eat.....my favorite hobby.
Does that include ice fishing, Pixie? My stepson Mike caught a 3ft pike a few weeks ago, somewhere in the wilds of Maine!
I haven't gone ice fishing in a few years but I used to.
Hi Celeste! How are you feeling?
I like eating too! Too bad I don't like cooking.
All I can think of for a last meal right now is a huge salad with every kind of green there is and my Mom's chocolate chip cookies for dessert. Can you tell that I am jonsing for Spring?
Went to a winter's Farmer's Market in Fairfield on Saturday. Bought little bit of lots of things including mussels from a Westport shellfish farmer. I made the mussels last night - a stick of butter, garlic, onions and a bottle of cheap white wine. Now I have a pot of butter / wine broth that I don't know what to do with - but I'm not throwing it away! The cats had a good time playing with the mussel shells on the kitchen floor after I was done eating the meat out of them.
One of the farmers raises lamb and she makes pet food out of heart, kidney and liver so I will buy some for the cats when she brings it next week. There is another farmer who raises beef but I don't think they make pet food and I don't eat much meat myself.
I bought red orach from a seller who had all kinds of hydroponic lettuce - at $ 3.75 a head. I have been thinking about buying seeds for it and now I will get to try it first. It is a spinach substitute and the dark red of the leaves is stunning. I got a winter green salad - baby kales, spinach and boc choy (I think he said boc choy) but at $1 an ounce - I just got a little.
Another farmer had root crops and the carrot are really yummy. I thought about buying a 25 lbs sack for $35 - but I think I made a wise decision to just buy enough for lunches for the week. But I did buy some rose potatoes and celaric from her and made carrot and celaric soup for lunch. Got a quart of organic milk in a real milk bottle ($2 deposit) and a little soft goat cheese and a loaf of artisan bread. It was all more expensive than my usual source - Trader Joes - but I was buying locally and that is a "good thing". This market has live entertainment - but I didn't stick around to listen. Looks like the farmers market will be my Saturday morning shopping from now on along with Trader Joes and the library.
Yankee, I've been meaning to get over to that Fairfield winter market since last year! Seems I'm either working, have other plans, or the weather stinks and I don't want to drive there. But hearing your report makes it sound like it would be worth it. Do you know the names of any of the farms/vendors?
I'm anxiously awaiting spring for fresh greens too. I actually have a bit of them out in some cold-frames, but if I cut much more I'm afraid they won't re-grow for spring, lol!
Digger - didn't take any business cards and I never remember names. :( The market is from 10 - 2 on Saturday.
Digger, you are SO industrious. I kneel in the long shadow of your excellence. Seriously, I am impressed by everyone who actually DOES things instead of just thinking about it. I've been thinking about growing salad greens in a cold frame for years, but I haven't got to the stage where I want to badly enough to DO it.
Oh my goodness, Carrie! I actually sat here at my computer and looked around, as if you were talking to someone else, lol! I could not for the life of me figure out why you were using my name and the word "industrious" in the same sentence, lol, but then I figured you must be referring to my cold frames? Trust me, I thought about it for years too, lol.
I was finally inspired this year for a few reasons. One, I really am making a push to eat my own-grown food, or as locally-grown as I can find. Two, I LOVE lettuces and greens. Three, I work with a woman who sells greens at the farmers market. We make a good pair. She is quite shy and quiet, so I am the outgoing one who chats up the customers at the market. However, I am the scaredy-cat wimp who is always afraid to try anything, including swinging a hammer. She has no fear in that department, and she is the one who actually built my cold frames for me. They're not fancy, but hey, they're finally THERE, in my yard, with lettuces, greens, and spinach actually growing in them, which truly does amaze me, lol.
Gee, Carrie, I'm here at the moment because I got tired of doing housework and was taking a break. Now that I've been called industrious, I guess I have to get back to work to live up to my reputation, lol!
:)
Dee
As you can see if you read this article, Dee, I am the only one in my house who eats vegetables, let alone greens, let alone locally or home-grown greens. I'd have a tough row to hoe (ha ha) to get any support around here, and it's not really something i could take on by myself. But I am inspired! This summer, Earthboxes and tomatoes!
http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/1932/
Great article, Carrie! I must have missed it when it first appeared. I had to laugh - we have a few things in common. I like pretty much what you do - corn, peas, green beans, and spinach, although I also enjoy beets, carrots, potatoes and onions. I am trying - it's really hard, lol! - trying to be more open to new veggies, especially squashes and other good ol New England late-season veggies. I did try parsnips at Thanksgiving but wasn't impressed. My DH is an incredibly good cook, and absolutely loves to try new things, so I'm trying to take a page out of his book. I'm just not an adventurous eater, though.
I'm lucky enough to know a farmer about a mile and a half away from me (I work at his farm for another woman who leases some land from him) and I can get all the organic veggies I want at a good price. I think if I couldn't, I would hesitate to join a CSA for exactly the reasons you state - I'm picky, and I don't like to try new things; my kids don't eat a lot of veggies, but it sounds like they eat a bit more than your family does, so that's a small plus.
Good luck with your tomatoes this season. I honestly don't know how anyone could refuse a fresh, home-grown tomato! (Although my kids don't seem to enjoy them as much as I do...)
LOL Carrie! My family calls my giant pots of lettuces and mesclun "Mom's Weeds" I do admit I have thrown a bit of new dandelion greens in there when I spot them, but the rest are real cultivated varieties.
Martha
Chuckle, yes, that was an ill-fated attempt at if you buy it, they will eat. Not when there's a Stop'n'Shop down the hill! Especially DH, if he had been with the program, it might have worked. And if the refrigerator had functioned all summer!
Yankee--that butter/white wine broth will be great for pasta--add some capers, green French olives, parsley--voila! There's a farmers' market every Sat. in Litchfield---artisan breads, cheeses, beef, root veggies, jellies & soaps---now if I can only get up there!
Anybody know if there are any markets near the South Shore? ^_^ Sounds wonderful!
RE: parsnips, if you like stir-fried veggies, just julienne some parsnips like carrots and add it to what ever combo you like. We love it. It adds just a bit of sweetness. The combo we like the most is onions, carrots, parsnips, zucchini, and cabbage.
Or try roasting the parsnips with carrots and potatoes.
RE: parsnips....love em!
Me too---especially roasted! You have to double dig the soil if you want nice ones---DH did that one year---that was it --one year of double digging! Then he stuck to corn----now he can only sit & look at the garden.
roasted parsnips are yummy: I grow them for me because noses turn up at the mention.
Hadn't thought of combining with cabbage, Jan - sounds delish.
I finished another stepping stone. I can't even type that without thinking of the song. Jeez. But another DGer sent a pic of her cat at my request to be cast in stone. I'm thinking next winter I will have a hobby to keep me busy instead of just hating winter!
Oh, Louise!! I love it! That's fantastic. Tell me how you did it, please!
Very nice!!!! I like the cat....so now there is no limit , right? lol
Very nice, Weeze. That is his ARM hanging down, right?
Wow!
Impressive Venu!!!!!
Sigh. now you have to go into the category of artistic people I have to hate, right up there with my sister the knitter, quilter, painter and my sister the quilter, seamstress, painter and others. That is a remarkable stepping stone! I wouldn't let anyone actually walk on it! I would make a frame for it and hang it on the fence in my garden and take it down in the winter so that it doesn't freeze.
What beautiful work!
Oh, and I was out practicing my hobby of browsing used book stores yesterday and scored Schmid's "The Genus Hosta" hardbound, with dustjacket for $2.50. It's out of print and the cheapest one on Amazon started at $38.00.
Martha
This message was edited Feb 25, 2009 8:46 AM
Harper, I got the info and initial supplies at this web site.
http://www.mosaicartsupply.com/mosaicfaqs.htm#Q2A
^_^Yes, Victor that is his arm! Here's a bird frequently found in Allison's yard.
Another gorgeous one, Weeze. I agree with Martha - don't be walking on them!
They'll be walked on. Those are heavy pieces of cement.
Great score Martha!
WOAH... is that nice Weeze
What about a NE Forum themed one?
Great work, Weeze! Glad you found something you like doing and is beautiful to boot.
I have some grotty pieces of old bluestone for a path in one of my gardens----those mosaics would be perfect----love the cat! You're lucky to have bookshops like that, Martha---we're lucky to have one that sells new books nearby!
OK .... I am now officially a GEEK!
Computer Hope Quiz Results
Total questions answered: 106
Total questions answered correctly: 104
Total questions answered incorrectly: 2
Your overall percent: 98%
Your rating: Computer Expert
I didn't bother taking the rest of the quiz since I had no idea what the first 3 questions were talking about. I am so NOT a tech weenie.
Great stones Louise, absolutely amazing!
Well, in full disclosure .... I did have the help of my co-worker for three of the questions dealing with Microsoft Windows specifics, since I am one of those "bone-headed cultist" Mac Users!
guess I am 1/2 a geek
Out of 30 you have got 15 right and 15 wrong
SHERRIE YOU BEAT ME... HOW COULD THAT BE?????