Second Chance

Thursday night, March 15th my husband had a series of heart attacks resulting in congestive heart failure.  He underwent heart surgery 5 days later requiring a 6 way bypass and valve repair.  He is recovering nicely.  His surgeon remarked last night except for his crappy heart he's the healthiest patient he's ever worked on.  He said "Old man, if you hadn't smoked for the last 50 years you'd live forever!"   He's pretty drugged up and some of the things he says are hysterical (my husband is not a big talker).  I'm hoping they send him home with lots of drugs...it's been nice to hear his ramblings!  My boys are setting up the downstairs "t.v." room for his recovery...they have had his pickup detailed and added step-up running boards to it.  The grand kids can't wait to get him home...so we all wait.

I have worked every day (except the day of the surgery) and then the 2 hour drive to the hospital for a quick visit, it's made for a very long week.  I took today off from the hospital visit...had hoped to work in the garden, but we are having much needed rain.  I think I'll use my day to just relax...a long bubble bath, a bit of reading and a nice long nap or two.  Tomorrow I'll get to the hospital early and home late...today I'll be a tiny bit selfish.

Quick Update

I need to think about planting my tomatoes in bigger pots.  I'm not sure if I have enough tomatoes...so I've planted another 20 in a BioDome...I know, I know...overkill!  Of course I'll have more than enough tomatoes...Geez!  My son plants hundreds of acres of canning tomatoes...my best ever
gardening/canning/keeper of secrets friend, Paula just emailed me she's planted 100 tomato plants so we have plenty for our annual Butte Meadows Canning Weekend...am I nutz? do I really need to plant more tomatoes???  Just checked my pantry and I have 277 jars of tomato sauce, tomato paste, tomato soup, spaghetti sauce, pizza sauce, stewed tomatoes, whole tomatoes, diced tomatoes, Rotel (thanks again Tami) and 8 quarts of dried tomatoes. I wonder just how many jars I canned last year...we eat lots of tomato products weekly...I bet I use at least 4 quarts a week and then the family grabs that much for their home use, too.  Holy Moley!  I'm gonna' really keep track this year (yeah right...I say that every year)...no really, I've got to keep better records.

One of Two Tomato/Chard BioDome
Transplant Flats

Next on my list were the hard-for-me to germinate PEPPERS.  This year the good old BioDomes helped me to get 30 nice sturdy plants.  I have 3 varieties of Bells, Pablano, Chili, Jalapeno, Paprika and Pimento.  I planted more Bell and Pablanos than any other.  I use the jalapeno for jelly, so I don't need a bunch, the pimentos I can...I roast/smoke the paprika and grind it up...I let the chilies dry and store them in quart jars.  I was able to keep some of my pepper plants into December...producing!  With a bit more effort I may be able to have perennial peppers...wouldn't that be something?

One of Two Flats of Pepper and Kale

I planted out my seedling chards, kales and baby lettuces.  I needed to make room in the garden beds...I pulled out several of the broccoli plants...2 heads are in the dehydrator and I blanched and froze the rest.  Usually by this time of year (The Starving Time) my freezers and pantry are starting to get pretty bare...not this year!  I way over canned and froze last year!  Like I said...I need to keep much better records!

Cabbage Recovering From
Chicken Attack



Broccoli For the Dehydrator


I'm planted peas again this year.  Last year I had "pea failure"...I bought an inoculate for this year.  I'm planting a carrot in 64 of the cinder block holes...my carrots get so big (yet stay sweet) I need only one per meal!  I'm also experimenting with a portable planter made with milk crates.  I guess there's a big roof-top garden in New York City using these crates...I thought it was a great idea.  And I'm going to post a couple links cause I think this garden/farm is AWESOME...Riverpark Farm.

Now, go steal yourself a couple milk crates and PLANT SOMETHING!

Loving My Garden

I have so missed my garden.  I really need to make it a priority and not take it for granted. It's so easy to throw a few seeds in the bed, water them a couple times and then just walk away.  In the Winter I don't have many bugs, don't need to water as much, weeds are far and few between...so yes I just let it do it's thing.  I wander out in the late afternoon and grab a shallot, leek or a handful of herbs to brighten up dinner.  There's broccoli, cauliflower, cabbages, leeks, lettuce, shallots and herbs to harvest...it's been cool enough nothing bolts...so I can go out when I think about it and fill a basket for the house and plenty to share with the family and friends.  The chickens are laying like crazy, too and I'm sure the tidbits from the garden help keep them happy.  So I have committed to spending my *nap* time in the garden in my new hammock!