Onions. The 5th Food Group

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I love onions. I love garlic, too, but onions are my first love. I will eat them raw, fried, baked, deep fried with delicious beer batter on them.

Onions go with everything (well, with the exception of the pb&j). I have had wonderful lunches made with nothing more than a thick slice of bread, a hunk of cheese, and a slice of onion. I like 'em in my taters, I like 'em in my beans. I eat onions with my brussel sprouts (try it, it's great!), and on cabbage. I fry 'em up and put 'em on steak, I slice 'em raw and stick 'em on my burgers. Onions are fabulous!

Every year, we fill at least one 8x10 raised bed with onions. We don't have great success, either because I don't water enough, or the season is too short, or we buy the wrong kind of sets, or... well, I dunno. I just know we rarely get the big, tasty onions of my dreams. Every year I swear I am going to buy some onion seeds and try them that way, and every year I forget, or don't have the $$ in the gardening fund, or... something.

Great successes or not, I do love growing my own onions. Even when the harvest is just a bunch of bitty little onions good only for peeling and throwing in the crock pot with a roast, I get endless enjoyment out of weeding the onion beds. As my hands brush against the tops, they release that heavenly mild onion scent, and my hands smell like onions for the rest of the day. I like the way the tops are so tall and proud. I like the firm feeling of them against my skin. I love the harvest, when gardening turns into a treasure hunt. I love the fun of digging my hands through the dirt, sifting it to find the onion. I love the anticipation of guessing if each onion will be large or small, if it will smell strongly or be sweet.

I love the way the house smells after onion harvest. I love that I can walk in the front door and know that there is a bucket or bag of onions sitting next to the counter in the kitchen that I grew myself. I love the thought of little mesh bags of onions (or, even better, braided chains of onions!) hanging from the ceiling in my kitchen. It hasn't happened yet, as they seem to prefer paper bags in the back room, but the fantasy is probably more fun, anyway.

I think this year I am going to transplant some of my dad's wild onions. They are tiny, but indestructible, and I never have the high expectations for them that I seem to have for store bought sets. I like it that the wild onions are tiny, and I love that when you walk by they smell so wonderful.

Someday, I hope that my little in town lot will be a "tame-wild" world of edibles. I imagine walking through my yard, and feeling as if I had walked into an enchanted forest of raspberries, blueberries, plum and apple trees all mixed together with beautiful flowers and lush foliage. I imagine wandering the yard and picking flowers to decorate the table at the same time I harvest fruits and veggies to serve on it.

Well, it's a nice fantasy, anyway...

~and that's all I have to say about that~

Marching Forward

March is a month of snow here in the Great Frozen North of MN. It is an especially difficult month for those of us Minnesotans who are active (yes, I still consider myself active) in the bloggy world, because we have friends from all over. Those friends from warmer areas are out there blogging pictures of their gardens starting to wake, and the ugly green monster called jealousy rears it's ugly head. I look at my 'puter, seeing pics of green little spikes coming up out of the soil (or worse, actual blooms), then look out my window and see snow...snow....snow.

On the other hand, the first few garden chores of the season can be done now, and I am gearing up to get them done. I can start some broccoli, and onion seeds. I have been fussing with the garden plans, figuring out how much I can grow and where. I have been looking at lots and lots of garden porn. This year, we are planning to add some fruit plants to our little garden adventures, so I have lots to think about. Where to put the (free!!!) strawberry plants, where to put the (free!!) raspberries, how many blueberry bushes can I fit without things looking crazy.... ya know, all those wonderful, daydreamy thoughts of planning your garden. I love the struggle to find the balance between pretty flowers and tasty veggies and fruits. I want my little town lot to have the best of both worlds, and I think I am doing pretty well so far.

Sometimes I fantasize about taking out all the trees in the yard and replanting with fruit trees. I think about how great it would be to have an empty yard where I could start from scratch and use up all the "wasted" space. I would never do it, but it's so nice to think about the fun things I could do if I didn't have to work around what is already here.

Well, I suppose Mr. Barefoot gets an opinion, but let's not tell him that, huh? I almost have him convinced that the yard is completely mine.

I am not letting these snowy, cold days go to waste. I am using my time to declutter Barefoot Manor in preparation for the summer months, when my focus will be more on the outside of the house and I won't have the interest or time to do much indoors. I have made some significant progress, and hope to have the whole house in a condition to pretty much take care of itself by spring. Yeah, I gots me some big dreams!

I have also extracted promises from Mr. Barefoot for 4 new garden boxes, some trellises, and a squirrel proof bird feeder, so I am really looking forward to the day that the snow goes away!

Decisions, Decisions

I have to go back to school.

Yes, I am one of the uneducated masses in this country, and I have known for a long time that I need a degree of some sort if I am going to be able to retire at any age before 90.

So I am looking at schools, and trying to figure out how I can fit classes into my schedule.

Worse, I am trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up.

It's harder than it sounds. Really.

Do I stay in Health care, or get out? I am kinda burned out, but I like it. Tough call.

Do I choose something for the $$ and figure that I can retire earlier, or do I try to find something that makes me happy, knowing that it will pay less?

How many years of schooling am I willing to endure? Well, I like school, so it's more like "how many years am I willing to play at school before I get a real job and start taking care of business"

So many questions, and so few answers. Add in the fact that I am terrified over the bare idea of going out into public and dealing with all the people that are involved in the schooling process, and the fact that I have to consider my fears in my career choice, and the fact that my depression keeps rearing it's ugly head and telling me that I can't do this.... *sigh*

I dunno. I think it would be a lot easier if I could just win the lottery....

I Just Might Give In This Year

Mr. Barefoot and I have had a gentle disagreement going over the issue of air conditioning for.... well, forever.

My official reason for not really wanting A/C is that we live in MN, and the really unbearable hot weather only lasts for a very few weeks in high summer. It is hard to justify the expense of an A/C unit that will only be needed for such a short amount of time. Besides, humans have lived for thousands of years without A/C. Why shouldn't we be able to do the same?

My real reason for not wanting to have it is that I am an A/C addict. I know that if we have one, I will have it cranked from May till September and our electric bill will skyrocket. We had A/C when we lived at the apartments, and I never had the willpower to shut the durn thing off on days that weren't miserable. I just loved that crisp, cool air that came with the touch of a button and a turn of a dial. I swore, when we bought Barefoot Manor, that we would not have any A/C units because of this.

I might be caving in this year, though.

Yesterday, the temps in my corner of the world reached 85 deg F, and it is humid. Swampy-humid. And it is only May. I shudder to think what the rest of the summer is going to be like. I have visions of the Barefoot Family slowly melting into the carpet as the house heats up like a solar oven in late July.

Oh, help.

Now I am envisioning a window unit for the Master Bedroom (the sauna of the house), and one for the living room. The Sprouts would still suffer, but if things get really bad they can always camp out in the living room to stay cool or sleep in the basement where it is never terribly hot.

Or maybe I could just win the lottery and buy a house with central air.

Taking My Mind Off The Pain

Well, ladies and gents, I recently had 3 teeth extracted. They promptly developed dry socket, so I thought I would distract myself from the misery currently residing in my mouth to tell you about the Family Vacation Mr. Barefoot and I are planning for early summer. This will be our very first Family Vacation (you can't forget the capital letters, because this is a Very Important Event)!

We are planning on going to.... (drum roll, please)......


California, by way of Yellowstone!


Mr. Barefoot's father and stepmother live in CA, so we are actually heading out to visit them. However, I am not above hijacking the trip to see and do a few other things that are on my "Do before you die" list. Not that I am not excited about visiting the in-laws, cuz I love them. I truly do. But there are NATURAL WONDERS to be seen both on the drive out there and while we are in CA, so I am going to take advantage of it while I can.

I found out that one of the routes for driving from MN to CA would take us right past Yellowstone National Park. This route isn't much longer than a more southern route, and it offers us the chance to spend a day and a half hitting the highlights of the park. We will spend the night here (hopefully), giving me a rest from driving and taking the opportunity to take pics of the Sprouts at Old Faithful and the hot springs. If time and $$ weren't an issue, I would like to stay for a few days. Time and $$ are always an issue, however, so one day and one night are all we have to spend in this gorgeous place.




I am incredibly lucky that my in-laws live a bare 2 1/2 hours from Yosemite Valley. So while we are visiting, at least one day will be devoted to seeing at least the high points to be found at this wonderful park. We will be in CA for around 10 days, so I am hoping to convince Mr. Barefoot to spend at least one night in Yosemite, but he is not the camping type and this visit IS really about visiting his family, so I don't know that I will win that particular debate. I am so looking forward to seeing again the mountains and trees that are so different from anything you can find in MN.


If time permits (and I am not overly optimistic) I would like to take the time to go down from Yosemite Valley to Mariposa Grove and see the Giant Sequoias. Just the thought of those giant trees gives me a shiver! If it doesn't work out, though, I will be more than happy seeing Half-Dome and Bridal Veil Falls at the very least.

We will be heading out the first week of June, and so I hope that the falls will all be running fairly full and the crowds will be minimal. Nothing ruins gorgeous scenery like piles of tourists (never mind that I am one) making noise, blocking the view, and generally getting in the way.

That sounds a little anti-social doesn't it? Oh, well, I suppose it does. But it's true, all the same.

The last place on my "must see" list is John Muir Woods, way across the state from Yosemite. Here I will get to see some of the coastal redwoods, though perhaps they won't be as large or perfect as those found further north along the coast. This is my compromise, though, as John Muir Woods National Monument is about 3.5 hours from the in-laws place, as opposed to a full day's drive further north to see some of the larger parks.



Being the list maker and planner that I am, I have piles papers listing all the places I would like to see and all the things I would like to do while we are in CA. Any of them we can fit in will be amazing, but I keep reminding myself that we are there to visit family, not feed my desire for wandering in the wilderness.

I am so looking forward to bringing the Sprouts with me on this adventure! Little Sprout is probably too young to remember it, but Big Sprout will make memories that will last her a lifetime. And I don't mean to make it sound as if I am not looking forward to visiting with my father in law and his adorable wife, either. I absolutely love spending time with the both of them, and am very much looking forward to showing off how big the little "critter-bait" (Little Sprout) has gotten. I look forward to introducing Big Sprout to yet another Grandma for the first time. I look forward to re-meeting their friends (all wonderful folks) and taking the time to just BREATHE for a change. I am hoping for a quick trip up the mountain for Pie In The Sky Pizza (maybe even with artichokes??? YUM!!!), and a bowl of homemade gumbo.

But I gotta say, I am REALLY looking forward to the big trees.

Enough is Enough

Mr. Barefoot and I had an interesting discussion a week or so ago. We were talking about finances, and having a plan for our lives, and all sorts of serious things that get dropped by the wayside when you are too busy.

It came up that he thinks I should probably go back to school so that I can make more money. Or change jobs so that I can make more money. Or do something.....ANYTHING....to make more money.

He has a point. Really, we always make ends meet, but it is always tough. I WANT to go back to school, but I have no desire to be in any line of work other than the one I am in. Well, I don't even desire to really be doing what I am, but that is a different story...

And then there is the thought that we SHOULD be able to make it just fine on what we bring home. It will never be a luxurious life, but I don't really want that either. So it keeps coming back to the question 'what is enough?'. What if my idea of enough isn't the same as Mr. Barefoot's?

Ugh, my meds just aren't up to dealing with this right now....

Obstacles

Today I got myself all worked up about the stuff that is getting in the way of me living my life. All the clutter, all the things I am just sure I need to have around. I stumble over it every day in my attempts to keep up with the housework and take care of the kids. It makes me so angry to have to move things in order to clean behind them, to have to work around all the junk, to have to work on this to make room so I can clean that.

I got so worked up that I began looking at the items in the house and thinking about our nice, empty garbage can out in the driveway. I kept thinking about all the stuff I could dump before Mr. Barefoot got home. I started getting MAD. Steaming, furiously angry. Why should I have to work so hard at night, and then come home to a house that just seems to breed messes and clutter?

So I went and took a shower. A long, hot, relaxing shower. Because Mrs. Barefoot should not, under any circumstances, clean while in that frame of mind.

Then, while I was trying to nap in preparation for work tonight, it hit me. An apost.... epist... epipha....... ummm, a paradigm shift. Hit me like a bolt of lightning. It actually made me sit up and stare into the darkness, slap myself on the head, and say "Duh".

What if I quit complaining, and just do a little bit every day? What if I quit feeling so overwhelmed and just take it one little chunk at a time? What if I quit feeling martyred because of my lack of sleep, and just be grateful that I get the few hours I do? What if, by just getting on with it already, I can get rid of the nasty voices in my head that keep me awake by telling me about all the work that still needs doing?

What if, by doing all these things, I could come home to a clean house every day and still have time to relax AND sleep?!

It's a radical idea, but one I am willing to try. You all had better cheer me on....

Food Storage

I am a total Security Freak. I live by the mantra "Prepare for the Worst, Hope for the Best". For me, it isn't about having things for the sake of having them. It is about having everything I might need in case of tragedy. There is so much uncertainty in the world.

Mr. Barefoot thinks I am a nut.

Now, my sanity or lack thereof should not be the issue when what I am trying to do is beneficial for the whole family. Right?

RIGHT?!

Anyway, the think that I have been harping about lately is the whole food storage issue. Now, we don't have a system set up like those awesomely prepared folks who always have a years worth of food stored. I am not saying that I even want to go that far, necessarily.

That's a lie, I would love to have a years worth of food handy at all times, but I am gonna start small.

I try to keep enough food in the house that we could go a couple of weeks without a trip to the store at all times, but lately that has not really been happening.

So I am focusing my efforts a little better. At least I hope I am.

Mr. Barefoot has been talking about how much he likes buying our meat in bulk. He is talking about getting a whole hog next time, and either 1/4 or 1/2 cow just for us. He is also talking about stocking up on broiler chickens (since I am a chicken fanatic). I keep telling him that he needs to take up hunting again, cuz my FAVORITE food is venison. Oh, yummy! Venison chops with onions, green peppers, and mushrooms? Nothing better in the whole world. Not even cheesecake can top it. Sorry, Lisa. I don't really think he will ever become a hunter, though. It would take time away from other things he enjoys much more.

Stinker.

I am planning out a new coupon system so that I can take better advantage of my food buying dollar. I have been spending some serious research time on the net, getting inspired by how other folks are doing it and the absolutely INSANE amounts of $$$ they are saving.

I am also compiling tons of recipes to start using around the house. I am going to make an effort to start actually making foods more from scratch. Not that I haven't pulled a lot of the pre-packaged stuff out of our diet already, but there is still room for improvement.

On top of all that, I have been spending some serious quality time with my graph paper and seed catalogs, figuring out the garden situation for this spring. Since I am in MN, I have a few months yet before I can do much (other than start my seeds, which I SWEAR I am gonna do this year), but I am thinking that if I garden at the folks' place and my place this year I should be able to do some pretty amazing things with the veggies.

Of course, my long term plan involves planting berries by the hundred over at the folks' place, and then using our place for veggies. Then we can share the goodies back and forth and live "high off the hog".

What does that mean, "high off the hog". I gotta look that one up.

The point of all this is that.....well.....did I have a point?

Oh, yes! The point is that I am excited. I just thought I would share. I might end up posting some things that work really well for me as I get going on this, so be prepared for that.

The Most Wonderful Day

I spent today Scrapbooking with my good friend Sunny. Oh, what joy!

I have been making all sorts of resolutions to myself just lately.

I plan to take better care of myself by eating better, exercising more, and taking time to do things I really enjoy.

I am also planning to get back on track with the household chores. I am sick of living in a pig sty. (oh, gosh, I sound just like my folks!)

So today was a great start to that. I spent a day doing something I like, with someone I enjoy spending time with, and I feel wonderful.

That's all.

It's Just Not Right

I have waited and waited and WAITED to write this post. I wanted to make sure that I wasn't just letting my depression color my thoughts and put me in a funk. So here I am, fully medicated, completely sane, to let you know that I am Sick and Tired.

I don't suppose you could tell from the massive amount of negative posts I have been putting up here lately.

I am Sick and Tired of not making any headway on the goals that are important to me. Well, that isn't entirely true. I am now a homeowner, but that is about the only step I seem to have taken in the right direction.

When I was a single mom, I kept telling myself that I would be able to make greater strides towards my goals if I wasn't a single mom.

When I got married, I told myself that after the teens were out (and not racking up rehab and therapy bills) I would be able to do more in the areas that I felt were important.

When I was preggers and for the first year or so after Little Sprout was born, I told myself that as soon as things settled with the baby I would be able to move forward.

The reality is it isn't happening. And I am getting really mad.

I can't do it all on my own, but I am the one with these goals and dreams and I am the one who thinks they are important. I know that I can't expect anyone to follow my dreams for me, and I don't think I do. I just wish that following them didn't feel like such an uphill battle all the time.

Sometimes I think that I just whine too much. I think that if I just got on the ball, I could do it all. I would be able to have the house clean and well decorated, I would be able to keep up on the yard work and my garden, I would cook healthy/ local/ organic meals, I could get us completely debt free, build up something for retirement, and get our expenses down to a point where I could stay home (or have a job that I really LOVE instead of one I just get through). I even plan it out. If I gave up every minute I spend on the computer / reading / doing crafty stuff, and spent those moments working around the house, I could have so much more done. If I hijacked Mr. Barefoot's paycheck, and we gave up eating out (even at work), cable, smoking and soda, I would be able to pay off our outstanding bills that much faster and pay off the house early. If I could get home from work and actually get stuff done around the house without having to stop every 5 minutes to deal with Little Sprout or sleep while she is sleeping (we are down to an hour a day), the house could run so much smoother. If I just won the lottery....

Then I take a step back and realise that I just can't do all that without help. I have been trying (oh, gosh, have I been trying) for so long, and I just haven't made even a dent in the mountain of my hopes and plans. Not that Mr. Barefoot doesn't help out around the house. I know he is going to read this and think that I am saying he doesn't do anything. He does. It's just that there is so much that needs to be done to handle the day-to-day life around here, I don't get to accomplish the things that are technically extra but are very important to me.

So I am left feeling trapped with very few options. I COULD become a total, selfish, nasty b*tch and say: This is what I want, I am gonna get it, no matter what it takes. Deal. I don't really see myself doing that, though. Another option is for me to keep on going as I have been, hoping and dreaming, working my butt off and being constantly disappointed in where things are going. That just doesn't seem to be healthy. The last option that I can see is to just give up on the whole thing and coast. Oh, that doesn't sit well at all. I HATE that folks are addicted to acting like sheep, allowing the media and the 'Joneses' to dictate what they do with their lives, completely unmindful of their responsibility to do their best to make the right choices every day.

So I am cranky. I don't like any of the options available to me. I don't like feeling like I am struggling so hard for so little. I don't like feeling like I am alone in this. I HATE that I have to prove that my dissatisfaction is not a product of my depression.

Rant over, and I will do my best to be more positive from now on.

Honest.

Merry Thanksgivoween!

First, THANK YOU FR. PETER! I wish my hubby were that supportive.

Second, Lisa: I also had that thought and called the company back about the idiot game thing. They said that for $45 they would be willing to replace our game console with one that should work with the game. We are considering it, though I hate to give these folks any more of my $$$.

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Today I sent the Sprouts out with Mr. Barefoot to do some Trick or Treating, but the Thanksgiving items in the stores are already on clearance and the Winter Holiday items are already out. It is hard to focus on what time of year it really is!

Little Sprout is not really happy about her costume. She thought it was great until I tried to put the hood up. Somehow the whole "elephant" thing doesn't come across well without the head.

Big Sprout is much happier with her witch costume. I couldn't believe it! I had to buy her an adult small size costume. Not fair, I tell ya....

See how happy she is? Especially compared to....

Little Sprout trying to commit suicide with a bubble gun because Mommy is making her wear her elephant hood.

They just look so sweet!

Mostly, my mind is on decorating for the Winter Holidays. Check this out...

Can you tell what it is made out of? Let's turn off the lights so that you can get a better look...
Yup, believe it or not that thing is made out of Mt. Dew cans! I love it! It was sent to me in an email as something of a joke, but I am already planning out where I can stash my used cans until I have enough to put this together.
It doesn't look like it would be too hard to make, really. Mr. Barefoot and I had a "discussion" today over whether or not I am justified in getting another (couple) tree(s) for the holidays this year. I say we need at LEAST one more (I only have 4), and he says that we have plenty, thank you very much.

I think I am gonna play the depression card on this one, though. I haven't WANTED to decorate for the holidays in about 3 yrs due to feeling cruddy. I have always loved the decorating aspect of the season, so not wanting to bother was really strange. This year I am raring to go and can barely wait for Thanksgiving to be over so that I can get started. I think that deserves a celebratory tree, don't you? Especially if I hit Goodwill or the thrift store and get a used artificial tree? I think so.

I have big plans for decorating this year....I want a burgundy, cream, gold, and dark green thing going on in the living room. In the kitchen (we have a huge kitchen) I was thinking of doing cookie cutters and gingerbread men...you know, all cooking type stuff. Then in the family room I was hoping to let Mr. Barefoot go nuts with his multi-colored madhouse toyland decorating. I ordered holiday themed rubber duckies to decorate Little Sprout's tree with, and will be asking what theme Big Sprout would like. I want to do an ice and snow theme in the master bedroom, with all clear or white ornaments. I figured icicles, snowflakes, snowmen...that kind of thing. With silver accents. Oh! and I could do the dining room in cream and gold! How fun! and maybe in the little room between the bathroom and the stairs to the basement I could do a "homespun" type thing......

Ah, the possibilities.

Anyway, if any of you run into Mr. Barefoot tell him that I deserve another tree, k? K. Thanks.

Heating up

I am still hung up on this heating thing that Mr. Barefoot and I are agreeing to disagree on.

I keep thinking about how every house I have ever lived in has been cooler than our apt was. I think that it has something to do with all the insulating properties of the other apts around you, all being heated to varying degrees.

So anyway, I figure that even if Mr. Barefoot gets sneaky and turns the thermostat up, the house is going to be drafty~er and feel colder than our apt did at the same temp. Luckily Mr. Barefoot is...ummmm, we'll say frugal (like me).....and my hope is that his frugality will outweigh his desire for a tropical paradise this winter.

This means warm booties, funky and fashionable hats that can be worn inside, lots of blankets and lap~rugs for sitting in front of the TV, and layering of clothing.

Hmmmm....I had better get my crochet hooks out and get going on learning to knit, huh?

I think we are doing just fine in the blanket dept, since somehow we managed to end up with about 7 million. They are not necessarily all pretty, but they will keep us warm no matter what they look like.

My main concern is Little Sprout at this point. The little pain in the backside is just like her Mommy. She loves to be barefoot. I can't keep socks or anything on her little tootsies no matter how hard I try. The last few nights around here have been downright nippy, and our house seems to be holding on to the cold air during the day. Little Sprout's little toesies are frozen, but she keeps taking her socks off!

Anyone have any ideas for socks with attached suspenders or something? I am thinking a garter belt type deal with attached socks. Or maybe I could find some kind of footie long johns. Kind of like footie jammies, but not. Ya know?

Actually, the more I think about it, the better that idea becomes. I have a sewing machine, and can use it without sewing my fingers to my project. I should look for a pattern for footie jammies, and then just use material that I would use for an outfit instead.....any thoughts? I could use tougher type material for the bottoms of the feet, so that she didn't wreck them right away......Hmmmm.....

Settling in...

Well, yesterday was "bill day" here at Barefoot Manor. No, not the day that I sit down and frighten myself by paying the bills, it was the day that all the bills arrived at the house.

I was surprised at how low they all were. The last time we lived in a house, our monthly bills were outrageous. Now I am beginning to wonder if a lot of that was having two teens in the house. So I am pleased to see that the bills are not going to be as scary as I had thought.

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Last night we had our first fire in the fire pit in the back yard. It was wonderful. Clear skies made for easy star watching, and we have quite the generous brush pile to use for our fires thanks to a neighbor's tree that was lost in a storm right before we moved in. The tree must have been dead already, cuz the wood is already mostly dry and very easy to get to "take". The fire experience got a little hairy a few times when Little Sprout decided that she wanted to play with those pretty orange ribbons, but disaster was averted and a good time was had by all.

Photo from pasaninyeri at flikr

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I have been busily planning gardens for next year, though I am hampered by lack of sunlight in our yard. Mr. Barefoot has requested "lots of color" up front, but doesn't want it to "look like a jungle". Picky man. Luckily I have lots and lots of hostas that can be moved (most likely I will have to wait for spring, now, I just don't foresee having the time before frost) both from the beds that already exist here at Barefoot Manor and from my folks' house. Mom doesn't want to keep my flower beds, so she is just holding on to them until I can move the plants she doesn't want to keep.

photo cheerfully stolen from dutchbulb.com

I am thinking that Coleus will go well with all the hosta, and am surfing the web for spring blooming bulbs. Both of those should give me quite a bit of bang for my buck.

these ones, too

I am going to have to pull out TONS of daylilies that are not getting anywhere near enough light to bloom, and some idiot planted Lily of the Valley in the beds here, as well. Not that I have anything against Lily of the Valley, really, it just ends up being so durn invasive around here. So I want it gone. I do NOT want to spend hours every spring and fall for the rest of my life trying to contain those stinking plants.

I am tentatively planning to plant some Rhododendrons in the back, under some pine trees that must stay. Our yard is pretty protected, and though we are at the northern~most edge of their growing zone I think I might be able to keep some going. Job #2 is for a woman who has a beautiful Azalea growing along the South wall of her kitchen, so I am keeping the hope alive.

Rhodie pics from Springhillnursery.com

I will also want to get me some more Trillium, Merrybells, and old fashioned Bleeding Heart (both white and pink). And I have a soft spot for violas, so that will be a seed order happening in January.

Pic from dutchbulbs.com

Trillium photo courtesy of wikipedia

I have Irises that need to come to Barefoot Manor, as well. I know they prefer wetter areas, but they have done just fine in the dry/light shade over at my folks' place so I am hoping that they will be tolerant of a bit more shade here. I will just have to be sure to keep them moist 'till they get a bit more established, and then wean them off the watering. I am hoping to also get some of the "Eye of the Tiger" variety....I am sure Mr. Barefoot will love the color combo on those babies.

Pic from dutchbulb.com

Of course, none of that can happen until we get rid of that idiot wasp nest. I know that wasps are supposed to be "good bugs", but everyone in this house has bad reactions to stings and that durn nest is right where I need to put my veggie patch so it has to go.

I am also going to have to start saving my pennies for mulch (so that things don't look like a "jungle"). I figure at some point next year, I am going to be posting a lot like Lisa has this past summer. Hehe.

Yard Planning

So, since it is now becoming a reality in my mind that we are going to be homeowners soon, I am thinking about our future yard.



Here is my issue:



When we looked at the yard, my main concern was that there would be enough space for me to have a veggie patch and room for some flowers.



Got it. Room for at least a few hundred square feet of veggies and a lot of space for flowers.



We also have quite a few mature trees. And that is where the problem comes in. Four in particlar trouble me. They are very large pines situated on the South and East sides of the house. I love the idea of these beautiful trees, but they are in my way. They are blocking sun to the only spot in the yard I can have my veggies, and actually the electric lines to the house go right through the middle of them.

I know that I will be having the electric company come out and cut the branches back so that that particular problem gets solved, but I am going back and forth on if I really want them removed completely.

The problem with this yard is that it doesn't seem to have been planned at all. Lilacs planted in the narrow space between the garage and house where they don't get nearly enough light, trees planted right up against the house, sun loving flowers struggling in the shade, strangely pruned and sickly looking hydrangea and bridal veil right up against the house, a HUGE fire pit just hanging out in the middle of the yard....ugh.

My first instinct is to rip it all out and start with a fresh slate, but I am not quite willing to give up all the mature trees at once. I hate when houses just kind of "float" in the yard with no trees to hold them down. I keep thinking that they will fly away.

I know, my imagination needs to be curbed just a bit.

I keep trying to figure out how I can get some fruit trees and bushes started before taking the big trees out, but there is so much shade from the biggies that I am afraid young trees will not be able to get what they need.

I also know that I can't afford to buy every plant I want right off the bat and that I will not be able to afford large specimens. I will have to start with young plants and wait for them to grow and fill in the space. I don't want the yard to be "nekkid" while I wait.

On top of all that, Mr. Barefoot thinks he gets to have a vote in how the yard gets handled.

My brain hurts.

I can't wait till I can get some pics for y'all, cuz then I will be asking for opinions.

Fun Time

While I was working the last couple of days I read the newest book from one of my favorite authors. It was so nice to read something light and entertaining. I am feeling greedy about it now. I want to go out and get lots of books to read and curl up in bed for a week or three and devour them.



Wouldn't that be fun?



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I have also gotten quite a bit of crocheting done. Since I finished the angel (crud, I forgot to get pictures again), I decided I needed a break from cross stitch and started working on a pretty simple granny square afghan. I am looking forward to getting it done already, though. I have been noticing that my hand goes numb by the time I finish one square. While it doesn't hurt, it is a really strange feeling and not altogether comfortable. I really enjoy crocheting, though. Especially when it is something as easy as a granny square. I can keep my hands busy and still be able to talk to people or listen to the radio while I am working. And at the end I have a pretty new something or other that I made with my own two hands.



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I am so looking forward to going to look at that fixer-upper house tomorrow. I keep reminding myself to be practical (at least for the most part), and I hope that I will be. I get so excited about rehabilitating broken down/old/unwanted things, that I am sure I will go off the deep end over this house.



I wonder what it is about me that is so addicted to fixing up old/broken things? Sometimes I feel like my Grandfather, who had a whole garage full of broken radios and other misc things he would buy at garage sales so he could "fix 'em up and sell 'em for good money". I loved my Grandfather, but could never resist making fun of that particular weakness. Now I find it in myself! I suppose that is poetic justice or something, right?



I think it is funny, because I am never really excited about new things. I like them okay, but I always look longingly at the items at Goodwill or even sitting on the curb somewhere and immediately start imagining how wonderful it would be to fix them up and make something wonderful out of them.



Of course, Mr. Barefoot loves new things best. Isn't that the way it always goes? I suppose we balance each other out. I keep him from going out and buying new stuff all the time, and he reminds me that I don't have the time or the expertise to fix everything I want to.



I think if I could ever really slow my life down and have some significant time and space to myself, that would be a hobby I would really like to have. Maybe I could even have a shop where I sold all the things I made. It isn't just furniture, I like to make things out of found objects, too. Remember my Gnome Homes? Those sure were fun to make. Of course, they fell apart because they were made with more enthusiasm than skill, but I have been thinking about them all winter and may have come up with solutions to the problems I had with them.

Anyway, there is a storm rolling in. I can hear the thunder and am getting excited to see the storm in all it's glory.

Have a nice night all, I am off to storm watch!

Plans Gone Awry

Yeah, I had big plans for this time with no hubby and no overnight job. They were great, too. I dreamed that I would get the house clean and decluttered in the first few days of my "vacation", and spend the rest of it enjoying the nice clean house and all the sleep I was going to be able to get. I imagined cooking a little more than I have been lately (life has been just crazy-busy), and spending quality time with the kids.

Yeah, that didn't happen, and Mr. Barefoot comes home on Sunday.

I did manage to clean out our closet. I have given up on losing weight in the near future, so I got rid of all the clothes that don't fit me at present time. With the laws of the perverse being what they are, I will now drop 30 lbs without trying, right?

I am keeping up on laundry okay, and have gone through quite a bit of the junk we have accumulated since my last purge, but I still have not managed to do half of what I had planned. I am instead spending my time running to work (job #3), being happy for The Sarge (who got a new job and will now be leaving me ALL ALONE with the crazy people at job #1), and......well, I am not sure what else I have been doing. It is all a blur, but I know I haven't been accomplishing what I wanted to.

Mr. Barefoot tells me that his trip to visit his father has not gone as well as he had hoped. Don't get me wrong, he and eldest Step-Sprout are having a wonderful time with FIL and SMIL....it's just that last Sunday FIL blew the head gasket on his car, and they have not been able to do many of the things they had planned to do. I told Mr. Barefoot that I expect him to come home well rested and ready to deal with the Sprouts so that I can get a break from all their chattering. Hehe.

The longer this vacation goes on, the more I am thinking about the way I am living my life. I really don't like working as much as I do, and I am thinking that my days doing this are numbered. I would much prefer to spend my time working around the house and in my garden. I think it would be just as much work, just more fulfilling. I am actually enjoying being much more well rested. So I have made myself a deal: I am going to bust my butt to get us 100% out of debt (including our upcoming mortgage). Barring any craziness, I should be able to do it rather quickly if I make some sacrifices. Then I am going to dump all the $$ making stuff on Mr. Barefoot and retire early. Do you think he will go for it? I wonder....

Well, I gotta go....the laundry won't get done with me chatting on the 'puter!

Gonna Do My Best

I have noticed that my posts have focused on grumping about the kids and my health a lot lately, so I am going to attempt an entire post with no complaining at all.

Years ago, I put Corel PhotoPaint 9 on my puter. Oh, gosh, this computer is old!

Anyway. I am just now getting around to figuring out how to use it. I had to order a book about it off of Amazon.com to figure it out, but I am getting there. That's how my new header happened. I am pleasantly surprised that it is a lot easier than I thought it would be. Once you figure out what all the stuff is, everything becomes pretty common sense. I even managed to get my book pretty cheap (under $10) since my version of Corel is older and the book was used. I am sure techi-type folks will read this and cringe that I have something so totally out of date, but it works for me. 'Sides, those photo altering programs are expensive! I am gonna use this 'till it no longer functions. Especially since I don't plan on doing anything too incredibly crazy with it.

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I have been busy figuring out my garden and my seed starting operation. I didn't keep very good records of yield last year, so I am unsure about how much of the different things I should plant. I know that everyone in the family wants lots of my beans (they are soooooo good), but beyond that I am lost. I have a few charts that give guidelines on how much food you can expect to get from x amount of row of several different veggies, and I think that will help a little. I wonder how accurate those charts could be.

I am also torn on what to grow. I know that I will be doing the basics (tomatoes, beans, peas, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage), but am not sure about the rest. Mr. Barefoot keeps pushing for melons. I have NEVER had any luck with melons. I don't think the plants have ever even survived past the first couple of weeks. Usually the bunnies get them. Of course this won't be an issue if I get the fence up right away, but I still have a vague memory of the vines growing but not getting any fruit off of them. Besides, I am not a big melon fan. I would prefer to use the space for something I can freeze or can and then use the money I would be saving to purchase melons from the farmer's market.

Mr. Barefoot is also pushing for pumpkins and other vine-plants. I don't know. Dad always gets his acorn squash because he loves it and, after all, it is his property. I would like to grow some patty pan squash and maybe a zucchini and a yellow summer squash. But that is a lot of space taken up with plants that we don't really eat the produce of very often. I love, love, LOVE summer squash in stir fry or grilled, but that is about the only time I want it (and the rest of the family doesn't really eat it, either). I am cool with the acorn squash, because I have discovered that it is FABULOUS cut into cubes, mixed with cubes of 'taters, 'bagas, kohlrabi, and carrots and then baked. I am even thinking that it might be good to plant more than one vine. I just keep running into the space issue.

I SHOULD have set up trellises for vine veggies last fall when I put the raised bed boxes in. Lack of energy and foresight got in the way. Now I have to weigh the pros and cons of the different things I want to grow because there isn't enough room for all of it in the amounts that I want.


Speaking of my raised beds, Dad told me that their old neighbor (who has since moved out of town but still lives nearby) saw them and thinks they are fugly. I am hurt a little. I thought they were beautiful! Just to refresh your memory (or show those of you who weren't here last Nov when I posted the pic), this is what the garden looks like. Rather what it LOOKED like before the snow fell and covered it all up. My plan is to put grass clippings covered by carpet scraps in the walkways as weed control and use the Square Foot Gardening system in the boxes. I have 10 boxes that are 4x8feet.



Do you folks think it's ugly? No, I am sorry. Not just ugly, but FUGLY. I think it is kind of pretty, myself. Of course it will be much more attractive when each box is full of green growing things, but for empty beds I figure they look just fine.

I am considering making bed covers out of PVC pipe and heavy plastic. Maybe then I could get a few more weeks out of our growing season. I am looking at this pic taken on Nov 27th of last year and thinking that with a little bit of effort I could have still had some of the more cold-hardy veggies still growing in there. Of course, it would take effort and time (something I seem to have lots of in the spring but then trickles away to nearly nothing by fall). Maybe I should focus on trellises for Mr. Barefoot's vine crops first, and then worry about row covers.

Anyhoo, I think that concludes my complaint-free post. Have a good one, all!