As the Garden Turns...

So the garden has expanded this year. Actually, it has doubled in size. Gardening is such a learning experience for me. For example I have learned that parsley and I am going to assume cilantro are biennial plants. I was surprised to see it making a return appearance when the ground thawed and will be sure to make sure I let some go to seed. Cilantro also spreads. I have volunteer cilantro plants all over where they weren't before. I also have a mess of chives. So far we have harvested, used and or dried cilantro, parsley and chives and it is only mid May. The strawberries are also propagating well and if the slugs or bunnies don't get them I fully expect to have at least three edible ones.

We have also planted about 15 million hot peppers. I don't even like hot peppers, but we have three of every scorch your mouth variety and eight others you never knew existed. Needless to say I will not be checking to see if they live up to their hotness claims.

We also planted last weekend seeds. Lots of seeds. I am not very good with seeds, but we shall see. What went into the ground...beets. Lots of beets. Beets of all colors. I love beets. Also collards, chard, spinach and some lettuces. I stuck a few onions in that had sprouted in the cupboards too just to see what would happen. Also the vertical garden got some peas planted...

In the front herb/flower gardens I put in: calendula (which I have been mispronouncing for weeks), two varieties of dill, basil, bells of ireland, cone flower and I feel as if I am forgetting one or two...I have a diagram somewhere.

On the food front we have made ginger wine, more kefir water and kombucha, rhubarb compote, rhubarb jam and rhubarb with rosemary jam. We have our first attempt at home brewed wine going on in the basement and the thoughts of trying our hand at some other varieties soon too...oh and today I made a batch of pickled beets and eggs which are happily pickling as we speak. Yum!

I will try to get some pictures of the garden progress and updates so I can keep track of what I am doing too. My virtual log book.

Starting over is such sweet sorrow...and booze and cast iron skillets and gardens.

First of all Happy May Day to those that celebrate and those that don't, well you should. Who wouldn't want fresh flowers and beautiful thoughts of spring...I say BRING ON THE MAY POLE AND LET'S DANCE!
So this past week has been busy. REALLY busy.
I am currently working two jobs (by choice and because the student loan people think I should) and trying very hard to get back into the running and biking thing. I have actually been pretty good and have biked or run everyday but one this week and that ain't too bad considering I am working 60+ hours this week and my love of sleep.
If you don't know I am training for the Tour de Cure bike ride which raises money for diabetes research. This will be my first century ride and I am terrified and way undertrained, but I am going for it.

My page is: http://tinyurl.com/blp79xm if anyone is interested in supporting my cause and can I say holy font change batman...

Lola, my beautiful bike, and I went out for a nice hour ride Sunday and we enjoyed a few back roads and deep thoughts and the relaxing hum of high power wires...ahhhhh bbbuuzzzzzzzzzzz
Hoping for an even longer ride this weekend to get me where I need to be.

Now the booze...we have ventured into extremely low alcohol wine making and made a sweet, thick, spicy ginger wine. So far the reviews from those who have tasted it have been positive. I like it. The ginger gives it some bite which counter the ridiculous amount of sugar you use. I would love to say the yeast ate it all, but if you taste it you know I am lying...also the Thai hot peppers we grew and added give it a wee kick on the backside.  Next I want to try my hand at dandelion wine, but I need to find those funny stoppers that let the fermenting gas out, but no air in...

And now on to skillet matters.
On a suggestion from a brilliant man I know I used some left over juice from canned Hungarian hot peppers to that stuck on crap out of the cast iron skillet. Just poured enough in to cover the bottom...heated it for a minute or two and the wiped it out. (I did season the pan a few months ago, but It could probably stand another seasoning...) I was truly amazed at how easy it was and how effective as well. Seriously. Try it.

And a few words on gardens. We started prepping and we started a few seeds. If they survive the cats salad fetish they might even make it into the garden. Will try to keep this updated as I am curious about journaling about the garden...as a reference for the future.

Okay getting sleepy and four something comes way to fracking early.