Good evening Internet world. I have fallen behind in my tech and cannot figure out how to upload pictures. Will have to ask my husband at some point. I am working Saturdays at the ElginTexas farmers market. It's a nice drive to get there and going home is not stressful. Created a new product today. It is a Kava root salve. It is quite nice.

The dirt in my garden zones have all been turned. Planted pumpkin seeds, green beans, pink lady beans, cow peas, sage, and tomato seeds today. Last weekend I went to Green and grow and picked up onion shoots. Have those planted everywhere. I love onions from the garden. OK, well I love any produce that actually grows in my garden. Onions awesome still, if not to eat then to watch them bloom and I think they do something good for my garden. I just cannot remember what. Wish they would keep the bunnies away.

Just made some baked corn tortilla chips.
Preheat oven 350F
Oil Corn tortillas whole or cut which basting brush.
Spread them on a bake sheet. Sprinkle with salt.

Bake for 12-15 minutes.I usually use 5-7 corn tortillas. Now I am thawing some avocado meat from the freezer. Will add some salt, diced onion, frozen thawed diced jalapeño, diced garlic and garlic powder. If I have some tomato then I chop one up and mix that in to. Last but not least, some juice of lime, lemon or orange juice. Citrus, it's versatile.


It's a small world and everyone needs love, attention, kindness and sincerity. Violence is weakness and desperation. I met a homeless women whom said she was assaulted the night before. Even though she has been on the streets with her husband a long time she was stressed and emotionally hurt from this event.  My daughter whom has escaped an extremely violent relationship months ago, still emotionally battles with pain from the past, not to mention the uncertainty about the abusers court outcome. She is doing so much better now, yet she fears for her and children's safety and well being. I wish I had a magic wand to make things better, but that is not how things are.

Until next time,

Me...

Update in the Casa

Wow, it's been forever since I have written on this blog. Had to stop working at farmers markets because of no longer having a kid sitter. I will be at the Pflugerville fall fest the third Saturday in November. Very excited to sell my goods. I did have items on my bonanza site, but items were not moving unless it what a local peep re ordering. So, mostly not moving. I think That I enjoy the people interaction of selling. It's invigorating and you get to be social while making money.

So enough of my missing markets. What have I been up too? I swam almost everyday in the summer and it was glorious. The pool and I were definitely having one with the world moments. I still garden. Some of my produce does well some years and other plants completely fail. I have learned to plant in diversity and also not organized. This has been helpful because of bugs, rodents, rabbits and the fact seasons change, but the weather can be unpredictable. Climate change or not food still needs to grow.

This year peaches were abundent. There was tons of rain in the spring and I usually grow my pumpkins in the spring to beat the worm invasion, but it was to wet and only one pumpkin grew in late summer. I had to pick it green. A worm had infiltrated the base. I had many orange plants sprout from me composting local organic oranges. So, I have planted them around the yard in hopes that at least one will become a producing orange tree. In the top part of my main garden, grass had taken over and I could never do anything about it because it kept raining. I hope to,manage it eventually. Rabbits have been entering my yard. I thought it was cute at first until they started to devour plants. I blocked all the hole to my backyard and that worked, but I have garden boxes in the front yard and there is nothing I can do. This is why the diversity and lack of organization has helped. They have favorite foods and they leave the rest. Or they do not see them because they are hidden amongst other random plants.

In my back yard sweet peppers are growing well. My garden is on a slight slope and I have found that mounding dirt around my plants base like a hill with the stem in the middle encourages growth. It also makes the plants healthier and they are producing. Mounding seems to work even on flat surface ground and in raised beds.

I will sign off for now. Hope every one is surviving and staying connected.

Busy As A Bee

Time has whipped by like a storm in the night. I have been cooking , baking and preparing my garden for spring. Want to share many new recipes too. When I have more time. Where do I begin. Started with a very small gathering at a friends house. We did a couple of crafts and was introduced to Stampin Up products. Bought a stamp with my name and address in fancy italic, A beautiful and huge butterfly stamp, and an ink pad. Which I have to say that the ink pads are so nice. Very pleased with my purchase. Had an issue with Walmart. Cursed a lot. There was a wrong product mailed to my daughter and it was only a few dollars I was over charged, yet they had two people e-mailing me. One courteous and one rude. The few few dollars was not worth the battle. Letting it go, but weaning myself from shopping there all the time. I have to face the fact that there are some items there that I cannot find close to me and at great prices. So, must tread carefully when buying from Walmart.

 

 

My son turned 6. Looking forward to him being more independent. Except, he has been more challenging and wanting to be 4 again. My new goal is to have him start being more independent and responsible. At 40 lbs I just can't do hold you me with out long term suffering afterwords.

Started making more powdered greens. With only greens from my garden. Thought I could sell them at the local farmers with some baked goods. Only to find out that you cannot sell anything you make in your house/kitchen. There is a cottage law that says you can only sell baked goods from your house, but no dehydrated consumables/food. After applying for the market and learning all the legalities, I will be selling my produce and lotion bars and eating all the super green powder myself.

Then another nearby place wants to start a farmers market and I was invited to check it out. It looked great and people have been saying, "Wow, you make enough to sell at the farmers market?" (and two?) I am thinking Oh my goodness, what have I got myself into. I mention selling the lotion bars, but it is like this silent whisper that no one hears. I also need a canopy and moneys for everyday I sell at any of the markets. Think-$$$. Can I come out even and perhaps positive?

                                                        Tangerine tree flower

Now, I am fighting a battle of invasion of the aphids two weeks before starting to sell. Got some Neem oil from a friend across the street. Used it and decided I needed my own for future aphids.
Built two more garden boxes on the side of the house and planted many seeds. Bought and connected drip system hoses in the main garden. My indoor sprouts failed because I listened to the young sales person at the store. They said I could grow my seeds with hummus mulch. Red flag, not true. Had to go back to the store and buy garden soil for produce and add my seeds all over again.

  New Home Depot garden/sand boxes rule. So much easier to put together than their last ones similar to this. You just need a rubber mallet. It's your best friend in the yard.

It is so much easier to say when you fail try try again, but doing it is so painstakingly, laborious and ego crushing. Really have to figure out what is worth my time and energy versus other aspects of my life. Like Summer swimming in the evenings with family. Being home versus working.

                                                                   Before fertilizer

My investment into the garden has been pricey. Mulch, seaweed granules, a bit of miracle Grow. Doing what I can to make everything as organic when possible. My lemon cucumbers are sprouting indoors today. I have seen them and a few tomato seeds move fast through out the day. It is quite amazing to see that kind of action.

 

                                                              After fertilizers

Made tomato cages out of fencing. Will make more if needed. They are the best. I am very proud of them. Got the pool chemicals balanced. Added my name to the large list of HTV's Jacksonville FL. 2013 Home drawing.

Motorcycle races this weekend at the F1 track.

Yeah, I need to step back and kick back a moment. Where is my Kava?

                                                                        Zen
Hope you enjoyed my crazy catch up news. I like to think of my blogisphere as my friend of many minds in one place together. Have a great day.