On Our Bookshelf

          I realized that I have yet to share any summer reads- of which there have been many! A clear favourite is this lovely little story book Miss Lo received from her wee friend for her birthday- this story was clearly chosen just for her & I but the entire family enjoys it. Up In The Garden- Down In The Dirt by Kate Messner is a joy to read as well as just sit and par use the drawings.

          The story covers all of the seasons from planning in the spring to putting the garden to bed in the fall- it shows all the creatures great and small that make a garden such a diverse ecosystem. My Littles can relate to all the story lines in the book- from weather to bugs they dig it all.

        I will admit I want to live in this story- the illustrations are glorious and the words lyrical- plus gardens. A big thank you to our friends for introducing us to a new favourite- you know us so well!

Weekending

             In Vancouver there is an abundance of adorable gardening places- among them is Figaro's Garden- just off Commercial Drive- nestled in the heart of a quiet neighbourhood. With the skies opening up on Sunday there wasn't much on our list of things to do- this is the perfect time to run errands of the leisurely sort- like stocking up on herbs for the garden and learning all about planting blue berry bushes in containers. As I mentioned earlier I wasn't planning on gardening much this coming season- but as things are popping up green I can't help myself.

              Figaro's is chock a block full of early Spring herbs- decorative flowering plants and most important of all seeds. An impressive seed wall lines the back of the store- the tiny packets of possibility beckoning- urging one to try just one more time. So we do- lettuce seeds, carrot seeds, Swiss Chard and even some mystery flowers all go into our basket- along with a few carefully chosen- low maintenance early starts.

           About the only thing I haven't killed off yet- aside from Kale- are our strawberries and so The Boy was sadly disappointed when he picked out a new strawberry plant that we have no room for. Back the strawberry plant went and some Thyme was grudgingly agreed upon- I feel this is a somewhat ironic choice. A small cactus named Spike also came home with us- a fat cat named Wilbur did not.

           This quiet little visit to the garden store was just the thing to get me in the Spring mood- once home my Girl and I spent the better part of our afternoon pottering about the deck- nestling our new friends into their new homes. Tidying and pruning what remains from last year- watering everything. While I may not have the greenest thumb my heart is pure- I really want to grow things- I really want to have a garden- I am hoping that maybe- just maybe this year will be there year I figure it all out!

Crafternoon: Eco Printed Bunting

        If there is one thing I have learned about my kids it's that they like picking flowers and smashing things with rocks- simple truth here folks- I'm raising highly evolved beings. As brutal as the delivery sounds the results yielded are quite pretty and ephemeral. These simple Eco-printed flags look great outside as a garden accent or brought indoors as a reminder of sunnier days!

        To start this project you will need to gather a variety of deeply hued flowers- we found geraniums worked very well as did lavender and petunias. Cut squares of fabric for your flags- I used pinking shears to give a decorative zig zag cut on the edge of the fabric- make your squares about 8"x 10"- they can always be trimmed down later. Find a rock that feels good in your hand for the smashing.

     Lay your fabric out on a hard surface- we worked on a board that had a bit of give to it- place your gathered flowers out- I tried to do a bit of a design- the Littles were completely random in their placement. One option is to just take the rock and start gently mashing the flowers into the fabric- another way is to place a second piece of fabric over the flowers and hammer on that. Gently pound or mash the flowers until they start to bleed into the fabric- the  flower's pigment will stain the fabric. Carefully peel away the ponded flower remains. Set your fabric aside to dry completely- I put ours in the sun to heat set but you can also iron to heat set.

     You can use the fabric for a multitude of projects- unique throw cushions, tote bags or as we did a festive bunting for the garden. To make the bunting simply take your printed fabric and sew onto a piece of webbing- a simple straight stitch on a machine will do but so will hand stitching, stapling or hot glue!

       What I loved about this little project is that the Littles were able to engage in something similar to the eco bundling I did a few weeks ago- they were ever so curious and so this enabled them to be a part of that process. Working along side my Littles is so fun- nothing like an afternoon spent out in the garden at Mommo and Poppa's!

     Friends it is Friday again and the long weekend- we are halfway through summer holiday already! Hard to believe but true- we have some heavy duty plans that include hitting the beach and hitting the beach! Happy Pride Vancouver and Happy Friday Friends!

In The Kitchen: Chive Vinegar

       Last week a couple of  friends posted enticing photos in their Instagram feeds of some lovely looking Chive Vinegar that they were brewing up- I was instantly intrigued by this pretty pinkish concoction. Fate always has a way of stepping in for me and giving me what I need and last weekend was no different- we arrived at my parent's house where the chives were in full bloom- thank you fate- or nature- whatever- at any rate I had access to an abundance of chive heads- so I thought I would try this pretty Spring treat.

   Gather

1 1/2 cups of Champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
2 1/2 cups of chive heads- snipped right at the base
a mason jar or two
parchment paper

   Do

- warm the vinegar in a small sauce pan- do not let it boil- you want the warm vinegar to bring out the flavour

-rinse the chive heads in cool water to dispel any garden creatures hitching a ride- gently wash

- place the flowers into the jars- pack them in

- pour warm vinegar over the flowers and allow to cool

- place the parchment paper over the mouth of the jar before screwing on the lid- the metal will make your lovely vinegar taste terrible

-place in a cool spot and allow to steep for a week or two

- use in tasty Summer vinaigrettes or even on fish and chips- adding a slight onion taste to any dish

- Thank you to both Carie and Michelle for their inspiration- my salads thank you as do my fries!

          Friends it is Friday again- we have a busy weekend packed full of Birthday parties and Farmers Marketing! Today we have no school and so we are celebrating the wonderful weather by heading out to our favourite outdoor pool for the first time this season! Hooray! Much peace and love Friends- Happy Friday!

Canned: Dilly Beans

           Our family takes our Caesars* very seriously- that tasty breakfast libation that I consider more of a snack than anything as the garnish is just as important as the actual beverage. One of my favourite garnishes is the Dilly Bean- similar to a Dill Pickle but with beans instead- delish! My recipe comes from one of my Aunts- possibly Aunt Barbara- written out when I was a child- I must have been visiting in the Summer.

 The Goods:

2 lbs beans- washed and trimmed
1-2 tsp cayenne pepper per jar
4 cloves garlic
4 heads of dill
2.5 cups of water
2.5 cups of vinegar 5%
1/4 cup pickling salt

The Deal:

Place a clove of garlic and a head of dill in each of the sterilized jars- if you like garlic add more- if you don't so much like garlic use half a clove.

Pack jars with beans- I like to cut them to uniform size so I can really pack them in tight- sprinkle with 1/4- 1/2 tsp of cayenne pepper. Cover with boiling brine- place sterilize lid and ring on jar- set aside to be processed.

 Seal Process: place jars in a pot of boiling water- this is where the big black canners usually come into play- I don't actually have one so all I do to process is place a hot mitt or tea towel in the bottom of a large pot- this prevents the jars from smashing against the bottom. Process in boiling bath for ten minutes- set aside to cool and seal.

Set aside in your cupboard for at least a month before enjoying with a delicious morning Caesar! I also really like to eat my Dilly Beans in salads as a side- its a great way to add a bit of interest and different flavour to any meal! Enjoy!

* a Caesar is very similar to a Bloody Mary

In The Garden :Garlic

     My parents have the most amazing garden or perhaps they have the greenest of thumbs- whatever they plant here in Peachland seems to grow to epic proportions! These past few days we have been enjoying the spoils from the garden- cucumbers, beans, kale and now giant heads of garlic. This garlic really puts the stuff I have grown to shame- it is the biggest garlic I have ever seen! Most definitely to be enjoyed in a variety of ways-  but mostly with cheese.

       The Boy has been his Poppa's shadow since we got here- super involved in all the construction happening next door and now following Poppa into the garden to harvest the end of that giant garlic. Our family loves garlic- it is sort of hoarded a bit like treasure at our house because once it's gone- it's gone! There are many months in between growing season and even the Farmer's Market often runs out mid Spring.

        The benefits of this garden are two fold- not only do we enjoy healthy and "free" fruits and vegetables but my Littles are strengthening their bond with their Grandparents and the earth. These city kids know exactly where their food is coming from- how tomatoes are pollinated, how to dig up garlic and potatoes and who makes honey. They know the feeling of good earth between their fingers and how to turn the hose on someone unsuspecting at a moments notice! This is something that can't be bought in a grocery store- this is a learned connection.

" I believe that every child in this world needs to have a relationship with the land... to know how to nourish themselves...and how to connect with the community around them"

Alice Waters    

The Weekend On Instagram

 
         These past few days have been so full of just hanging out and relaxing- everything a weekend should be! Saturday this Momma had a few un-interrupted hours in the studio doing what I love best- working on some new items for the Etsy shop- lots of Summer goodies! The Mr. took the Littles to the park for a run and a swing on the monkey bars so they were in heaven.

     Sunday found us at the Kitsilano Farmer's Market- of course- stocking up on delicious seasonal yummies- I bought a bunch of rhubarb to freeze for a rainy day. Also the first of the seasons strawberries were out- I guess we had best plan a trip to the berry farm soon!

  The garden is starting to really come together- we got our tomatoes and peppers all planted up yesterday- we are rapidly running out of space but I think we have room for one more pepper plant! I'm not going to lie - I may be a tad addicted! I have no illusions our deck garden could sustain us - I look at this more of a science experiment- figuring out how to grow things for when we do have a yard with a bigger garden. Until the day comes that we have a yard we can grow tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, garlic, kale, radishes, peas and loads of herbs- oh and the strawberries (more on that next week!)- the Littles know how plants grown and where our food comes from and that is all that matters.

      In other news I have been encouraged to join Instagram- my friend who blogs at Oolawoola is participating in a handmade challenge for the month of June. So of course I jumped on the band wagon as I do love a good challenge!  All pictures here on this post are from my Instagram weekend- I love it!

   

In The Garden

       We spent the larger portion of last Sunday out under the Okanagan sun helping my Mom plant the 2013 garden- this year the Littles have their very own spot marked off. With Momo's help the Littles planted potatoes, pumpkins, carrots and beans.

      We only have so much room on our deck in the city so for the kids to be able to go and actually dig in the dirt and learn how things grow from their Grandma is ever so important- it will be such fun to watch them dig up their potato hills next fall! So delicious to roast them next fall and know these potatoes were planted by their hands on a fine Spring day.

      I have so many fond memories of my own Grandma in her garden- it was the biggest garden I had ever seen- she came from a generation that needed to control their food source- a generation who had survived the depression and war- a generation that knew what it meant to go with out. My grandma's garden seemed to be able to feed us all if need be.

      I think so many folks these days take their food sources for granted- they take food security for granted- the availability of cheep, easy food is so common place these days. Collectively as a nation I think that we don't remember what a life with out butter, sugar or tea is- therefor food has become less special.

       My hope for my children- for all children really- is that society is starting to wake up- to recognize the importance of self-sustainability- even just a little bit- in our food supply. My wish is that they will learn from their Grandparents what it means to be part of something bigger- part of an extended family, part of a village, part of the cycle of the growing season. My wish is for my babies to recognize the stink of manure, the wriggle of a juicy earth worm and the sting on their shoulders of the season's first sunburn. I wish for them to learn patience by watching their food grow.

“The single greatest lesson the garden teaches is that our relationship to the planet need not be zero-sum, and that as long as the sun still shines and people still can plan and plant, think and do, we can, if we bother to try, find ways to provide for ourselves without diminishing the world. ” 

― Michael Pollan, The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals

Planting

       Ahhh the sun is shining and my hands are getting itchy to dig in some dirt- no it is not chicken pox- it is my natural inclination to get things growing for the season! Inspired by this awesome little seed starter kit from Strathcona Urban Seed Collective we decided to get a few things started this afternoon. While our lettuce, radishes, peas and carrots will have to wait a few more weeks and be sewn directly- today was a good day to start tomatoes.

       I remember as a girl going to my Grandma's house for tea- her tea parties were endless- much information and many cookies could be gathered if one was willing to be patient and quiet. While the tea was steeped in her old Pyrex tea pot- poured out into slightly cracked, well used china cups- the sunshine would stream into her dining nook- dust moats lazily floating down onto the orange Formica table top- my sister and I would sit and listen and look. The dining nook at my Gran's was the perfect spot for her seedlings to get their start in the world- seemingly endless amounts of egg cartons- sitting patiently in the drowsy March sunshine.

      It may be the memory of my Grandma and her seedlings that spurs me forward on this sunny March day- so far away from the orange Formica table and yet still very close. To show my Littles what our Grandma showed my sister and I- how to start a handful of what at first glance appears to be nothing to become something that will nourish our bodies and souls in a way that no store bought anything possibly could.

      I will admit that I am a bit of a novice at this seed stuff- I usually buy my tomato plants all set and ready to go directly into the garden mid May- so this for me is a bit of a gamble- or a science experiment. I am a bit lazy this way- my parents start everything from seed right about now in mini green houses(plastic salad boxes- so clever!) in their basement- I figure if they can do it then we should be able to do it too!

       On the advice of a much more seasoned gardener than myself we are trying out the egg shell method of starting seedlings. The general idea is- get some empty egg shells and clean them out well- punch a tiny hole in the bottom for drainage- fill with soil and plant your seeds- when the seedling starts to get too big simply crack the shell(add it in to the dirt) and plant it into a larger container- easy peasy lemon squeezy!

    These days they are getting longer, warmer and brighter- Spring is here- yes even if it is snowing- as is the case in much of our country- believe it or not Spring is here! Once our little seedlings were planted we brought them inside to our own warm window sill- to patiently wait while tea is drunk near by- a metaphor perhaps- things coming full circle- my own Littles sitting and watching and waiting for their seeds to pop up.

       Friends it is Friday again! We made it through our first Spring Break- OK it was only a week but I am looking forward to school next week! So many cool things happening in our community this weekend but we are sticking close to home with a trip to the Farmer's Market and then dinner with friends! May you have plenty of sunshine at your back laughter in your ears, and coffee in your mug- Happy Friday Friends!

Gardening In February

       Ever since I caught the gardening bug a few years ago February always makes me antsy to get outside and start digging around- something I have surely inherited from my Grandmother and Mother. I remember sitting by the wood stove with my Mom around this time of year- she would have her plant books out- scraps of paper tagging seemingly random pages- a piece of lined school paper at her elbow as she mapped out the yard and her planting plan for the coming Spring. 

      I get that now as I poke around at my container garden assessing the situation weekly- seeing what has started sprouting- the garlic and my rose bush- checking to see what made it through the winter- our strawberry plants, rosemary and lavender are all hanging on. We have very limited space but for downtown in the heart of the city our patio is a luxury and we try to use it to it's fullest potential- we have some big plans for this coming planting season! 

     Although bulbs are starting to poke through the soil and branches are blushing red with flowing sap it is not time to plant any fragile seeds as yet- Luckily for me I have this nifty little indoor mushroom garden to try out- a birthday gift from friends this past weekend. I started it this morning and can't wait to see the results in a couple of weeks!

    Also at the for front of my mind right now is our composting situation- we are pretty fortunate to have organics composting in our building- the program is through the city of Vancouver and makes composting a breeze. The kitchen scraps get taken out to a giant composting site ( I think in Richmond) and once the compost is turned into soil it is slated to nourish the trees and gardens of our city and the off gasses will eventually be harnessed for power. Our family has a lot of kitchen scraps- thanks to all the veg we eat we have buckets of compost a week- I look at my garden and think wouldn't it be nice to have some of that compost for myself? 

     I am considering our own composting set up out on our deck- we have the space and thanks to our friend Kate we have the inspiration to make the leap- check out her You Tube videos on composting with kids- click here and here for Part 1 and Part 2! A quick trip to Lee Valley Tools should get us set up with a decent sized rolling compost system. Lets be honest there is no such thing as a quick or cheap trip to Lee Valley- on my wish list this year is the portable Potato growing system- perfect for deck gardening although it is a seasonal item and not in store yet- the cedar potting bench, a handful of these beautiful copper dishes for under my smaller pots and finally I am loving these flower towers which I think would make a great compact home for our strawberries which currently take up a lot of real estate!

    So while the rain pours down outside my window I start to dream of a lush, green container garden growing right out my door- providing us with treats, salads, herbs and this year lots of kale- so much kale! While I may not have a wood stove to cozy up to and the Internet is my guide book I feel connected to my Mom sitting in February planning and dreaming- a connection that spans the mountains!


P.S. if you live in Vancouver you can purchase a backyard composter through the city- check it out!