Friday, July 2, 2010

42

This, dear friends, has been a long freaking week, and I have no idea why. It hasn't been any more strenuous or arduous than any other week here on the farm. In fact, with crazy cool temperatures, it's been rather less strenuous and kinda comfortable, what with the not sweating every time you step out the door and nice cozy nights with the windows open. I don't know what it is. Maybe my brain is still all in a tizzy about the GRIT thing or maybe trying to figure out how to rid myself of the plague of Japanese beetles has worn me out. Suffice it to say, I'm beat and looking forward to a hopefully chill, relaxing three day weekend.

Blogging for GRIT definitely has me spun up. I'm totally nervous. I've grown comfortable writing here, with my larger than expected but still limited audience. I have my first post for them all ready to go, but I haven't sent it in yet. How come? Couple reasons. One, they need a headshot of me for their site and I simply don't have one. I try to avoid the front end of the camera at all costs. Last night, B and I went outside so he could take a few pictures of me and never have I felt more supremely ridiculous or self-conscious. None of them came out well. I think we waited until there was too little light; so, we'll try again tonight. Second reason I haven't sent my post in yet...I'm just nervous!! What if, what if, what if? I know, suck it up K. If they didn't like what they read they wouldn't have invited you. I know. So, I'll send it as soon as I get a fairly decent photograph of myself. Fingers crossed that I become photogenic before B gets home tonight!

In garden news, it seems I have several hundred new friends of the multi-legged variety. For quite some time now, I've noticed huge chunks taken out of the leaves of my broccoli (and if you're going to tell me it's too late or too early to have broccoli, don't). I chalked it up to rabbits or chickens or something altogether warm-blooded. Alas!! Not so! It's these:




Normally, I dig caterpillars. I think they're neat. And these guys, well...they're kinda pretty, aren't they? But look what they did to my plant!!! Because of their obvious and blatant disregard for my love of broccoli, they will soon meet their maker via death in a bucket of soapy water.

Also, it's almost time for me to start figuring out our fall garden. I've never had a fall garden. Hell, I've just barely had a summer garden! So, I'll be spending much time reading and googling, trying to figure what and when and how and all that. It's kind of exciting, this gardening thing. And you know what? You totally get food from it. I know, right? Weird. Just in the last couple weeks, I've been over run with food. So much that I've been canning stuff a couple times a week. Pretty soon, my pantry will be bursting with crap I won't eat (squash and pickles)





and stuff that didn't work (runny jam)




But hopefully there will also be a few things that DO work and are tasty.

I know, I know, potatoes keep forever without canning, but I couldn't resist showing em off. First taters of the year!

I just counted and there are 42 jars of stuff in my pantry already. 42. (Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy? 42. Come on people! Just so you know, 42 is the answer to the question of the meaning of life the universe and everything. Focus, K! Stay on topic!) Sorry.

I interrupt this blog post to bring you very exciting news!! After uploading that last photo, I went outside to putter around while it loaded. Guess what I found!!



That's my red hen. I was wondering where she'd gotten off to! There's been a notable absence this week.

What's she doing? Why's she just sitting there?



Huh. Oh. OH!!!

She wants to be a mama!!


Look at the focus. The determination. The steely reserve in those eyes!


And I bet she'd be a fantastic mama. But you know the devastating thing? Those eggs she's so tenderly sitting on, protecting, keeping warm? Yeah, nothing but yolks in those eggs. We sent Leon up the river after he attacked Sprout. Presently, he's down at the bottom of the yard in his own little... house, yeah, we'll call it a house...in his own little house, unable to have made these eggs anything but eggs. No conjugals for that rooster. Kinda sad, huh?

At least now I know where to look for them! I haven't collected eggs in over a week. She's a tricksy one, that Red Hen.

And now, before I embark on a mission of caterpillar genocide, I'll leave you with a couple more photos from the farm, for no other reason than that they're pretty.


6 comments:

  1. I recommend butternut squash for your fall garden. I have a yummy butternut bisque recipe for you. For me, it's way more tolerable than other types of squash.

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  2. Spaghetti squash, pumpkins, so many yummy things you can make with pumkins! Love the sunflowers!

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  3. i have a great picture of you giving the finger, but i doubt that is what you need for GRIT. . .

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  4. I believe those are swallowtail butterfly caterpillars. Just move them inside with some brocolli leaves and they'll be happy to pupate. No insecticide please???

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  5. No worries, Mary. When I say my garden isn't organic, I mean i tossed some 10-10-10 down about a month ago. Insecticides skeeze me out. I would totally not use them. I've just been dropping these guys and the japanese beetles into my trusty bucket o' soapy water. I wish I had googled them before I did that though! I would've done....something. I would've done something different if I'd known what they were!

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  6. whew! I can rest easy now :-) Thanks K

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