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Ok folks - this is my third shot at growing Tomatos, but this year I'm all about keeping them alive. Our Tomato garden was fantasitc 3 years ago, Ok 2 years ago, and just non-existant last year. This year, I planted 18 seeds for cherry Tomato plants in early April, right after we got back from England. The seeds are from a small shop in Battle, Southern England.
10 days...
21 days...
Just about a month...
Budding......
Thunderstorm...
Ash and I began work on the upstairs bathroom on Sunday. As much as I dreaded the thought of the mess that would follow, the feeling of pulling things apart in there was well worth it. This bathroom/shower has been out of use for the better half of three years. It's caused us ceiling damage and sorthing things out from the ground up is exciting. (1) BC and I assessing, (2) Tile removal begins, (3) Sink and camode , (4) tiles gone, (5) Walls removed:
We hope to have running water by the end of May.....2009
And here a couple of fun photos. On Saturday evening I snapped this of Sam as he heard a firework go off in the distance. Then Ash tried to coax him through his drool riddled anxiousness. With thunderstorms taking up the better half of Sunday afternoon/evening, Ash & I also got stuck with the job of keeping him calm(basically, if you don't keep him busy, he crawls on top of you and drools incessantly).
And finally sweetpea.......we just got back from the vet(her favorite, she puked when we got back after being poked, prodded, and tossed about in the car for two hours). Good news - she gained 2 lbs, meaning her thyroid and the medicine made a deal, and they're working together. I wasn't sure, I thought the meds were going to hold out a little longer, but they got a fantastic deal and both sides seem to be happy.
Enough NFL draft talk. The medicine got the better of the deal, sweetpea's a great cat!
Caps also just came back from a 3-1 series defecit and beat the Flyers 4-2. The series is now even 3-3 and back in Washington tomorrow night. I haven't posted about this in about a week, but it's been an unbelievable series. Whatever team wins tomorrow night goes on to the next round........to lose because they've beaten the shit out of each other for 7 games.
Updates on our bathroom as they come.
Bon Iver - Skinny Love
Ash and I got confirmation that our application for Great Country Farms Community Supported Agriculture(CSA) has been accepted. We'll begin receiving fresh vegetables, herbs, and fruits from these folks at the beginning of June. I thought I had signed up too late and would be left to pick up our veggies from Farm Stands, but it looks as though we're in the clear as our application was accepted this morning! We can expect a variety of things, but here are a couple of photos:
It's $550 dollars for 20 weeks(5 months), delivered to your front door. That seems quite expensive at first, but if you think about it, $27.50 once a week for lots of fresh vegetables is very affordable. And seeing as I don't eat meat, the more vegetables, the merrier!
There are many other options for CSA in our area, and those had already filled up, so the delivery option was, naturally, more expensive. You can pay anywhere from $300-$700 for CSA's, and ours falls right in the middle of all that. The pickup option was $375 for 20 weeks, but there's no way I'm driving out to Bluemont, VA once a week.
Thanks to Chantal for giving us a heads up on the necessity to sign up early! Her & Chris also made us jealous last year by sending weekly photos from their CSA in Richmond last season. Here's a photo of what their weekly scoop looked like:
The Cat is not a statue
Here's what the weekly lineup from 2006 looked like, it all depends on what's ready and ripe, so schedules and produce varies:
|
Week 1-6/23/06 |
Week 9-July 20 |
Week 17-Sept 13 |
| Potted Lettuce Spring Onions Asparagus Dill Strawberries Full U-pick Limit: 4 Pints Strawberries Cut Flowers |
Sweet Corn Patty Pan Squash Sweet Bell Peppers Cucumbers Tomatoes Zucchini Cilantro Full U-pick Limit: 3 pints Blackberries 12 ears sweet corn 10 lbs potatoes 2 dz. Okra hot peppers |
Harlequin Winter Squash Apples Bell Peppers Summer Squash Tomatoes Full U-pick Limit: 1/2 peck Green Beans 24 Okra 2 pints Cherry Tomatoes 8 Tomatillas 10 lbs Potatoes 24 Hot Peppers |
| Week 2- 5/30/06 | Week 10-July 26 | Week 18-Sept 20 |
| Kale Asparagus Spring Onions Strawberries Beets with tops Chives Full U-pick Limit: 6 pints Strawberries |
Sunburst Squash Sweet Corn Sweet Peppers Eggplant Yellow Tomatoes Chives Full U-pick Limit: 4 pints blackberries 2 pints Cherry tomatoes 24 ears sweet corn 12 okra 10 lbs potatoes hot peppers |
Red Delicious Delicata Winter Squash Green Beans Tomatoes Peppers Full U-pick Limit: 1/2 peck Green Beans 24 Okra 2 pints Cherry Tomatoes 8 Tomatillas 10 lbs Potatoes 24 Hot Peppers Sunflowers |
| Week 3-6/6/06 | Week 11-August 2 | Week 19-Sept 27 |
| Collards Spring Onions Broccoli Greens Summer Savory Full U-pick Limit: 1/2 peck English Peas 6 pints strawberries |
Sweet Corn Chocolate Bell Peppers Japanese Eggplant Beef Steak Tomatoes Yellow Zucchini Anise Basil Full U-pick Limit: 2 pints blackberries 24 ears sweet corn 10 lbs potatoes hot peppers yellow squash |
Spaghetti Squash Butternut Squash Peppers Eggplant Tomatoes Full U-pick Limit: 1 peck Green Beans 24 Okra 2 pints Cherry Tomatoes 10 lbs Potatoes 24 Hot Peppers Fall Season U-pick 4 Jack-o-Lantern Pumpkins 2 Pie Pumpkins 6 ears Popping Corn 2 Bundles Corn Stalks |
| Week 4-6/13/06 | Week 12-August 10 | Week 20-October 4 |
| Spring Onions Snow Pea Pods Asparagus or Strawberries Collards Lettuce Marjoram Full U-pick Limit: 2 pints strawberries 1 Qt. Snow Peas Fresh dill & parsely |
Sweet Corn Tomatoes classic eggplant melon summer squash Sweet banana peppers Italian Basil Full U-pick Limit: 2 pints blackberries Japanese Eggplant 2 pints Cherry tomatoes 10 lbs potatoes 12 okra hot peppers |
Greening Apples Buttercup Squash Broccoli Tomatoes Red Potatoes Full U-pick Limit: 1 peck Green Beans 2 Harlequin Squash 2 pints Cherry Tomatoes 10 lbs Potatoes Fall Season U-pick 4 Jack-o-Lantern Pumpkins 2 Pie Pumpkins 2 Bundles Corn Stalks |
| Week 5-June 21 | Week 13-August 16 | Week 21-October 11 |
| Lettuce Broccoli English Peas Summer Savory Full U-pick Limit: 2 pints blueberries 1 bundle Dill cut flowers |
White Eggplant Heirloom Tomatoes Yellow Tomatoes Summer squash zucchini sweet bell peppers Italian Ruffles Basil Full U-pick Limit: 24 Okra 10 lb potatoes 8 tomatillas 8 heirloom tomatoes 1 peck yellow tomatoes 1 bag edamame |
Fuji Apples Buttercup Squash Broccoli or Cauliflower Spaghetti Squash Full U-pick Limit: Tomatoes Eggplant 10 lb Potatoes Bell Peppers 12 Hot Peppers 12 Okra Fall Season U-pick 4 Jack-o-Lantern Pumpkins 2 Pie Pumpkins 2 Bundles Corn Stalks |
| Week 6-June 29 | Week 14-August 23 | Week 22-October 18 |
| Green Beans Summer Squash Cucumbers Onions Spicy Globe Basil Full U-pick Limit: 2 pints blueberries 1 quart greenbeans 12 ears sweet corn 1 bundle thyme |
Summer Squash Harlequin Winter Squash Potatoes Tomatoes Beets & tops Sweet Banana Peppers Full U-pick Limit: Yellow Wax Beans- 1 small bag 24 Okra 8 Tomatillas 8 Heirloom Tomatoes 2 pints Cherry Tomatoes 1 bag Edamame |
Apples Winter Squash Greens Potatoes Full U-pick Limit: 1 peck Swiss Chard 1/2 peck Tomatoes 1/2 peck Bell Peppers 24 Hot Peppers 2 Eggplant 1 peck Green Beans 10 lbs Potatoes Fall Season U-pick 4 Jack-o-Lantern Pumpkins 2 Pie Pumpkins 2 Bundles Corn Stalks |
| Week 7-July 5 | Week 15-Aug 30 | Week 23-October 25 |
| Sweet Corn Sweet Banana Peppers Summer Squash Cucumbers Oregano Full U-pick Limit: 1 peck Green Beans 12 ears sweet corn Okra |
Acorn Squash Leeks Sweet Banana Peppers Tomatoes Eggplant Gala Apples Full U-pick Limit: 1 peck Green Beans 24 Okra 8 Tomatillas 10 lbs Potatoes 2 pints Cherry Tomatoes 1 bag Edamame 12 Hot Peppers |
Apples Winter Squash Pie Pumpkins Sweet Potatoes Full U-pick Limit: No limits! Come Glean the last week! |
| Week 8-July 12 | Week 16-Sept 6 | |
| Break Week No deliveries Full U-pick Limit: 2 pints blackberries 1 peck green beans 12 ears sweet corn Okra |
Harlequin Winter Squash Empire Apples Sweet Peppers Beef Steak Tomatoes Beets & tops Pontiac Red Potatoes Full U-pick Limit: Sunflowers 24 Okra 8 Tomatillas 10 lbs Potatoes 12 Hot Pepper |
The Farm is located in Bluemont, VA......and the U-pick stuff you see is what we can drive out to the farm and pick ourselves each week.
Also, my cherry tomatoes that I planted have popped through the soil, so hopefully(this is the tricky part!) I can keep them happy enough so that we can plant them outside in about 6 weeks. I also have 20 seedlings of Basil going, so Winding Hollow Way is turning into a Basil farm. Pesto anyone?
I took a couple of photos of these two flies sunning themselves on Sunday morning. They'll live anywhere from a fortnight to 30 days. Click the photo for a zoom-in:
The first and second photos are a bluebottle and the final is a greenbottle.
And since the weather is beautiful outside, here's a couple of photos I took of the surrounding foliage that is beginning to take form! My manual photography needs a little bit of help and I'm researching my lense options!
And that's about it from this end. I should be finished with Amy Lewetts website within the next week, and I'm also - again - continuing to plow away on our little slideshow from England. Hope everyone is enjoying the blue sky and comfortable temps....don't worry, soon enough we'll be suffering in the humidity.
Today is a special day. My Granddad, Leonard Albert "Granddad" Ayres, would have been 102 today. We miss him dearly. He passed away 6 years ago, March 9th. I've got my Guinness in hand, and Jagrmeister if need be......two of his favorite drinks! Oy oy! Look at the locks on me!
Also, here's a pizza I threw together from scratch. It's my first attempt at a white pizza. I try and make my own dough as much as possible which is the only way to go. Once the dough is rolled out, scatter the garlic around your canvas and then bake (The garlic is finely chopped, drizzle some olive oil on top, and salt...keep chopping until it's nearly a paste. Flip the knife horizontally and smush the garlic) for 4 minutes or so, then throw on the rest of the shit. Go Caps!
And of Course some flowers and Sam. Taken this evening. Sam is confused, he was trying to catch flies.
Once again, Happy Birthday Granddad. I'll always remember you watching hockey with me and being so impressed with the skill it took to play! "Blimey!" Also, your old friend Sweetpea is with Ash and I and we're spoiling her rotton! Oy oy!
Here are some pics from the Amsterdam portion of our European Vacation!! We had a blast with Jessica and Scott in Den Haag where they live, as well as in the heart of Amsterdam. We learned alot about the language, the train system (getting lost), cheese, beer, kissing on each cheek 3x, bike riding, trams and more. It was so cozy and romatic and scenic!
From Left to Right: Jess and Scott live near the beach! a 15 minute bike ride. This first pic is a remake circa 1994, of pictures Jess and I have taken at LBI. The next pic on the right is at a restaurant we ate at on the beach. In the background you can see bean bag mountain. A place to relax with a bottle of wine and your favorite bean bag! Middle pic, on a canal with a picture perfect home. Bottom row, some local graffiti in Den Haag or "The Hague", where Scott and Jess live. To the right, this pic is for Kristen Lewis Henry, another cheesehead. We were in cheese heaven, and had to buy some to bring back to the states. And the last two, well, we just had to visit a Sex Museum while in the heart of Amsterdam!
More photos to come, vistit www.Shutterfly.com, Log in [email protected] , password DUCK07
