Monday, July 29, 2019

It's Getting Ridiculous!

The number of large-ish projects that remain unfinished this summer (including lack of blogging and knitting) is getting a little out of hand. Thus I have made a few daily mini-goals for this week's family vacation time. Blogging is going well (twice in two days - woot!) as is some daily progress on this long-unfinished sweater. I've simply made it a goal to knit a few rows while chatting with the relatives.


I've also played the viola, lesson planned, and written a few emails. And in case you are worried about my vacation, I have also kayaked, hiked (saw three bears yesterday), eaten some wonderful meals, and of course had some quality hang out time with the nieces, nephews, and their parents. Now I have to go accomplish some more goals... Till soon!

Sunday, July 28, 2019

Three Sisters

The lovely folks at Baker Seeds in Missouri did it again. They enticed me with interesting vegetable varieties that I just had to try. I've been reading about the Three Sisters for a few years, the system of companion planting corn, beans, and squash the Native Americans used to maximize soil usage. I was nervous about trying to grow corn, but then I ran across Maize Morado, a black corn that is grown in South America. Peruvians make a delicious drink called Chicha Morado with this variety of corn, so I definitely needed to take the plunge. I chose Cherokee Trail of Tears black beans to climb up the corn, and Delicata squash to fill out the understory.


So far there is one corn plant with a tassle and no corn on the stalk. The beans also have not started blooming yet. But it is super cool to see the beans use the corn plants to climb and use as a support.I had to start the corn a few weeks before the beans to make sure the corn could support these climbers. 


At least a few squashes are starting to grow. 


I also planted some green beans that are really thin and delicious. 


The first batch got used for my first 100% locavore dinner of the season! Purple potatoes and a fresh fried egg rounded out a yummy meal.


The squirrels are starting to knock down the apples, but hopefully there will be a few left for a pie when they are actually ripe.

 

The snapdragons are looking so pretty this summer!

 

And nothing says you have a mole problem more than finding squash plants in the middle of the lawn. BIG SIGH.... None of my methods to make them go away seem to be working.


Enjoy what is left of summer. One short week, and I will be back at school teaching.

Thursday, July 11, 2019

Summer Yarn-Along

As per usual for 2019, the calendar is a few weeks ahead of where I expect it should be. Thus, I am over a week late for the July Yarn-Along at Ginny's. No worries, the projects and reading lists there are fabulous, and I can still sneak my link into the mix. 


Last weekend I took a road trip with my mother to Canada to see a dear high school friend get married. We had an unexpected delay in the form of four hours of waiting on the highway while construction got cleared. So I took the opportunity to work a little on my Amiga cardigan. I am sure to run out of yarn, so I found a delightful yak blend yarn to match my discontinued yarn at a new-to-me local yarn store: Copper Centaur Studios.  The bonus was serendipitously reconnecting with someone from my undergraduate life, who is one of the owners. How cool is that?

Reading is via audio book today. I just finished The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein. Whoa! Tear jerker all the way through. It was so good, though. Next up is Der Schimmelreiter by Theodor Storm that I picked up in a used book store in Canada. Looking forward to some delightful 19th century north-German Romantic writing. Join all the other crafters and readers at Ginny's (link in first paragraph).

Till soon, I hope. Keep enjoying summer!