HEALING COOKIES 08/31/2010
 Lately, I have been leaving early in the morning to help a friend. I come back early, but I have been putting the dogs out until I get home. Bad Dog does not like being left outside. No matter how short a time it is. Doesn't she look worried? So...every morning when I go out to water, she does her normal stuff until it is time for me to come back in. She is afraid I'll make her stay outside...so she keeps a close eye on me. When I start to walk back to the house she runs ahead and tries to 'bully' her way in the house. Since it has been over 100 degrees here...I have been letting them stay in the house. Scaredy Dog is getting older (as opposed to the alternative) and I feel the heat is too much for such an old gal. She would be upset if she wasn't with Bad Dog, so she gets to stay in too. Speaking of old gals...as I was helping my friend yesterday, I kept hearing this funny noise. At first I thought it was the guys working outside, but after a while I went to check out what was going on. Her 'old gal' is even older than my old gal. The guys were digging a trench about 3 feet deep and a foot wide. When I went outside I saw her old gal in the trench..just the top of her head. So I climbed in the trench and helped her out. She was shaking and scared. What I think happened was the other dogs were jumping this trench. When the old gal tried, she just didn't make it. So...the rest of the day, her old gal stayed in the house with me and got spoiled with cookies. Cookies can fix anything! Even for dogs. **************************** 2 Comments THINGS IN MY GARDENS 08/29/2010
 Looking to the lowest finger in this picture...you can see I have my first cucumber!  This is the cucumber plant the rabbits chewed up. It seems it is recovering from the rabbit's abuse.  I recently planted some more cucumbers and this this shows they are starting to come up.  These are some of my favorite flowers. Not only are they purple, they don't need much care. They are called Purple Robe.  I have taken many pictures of this for you. I don't know what these are called, but I love them. The blooms are just starting to open. Once it freezes, this plant turns all brown and yucky and dead looking. I just break off all the dead stuff and start watering. I am hoping the bees like this. This is a bad time for all the bees. Not a lot of blooms with nectar for them to eat. Unless you have some herbs planted. I am learning more and more about bees. I shall pass it on to you.  While I was outside taking pictures to post with, there was a commotion in the neighbor's yard. If you look at Bad Dog's back you can see her hair standing up. She goes all 'Punk' when she's guarding the yard. Sometimes it is only at the top. Other times it is only by her tail. And then the times when she is really upset...it goes all the way from her head to her tail. It sure makes me feel safe. I just love guard dogs. No one sneaks up on me! MY HECTIC LIFE 08/27/2010
Yesterday, I had another article printed in our local paper...The Antelope Valley Press. It is in the Aug. 26th Lifestyle magazine...page 9. I have to say, I might be getting the hang of this writing thing. In fact...I have been asked to write another article for the Littlerock newspaper. I hope to get that done this weekend. As long as I don't have anymore problems. As for today...I got up before the crack of dawn, and went and picked veggies again at 'the bee garden'. I wanted to get in and out before they woke up and decided to be nasty. The last time was enough for me. Speaking of problems, the air conditioner froze up. The Lad called a repairman and he said it was because of a dirty filter. I change them about every five weeks. I thought I was changing them enough. I guess it is not enough in the desert. I spent several hours trying to fix it myself. I had done it before. It just takes some time for the ice to melt. In 107 degree heat, not that much time. Besides all the air conditioner stuff, I have been cooking a lot too. I made zucchini bread and some bran muffins with carrots and raisins. Also, started making watermelon pickles. Tomorrow, I will be making stewed tomatoes, salsa, and hopefully some bread and butter pickles. I guess it depends on what happens tomorrow. I just had a friend call me and say they were having Crisco on sale...for 59 cents for 48 ounces. She brought me 4 cans, I gave her a pint of pickles and some zucchini bread. We were both happy. Ain't life grand?!?! ************************ DOG FOOD 08/25/2010
 Everyday, between 4:30 and 5:00 a.m., the dogs wake me up to go outside. I know, I know. But it is better than the alternative. Which would be dog-poo on the carpet. I get up. I let them out. Make coffee. Then my day starts...officially. Only one cup of coffee. NO ONE likes me on too much caffeine. Sometimes, when I let the dogs out...I go too. That is when I see (HEAR, really) something BIG come out of my trees. I think a few of the BIG birds that fly out are Ravens. I suspect a few are owls. Hunting. It is always 'rabbit season' in MY yard. This morning, I just let the dogs out. As I was making my coffee, I heard something 'funny', like a cry or yelp. So, out I go to see what happened. As I head out in the yard, I HEAR four or five very big somethings fly away. This alone is very ominous. Scaredy Dog comes when I call, but Bad Dog lags behind. I call her again and she comes, but she won't come near me, and I can hear her chewing. My conclusion is this...what I heard was a rabbit screaming as Bad Dog takes it's life. The rest is her, trying to keep me from taking away her 'catch'. She is passed out, as I write, on my bed, sleeping off her big breakfast. I think from now on...her name will be.... RABBIT BREATH. Or Death to Rabbits. How about Destroyer of Rabbits. All I can say is...rabbits beware! You ARE on the menu. ************************* PLANTING SOME BEANS AND CUCUMBERS 08/24/2010
 My poor cucumber plant! It seems the rabbits found out I really didn't have these fenced in that good. The cool thing is that they left the blooms alone. So maybe...just maybe...it will recover. At least enough to get a few cucumbers. What I think might help that along is, yesterday I planted more cucumbers and beans. Since it is very hot here (predicted at 107 today), I will need to water several times a day...to keep the ground from drying out. Once they get established in a week or two, I can cut it back a bit.  This area is 4ft X 38ft. At the left side of this picture, I planted cucumbers. That is the plants you see, and what I planted last night. To the right is red beans. I planted more red beans too. I filled in the bare spots and made another row (or two) towards the middle of this space. Hopefully, when the new plants come up, it will fill in the bare spots and keep the water from evaporating so quickly. That's the plan at least. There is a bare spot in the middle of the plants. This is where I planted some green beans (bush) and some soy beans. That is edimame to you sushi nuts. As you look to the top of this picture, on the right is the black beans, cucumbers on the left. Both of which I planted more. Filling in the bare spots and making new rows. In seven to fourteen days, I should be seeing evidence of my labor. Actually...I hope to see something way before then. The reason being, I soaked the bean seeds for a few hours to kick start the process. The last time I did this, it took three days to show "green".  If you look closely, you will see that the rabbits had started to eat this plant, too. But what I love is all the blooms. Bring on the cucumbers! I planted some lemon cucumbers because BFF loves them, and some English cucumbers. They have thinner skin and little or no seeds. Easier to digest. Cucumber sandwiches anyone? Or how about little cucumber 'cups' with seafood salad inside? Anyway...sounds yummy to me! Next...salad greens! My late summer planting continues. ****************************** HOPE FOR THE FUTURE 08/23/2010
 You are looking at an acorn squash. I am growing it in a big pot that is placed around my prayer circle. There are several on this plant. I am looking forward to eating this little beauty. I have been soaking some bean seeds so when I plant them, they will start better. There are 5 kinds I will be planting today after 'work'. Some are 'bush' beans and some are 'runner' beans. Other things to plant will be different kinds of lettuce, beets, bok choi, kolhrabi, cabbage, and a few others I can't remember right now. I will get back to you on this. But I would like to say...I am glad to see the new babies coming on my plants. It gives me hope for the future. THAT spurs me on to work so much harder. Either that...or I am a glutton for punishment. I would prefer to believe the first option. But...it could be both. ***************************** Gratitude 08/20/2010
Today, I decided to do a little work on this site. I changed the header picture to one I took. It is a small portion of the fruits and veggies I processed this week. Another thing I changed is, I moved...MY SOAP BOX...to the end of my pages. So, NEWS is now my new front page. This is going to make it so much easier for me, I hope. I am forever learning how to use this computer. Anyway...I would like to say thanks to all my loyal readers...and all my new friends. Today and yesterday, my site had the most visits ever! It amazes me just how many. Of course...I try to live EVERY day in gratitude. Grateful for my all the wonder life brings. I try to find joy everyday. As I was watering this morning, a hummingbird flew in my face and hovered for a little while. According to my Indian book, hummingbirds are the keepers of the joy. Today , I would have to say, was joyful...so thanks to you too little hummingbird. I plan on being out there again tomorrow, same time, same station. |  ArchivesFebruary 2012 CategoriesAll |
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