Freeing up Psychological Energy by Preparing for Winter

 

Have you ever noticed that when you take care of chores that are nagging at you, you have more energy?  This week I had my firewood delivered, took my beach cruiser into the shop to be repaired, and lined up Lula's vaccinations.   Phew!  It feels like such a relief.  Most of the firewood is now neatly stacked, and I am carrying loads of what's left up the steps each day.  The snow tires on the red Beetle, and my mechanic just checked the transmission fluid this afternoon.  The oil was recently changed and the tank is full of gas.

As the birds were starting to zing their beaks into my apples, I picked what was left from the trees.  They have made fragrant apple crisp and tart and flavorful unsweetened applesauce.  Wrightwood is filled with several different varieties of apple trees.  It used to be an apple orchard.  Well, part of it did.  Pears grow very well here, too.  I love walking by all of the fruit trees this time of year.  Two different people gave me apples today.  It was an unexpected surprise. 

  I think you really have to enjoy working with contractors if you own a home.  I find it all very rewarding.  The same thing goes with the car.  I so appreciate paying talented people to use their skills and knowledge in areas where I don't have it.  

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Harvesting MacIntosh Apples

 This morning I picked the apples off one of my trees;  they were starting to fall on the ground.  Tree ripened fruit is the best!  It is exciting to be growing apples in Cailfornia.  They do so well up here in the mountains.  The climate is perfect for them.  I believe these are MacIntosh.  They came with the property, so I'm not sure of the variety.  The flavor is fantastic.  It's such a treat to have fresh fruit from the garden.  

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Baby Fruit and an Owl

 

The other day I was pleased to see that my cherry and apple trees are overflowing with small, green fruit!  All of the rain and snow that we received has really helped the gardens.  The bees have been buzzing around the citrus blossoms, doing a thorough and complete job of pollinating.  I will have a bumper crop of Meyer Lemons this year.  It's a satisfying feeling to see your future food stored in a thriving backyard orchard.

It's amazing how fast the fruit develops.  Soon the apricots will also be ready to harvest.  It's a dance to let the sun sweeten them before any observant wildlife decides to visit for a feast.  I will probably line them up on my kitchen counter soon, and let them ripen there.

My neighbor discovered a family of owls nesting in a Eucalyptus tree on our street.  They are such magnificent creatures.  Here is a photo she snapped of the male.  Look at those eyes!  They blend in very closely with the branches and leaves on the tree.  It can be very difficult to spot them.  I love the sound they make at night, when we are sleeping.

How is your garden growing?  

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Loving the Garden

 

This is one of my favorite times of year in the  garden.  The soil has warmed up, the flowers are fragrant and blooming, and the trees have leafed out and become green.

Yesterday I planted a six flat of red poppies, and placed a young artichoke plant in the front yard.  They are such conversation starters...and need plenty of space to expand.  

The citrus trees have developed tiny green fruit on them.  The rhubarb is nearly ready to harvest.  I love how all of the disciplined work comes together.  The watering, pruning, weeding, composting, and mulching all combine to make a healthy, robust plant.  Rich, black soil is key.  All of my fruit and vegetables scraps break down in the compost pile over the winter to be returned into the earth.

The longer you have a garden, the more synthesized and robust it becomes.  Sometimes competition makes the plants become stronger.  Today I'm digging up some of my larger plants to divide and share with my neighbors.  Many of them were from cuttings that were given to me from ladies in this area when I first bought my cottage.

How is your garden doing?

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Being Honest With Money

Today I stopped at a local fruit stand that I frequent this time of year.  It's located between my cabin and the cottage.  There is one woman who is always working there, by herself.  I bought two baskets of pluots, and one large one filled with sweet, white nectarines.  The quality of their fruit is always superb, and they don't use any sprays.

The total came to $16.25.  I gave her $21.25, so that she wouldn't have to use up her singles.  She handed me back a ten dollar bill, looking slightly confused.  I gave it back to her, and explained that she only owed me five dollars.  She looked extremely relieved and a bit panicked and gasped, "God bless you."

I could tell that she was surprised that I didn't just keep the money.  I would never do that; I know better.  A lot of people these days get confused when making change.  We learned and practiced it in school.  I was trying to help her, but it kind of threw her off for a minute.  I smiled at her and nodded. "God bless you, too," I answered.  She is a hard working lady running a needed and wonderful small business.

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Floating On A Raft At The Lake

the office, snack bar and gym are little cabins

 
The country club membership has been such a gift this year.  I am so thankful that my name was pulled as a new member.  It's  the perfect location to hang out in the summer.  I love spending a few hours a day there.  The kids seem so relaxed and happy.

As I was walking down the shady street, I noticed that some of the homes have a cherry tree or two planted in the front garden.  They are really spectacular looking.  Something about the colors with the pine trees and mountain backdrop really go well together. 

This majestic old home has a gorgeous stone wall built in front; I always admire it.  I have uncovered pieces of this same rose quartz on my property.  The color is so unusual and pale.  I love how it looks as a wall.

As you approach the country club, the tennis courts come into view.  The mountains and trees provide heavenly surroundings for the tennis players.  

I tried using my bicycle pump to blow up my raft at the lake, but was unsuccessful.  A few kind people attempted to help me, but it didn't work.  I decided to just inflate it  the old fashioned way, blowing it up with my mouth and lungs.  It didn't take long, and sunbathing on the float was very enjoyable.  The weather was perfect.  I took a short swim, too.  Once home, I warmed up with a hot bath and a cup of freshly brewed Italian Roast coffee.  The views out on the deck were pristine.  Mountain life suits me.  Where are you happiest?

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The Rhubarb Is Teeming With Life!

As some of you know, I have tried to grow rhubarb in the past, but without success.  I've always wanted to grow it.  It's not easy in our climate.  This year, the stalks are starting to swell, and it is nearly ready to harvest.  I am thrilled.  You have to wait for two years in order for the plant to develop the size and vigor it needs.  The first year they are kind of spindly.  They look like celery. 

the smaller ones on the right are new growth

I put these bulbs in last winter.  Because we've had a wonderful rainy season, the plant seems much happier is very vibrant.  Fortunately, the temperatures haven't been too high.   I feed it homemade compost tea, and  mulch it with straw.  The red wiggler worms have done an excellent job of nourishing the soil. 

a nearby apple tree in full bloom

It looks like I will be able to bake a rhubarb crisp in the near future.  It is usually very expensive in our grocery stores, so I am super excited to finally be able to produce it.  Have you tried planting rhubarb?

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Finally, Photos! Artichokes, Roses, and the Potager Garden

vibrant pink roses

Thank you to all of you for understanding that I couldn't post photos for a short while.  I was getting really frustrated, since everything that I tried to do didn't work.  I chatted about it this morning with my neighbor and her sister.  She explained to me that podcasts take up a lot of space.  So do apps.  I tried deleting the Google Photos, and voila!  Now I have plenty of room for more photos.  What a relief.  For some reason, when I can't get something right, I tend to think that I will never be able to do it again.

Here we go...let's walk through the garden...

this artichoke plant came back from last year

Today the first artichoke is ripe.  It is so exciting to make vegetables for lunch or dinner from food that you've grown yourself.

The bees and hummingbirds are busy pollinating the citrus trees.  This is a navel orange tree.

you can grow fruit, vegetables, flowers, herbs and trees together

I get a lot of compliments on the front potager garden from my neighbors. As they walk by, they usually stop to visit.  I hope that they feel the energy and healing vibration that the plants can bring.  As a child I sensed the uplifting spirit that some of the gardens had in our neighborhood.  It made my heart leap.

Back to planting!  I just put in oregano, peppermint, a tomato plant, and relocated some plump worms.  They do the work in the soil for us.  More photos will be coming soon.  Thank you for your kindness and patience.

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High Hopes To Be Eating From the Garden

artichoke plant

Today was our watering day, so I got up early and started  at 7:00 a.m. The garden is really feeling alive.  I'm excited to see how things do this year.  It's taken many years to get into the swing of things, so that there is something always in bloom, ready to harvest, and another fruit tree on deck.  It's so satisfying to grow your own food.

baby bird at my writing window- a fairy

With this pandemic, I am even more determined to grow as much as I can.  I have only been grocery shopping every two weeks.  With the outbreak as severe as it is, I may make it a goal to shop just once a month.  I am hesitant to go back to Costco now.  I love buying things in bulk, but prefer shopping at a small, local store that isn't crowded.  It just feels safer to me.  I am able to pick my produce up at the co-op from my car, which I really appreciate.  I am staying away from everyone!  This virus is so contagious...it makes me very wary of being in crowded places.  I have been staying home, enjoying the porch and my backyard orchard.  I go for a walk or bike ride each morning, and do yoga or Pilates at night. 

How are you doing?  Is your food supply holding out?  What have you learned?

purple bearded iris

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Faith in the Abundance of Fruit Trees

These are some of the berries and a small fig tree that I just put in the ground

 
I have one more fruit tree to dig into the ground, an Anna Apple.  It's a variety that grows well in Santa Clarita.  It feels good to be working towards the future by planting fruit trees and vegetables.  The more I can shop at home in my garden,  the better.  I have small potted  live herbs in my kitchen window sill.  Some of the ones I planted in the potager garden  last year have made it through the winter.  Meals taste so much better with the  fresh sage, rosemary, and lemon thyme.  I picked up some small containers of green oregano, peppermint,  and basil, too.   I love the tiny leaves.

My neighbors had told me that our local stores were out of many of the basics.  I had done a big shop at Costco before the virus became an issue, so I was pretty well set.  When you buy in bulk, and you live alone, you don't have to shop as often as those who are feeding growing children.  I picked up an extra bag of dog food for Lula, and a second bag of French roast coffee beans for me.  I keep canned milk in the cupboard in case of an emergency.  At least with that I know that I can savor my morning cup of steaming hot coffee!  That means the world to me.

The ruby red grapefruit tree is covered with blossoms and some green fruit

I decided to see how things were going up in Wrightwood, at the cabin.  I stopped by their local grocery store, and was excited and relieved to find that they had everything, except toilet paper.  There were signs limiting people to one bag of sugar, flour, and other staples.  I bought a bag of Granny Smith apples, a head each of cabbage  and lettuce, a few onions, and some canned tomatoes and tomato paste.

I also purchased some pasta and sauce, for convenience.  I went home and made a tuna and noodles casserole, like my mom used to make.  I seasoned it with plenty of white pepper; that was always her trick.  It tasted so satisfying.  This is an opportune time to enjoy home cooking and baking from scratch.  It gives us a feeling of comfort.  I am doing all I can to avoid the creeping emotion of sick dread.  It takes effort and discipline.

I chatted on the phone with my close friend Mark, in New York.  He told me about the groceries that he had bought, and mentioned that there was plenty of food in the stores there.  He is able to work from home, and is still getting paid, so that's a relief.   I talked with a few of my neighbors, and was pleased to hear that they are all doing well, too.   

Do you have enough food?  How are you feeling during these challenging times?

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Lemons, Tangerines, Limes, and Blood Oranges Have Ripened

The citrus trees are all giving an abundant harvest this year.  It is so exciting!  During the drought, they were just limping along, sometimes not even producing.  Now that we have had some rain,  the brightly colored fruits are plump and beautiful. 

It's exciting to be able to squeeze your own orange juice from the citrus on your backyard trees.  It tastes so much better than the juice that you buy from the grocery store.

I keep my citrus trees mulched with straw.  They love it.  I also rake up the leaves in the fall and surround the base of the plants with them.  It gives a slow feed to the trees, and it nourishes the soil. 

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The Plants Are Springing To Life

my front potager garden with herbs, flowers, fruit, and vegetables

The garden is transforming.  You can see and feel the energy pulsating through the plants. The artichokes are getting huge! This one came back from last year. I love their size and power. The live Christmas trees that I planted are now a lovely shade of yellowish green, and they are developing berries. The birds will love them. The sparrows have been sharing the water in the birdbath, splashing around happily.  You can hear all sorts of bird songs, all day and night. My favorite is the call of the owl while I sleep.  

there's a little hummingbird at the feeder

I hung up the Easter wreath the other day. I have always wanted one that was covered with pastel colored eggs. I finally found this at T.J. Maxx.  I love the colors.

I spent several hours weeding the garden yesterday. It was exhausting, but also felt satisfying. It's so important to take care of the yard and soil. Soon I will plant more asparagus, strawberries, rhubarb, and zinnias. I have everything sitting by the door, ready to place  into the fertile ground. I will tuck a handful of homemade compost into each planting hole The rain we've had all winter has been wonderful. It makes such a difference. How is you garden?

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Living Like Little House On The Praire

As a child, my favorite series of books were The Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder. In them, she details her life as a young girl and woman traveling by covered wagon with her family. She grew up in different parts of the USA, and worked  as a schoolteacher when she was a teenager. She and  her husband, Almanzo, eventually settled  in Missouri. There she was at last able to garden, raise Leghorns, grow apples, and enjoy a grounded life. Although her husband still desired to go West, she refused to move. He built them a beautiful home there, and they lived a happy and peaceful life in the country.  The house is now a popular museum. 

I am currently reading a (new to me) book by her called Writings To Young Women From Laura Ingalls Wilder. This one is on wisdom and virtues. It is a series of articles that she wrote around 1920 for newspapers and periodicals, and was edited by Stephen W Hines. There are three books in the collection, and I have all of them. I gave them to my mother before she died. She kept them on display in my old bedroom. They fit in perfectly with her decor.

When I read Laura's words, it inspires me to live like they did in those old times. I am eager to observe and care for  my pumpkins, artichokes, beets, and other vegetables. I gather fresh green leaves from the lettuce patch, and soak them in filtered water to make a daily salad. I season the meat for dinner and tuck a few potatoes in with it to make dual use of the gas for cooking. Nothing is wasted, including time. It's amazing how time consuming social networking can be. When I pretend that I'm living a hundred years ago, it helps me to stay in the moment and to not check my ipad constantly.  I feel more focused and relaxed, and it's easier to get the things on my list accomplished. 

I pick a fresh orange off of my Navel Orange tree and slice it into quarters. The juice is flavorful and delicious. The peels are either used to flavor white vinegar for a cleaning solution or they will be dried for a winter fruit tea.

Instead of getting caught up in technology and pressure to communicate, I sit out on the porch in the fresh air and sunshine, reading or knitting. This time of year I am having that third cup of coffee per day again.  

Laura stresses the importance of being calm, practicing self control, and not reacting to those who are antagonistic. People had many of the same struggles in their relationships in those days as they do now. She came from a loving home, and had an excellent example of kind and patient behavior.  I just love reading her books. Her spirit lives through them forever.  

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Cleaning Your Windows With Bar Soap

my view from my desk

Today I cleaned my front window with a bar of homemade soap. I used to use white vinegar and water, but I wasn't really happy with the results. The windows looked far better after using dish soap, which I learned about from the book, How Clean Is Your House. My mother even noticed the difference when she came to visit me. She commented on how much cleaner an antique mirror that I had looked. I told her that I had switched to using dish soap and distilled water. We have hard water where I live. It leaves a film on things, and makes cleaning much more challenging. It creates a smeared look. It's depressing to see after working hard at cleaning your home. It makes the laundry dingy, too. Soft water pumps are illegal here.  Still, I try.  

Today I discovered my first baby Cinderella pumpkin. Once that flower opens, (which is a female,) I can pollinate it with a male blossom. I am hoping there is enough time for a pumpkin to develop. We shall see. I remember seeing them growing very late in the season at another house, years ago. It was in November.

green Algerian tangerines

  

tangerine turning orange

I have been making more headway on my deep cleaning. Sometimes it feels overwhelming, so I just do a few hours a day. I am amazed at how fast professional housekeepers work. I may update my windows, as these slats are very hard to clean. I have to remove each one individually. The more I clean, the more I find things that are dirty. (and I live alone.) I can't imagine how I'd feel with a husband and kids. I remember my mother cleaning like a maniac, all day long. Now I see why. It makes me feel kind of sad for her. She tried so hard to be the perfect housekeeper. How exhausting...

The garden is coming along well. When I see the weather in other parts of the world, and in the rest of the USA, I feel very fortunate. Gardening takes a lot of time and energy, but the results are worth it. I love how healthy the stalks of this zucchini plant are.

 
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Saving Money By Growing Food

When I first bought my cottage, I wanted to make use of the land. I knew that it would be ideal for growing fruits and vegetables. We get a tremendous amount of sun in Southern California. It provides the plants with the light that they need. Sometimes I struggle with the unpleasantness of the heat, but I know that our hot summers are what's needed in order to grow food, (Especially year round.)

I picked another zucchini this morning. Rather than cooking it in butter and garlic,  I decided to eat it raw. I cut it into matchsticks. To my surprise, it was delicious! Sometimes the home grown vegetables taste best with very little preparation. The young ones are so tender.

The hummingbirds have been visiting the Four O'Clocks. They are tubular flowers, that are excellent pollinators. I save the seeds each year, and scatter them. Some people consider them as weeds, but I like them. My neighbor gave me the initial seeds twenty years ago. I always think of her when they bloom.

Each morning I check for male and female blossoms on the zucchini. I pollinate them by hand. That's a male flower above, and a wilted female flower at the end of the zucchini next to it.  It's easy to transfer the pollen. The sunflowers are buzzing with active bees. I love sitting on the porch and watching the birds, butterflies, bees, and lizards. It makes me feel happy and connected with nature.

Although I don't grow as much food as I used to, it still is a big help, financially. The routine of farming  feels healthy and earthy. I enjoy drinking  fresh orange juice for many months of the year. The lemons and limes are delicious in cooking and baking. I eat the fresh vegetables daily, and use them in salads.  It's convenient to go "shopping" for food just outside your doorstep  in your own garden. Do you grow your own food?

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Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice From The Garden

I have been enjoying freshly squeezed orange juice from the garden each morning. The taste is amazing! I may start eating them, instead of juicing them, so that the harvest lasts for a longer time. One glass of juice takes five oranges! I am giving some to my mail lady when she whizzes by this afternoon. I dropped off several artichokes for my neighbor earlier today. She gave me another bag of her sweet grapefruit, and a couple of volunteer nectarine trees.  The citrus are scrumptious! There is nothing like fresh, tree ripened fruit. It's one of the reasons that I settled in Southern California. I always dreamed of growing my own fruits and vegetables, and now I am.

I made another batch of compost tea this afternoon. It does such an excellent job of feeding the plants, and it's free. All it takes is the correct balance of greens and browns. I collect all of my fruit and vegetable peels, scraps, and leftovers. Thanks to my compost pile, I have a tiny bag of  trash each week.  I think the manure that my neighbor gives me really adds a punch to the effect of the compost tea. It makes everything so green and vibrant! Vegetables that are home grown always taste more flavorful, and they are so tender.

The hat is now dried and blocked. I am going to try making another one, hopefully in a size large. I will probably add an extra fourteen stitches, and  work it on circular needles in the round. I have another ball of alpaca yarn in grey. If the size works, I may redo the first one. Or, I will gift it to someone with a very, very small head.   

I redid the heel on the lace socks today. Actually, I redid it twice. I realized that I had gone wrong when I didn't need to knit across to start picking up stitches. On the second attempt I miscounted, but by the third time I got it right. There was no longer a tiny, mysterious hole at the bottom. I think that's where I should have closed the gap. I love this yarn, and these socks. They are meditative to knit. The Tofutsies yarn washes really nicely, too.

   
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Simply Delicious Food From The Garden

These are the blood oranges that I have been harvesting. They are such are such a blazing shade of red. They aren't very big, but they sure are flavorful. Fresh oranges taste so much better than the ones that you buy at the grocery store.  I think part of the reason the citrus trees are so loaded with blossoms this year is because I've been using more manure as fertilizer. It works like magic on the soil. The fruit trees are so green right now.

I broke into the new sock yarn, and started another pair of Winwick Mum's Easy Lace Socks. These colors remind me of sherbet. Each night I've been washing out the pink pair that I knit. I've been wearing them every day. They are so light and comfortable. My other hand knit socks are mostly wool These feel totally different, because of the soy silk and cotton blend.  I will make several pair for Summer.

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Gardening, Sock Yarn, and a New Sweater on the Needles

It seems that we have a lot of enthusiastic gardeners reading this blog, so I have some more photos to share with you. Right now the grapefruit, orange, lemon, lime, and tangerine trees are all in bloom. The smell of the blossoms is absolutely intoxicating! I just love it. It's an  fragrance that I only get to enjoy once a year. The Meyer lemons have all been eaten.  I gave away several to my neighbors and knitting friends. I may buy another tree, because growing them saves me so much money. Lemons are very expensive here.

The blood oranges are getting riper and sweeter. They are just delicious. This periwinkle is a ground cover that works well in drought conditions. I have to be careful with it, though. It's  invasive. I trim it back each year. It helps to prevent weeds, which grow rampantly in my back lot.

I found an excellent deal on the Tofuties sock yarn today. It's the pink variegated variety that  I just used on the lace socks designed by Winwick Mum. Even though I swore that I would not buy any more yarn, I just purchased some in bulk. I rationalized it by figuring out what I paid for one skein of this yarn when I was up in the mountains. If I were to drive back up there and pay the list price,  I could have bought two more skeins. This way I am getting fourteen skeins for the same price!  (I'm including the cost of my gas for the three hour car trip in my calculations.) I plan to knit a pair for a give away here, and possibly sell some of the yarn in my etsy shop. I love buying yarn on Etsy, and I think it might be fun to sell some of this gorgeous sock yarn there.  I really like how the blend of wool, cotton, silk, and soy feels on my feet. I was worried that the socks had stretched out too much after wearing them, , but they sprang back  into shape perfectly after hand washing them last night. They have a nice elasticity, and are very cool and comfortable. 

I've been working on the Carbeth sweater. I'm going to make mine a little bit  longer than the designer did;hers hit right at the waist. I have several skeins of this luscious grey yarn, and I'm eager to use it. Since I'm long waisted, it helps to add an inch or more to the sweaters that I knit. That's one thing that I love about knitting your own clothes, you can customize them so that they fit you exactly.

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