Garden Updates

We had a frost advisory the day that the farmer's almanac told us to plant our outside plants so we haven't done that yet. I think to be safe, we are waiting until the end of May/beginning of June. This has just been such a crazy weather spring that I worry our plants might not have enough time to grow and be fruitful but we'll just have to see.

Our apple tree already has a couple leaves on it. This is especially exciting because my in laws got the same tree as us at the same time as us and they don't have any leaves on theirs yet. We also have a couple buds on our raspberries and on our blueberries. We aren't expecting fruit this summer but it's nice to see them growing. We must be doing something right.

Last night, we bought the tools we'll need to turn over our garden and get the dirt ready for our other planting. It will be a lot of work but at least it's a once a year thing (I think, I'd have to check on that). Gardening in general can be a lot of work but I've heard it can also be relaxing and a good form of exercise (believe me, you can build up muscle pulling weeds and raking and tending to your plants). I also got a really nice pair of gardening gloves that I'm excited to try out. Last year I had used gloves I found around the house  but they didn't fit very well and made it really hard to get anything done.

Pineapples were on sale at the grocery store this week so now David is obsessed with growing his own. I'm a little fuzzy on the details but it seems as though you can plant the top of them in a clay pot (which we also bought last night) and in 2 years of taking care of it, you'll have new pineapple. There are other foods you can from using the food itself like green onions and lettuce. Again, I'd have to look up exactly how to do it but I think that's kind of cool. It also sounds like you would grow these things inside.

Recent Sewing Projects

I have mentioned some sewing projects I have been working on in previous posts but I haven't updated you all on them for a while now. The first, is the coasters (you can find the link under my crafts and projects tab). I'm actually almost done with them. I would've been done a long time ago but I am hand sewing them. When I started, I didn't have a sewing machine. Now I do but I'm still kind of timid with it (still trying to get the hang of it) so I don't want to mess up what I've already started. They're very cute and I'll be sure to post pictures when I'm done. I did make a few changes to the original but that was only to make it easier to hand sew. We have been needing coasters for a long time. I know we could buy them at Goodwill or some place but it seemed like a good project to start with.

The second thing I am working on is a wet/dry bag for my reusable pads. It's about 8x5 and has a zipper across the top (my first zipper!). My mother in law is helping me lots with it since I wasn't really sure how to get started. The outside is cotton (fat quarters actually) and the lining is a polyester something (for water resistance). It will have a divider in the middle to keep the clean ones separate from the dirty ones. I'm about halfway done with it but I haven't worked on it in a while because I have been doing this one with my machine and I've already had to rip open a bad seam (which meant I got to buy a seam ripper! I love getting new supplies).

For my birthday from my mother in law, I got a couple books about sewing and things to do with fat quarters (which are pretty much the only fabric supplies I have right now) so I am excited to get started on new projects. I should probably finish what I've started before I move on though...

Easy Asparagus Recipes

Asparagus is very versatile and you can add it to just about anything (remember my fajitas a few posts ago?). However, I have decided the best way to eat it is roasted. You add seasonings (I like garlic, oil, and sometimes salt). Then you put it in a 9x13 pan in a 400 degree oven. Check it after 10 minutes but it may take up to 15. A thing I am going to try tonight is after I take it out of the oven, I will drizzle balsamic vinegar on top of it. Sometimes I add cheese ( usually parmesan or mozzarella) but if you do that, add it before you put it in the oven. I do have a hard time getting it to stick to the asparagus though (even when I tried cooking spray instead of oil). It just takes some work but any of these options are really good! You can do an entire pound at once and asparagus is so good for you too. These recipes are so quick and easy you can't help but buy ten pounds of asparagus next time you're at the grocery store (plus it's in season!).

Okay I hope I didn't repeat too much about my love for asparagus from my previous posts but despite the way it makes my pee smell, I am getting obsessed with it!

Our Garden

Yesterday, David and I picked up our apple tree, raspberries bushes, strawberries, and blueberry bushes from a nursery nearby (we preordered). We planted the tree, the raspberries, and the strawberries (I suppose I should say that David planted them while I made dinner. I guess you could say I supervised.) Once we make our raised garden for the blueberries, we will plant those too (possibly tonight). Blueberries are kind of picky about the PH in their soil so that's why they're having a separate garden. One of these days (also possibly tonight but I do sort of doubt it), we will be planting all our vegetables. We already started the tomatoes and broccoli inside but we still have things like green beans, cucumbers, and sun flowers (not a vegetable as far as I know but we bought some seeds any way) to plant too. I am so excited!

Our apple tree is small (especially in comparison to the pine tree we put it next to) and won't produce fruit for another 2-5 years. We aren't sure if we'll get fruit from the berries this year but we should next year or the year after that. It'll be so exciting to be able to have these fruits on hand all year long! Same with our vegetables! Some of these things, we will have to plant year after year, like the tomatoes, but some things should stay. We have rhubarb regrowing from last year (it came with the house, we just moved it to the garden area).

Also, when we find the time, we will be putting edging around our garden to make it easier to mow around and know how far our garden goes. I think this is what David's most excited about. He has come up with about 20 different materials and ways to do it. I'm happy that something excites him so much but I do admit, I'm sick of him talking about it. I just want it done.

Hopefully everything grows and we will have an abundance of fruits and vegetables!

Getting Cocoa Spayed

This last Friday was Cocoa (our rabbit)'s appointment to get spayed. We took her in about 8 in the morning. Surprisingly, she went willingly into her pet taxi and seemed a little scared. She got more scared once we were actually at the vet (probably because she could smell all the other animals). Then we left. This day was actually my birthday and it was so lonely without her. All day, I kept going upstairs looking for her and then remembering she was at the vet. Finally at 3:30, we got the call to come pick her up. They said she was doing well but still kind of sleepy from the procedure.

We took her home and she definitely wasn't herself. She seemed very very tired. She also looked a little funny because they had to shave her belly. She tried all her usual spots to get comfortable but just couldn't seem to. Finally, I think she fell asleep more because of the situation than because she was comfy. They had given her the first dose of her pain medicine but said that we need to make sure she ate, drank, and went to the bathroom for us.

She did go to the bathroom but we hadn't seen her eat or drink. Cocoa had retreated to under her stool and was very obviously not going to leave. We had read online that rabbits will go to their safety spot, usually a back corner or where they can't be seen well and just stay there til they feel better. So we put a little pile of food next to her and a bunch of hay. She didn't even touch it. We waited and waited and waited but HOURS had past since she last ate (at the vet) and she really needed to eat. We decided to try to give her a treat. She finally did eat the treat but even that took a little time.

Then the next morning (Saturday), we realized that she probably hadn't had anything to drink since she wasn't leaving her stool. We put a little water bowl right next to her and waited and waited. Again, hours later she finally drank. Then Saturday afternoon she was starting to be more herself and run around a little bit and go on her usual perches.

Sunday is when she was really herself and even went on top of her stool to be pet. Sunday was also the last day of pain medicine, which they must add sugar to because she took it very willingly.

Today, she is still  under her stool but that is common for her, especially on sunny days (she doesn't seem to like the sun and we can only block out so much of it). She has been eating, drinking, and playing though so I'm not worried. I'm just glad she's okay! Everyone online says it's much easier to get boy rabbits fixed than girl rabbits. They don't even give the boys any pain meds!

Snow Again?!?!?

So I know you all probably sick of hearing about the weather here but it's MAY 2nd and we just got 6 inches of snow overnight! There is more coming today and more coming tomorrow!!! Tomorrow is my birthday and I never thought I'd have to wish for it to be snow free, not in a million years. This weather is absolutely crazy! My city's schools are even closed today! If this snow doesn't go away soon, I'm just going to get madder and madder.

Also, I'm supposed to run an event this Saturday and how can you run when it's cold, snow on the ground, and a rain/snow mix is coming down??? They obviously put the event in May so they don't have to deal with unexpected snow storms and yet, here we are! I don't know if they'll cancel it or not because who has a snow day option for May??

The even worse thing about all this is that on David's drive to work (which covers about 40 miles---insane, I know) we are the only ones with a substantial amount of snow. Everyone else is just a sprinkling or just wet. So my city and southern Minnesota are what got hit. How is that fair??

So today, Friday, and Saturday are all icky and then Sunday and Monday are supposed to be in the 70s! That's going to feel wayyyy too warm! What happened to just a regular spring with weather in the 40s-60s??? Why can't Mother  Nature just behave this year???

Freezing Vegetables

Now that it's Spring (although it is supposed to snow today and tomorrow...ugh), lots of vegetables went on sale. I might have gone a little crazy and bought more than we could eat before they go bad. Solution? Freeze them! Last night, David and I froze our bell peppers, mushrooms, and snow peas. Did you know you could freeze these things??? They will last about 6 months frozen (I believe I read that the peas will last up to a year) Of course you can eat them after this, they just won't taste as good.

To freeze bell peppers, simply cut them up (however you will be using them. We did strips) and either freeze on a baking sheet then put in an air tight container (so they don't freeze together) or just put them in the container with extra room.

To freeze mushrooms, you have to cut them up and saute them first. Then put in an air tight container with room. (I drained them first since mushrooms are so juicy when you cook them but I don't know if I was supposed to or not.) Also, they will come out of the freezer a little different color so don't be alarmed.

To freeze snow peas, you have to blanche them. For those of you who don't know this method, you boil water (really really hot) and add the peas. You cook for exactly 3 minutes then you put them in ice cold water until they cool. Then put in your air tight container (with extra room again).

There you have it! Of course they are vegetables you shouldn't freeze, like lettuce (it gets so mushy and slimy) but for these kinds of things that are in season right now, it's perfect!

Also, I recently found out you can peel oranges ahead of time and then keep in an air tight container (and use within 3-4 days). This is great because I hate peeling oranges and always make David do it for me so now he can do a bunch at once and I don't have to wait anymore! Isn't this great?