Monday, August 15, 2011

things I recently learned

The easy way to use beet greens is to put them on the top steamer while cooking the beets.  Takes only a few minutes and the greens are tender.  I like to take off most of the stem.  Then I eat the greens as a side dish, mix with potatoes, mix with some garlic/onion/cheese.

I have pulled weeds for the last four days in my yard and managed to fill a wheel barrow each day.  Yes, spring was a very long season this year and the weeds got a head of me.  What surprises me is with all the weed pulling my arms still have low flying wings!

I have pruned the espalier trees on the back fence.  They look neat and groomed and healthy.  I am saving all the branches for mulch to go back on my beds.  This Thursday a guy is coming to do ornamental trees and bushes pruning and that will also be added to my pile to chop up.  This resource is valued like good manure for an organic gardener.

My blueberries produced the most this year for me.  Spring rains probably. 

Two female family members have had breast cancer surgery in the last 15 days.  The raise of cancer is all around us.  Hear yesterday that a radiologist in town confirms the same here in Olympia.  She also will never put a cell phone to her head, only uses it to text.  All of us have to ask the question of what are the things about American life style that are related to the raise in cancer?

My granddaughter's new teacher told her students that she will not allow those backpackers in her room.  I guess she read about the over the shoulder  front method of carrying books better for their young backs. 

Purchase some chia seed that Dr. Oz has been talking about on his show.  It is a nice addition to anything.  I understand it can grow in my area so next spring, this plant that is from the mint family, will be seeded in my garden.

Politically, it is hate season.  Surprisingly, Christians are so firm in their superiority of being wise I wonder, who is it that they are following.  The gentle man that walked the earth 2,000 always looked out for the less among the population.  Today's talk is about protecting the elite among those Christians politicians.  Oh, the race thing is a fact, studies show only whites under 30 voted for Obama in the last election.

The signs that my husband's Alzheimer's is progressing when he single handedly decided to eat the whole plate of fortune cookies, or when he put five socks on one foot or ask where is his tie and puts his hand on his head. 

The little comfort I feel in these times after listening to the news, watching the stock market or hearing the latest report of extreme weather somewhere in the U.S. is that my back yard has a garden.   I have some seeds, I touch the soil and I watch my chickens.  My world is small but it is sane.

                                               







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