Showing posts with label garden. Show all posts
Showing posts with label garden. Show all posts
Monday, October 8, 2012
Cooking Therapy
October 8, 2012
I have found that cooking cheers me up. Hey Mom, I AM turning into you! Bet you never thought it would happen! I spent the weekend cooking up a storm. Sorry, Jill. No jewelry shopping.
Made a vat of chicken soup and froze some in anticipation of that scratchy throat I know will come some cold bitter night. Then lots of vegetarian meals for Hilary. String beans with potatoes and carrots in sauce, beans and macaroni and cream of tomato and basil soup. I used the last of the basil from my deck. There is just a little left for me to freeze and use in the winter. The smell of fresh basil in the middle of winter is awesome. If I don't stop cooking I will be using the bariatric toilets we had installed at work!
I also had the yard work done this weekend by a very nice young man. It made me both happy and sad. Glad to see everything looking neat but sad that it is being done by a stranger. Looking out the kitchen window and seeing someone I don't know in my yard. But next time he comes I WILL know him. He'll be Brian, the guy who takes care of my lawn. I even talked him into eating some of the food I made. See, I am getting just like Jennie.
The garden is gone too. I had Brian take it out. I really hate yard work. I hate digging in the dirt, sweating and getting accosted by bugs. Next year will just be the herb garden on my deck and maybe some flowers. The tomatoes at Hindinger's were better than any I could have grown and they are practically in my back yard.
Am I feeling better? Maybe, a little. Baby steps, as Bill Murray said in "What About Bob." One of the funniest movies ever!
Friday, August 24, 2012
Why I Never Liked Yard Work
August 24, 2012
At the beginning of the summer I hired someone to mulch the yard and trim the bushes etc. It looked beautiful. But I was warned that I would have to weed to keep it looking this good. And I did for a while. But then it got so hot and I had to increase my hours at work and deal with the ant infestation and it was summer and I love to go out in the summer. Soon I would be cooped up in my house because it would get dark earlier and cold and snowy. So I've been going out alot.
But this past weekend I was home because of my work schedule and it was cooler out. I decided I needed to weed. So I started pulling up things that looked like weeds. At one point I remember thinking, I hope this isn't poison ivy. Or poison anything. I was very allergic to that stuff when I was a kid.
On Monday morning I woke up and my right eye was swollen. Sort of like a bug bite. By Monday night the right side of my face was getting blotchy and itchy. Tuesday it was even worse. By the time Hilary came home from work I looked scary. I didn't want to go to work Wednesday. My face and neck where itchy and ugly. But I hate to call in sick so I went, planning to get through part of the morning and then go home. But someone had already called out so I knew there was no chance of me leaving. I received lots of advice from my colleagues and some practical treatment. I even purchased a new medicated that stopped the itching. I still look somewhat like the Elephant man but its getting better.
So although I conquered the ants that enjoyed Hilary's birthday cupcakes in June I've learned my lesson as far as yard work. No, its not to wear gloves, long sleeves and long pants when I weed. It's to hire someone to do it for me. Some things are just not worth trying to do yourself.
At the beginning of the summer I hired someone to mulch the yard and trim the bushes etc. It looked beautiful. But I was warned that I would have to weed to keep it looking this good. And I did for a while. But then it got so hot and I had to increase my hours at work and deal with the ant infestation and it was summer and I love to go out in the summer. Soon I would be cooped up in my house because it would get dark earlier and cold and snowy. So I've been going out alot.
But this past weekend I was home because of my work schedule and it was cooler out. I decided I needed to weed. So I started pulling up things that looked like weeds. At one point I remember thinking, I hope this isn't poison ivy. Or poison anything. I was very allergic to that stuff when I was a kid.
On Monday morning I woke up and my right eye was swollen. Sort of like a bug bite. By Monday night the right side of my face was getting blotchy and itchy. Tuesday it was even worse. By the time Hilary came home from work I looked scary. I didn't want to go to work Wednesday. My face and neck where itchy and ugly. But I hate to call in sick so I went, planning to get through part of the morning and then go home. But someone had already called out so I knew there was no chance of me leaving. I received lots of advice from my colleagues and some practical treatment. I even purchased a new medicated that stopped the itching. I still look somewhat like the Elephant man but its getting better.
So although I conquered the ants that enjoyed Hilary's birthday cupcakes in June I've learned my lesson as far as yard work. No, its not to wear gloves, long sleeves and long pants when I weed. It's to hire someone to do it for me. Some things are just not worth trying to do yourself.
Friday, July 27, 2012
It was my Party.
July 27, 2012
So, as the song goes I did cry a little yesterday. Six months ago Annie told me I would feel better by my birthday and I did. I spent a very relaxing day at home and went out to dinner with some of my friends and my kids. Even blew out a candle. Ortwo. Dinner at Ludal's in North Haven was delicious. Good food, great bar and even better company. But it was bittersweet.
However it beat last years birthday in spite of the tornado warnings (how appropriate.) Last year my then husband could not even manage to get me a gift. He claimed he couldn't get to the store because he was recovering from shoulder surgery. As you will remember, from an injury he received in Montauk with the Big Shlokeh(arabic.) But he had no trouble driving to motels in Setauket in my car because it was an automatic. I drove his 12 year old standard to work everyday because I felt bad for him. Unbelievable. As my friend Mary is fond of saying there are worse things than being alone. After the emotional abuse I endured last year I would have to agree.
On a happier note I did enjoy an incredible ice cream pie from Wentworths. The crust was a peanut butter cookie filled with oreo ice cream. I didn't even know they had ice cream pies! And an update on my garden. Yesterday I picked three very small cherry tomatoes. They are green but I couldn't risk leaving them out there. While I was walking to the garden I spotted a very large wild turkey enjoying my produce. As Hilary says, "They have to eat too, Mom."
So, as the song goes I did cry a little yesterday. Six months ago Annie told me I would feel better by my birthday and I did. I spent a very relaxing day at home and went out to dinner with some of my friends and my kids. Even blew out a candle. Ortwo. Dinner at Ludal's in North Haven was delicious. Good food, great bar and even better company. But it was bittersweet.
However it beat last years birthday in spite of the tornado warnings (how appropriate.) Last year my then husband could not even manage to get me a gift. He claimed he couldn't get to the store because he was recovering from shoulder surgery. As you will remember, from an injury he received in Montauk with the Big Shlokeh(arabic.) But he had no trouble driving to motels in Setauket in my car because it was an automatic. I drove his 12 year old standard to work everyday because I felt bad for him. Unbelievable. As my friend Mary is fond of saying there are worse things than being alone. After the emotional abuse I endured last year I would have to agree.
On a happier note I did enjoy an incredible ice cream pie from Wentworths. The crust was a peanut butter cookie filled with oreo ice cream. I didn't even know they had ice cream pies! And an update on my garden. Yesterday I picked three very small cherry tomatoes. They are green but I couldn't risk leaving them out there. While I was walking to the garden I spotted a very large wild turkey enjoying my produce. As Hilary says, "They have to eat too, Mom."
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
My Secret Garden
July 24, 2012
Before anyone thinks this is an X rated blog, calm down. I'm really going to talk about my vegetable and herb garden. As you can tell I love to cook and eat good food. I delight in going out to my deck and picking basil and parsley to put in my food. And there is nothing like tomatoes from your own garden.
For many years Dave planted a garden on the side of our house. All enthusiastic in the beginning. Planting not only tomatoes but eggplant, peppers, lettuce and squash. But as the summer went on he became less enthusiastic about keeping the garden maintained. And I learned he silently resented my "nagging" about weeding and watering. Funny, the things you learn when your husband has taken to sleeping with a tramp.
I never enjoyed yard work. But this year I was determined to have a garden. I hired someone to till for me. I planted tomatoes, peppers and eggplant. I watered and staked. And the deer, the rabbits and whatever is living under my shed (and the two babies it has had) have eaten everything! The squirrels have been eating all my bird seed. My daughter says they have a right to eat too. I have finally given up on the garden. But I am still determined to get the best of the squirrels. Maybe a BB gun? Just kidding!!!
I have been buying tomatoes at Hindinger's farm and have put pots with herbs on my deck. I have beautiful basil and sage but the parsley has bitten the dust. I love the flowers I have planted all around the house. I'm thinking next year I'll just plant herbs and flowers and buy the vegetables at a farm stand. You have to learn when to say enough is enough.
Before anyone thinks this is an X rated blog, calm down. I'm really going to talk about my vegetable and herb garden. As you can tell I love to cook and eat good food. I delight in going out to my deck and picking basil and parsley to put in my food. And there is nothing like tomatoes from your own garden.
For many years Dave planted a garden on the side of our house. All enthusiastic in the beginning. Planting not only tomatoes but eggplant, peppers, lettuce and squash. But as the summer went on he became less enthusiastic about keeping the garden maintained. And I learned he silently resented my "nagging" about weeding and watering. Funny, the things you learn when your husband has taken to sleeping with a tramp.
I never enjoyed yard work. But this year I was determined to have a garden. I hired someone to till for me. I planted tomatoes, peppers and eggplant. I watered and staked. And the deer, the rabbits and whatever is living under my shed (and the two babies it has had) have eaten everything! The squirrels have been eating all my bird seed. My daughter says they have a right to eat too. I have finally given up on the garden. But I am still determined to get the best of the squirrels. Maybe a BB gun? Just kidding!!!
I have been buying tomatoes at Hindinger's farm and have put pots with herbs on my deck. I have beautiful basil and sage but the parsley has bitten the dust. I love the flowers I have planted all around the house. I'm thinking next year I'll just plant herbs and flowers and buy the vegetables at a farm stand. You have to learn when to say enough is enough.
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