Live Free

Weekend Happenings

We had a busy weekend full of outdoor activity and kitchen fun.  I had the camera with me so much and so tonight I uploaded what seemed to be hundreds of photos! I think the overcast skies had me itching to test out the new (to us) light outside. The white balance and saturation was so unusual compared to what I'm use to uploading. So many shots came out super, crazy saturated or bland and washed out.  I did a little touching up on Iphoto to lessen the harshness.  Just goes to show you that the light was indeed different this weekend. 

The photos below were actually taken in sun. As we arrived for a hike in Mayfield Park, the clouds broke and the sun came out. It was very humid and hot, but Bea didn't seem to notice. She had a great time perfecting her footing on the bumpy trails. She loved the challenge! It's so exciting to see the look of pride in her eyes and she conquers the challenges of growing up. The highlight of the hike for mama was when she found an acorn on the ground and decided to keep it in her pocket. Be still my heart. What a little girl she is - collecting things (like round little acorns) and putting them in her pocket! 

Mayfield Park is one of my favorite places to go in Austin. So much to see and explore right smack in the middle of the city. 

Yes, peacocks roam free throughout the park. Bea was intrigued but the peacocks weren't. 

This pretty stone wall surrounds an old farm house and a lush garden area that borders the trails. 

Check out her war wounds! Unfortunately, she's no stranger to mosquitoes! 

I think I'll hop my way down this portion! Ready...set...jump!
    

 

 

A transitional time of year indeed...As we begin to find the first of fallen acorns and such, the delights of summer are still very much with us.  Zinnias and basil make up this arrangement of local blooms!

   

We took a wonderful outing to another one of my most favorite places in Austin. Why, yes...I did have a great weekend! On the way there, we drove beside a pretty little pasture on a back road. There grazed a beautiful black cow and bull and a very handsome oatmeal colored horse. We pulled over to let Bea visit and say hi to them. The cow and the horse appreciated the sentiment. The bull, not so much. We abruptly aborted the scene when the bull began to stump his feet.  Sorry Mr. Bull, didn't mean to intrude! 

 

 
 

Scenes from the gardener. Bea now starts "oohhing" when we drive up into the parking lot. She knows she'll get to roam around the farm, exploring gravel pathways, petting donkeys, and talking to the goats and chickens. She took a three hour nap after the excursion. Can't beat a Natural Gardener adventure!  
 
 

While she napped, I got to work. Fall is really the most interesting time to garden in Texas. 
 
 

And when she woke, we got busy in the kitchen making applesauce and banana bread. The apple corer was very interesting to Bea,though a little frustrating, as she isn't quite ready to turn the handle all the way around. She found that moving the apples from bowl to colander, back and forth, to be more satisfying. Both the banana bread and applesauce turned out delicious! I know what we'll be snacking on all week. Yum, yum. 

I wish with all my heart that apple picking could be one of our fall "things to do" out here.  However, it's just not an easy dream to conquer here in Austin.  Although, Texas does have a few orchards. The closest ones to us are at least an hour and half away. Plus, apples are harvested in August out here.  Who wants to pick apples in 100 degree hot and humid weather?  Not I. I did manage to buy some local apples last week from our coop. They were plum size and okay in flavor. 

What a great weekend! I love productive days home with my family. When everyone is busy working, doing something, to help make our lives more enjoyable and beautiful. I can't tell you how heart warming it is to see Bea want to help out and be a part of our duties as much as she does. She's such a wonderfully sweet and ambitious worker. Plus, when she is engaged in this sort of challenging and meaningful work, she seems to forget that she's toddler and the tantrums practically seize to exist. A real win-win situation for everyone, don't you think?  

    

   

 
 

   

A Sunrise With Basil

Yesterday morning, Bea and I were out the door right at day break.  With a strong cup of coffee in hand and a brain still sleepy, I pondered briefly on what work needed to be done. Then I remembered. Yes, we can thin out the basil. Our basil thrived this summer and was spared by the stink bug community that set up shop on our tomatoes. 

Of course, Bea was more than happy to get straight to work. While I gathered the basil, she harmoniously watered the plants. In no time at all, we were on our way to a productive day of work and all the joy that it brings to us.  Soon enough, my caffeine enhanced mind felt alive and thankful for this quiet morning alongside my little one.  

 

And of course, with all the basil we gathered, we made some yummy pesto.  

 

 
 
 

Off the wagon

Oh my, I'm afraid I am off the "30 days" wagon for now.  I think leaving town for a week did me in. For a while, I had a good rhythm going of uploading and posting on the same day. But this week, I've been so busy, catching up on school and home odds and ends, that I've lost blogging steam.  Also, it's been so darn hot, that Bea and I hardly venture out. And poor Bea, you should see her.  She quite the little sweat machine!! We've been quite the pathetic duo over here! After all these years of living in the south, these summers still put the hurt on me.  

On the bright side, my garden is still thriving!  My tomatoes are still green but plentiful.  I'm hopeful they will ripen soon!! We've also got jalapeno and serrano peppers - mmm...can never have too much salsa. The herbs are taking over, even the spearmint which I was worried about a couple of months back. 

    

When we returned home, this crepe myrtle was in full bloom!! 

  

Square Foot Gardening

A few weeks ago, we made our pilgrimage to the loveliest of all nurseries, I think.  

 

I truly feel so fortunate to live within 30 minutes of such a top notch gardening resource. Not only does this place have an exceptional selection for anything that grows in our region, but the gardens ~ oh my ~ are so inspirational. It's like the whole place envelopes you in and for a bit you forget about the world outside the nursery. Your surrounded by one beautiful piece of landscape after another. One demonstration of natural, chemical free, organic technique followed by so many more. 

I was thrilled to see so much square foot gardening happening. Although, I'd heard of the term before. It wasn't until I read the book that I really became excited about the technique. The Natural Gardener is even formulating their own version of Mel's Mix which is super cool considering I'd probably fumble on getting the ratios accurately mixed. 

Although my summer garden bed is not technically square foot gardening, I think I've utilized some of the principles. I'm hopeful that this garden is a success. And if it doesn't end up doing as well as I like, I think I'll try the square foot technique more stringently this fall. 

If you haven't read this book, check it out! It makes the whole idea of gardening so much more accessible, productive, and fun.  

Garden rescue and other backyard tidbits

The garden news is this: (almost) everything is growing and thriving and generally making me feel really proud and happy when I look at my little garden bed. "Ah," I muse to myself.  "My little slice of bucolic farm life right here, right now. I've got a back yard, a garden, birdies singing, a toddler in my skirt. My dream." 

Almost. 

Something is feasting away on my jalapeno, get this - my zinnia, black eye susan, and spearmint leaves. Aren't the last three in the list above suppose to be hardy. Usually, I am worried about my precious tomato plants. This year they are beautiful (so far). Yet, it's the perennial flowers and herbs that are taking a hit. Who knows.  And if you do, please enlighten me. 

One of two images demonstrating the most devastating results of pests. 

This is the spearmint plant clearly showing signs of defeat.  

My strategy thus far, has been to release 1500 ladybugs into the bed. The release happened last night. And though I didn't literally take a head count this morning, my guestimation is that a fraction of the 1500 are actually still inhabiting the garden. Oh, but I did see several couples procreating. So let's hope this population grows and sustains itself in my backyard for a while.  

In other news, a swallowtail egg hatched on the fennel a couple of weeks ago. The caterpillar ate and ate. Bea really enjoyed watching it grow, pointing at it, and getting really close to squeezing life out of it a couple of times. This morning, the caterpillar ventured away from the fennel. We found it and placed it back onto the fennel, just in case it was still hungry. A few hours later, we went back out to check on it. It was gone. Must have been done eating. We should of known. These guys are severely hard wired. They know what to do.  (S)he's off to find a nice, high spot to form it's chrysalis. Good bye caterpillar. We'll watch for you to flutter by in a few weeks.  

This is the caterpillar molting his old, tight skin. 

My last backyard news for the evening is that this guy cannot get a break these days.  

Every time he braves up (with lots of encouragement and coaxing from us) to go outside, the grackles assume position, occupying every corner of our backyard from above. They grackle at him continuously - literally as long as he is outside. They follow him around. And if he moves, they move. I know he is so ready for this reproduction tradition to run it's course. I'm ready too. These guys are extremely diligent at protecting their offspring! It's ironic how the birds are giving Blackie a hard time and not the other way around. Oh, what luck this guy has! 

Spring Garden '10

Taken by Byron 

This photo doesn't go with the rest. But I wanted to add it anyway: my little potted cosmos. Aren't they cute?      

Last year I didn't plant a garden. I told myself "no gardening until the drought ends." Well the drought ended! So a garden I did plant! I hope it is somewhat successful. Truth be told, my most successful gardens have always been the ones tended to by children. Since we moved at the beginning of March, we've been traveling each weekend or having visitors over. Last weekend was our first down weekend in who knows how long. Making the garden became a do or die event. I knew I had to get those tomatoes in soon. I wanted a raised bed to help cut down on the need for watering. But neither I nor the hubby felt like having him building one all weekend long. So we used a pretty simple technique. It seems like it should work just fine. We stacked cinder blocks two high and created a bed out of them.  I planted the veggies in the middle and the herbs and perennials in the holes all around. It's sort of an experiment since I didn't take much time digging around and researching for the optimum bed design. Which makes this avid researcher just a tad bit nervous. This was quick, easy, and cheap.  And that's what we needed.  

This weekend I'll add pine needles to top off the vegetables. Anyone have experience with cinder block beds? Right now, my biggest concern is spacing. I hope they all have enough room to spread out and get comfy!

As an aside: I can't believe I have a little toddler to help me care for plants this year. You should see her, scooping away at the soil and pouring water all over the place! Blog post on toddler gardening to come? Oh yes! 

For All That It's Worth

Here in central Texas, February has been glorious.  I’ve spent most of the week in flip-flops and I’ve noticed that the nurseries are stocking up on springtime veggies and perennials.  I even saw poppies blooming yesterday.  Now that makes me giddy.  I love poppies!  I’ve only loved poppies since living in Texas though.  The Natural Gardener and the Deep Eddy Community Garden totally turned me on. I’m thinking I won’t be able to resist planting at least a few things, despite our extreme drought situation.  We need rain like nobody’s business.  This year, upon my green thumb brother’s recommendation, I’m going to try to get my gardening on via five gallon buckets.  That way, I’ll be in more control of a few important variables.  I can control the quality of soil because here in Austin, we are blessed with hard black clay; sunlight – buckets are moveable; water – only the buckets will need to be thoroughly watered.  I won’t feel like a jerk for watering my whole yard as our lake levels plummet. 

I will attempt to plant some poppies randomly throughout my front yard though. I cannot resist wildflowers. Under normal rain conditions, Texas is blessed with a beautiful wildflower season. We are not expecting much color this spring. 

I’ve had several pleasant walks this week. Despite the springtime temperatures, the landscape is stark.  It’s still winter here. The trees are bare and the grass is dead. Hardly anything is in bloom. There’s no snow to cover up the nakedness.  Yet it’s refreshing to try to stop myself from wishing to be elsewhere. To be in the moment and to capture the beauty for all it’s worth.