Bungee cords and Baling Twine

Sometimes I worry a little that my children will grow up feeling that they were deprived during their childhoods. Ask me in about twenty years and I will perhaps know what effect our frugal and humble lifestyle has on people when they grow up. I am not sure how they will remember the years of wearing only hand me down and thrift store clothing, working to earn money for anything above food and shelter, wildcrafting, Farmer's Marketing and generally making do with what is at hand. I didn't design it to be this way. The life I envisioned had just a little more money for discretionary spending. It would have included a small allowance, a few more new clothes, a little more exposure to the inside of a restaurant and a little more travel.

In reality; however, life is what it is. I was brought up in a similar fashion, though my parents didn't do any entrepreneurial stuff. We ate simple foods, wore inexpensive and hand me down clothing and tried to keep both ends together in the middle. I remember well  when my dad wasn't able to work for various reasons. I remember things being tight. What I don't remember is feeling poor. We were spiritually rich. We loved each other and we welcomed others in our home and family. I hope my children will recall feeling the same way.

I see eveidence that my children are benefitting from not being able to run to the store for everything though. When we are out of one ingredient for a recipe, that almost never thwarts my clever kids. Applesauce will replace oil in baked goods, mayo can sub for eggs or shortening in many baked items as well. They all know how to use powdered milk for anything requiring liquid milk. It is nice to know that we can all put something passably edble together in spite of missing ingredients.

I am most entertained by my family's use of baling twine, Bungee cords, tarps, duct tape and glue! At this very moment, we have a kennel built out of recycled chain link panels. It has Bungee cord hinges and some of the broken brackets have been replaced by zip ties. Our vacuum cleaner maintains suction due to a duct tape repair. Our pigs are shaded and protected from the heat by a tarp and zip ties. Parts of some of our cars have been repaired with tape, glue and (sorry honey, I had to share it) dental floss!

I think we might get kicked out of some neighborhoods, but thankfully most members of our neighborhood get around on hooves or paws and don't concern themselves much with countryside renovations. Our human neighbors too are kind and forgiving of an area of dereliction here or there. I am thankful for the experiences we are having . Sometimes I wish my chldren had it a little easier, but it will be interesting to see how they turn out and whether they carry on the family dental-floss-holding -in-the headlight where mom hit the deer with the van legacy.

Enjoy yourselves!

P.S. Go here http://www.cowboypoetry.com/stephaniedavis.htm#Baling to read the lyrics to one of my favorite songs.

Lawana

Kicking the Can



Early morning walk

 I think I may have mentioned to you that I have a short attention span. Not the totally short attention span like some folks who can't follow a conversation to the end of a sentence or can never sit still. I am more typical of someone with an ADD diagnosis. I can zone in on something that I find fascinating. For instance, I spent 30 minutes this morning researching the chemistry, uses and qualities of carbamide. Really.

Until I was about 11 I was under the impression that I had inherited my paternal grandmother's build and looks. She was dark and small. I had visions of becoming a jockey. While outwardly doing math or science quietly at my desk, inwardly I was urging some modern day Man  O' War to a total upset at the Preakness. I mentally perfected all the jocky moves while everyone else just thought I was doing my school work. Sadly, under the influence of an onslaught of estrogen, I discovered that I had inherited the stout genetics of my German ancestors. I bargained with myself that I could perhaps be a sulky racer. They could weigh more than jockies. As I grew skyward and developed ankles the diameter of my friends' calves, I allowed those dreams to slip away.

choke cherry blossoms

Running Gear!

Today, those same genetics have blessed me with strong bones and durability. However, my inner jockey/athlete is perfectly camouflaged behind a frumpy, fat lady in ankle length prairie skirts and her husband's running shoes.. So, as I find myself walkng in the morning to try to uncover bits of the inner athlete, I once again find my short wired brain multitasking. Mere walking is not enough for this brain with its visions of grandeur. No, it has to find something to do. After watching daylight come and reviewing the taxonomy of the half million or so species of plants and animals on my walking route, it became bored. Until I found the beer can! Oh what joy as I kicked that can for 2 miles. My walk flew by. My heart was light. I had rediscovered something that had occupied endless hours of my childhood. I kicked away. I was light on my feet. I swerved and dived to keep the can down the middle of the roadway. It was only later, as I was revisiting the fun I had, that I thought ...of the ...neighbors!

The Can! Before Picture

I have good neighbors. Across the river, though, at least one set keeps a spotting scope set up in their front room. I happen to know they routinely glass the hill near my house for deer and elk. They are not nosey people, just avid outdoorsmen, but they have discovered a number of suspicious activities by accident while looking for critters. I know this because they have sometimes called me to ask if someone had permission to be on my property and things of that nature. Oh my...




The Can, After Picture. Safely stowed for next time...or not.



I can hear it now.
"Honey?"
"Yeah."
"You gotta see this!?
"Elk?"
"Um No! Come look!"
"What is she doing?"
"I don't know, it kind of looks like soccer moves, or square dancing."
"Did she just bounce something off her head?"
"Looks like a beer can."
"Does she drink?"
"I don't think so."
"Wow. This is pretty interesting. I don't think I have ever seen a fat lady move like that."
"She is probably going to hurt herself!"
"I can't watch,"
"Me either!"

So. If you are bored while walking and you find a can. It can be fun and good exercise. It can also affect your neighbors. I think beer cans should come with a warning like this. "The attorney general has determined that kicking this can for two miles in the sight of sane neighbors may be deterimental to your standing in the community."

There are some stories you should not tell on yourself. As soon as I publish this, I will probably decide this was one of them.

Lawana
P.S. I kind of hurt my knee a little bit with this shuffle kick maneuver. It is okay though, I tell folks it is a soccer injury.

I Am So Glad I Am Not a Truck Farmer!

When I was growing up in the foothills of the Appalachians, some of my friends' parents were "truck" farmers. That meant that they grew extra vegetables to sell on a truck. Before my time, those trucks sometimes went door to door and were called peddlers. There were also gatherings in all the little towns of the area on Saturday where folks would sell their produce.

When my father was young, share cropping was common. Though there are variations on this theme, it involves some agreement between a person or more likely a family who has no land, farming land that belongs to someone else. The proceeds of the crop are divided between the land owner and the share cropper.



SALAD BED



SAD, COLD, LITTLE SQUASHES

The history books I read as a child carried an idea that sharecropping was one way for destitute people to rise out of their poverty. In my lifetime, it appeared that truck farmers were able to earn money also. So here's my point. My family would have long ago been evicted if I were a sharecropper. Even if you adjust for climate, soil type, etc. My gardening efforts are so pitiable! If I were a truck farmer, a Tonka truck would do for hauling the produce!

As it stands, I am not a truck farmer, nor a sharecropper. I do have hopes of selling a few things at our local farmer's market if the weather and my garden will cooperate. For now though I would be excited to just have enough lettuce to build a salad! Perhaps I would do better at hunting and gathering. If God would just let cilantro, lettuce and spinach grow in the forest, I would be set.

THE LONE TOMATO BLOOM!

As it is, it might be wild greens and berries for our family this year.

Enjoy your gardening and if the Lord blesses, could somebody send me a Jalapeno or maybe a yellow crookneck squash?

PEPPERS? MAYBE.



AT LEAST, THE GARDEN HAS A VIEW!

 Lawana

Temperature at my house this morning at daylight: 50 degrees.

Here Comes the Sun!

                                                                                
After a very late night last night waiting up on young people to come in, the sun was already over the mountains when I woke up! I was surprised to see the time on the clock, but thrilled to see the sun shining. Last night we had wrapped up in our winter coats and planted some more lettuce and beets. All the while, we were laughing about needing coats on June 3rd. Gardening in zone 5 is always an adventure. If you don't know your garden zone, check here http://plantguide.lowes.com/ColdHardinessMap.aspx

This year we overplanted so that we will garden very intensively. I have only planted things thus far that I can use the thinnings as micro greens and salad herbs. I plan to top dress with good compost and fish emulsion. I  am praying for a greenhouse next year and perhaps another raised bed or two. For now, though, I am trying to use what I have to capacity.

I know this has been a challenging year,  in the U.S. and worldwide, for gardeners. Where we only have the tiniest cold tolerant plants thus far because of the wet cold, some folks are dealing with extreme heat and drought.. It is all about adjusting to your zone and even subzone and trying to work around the surprises each year brings. Garden ON! Whatever you can grow, grow it. Whether it is mung bean sprouts in a jar, kefir, or wheat grass. Whether we live in the countryside or in the city, all of us can grow something that can contribute clean, safe, nutrition to our diets for little expense. Plant cilantro or basil in a flower pot in the hourse. If you have a patch that isn't planted, see what you can do with it, I have friends in the south who have built a shade out of an old wrought iron table covered with netting and they are having success with table greens that would normally have bolted by now.

I think I will go look at my garden.

L.