Nope, I'm not depressed by the dawning of another soggy, sunless day. I've my choice of more than enough interesting things to do.
Yesterday my daughter, who's on a cleaning, sorting, organizing binge, gave me this attractive (and substantial as I think it may weigh 'bout the same as I do) basket. She used to keep folded quilts in it when she had a larger living space.
It will go into my quilt room and perhaps hold some of the overflow of quilts I'm currently trying to store in my coffee table. Or maybe I'll put all my unfinished projects in it along with a trip alarm that will guilt me every time I walk past it.
She also gave her dad and me a box of her DVDs to look through and borrow any that we might like to watch. I now have a stack of those that appeal to me and Papa Pea has a similar stack of his own. (Ne'er the choice of movies will meet?) I made the comment that I wished it was winter time so I could snuggle on the couch with a quilt to watch all the ones that I chose. Then I brought myself up short realizing that if I'm going to continue to work toward more of a balanced life, there's no reason to not take/make and enjoy the time to do so even during this busy spring/summer/fall season. Right? Right!
All of you who have read my blog over the years know that I'm a big fan of rhubarb. I check those gorgeous red stalks nearly every day now eagerly waiting for them to be ready to harvest. What will I make with them first off? Most likely my very favorite cake. If you love rhubarb the way I do, you can find the recipe here.
Well, this damp, cool weather is wonderful for growing grass and even the hardy dandelions are starting to pop out within our mowed areas. And mowing is what we may have to do soon (if it ever dries up enough) as the length and lushness of the grass continues to thrive.
In the meantime, I'm patiently (ha!) waiting for sunshine, warmth and my trusty Mantis tiller's return. It's currently ailing and in the shop of a talented small engine repair guy/friend who has promised to get it back up and running as soon as possible. As often happens, I didn't truly realize how much I use it until I didn't have it to use. Goes to show I need to be consciously more appreciative of all I have to appreciate in my life!
14 comments:
What red, red rhubarb! Is it a certain variety? Mine is green at the base, but the red never reaches up to the leaves like yours appears to. That is a lovely basket, so many possibilities! Hope there is nothing serious wrong with the Mantis. Its a bit of a gloomy, cool day here today as well.
I just gave some rhubarb away yesterday! Haven’t made anything with it myself yet. I shall have to look at your recipe! That basket is fabulous! - Jenn
Rosalea - My rhubarb was a root given to me by a friend some 20 years ago. She called it "Strawberry Rhubarb" but, sorry to say, I know nothing else about it. The stalks are huge, usually at least an inch across (or more!) and will grow to 2' long easily if I don't pull them. My fingers are crossed for the Mantis, too, but I may have let the oil level get too low on it. If that's the case, I have a lot of penance to do. And I will be very sad. :o(
Jenn - Thanks! I'm not a "cake" fan because I usually find them too dry for my taste. (That's probably why I prefer pies as a dessert.) But this cake is very, very moist and . . . soooo good! ;o)
We have a mantis tiller too! Everyone in the neighborhood seems to borrow it which is ok.
Our tomato plants have been off to a very slow start this year. They still aren’t ready to go into our community garden plot. The squash are but we need to weed and put down the weed cover first. The ground is very wet right now. We had a huge storm come through last night.
I have have a huge oval basket sort of like yours. We use it for laundry. Specifically, the darks.
Katie C. - Oh, the start to the gardening season can be maddening, can't it? Too wet, too cold, too hot already in some parts of the country. Enough to discourage a person, but we persevere! Large baskets are so handy for lots of things, if we have the room to have them around. I've always liked the looks of them though regardless and I'm happy to have this one of my daughter's.
Rhubarb was a favorite of my dad's, so I've nostalgically tried to grow it too. So far, it doesn't like our hot, dry summers.
I'm pleased to say we finally have a gloomy day! First rain in six weeks. Very welcome.
Leigh - I well know that sometimes rain can be a real blessing. We have sunshine here today (yippee!) so I'm hoping we'll get some drying of the soil. Still don't have my potatoes or all my peas in because it's been so wet.
It's my understanding that rhubarb needs a certain amount of freezing during the winter to grow successfully so your climate (unfortunately) probably isn't cold enough for it. :o(
I m trying to grow rhubarb from seed this year. Since my first, long-lived plants, I have had zero luck with it. So this time I hope to get enough sturdy plants for a whole row. We shall see.
Things are much further along here, of course. The potatoes are blooming, the peas will follow soon with their flowers, the lima beans are up, and the cabbages are really growing. Corn and purple beans are in the ground along with squash and cukes. But I do envy your cooler weather sometimes, like this past weekend when it reached the 90's here. Fortunately we were in the higher mountains for reunion and missed that misery.
Ahhh, the trip alarm idea. I need one of those for my yarn stash!! :-)
Granny Sue - Good luck with your rhubarb started from seed. You're to be given kudos for going at it that way. It will truly be YOUR rhubarb! Yesterday our temp actually got up into the 70s and Papa Pea commented that he would be happy with it like that all summer! Today we're to get a good soaking of rain which will squash my plans to get the rest of my peas and the potatoes in. But I'm just a week behind last year's planting so I'm not panicking yet. (Not yet.) ;o)
Retired Knitter - But what fun to know you've got all that beautiful yarn in your stash . . . right within reach and paid for! ;o)
I think I may have mentioned to you before, that I have NEVER even tasted rhubard, must be a Northern thing. But I would definitely love to give it a try! Sounds like you are on your way to a lovely summer of growing & preserving things.
DFW - I think there may be more people like you, who have never tasted rhubarb, than one would think! Yes, it definitely is a northern thing in that it does not usually grow well in the south or warmer climates. And I believe it's one of those foods that perhaps you have to be raised on to appreciate. It is extremely tart and needs a certain amount of sugar added to it (in a pie or cake, etc.) to be palatable. Still, the (wonderful!) tart flavor is still there, unique though it may be. Come on over and I'll make a rhubarb pie especially for you to taste a piece! ;o)
Have you ever tried 'forcing' rhubarb? If you haven't, put it on next year's list of things to try. Assuming you have more than one plant, because you can only do this to the plant about once every 3d year, do this: Just when you see the little heads trying to break ground, put a dark 5 gallon bucket on it. Put a rock on the bucket to keep the wind from blowing it off. Go away. Come back later and you'll find long super sweet rhubarb stalks waiting for the cake. We learned this trick from Harry Dodson's Victorian Kitchen Garden BBC series. We've done it ever since. Cheers!
Tim - Well, for heaven's sake! I've never heard of forcing rhubarb. And why would it grow in the complete darkness like that? Never mind, you don't have to explain it, but I may just give it a try next year. I might be able to add first harvesting of rhubarb in the county to my list of accomplishments! Thanks, Tim. What a fountain of knowledge you are. :o)
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