Rocks

When I tell people that I've already been outside gardening for a good chunk of time this spring, they probably imagine that I've actually planted a good deal of seeds or plants.  But mostly what I mean by "gardening" is actually rock retrieval.  The former owners of my home decided that a nice rocky beach home look would really do it for the front yard.  And so I have spent days over the years just sifting handful after handful of rocks the size of grapes out of the soil.  Each spring I find that the freezes of winter have brought yet more rocks to the surface.  And each spring I head outside with seeds and seedlings only to leave them sitting day after day while I plod through rocky, rocky soil.  I must say I often think of the previous owners this time of year and wonder why they chose to do what is so very difficult to undo to achieve a look I feel was quite lacking in curb appeal.

Our Fall Garden

Welcome Fall!  Fall is welcome after such a hot summer--particularly since we've still been able to get a few crops in that are thriving (quite honestly, we were able to get in only the barest few since fall planting corresponded with Abigail's birth--and these got in a little late, so we're barely getting ripe crops as the weather is getting colder).

Radishes are beautiful this time of year--not too many vegetables can beat radish for vivid color.

 Arugula grows like a weed at our house--it is, in fact, our weed of choice.  Considering how much they charge for it at the grocery store or farmer's market, I'd say arugula growing is a well-kept secret.  I literally scatter seeds onto raked earth and then rake a little more.  Viola!  Crop!

The winter lettuce I planted is so beautiful, I just wish I'd planted more of it.  This little patch is perfect and healthy (just too little).

Since my nursing daughter is up at night if I eat cruciferous veggies, I'm trying to maximize on these last few days of green beans.  We've got a beautiful crop just coming in--I'm trying to let them get just a little longer. . . but I feel like I'm playing chicken with Jack Frost.

Strawberries from the Garden

Micah and Jesse helped me pick 8 strawberries from our garden this afternoon.  That actually made a rather significant yield.  Added to the local strawberries I bought over the weekend, they made a lovely strawberry milkshake.  The family agreed that it was an amazing milkshake (Micah called it a miracle).  Here's the simple and extremely tasty recipe:

Strawberry Milkshake

Wash and trim a generous pint of strawberries (that's a little over 1/2 quart), then lay out on a plate to freeze.  Leave in the freezer at least an hour (I did more like 45 minutes, but they weren't frozen enough and I had to add more ice).  Put about one cup of whole milk and one cup of kefir (or plain yogurt) in the blender (do 2 cups milk if you're not using the yogurt).  Add the frozen berries.  Add a few ice cubes (or if your berries are really frozen you could skip the ice).  Add about 1/8 to 1/6 cup sugar (I used a little more than 1/6 of a cup because kefir is a little bitter and because I had to add a fair amount of ice--and it turned out very sweet.  If I'd planned ahead and had very frozen berries and been able to skip the ice I'd have used a little less.)  

Next for the raspberries!!!