my garden is bitchin'

Those are zukes and I prune them back about every day. Out. Of. Control. We shall eat you soon, my pretty little zucchinis.

Cucumbers and spinach. It doesn't look pretty. Controlled cuke chaos. I cut up $2 worth of cukes this morning (2 whole cucumbers) from the grocery, and I have about 20 growing on these 3 plants. Holla!

I need to do some research on the baby spinach. They are growing, but like I said, it ain't pretty. Or consistent.

Things like this amaze my simple brain. Last night, that was not wrapped tight like a snake, and it was short. (TWSS) This morning, that tiny little support strand looked like this. A climbin' we will go!

Psst. I write, you click on the brown bar. XXOO

Awkward Jr high kid with mouthful of braces

Isn't that what my new, improved and expanded garden looks like? I was feeling a need for more support this year.

I hate birds

We have baby birds in one of our front evergreens. It was sort of cute when they were born. 

I have checked in on them every day since birth. Repeatedly.

Since we are very loud around this house, especially when the kids are outside, I was afraid their mother would just leave them, alone, in the nest, to avoid the ruckus.

She didn't leave them, and now, they look like real birds with real feathers and beaks that peck things.

There are five of them. And, it is time for them and their momma to go. The bird crap is unbearable. 

If you shat somewhere, you should be sure to clean up your mess. But, I have a feeling momma bird will just be leaving hers.

I also think she should come to the realization that she no longer should sit on them. { Although I am sure she has done this before.} But enough already.

Maybe spend some time teaching them to do something useful like flying.

As Tom Mayle (my Dad) always said... O-U-T. Out. Out. Out.

- - -

 Okay, here we are again discussing my status on TMB.com. I am sitting JUST outside of the top 10, and so so so many votes away from #10. So help a gal out, won't you? Vote, and keep on voting every day, but also suggest thewhitewords.blogspot.com to all of your fabulous friends (your real friends, plus all of those bonus ones on Facebook and Twitter!). XXOO

{Still} Feels Like the First Time

last night's harvest

Every single time we head out to the garden to harvest our veggies, we hoot and hollar as though it is the first time we ever realized we could actually produce food on our own. With every cucumber pulled, one of us says, "Whoa, LOOK at that one!". And then, Matt will tell me (again) how our kids are eating 4 cucumbers a day. The kids look at how many tomatoes I have pulled off the vines, ask (again) if they came from our garden, and then choose their favorite to snack on.  I don't think I could ever get tired of gardening.

Big *ss Cicada

This lil' guy greeted me a couple nights ago as I was harvesting some vegetables from the garden. He is a cicada locust and was about 2 1/2 inches in length.

He was so big that after I said my hello and moved him out of the way, I expected him to say, "Howdie. Been hot here in Ohio, eh? Your cucumbers are looking great."

Tomato Art

Tomato Family Portrait

Tomatoman

{ I picked some tomatoes tonight, if you didn't notice. }

WT Garden

I am a very particular kind of person when it comes to our yard and house. I like clean lines. Straight rows. No clutter. Shiny things are good. Deep down, I am sure it is my desire to look good to those who enter in or travel past our house. Whatever... if one day, and that day will come, our yard and house turns to complete and utter choas out of my control, I will survive. I just really like to take care of what the good Lord has provided for us.

My garden so does not have the order I so desire it to have. It is beyond out of control.

Every couple of days, Matt and I need to head out there to assess new growth and re-assess what we have already assessed a hundred times.

We now have circular tomato stakes that can't hold up the plants... a trellis that is unable to hold things together... plant posts that at this point are just ornamental in nature... sticks gathered from the woods to act as fence posts to wrap vegetable plant ties around.... it creates a kind of  group hug for the tomato plants.

Oh, and we have about 200 tomatoes (small and regular size) that I am patiently waiting to ripen.

Next year, I think I need to double - if not triple - the size of the garden. My neighbors are going to looooovvvvve me!

Local

Per my friend, Kait, the Virginia Tech Extension Service did an analysis that showed if each household in the state of VA spent just $10.00 a week on local foods, it would bring 1.65 billion dollars annually to the state economy. I do not live in Virginia; however, Ohio could use all of the help it can get with Lebron heating it up in Miami.

Here are my garden pics from last night... as local as I can get... and if Kate Gosselin can have chickens in her backyard, so can I. I doubt there is anything in our HOA regulations about livestock. I shall put that on the list of to-dos for this week.

Do you SEE those cucumbers? The first three I pulled from the garden, and no more than two hours later, G.O.N.E. It will be a sad day when the cuke plants in the garden have sprouted their last fruit. Cukes rule.

The First of My Harvest

This gardening thing sure is fun!  Mental note has been made that you should not plant nine lettuce plants at the same time unless you are feeding an army... with lettuce. If you live close to me and need lettuce, I can hook you up.

This cucumber was only 50 cents at Kriegers. I bought six of them. My estimations predict that three of them will be gone by tomorrow. I cannot wait for my garden's cukes to arrive. Until then, 50 cent ones at Kriegers will do.

happy earth day 2010

"Sometimes moderation in a culture of excess can be more challenging than abstinence."

a minute or more in my head

Life is so full of STUFF right now that I don't even know what to blog about... which is my typical blogging dilemma of late. Here is what I have going on in this life and noggin' of mine...

Ian (age 4) is no longer wearing a pull up at night. And, he isn't waking up drenched in his own urine. Milestone reached. Momma sad. Her baby has given up the one last "baby" feature. Where has the time gone?

Same son has bout of Fifth's Disease. We figured as much when his "sun-burnt" cheeks didn't go away after about 4 days of clouds. But, we sent him to school anyway because all of the research I chose to pay attention to said that once the "rash" comes out, the child is no longer contagious. School called home on Monday to let us know they think he has Fifth's Disease. Gee, thanks. Sorry we didn't tell you first.

I was asked to make my younger sister's friend's wedding invitations. They were finalized this past weekend, and Oooooo, the pressure to get them right. I don't procrastinate at anything, but this is someone's wedding... scared to start this one. Hopefully their one and only, and she is trusting me with the first impression her guests will have of her wedding. Don't worry Kristin, they will be beautiful! ::wink::wink::

Through my friend Holly, I have come to realize that I have not paid enough attention to my oldest friendships... and quite possibly the newest ones in my life. Not because I don't value them, but because that is just the way I have always rolled. I have always liked to keep my distance to eliminate the fear and pain of disappointment... I must say, I am pretty jaded from junior high and high school. As I told my friend Jenny yesterday, I think I may have learned my lesson. However, it is comforting to know that regardless of how much time has gone by, it will be those oldest friendships that will always be there for me. It is somewhat ironic that I just started reading The Girls from Ames by Jeffrey Zaslow.

Thanks to some awesome ladies and an awesome designer, my Miche Bag business has exploded. It gets me excited to see so many others jazzed about something... and it is a bonus that it is an accessory! I am booked with home parties until June, and that month is about full, too. Good problem to have.

I am helping to plan my high school class' 20-year reunion. So much to be done!

Our raised-bed garden structure arrived last week. Since the temperature has been so crazy (up and down, up and down) here in northern Ohio, I have only laid the foundation for the garden, which means I have layered cardboard, grass clippings, pine needles, some compost, etc. Within the next week or so we should have the soil placed, and then we will wait for the temperature to stay about 40 degrees.

I decided this morning, after waking up with squeaky dry eyes, that I should pursue lasik eye surgery. I am just doggone tired of scratchy eyes and looking like I am stoned or drunk all day long. I started wearing glasses in second grade... contacts in fifth grade... so these peeps need a reprieve.

My good friend, Jamie, is opening a home consignment boutique in Stow, just right up the street from our development. She plans to open Jade Grace on May 1, 2010. Consign or buy! For all of you locals, stay tuned for details! It is going to be great!

I cannot wait to catch up on Glee, Parenthood, Modern Family and Cougartown tonight! Lots of controversy on the radio today surrounding Glee's Madonna episode last night. Too much sex? Dunno, but I did send Matt a text telling him Audrey (age 11) should not be allowed to chill to Glee on the DVR when she gets home from school today. With much trepidation because of the content, she and I have watched some episodes toegther, but she may have seen her last episode. Apparently, the show is rate TV14. I, however, am over 14 and cannot wait to see the episode and download the tunes!

It is always nice when feathers find their friends, don't you think? I was able to find the reverse version of the initial print at Target. I love them!

Enjoy your hump day and I hope wherever you are, there is plenty of sunshine!

My Lots

Taking the cue from my friend, Colleen, I have been bidding on lots of clothes on ebay. Not alot of clothes, just lots, as in batches.  It has been incredibly fun, yet terribly addicting. Why is it that other peep's clothes look so much cuter than my own?!?  And, as long as they are clean without armpit stains, I am game. It is all about recycling and reusing, after all. Right?

Wanted to share my new goods with you...

A couple weeks ago, I bought EIGHT skirts for $26.00 (S/H included in that amount). Do the math... waiting... waiting... yes, $3.25 per skirt. And, they are CUTE. Most fit perfectly, and one of the eight will be sold at our garage sale because it looks like something my younger sister, Cathy wore at a homecoming dance in 1991.

And yesterday, apparently as a gift to myself to use the money that Matt saved on the dishwasher, I recieved a box of 30 pieces of clothing/purses. We know I won't use the two purses because I always have my Miche on... and some of the clothes I knew I wouldn't/couldn't wear. But, the price was right, and I hate to lose. Seems I have gotten more competitve with age. Go figure.

Out of the 30 pieces, I couldn't wear what I thought were the three cutest shirts, so that sucked. One had a broken zipper, one was too big, and one was way too small. Takes me to 25 pieces, because we also took out the purses. I CAN count. 

I couldn't wear one pant, two jeans and two shorts. Two items looked like something my Mom would wear (and she may!). One tank top was attrocious, and the other Audrey can wear.

Down to 17 pieces of wearable, fashionable clothing. With shipping/handling, it comes to $7.50 each. And, I never had to leave the comfort of my keyboard. I may have paid a tad too much, but I will recoup some of it when I sell the unused at our garage sale... or at the consignment store. It is one big tranfer of crap for goods.

Here are the ones that survived the paring.

Farmer Anne

Wow. It's been a long time since I have blogged. The last week or so has been crazy with Matt being in Chicago for 4 days (at a hair/beauty show) getting his hairdressin' on, spring break for the kids, a couple days away at a waterpark, death of an uncle, the breaking of a dishwasher, the breaking of my eyeglasses (just before I decided to scratch my eyeball, which meant no contacts), Easter, a pre-birthday celebration for Isaac (the big EIGHT is fast approaching!)... and I think that is enough.

But TODAY... oh, TODAY... is a big day. Feeling the pressure from my sister, who already created her raised garden bed this past weekend, I went online and bought one of these puppies. Not the woman, nor the flowers, but the faux stone raised bed! Sweet, isn't it? Great reviews. Great look. And perfect for suburbia when one doesn't have a privacy fence!

If you recall, not too long ago I had a post called Suburban Warfare. Well, April is here, and I am on a mission to create my perfect garden!

After I get my bed border in the mail, then I will start composting. Just this week, I heard a new term for what I thought I would try. Lasagna gardening.  Why, I happen to be a huge fan of lasagna, and I am seriously looking forward to gardening, so the term will stick!

With lasagna gardening, you create rich soil through adding layers of organic materials that will “cook down” over time. Because of my lia sophia and Miche Bag businesses, we have tons of carboard coming in every week, and we will be using grass clippings, fruits and vegetables, etc. to start the composting process and to build up our beds. I bought a 4 x 8 foot bed, so if I tried to fill it with purchased product alone, it would cost me an arm and a leg! In addition to all of this composting business, the other thing we need to get started is the spidered watering hose to lay in the bottom of the bed.

Excited. Very, very excited for this new gardening adventure. The weather in Ohio is still very iffy - 80's today and 40's on Friday. For the next few weeks, in anticipation of the last frost in May, we prepare, and wait. And likely prepare more, and wait longer. 

the greenest product is the one that already exists

Right? 'Cause we already covered that here. But I wanted to tell you about something my friend, Colleen, did a couple of weeks ago.

Colleen went on eBay and bought an entire "lot" of clothes... just her size. Name brand, about 40 pieces, for about $140.00. What an awesome way to go the consignment route without having to choose each piece individually! Colleen will now be wearing an entire wardrobe from some chic in California!

consign & recycle

Anyone who knows me, knows I love to shop! But I also love a great bargain.

suburban warfare

We live in a development where all of the houses look the same. Same shapes. Same colors. Same fixtures. Different landscaping. Different lawns. Different expectations.