Garden Update

Compost bins

Left compost bin

Middle compost bin

almost empty compost bin

potatoes started growing in the bin--so we're planting them

Eww, a dead slug from my garden

I thought this was the asparagus but it must be part of the root?

the asparagus seems to be the purple-ish growth in the lower right?

Cauliflower! (I thought they died.)

All these giant leaves for that one tiny cauliflower

spinach

Garden Update--Post-freeze edition

The man bought it for me at Costco.

the new rose--already making new growth!

from the other side--see the nice angle cuts



I need to cut it back more!

It's not dead, just a little freeze damaged.

Yeah, there's a ficus in the background that's all brown except for a little green at the bottom. Most of our trees were damaged by the extended freeze we had. But the arborist says they will probably come back, they are still alive.


pomegranate, fig, apple (happy about the cold!)

Pecan "tree" (can you say we were screwed over?)

the farm is ready for crops (walnut tree in foreground)

Shamel ash (loses leaves annually) with citrus trees in background

Mint--pineapple and orange (after weeding)

Second garden--parsely and collards in foreground

Those freaking green catepillars took out quite a few of my crops in this box. Yes, I neglected it through my surgery and illness and other life stressing but I hate those things. And earwigs. Ew. All of my kale had to come out to be composted as it was too damaged and stunted by the caterpillar attacks.

Chard and cilantro and a tiny sad lettuce

I had a giant weed in this box, where the empty hole is behind Bugs' ears. It seems to be the reason I have almost no lettuce growing. But the cilantro doesn't care about no stinking weeds!

Time to replant (celery transplants in middle)

I pulled that dill or fennel plant out and put it in a pot. I actually don't know what it is. Oops.

Strawberry fields "forever"

The tomatoes froze and have been pulled out. No one knows what happened to my artichoke. WTH.

Three herbs in a pot get planted. The end. No change for months.

Make that four. Sad tiny sage.

Garden Update

What's left in Box 1: eggplant gone wild; herbs; bell peppers

My FIL added compost and adjusted the water lines in my second garden box yesterday. I had already dusted with diatomaceous earth and I added the coffee grounds that I got at Starbucks last week. There were a couple of green things coming up where I had planted spinach but never got any. Upon closer inspection, I realized they were nightshades. I recently did some research since we've had them around the garden and in other areas of the back yard for a while. They have a runner underground so they have to be dug up--they can't just be pulled. Grr. Now that I've seen a few in my garden box, I'm feeling deflated. How will I ever control them? I tried to dig them out but they broke off about a foot down.

ready to plant

On top of that, when I found other roots of what I assume were those, I pulled them out and saw a lot of ant activity. Shit. That sucks. I pulled a couple earwigs out too. They are so f-ing gross. It's overwhelmingly disheartening to have no control over this. I found several ant hills outside the garden box but in the vicinity so I put Andro down. It actually looked like the ants were stacking it outside the hole instead of taking it in but I think maybe there were different ants taking it in. I'm totally disgusted.

I brought out a tape measure and found that I do not have a true 12x8 box. Each box is 48 inches one direction and 2 or 3 inches shy the other direction. I think that's close enough for square foot gardening, right? So I planted 3 squares each of (all seeds): parsley, scallions, kale, brussels sprouts, swiss chard, cilantro, collard greens, cauliflower, spinach, mustard greens, beets, and leaf lettuce. I used 6 squares for a combination of carrots and radishes. I used one square for white onions, 2 for red onions, 1 for an asparagus transplant I picked up at Baker Nursery, and saved 2 for the leeks and celery my FIL is starting for me.

Planted and labeled with popsicle sticks

My husband thinks it looks to crowded. I'm hoping things will come in waves. And that those M-F-ing ants and earwigs will die. Die, MFers, die!

crispy rosemary and ant infested oregano

The Open box: strawberries, one artichoke, and plants for the farm

They are starting the "farm" so my FIL already added the compost after cleaning out all the grass. There are a few watermelons left that survived the summer (and no additional water, just rain). I dusted with diatomaceous earth yesterday. Mick and his dad will roto-till today and then the planting will begin.

almost ready--leftover watermelon

walnut tree

pecan, ahem, "tree"

Citrus: lemon, lime, orange

Fruit: apple, fig (netted), pomegranate

Bloomers.

It took longer than usual to get in to see Dr. M, my naturopathic "chiropractor" for my adjustment. I was feeling okay, no real complaints, just my near-constant popping in my right shoulder. The student, who I've seen once before, seemed surprised when I answered that I don't eat any of the things on my allergy list. She has a dairy issue but says she sometimes cheats. And pays for it. And that would be why I don't cheat--paying for it sucks.

Dr. M did more adjustments around my knees than usual. He asked if my knee was hurting. Actually, it was hurting a couple times very recently; I felt like I was favoring it and was worried about what that would do to the rest of my "structure." He also asked if I had been, I don't recall exactly, but this is the second time he has implied that I'm laying or sitting on the couch in a bad position and that I shouldn't sleep on the couch. He spent some time on the shoulders and neck area, of course, among other things.

I told him that I started taking the magnesium he suggested (I'm taking it twice a day along with a cranberry pill*) and that the twitching in my eyes actually went away the first day. It has come back, but not as severe as it was. He commented to the student that a lot of people, to his surprise, are shocked when something he suggests works. He clarified that he wasn't talking about me. (Hmm, are you sure? I'm surprised that doctors, etc. think that I won't take their advice or do whatever I need to do to feel better and be healthy.)

He mentioned to the student that the magnesium helps with spasms and tremors. Well, now that you mention it. I'm trying to think back. I've been having almost daily "numbness" in my left calf area; it goes away and comes back, not lasting long enough to be an MS relapse. I have less frequent "numbness" in my midsection (stomach area, usually on the left but not always) and in my fingers. I don't think I've had any of this numbness since I started the magnesium last week.

We talked about upcoming plans and he offered this tidbit for someone who may make a "funny" but mean comment to me in front of a group of people. Ask: when I am dead, is that is what you want to remember saying to me. WOW. Harsh. But maybe effective for some passive aggressiveness. He warned that it should be saved for a really terrible comment.

For the situations when I don't want to pull that one out, he suggested that I picture the person in old time bloomer underwear. For the guy, have them pulled up to the ribs over the protruding belly. I don't know if this will work when I'm pissed off, but I know what he means. If I can laugh in their face when they are being asses, maybe they'll shut the hell up.

*I stopped taking a lot of supplements but not all. I currently take flax/borage oil, magnesium, cranberry, Culturelle, and Provigil in the morning and flax/borage oil, magnesium, cranberry, Culturelle, and a multivitamin at night.

Losing my mind. I mean my hair.

I did some time in the garden, cleaning out some overgrown veggies, harvesting tomatoes and swiss chard, and taking a few photos. It was getting hot, for me, so I headed in to work on cleaning my harvest and cleaning house. It was exhausting.

I thought I was losing my mind, but today, I found out that I'm (also?) losing my hair. I called my hairdresser, S, and she said she could get me in for highlights today. She looked at my hair and said there was no way she was putting bleach in it, no highlights. As we talked about it, she asked about my diet, which we have discussed a couple times since this whole allergy thing started. Then I said something about my thyroid and it was like a light bulb came on over her head. Of course, she has seen this thyroid issue with a lot of clients, and she wouldn't suggest any bleaching or highlights until I get my thyroid under control.

She was concerned with how fragile it looked. It is most noticeable in the area I notice my grays coming in so I was reluctant to forego color completely. She asked why I was thinking of going lighter and I explained that I thought the gray would be less noticeable. We looked at the color book and she showed me where I usually am with the darker color, and said I could go across that row for my color, but based on my skin color, she wouldn't suggest I go to another row that had more blond. We agreed on a slightly lighter version of my darker color. She noted that I would probably be lighter on top for a while, that the ends are darker and wouldn't hold the new color well.

We discussed bangs or no bangs as well. I wondered if I would be able to cover up the thinning by either having more bangs or growing out my bangs. She played with my hair a little and said no to both, but mostly to the idea of more bangs as it would make the hair look thinner. We decided to just trim the bangs a little, not as much as usual, in case I want to grow them out after all. But when I pull my hair back, it's very noticeable that my hair is terrible. I told S that I've been terrified for years that I would end up with hair like my mom's. I remember her telling me that she didn't like to cut her hair because it wouldn't grow back out, and it was always, well, it was never very polished or smooth.

I think the hair color turned out pretty well and she said it will improve as it grows and we do another round.

Later, my husband and I were going to go out with a friend, but the plans were very late and we got stuck on the freeway for almost an hour before we decided to turn around and go home. We're just too damn old to be leaving our house at 10 pm to go out to the other side of town. He made drinks for me with a juice I picked up, pineapple coconut, and Malibu rum and cream of coconut. It was like a lovely daiquiri type drink. Yum. Great end to a not so great day. But my hair looks good. If you don't notice it's thinning.

For Celiac Awareness Month, check out this fantastic post on mistakes we make while avoiding gluten.

The protective glove only works when you wear it.

This morning, we went bowling with our bowling friends, except the sick one.  My legs (front, above the knees) are killing me from yesterday's workout.  I wasn't feeling well last night, at all, but was feeling better-ish this morning.  I was able to empty out after a couple games, and felt better but then my thumb started doing something weird and new--it's like a sharp pain, almost a throb, totally random.  It was one of the worst bowling days I've had in quite a while.

We went to Royal Jasmine for some Thai food and I tried the red curry chicken, medium spice.  It was scrumptious and spicier than I expected.  I stuffed myself and took the extra rice and sauce home.

We went home and Mick showed me the compost--we're switching to the second bin again--and the farm plot. I was so tired, so I went to watch TV and took a nap for a couple hours.  I was concerned that it was getting late and I wanted to do some gardening, so I headed out.  It was getting dark before I was really done.  I felt kind of shaky and exhausted and headed in to get my veggies ready for roasting.

I couldn't believe how late it was already and how much work I had left to do before I could roast the veggies.  On top of that, I didn't really have anything else to make for dinner, so I knew that he would want something I wasn't making.

Then he told me to shut the window in the dog room; he had opened it because it "still smelled like shit."  I thought maybe I had missed something when I cleaned up, so I started moving the kennel out and realized there was more poop in the kennel.  She had another accident after I had cleaned up the previous accident.  I felt terrible that she had been in her kennel with poop.  I put her bedding in the wash and cleaned up to get the vegetables in the oven before finishing the kennel cleanup.

I thought I could use the mandolin for some of the slicing but started with a hard carrot and sliced my thumb pretty badly.  *shit*  I actually thought, as I was starting to move the carrot, that I should put my protective glove on.  But I didn't.  And then I was bleeding.  And he had to stop playing long enough to bandage me.

After I was well bandaged, I resumed my cooking and cleaning duties.  I don't think he liked the outcome, but I loved the roasted veggies, especially the broccoli and the garlic.

Home and Garden Show

As if we don't have enough ideas for our new house and yard, we went to the Home and Garden Show today at the Cardinals Stadium. We watched a presentation on composting, saw the Queen of Clean (and got some freebies), bought a taller ladder, talked to a guy about our pool ideas/questions, met up with our landscape designer (current neighbor), and talked to a guy about a shuffleboard table. I'm tired! And stressed about how much needs to be done.

UK Bans Barber from Composting

A barber has been taking home hair clippings to his personal compost pile for 40 years. Now he's been told to send it to the landfill instead (pay for trash service) AND a minor comment is included that he can't take newspapers home either. As noted in the article, hair is great in the compost pile. I would guess that when it ends up on the floor of the barber shop, it is clean (hair is generally washed before cutting) and since it's a barber shop, there should be little argument about chemicals (from color or perms) I guess.

I wanted to find a place to take recyclables for my office. (The office management has elected to not pay to have it picked up separate from trash, so I take it home.) I have not been able to find a place to take anything except a donation bin for newpapers/magazines/paper. Someone (Waste Management?) is either making money or will eventually make money on processing these items, right? As an individual, am I giving away my trash so someone else can profit? Will there come a time when our government says I can't compost or recycle as I want?
http://www.care2.com/causes/environment/blog/uk-barber-banned-from-composting/more/

Home Composting

Home composting information with videos

Doggie doo drain

At our current house, I have a doggy dooley that I've stopped using in advance of our move. M said installing the dooley was difficult enough that he doesn't want to do it again. It does require water added very often as well as an enzyme powder.

At the house we hope to get next year, it has a septic system. I ran across a product, the doggie doo drain (http://www.petproductadvisor.com/store/mc/doggie-doo-drain.aspx) that essentially is a funnel that can be put on the regular septic system. I'll have to see if we can do this! It does require water each time you add poo, so it will need to be close to a water spigot.

Indoor composter

It's here! I got a Naturemill indoor composter. A guy I work with thought he was being funny and sent me an email that woot.com was having a deal on them. This has been on my wishlist for a while but I couldn't see spending the money. With the $150 off, we decided it was a great deal.

I looked at reviews online. The comments on woot and wired were informative, entertaining, and perplexing. I have had an outdoor compost bin for about a year and it is so NOT working. I know I don't turn it often enough and I can't keep it wet enough either. (I am not lazy like one guy implied; I live in the desert.) I like that I can actually put more stuff (like meat/fish) in the indoor composter than the outdoor bin. I know it is an odd, expensive purchase but I think it will be extremely useful.

I'm reading the book before I start using it. I'm wondering if I should wait to start it until I know if we're moving. It might be messy to move. Maybe not. I'll decide after we look at houses Saturday. (exciting, stressful, hot...) I'm thinking of naming my composter Oscar. Unless I think of something better.

Our neighbors moved today. Boo! :(