The Ground is Frozen so no Gardening, except to compose and plan. I just received the seeds for next years garden, can’t wait to get the Green House set up to start the seedlings. The Green House has struggled this winter I must say, but I’ve learned a few things and will do Better as time goes on.
The Family that comes to Our Home, love going out to enjoy the warmth .
Christmas is Over, New Years is on the way.
Everything will now go into place for next years shopping dilemma’s.
Family will go back to their Homes, and unlike “It’s a Wonderful Life”, we probably wouldn’t see them, our Family, again for 6 or 8 months, unless we run into them at a store or restaurant.
So what Happens to All the Family, I know I’m not Wealthy or even have Gifts to give, but I do have gifts, like each one of us. We have so many gifts that God gave us.
My gift is Plants and gardening, soon I will be at my New Job in Sales, I Pray that this is answer to so many prayers about my life.
What do you Pray for, not what do you want, but, What do You Pray for. Our Father said just ask and I will supply, and He is True to His Word, but remember He, our Father in Heaven, will give you what you need to succeed. Sometimes we think our prayers are not answered, but maybe we need to accept what God is giving us, even thought it might not be what we ask for, it will be the Best Thing for us.
Remember Your Gifts, and share them this Season and All Year Long, I Pray to remember all from my past and do what is right, as soon as I can, and with what God will Supply..
Well it’s time to pick out a Tree for the Holidays.
Yes, I said Pick out a tree. A 20 Gallon Tree can be Just the Thing.
I Love A Fresh Trees, and I love to get a new Tree Each year to plant outside in February or March.
Find a Tree that is already a root ball and wrapped.
Remember to Keep them watered and cool.
Well the talk about winter seems to be everywhere, however it’s still Fall around here.
FALL COLORS
As many of you know, if you’ve planted those Fall Veggies out, Take Care, Mr. Frost is right around the corner.
Some tips, If you have planted Garlic cloves, keep them mulched down during winter. It’s good to let the “Green Tops” of the Garlic exposed, but cover all the ground around them, If you plant Garlic in the Fall, you can Harvest them in the spring, late spring in some areas, they will be Bold and Beautiful and full of Flavor.
I have Green Beans growing now, a fall crop requires some extra care. With the Extra plastic left over from the New Green House Remodel, I have made a Cold Frame to put around the Green Beans. I know that there are a lot of people that say, NO WAY, to the fall crop of Green Beans, but they produce beans in about 35 days, I already have flowers and small beans just after 4 weeks of planting.
These Green Beans are almost ready to fruit, see the blooms, a couple more sunny days and I’ll have a harvest in October.
I Love Salsa, so does my Wife and Friends, so I have a bed of Cilantro, Radish bed and Loads of Tomatoes, Jalapeno Peppers are annuals here in my zone 6 area, but put them in pots and move them to the Green House for a Year Round crop, after all they will live for years if taken care of, I have had 1 plant live 3 seasons by keeping it potted in the Green House during the winter season. Let’s not forget the Lemon Juice from my own trees!
These Jalapeno’s will be Great in Salsa. Potted and in the Green House for this winters harvest.
These Blooms are so sweet, lemons and limes make the winter in the Green House a sweet place to be when it snows.
Yesterday I didn’t get my blog out, I spent the day putting that plastic skin on my new Green House. I know most of you are tired of me telling you about this project, however, 1 more day and I will be finished, which will make my Wife Happy as well. Oh Yes, I’m still looking for that wood stove I’ve been asking about, still no one in the western Maryland area offering me a good used Wood Stove to sell. I have looked in several post, ads, e-bay, craigslist, and so on…..any ideas anyone, I can’t afford a new one or the cost of electric heat, who can?
Back Wall, north, of Green House waiting for it’s window to be installed.
East Wall of New Green House with Plastic installed.
Front View of New Green House with Plastic on Half
Back to the tips,
Lettuce, spinach, broccoli, cabbage, all do well in cool weather, so have fun and plant them now. My wife and I had a Great Salad last night using these veggies, Fresh from the Garden, and it’s October! Next Month I should have Carrots, I already have radishes.
Carrots are wonderful, why not include them in the fruits of my labor this winter.
Still picking up Black Walnuts and Hickory Nuts from the yard, got to get to them before the varmints do. I like chocolate chip cookies with walnuts, and my wife loves hickory nut cake, it reminds her of her childhood, and if you have tried to purchase these nuts recently, at $5.99 a pound, it pays to pick them up and harvest them yourself. It’s only a little work to get a harvest worth it’s weight in, well, silver, can’t say Gold anymore…..
Well everyone, Have a Great Day and stay tuned for more to come..
Some times we look around and say to ourselves, So where’s the Moza?
Now, who knows what Moza is, I know my Grandmother always said that when you were happy with things, you found your Moza!
She was an American Indian,
3 times removed, but she had a lot of ways of the old.
Summer “Tomato” area
I really enjoyed the Gardens she would plant, the 20 acres of potatoes, yes I said 20 acres. She would have acres of apple trees and corn, not to mention the peaches. Oh my, I loved to go up to her home and hang out, she even taught me to cook. I mean it that she would have me make pies, cook dumplings, peal apples for apple sauce, so many apples, so many bees. But you know she had Moza. I hope some day I can have the drive and steady work ethic she had.
Now, please, forgive me that I must say this, but, I didn’t really like grandma when I was growing up, yup, I thought she was a mean Grandma, always something to do with her, I always got the dirty jobs, washing dishes, helping to clean the table, but now as my wife and I work to, can tomatoes, make peach jam or raspberry preserves, freeze Butternut Squash for soup this winter, I think back to Grandma and say, Thank You Grandma, for teaching me so much.
My wife comments that I have a certain quality that she is proud of. I’m glad that I can Please her, but a lot of times I must admit, my Mother comes out in me, no she was one that had “Spunk”, and for her age, i stay out of her way. She’s almost 80 now, and I wouldn’t want to be on her bad side. She also was a great instructor in life, some times a life I didn’t want, but she always stood behind me, she has her own type of Moza. No she’s not American Indian, but she is full blooded American, Red, White and Blue All the way!
Well my question to you, What’s your Moza?
Are you Happy where your at?
Do you make others glad to be your friend?
Ask yourself, and live by your convictions, Then you’ll find your Moza.
Watermelon is one of the end of summers treats. As I pick one I wonder, what will this round green ball contain? Will it be filled with seeds, or will I be lucky and find that sweet, meaty, red fruit I so desire. The Melons have done well this year. Stripped, Green, round and Full of Sweet wonderful mouth watering fruit. I have two beds of melons this year and I must say, it was well worth the wait.
As my wife and I sliced into that round ball, it was crisp and the juice ran down my arm, had to lick every drop off my hands, I wanted to lick the knife as well but didn’t want a split tongue, besides the bowl will collect all the juice you could want.
Now, I’m not promoting drinking, for all my friends that know me, but these fresh fruits make a Great Frozen Daiquiri, freeze some small pieces in the freezer for about 2 hours, add a little crushed ice to your blender, a splash of Vodka, blend a second and if you’ll
Striped Water Melon
Super Sweet Water Melon
Water Melon Area on Rock Ledge
Meaty Water Melon, Soooo Sweeet!
know what I mean, yummy!
Fresh Fruit out of the Garden is so worth the work it takes. Now if you haven’t taken my POLL on Gardening, look back at the last few blogs and Vote, Vote, VOTE!
I sure would like to hear what you all think…. My wife and I have a debate going on and I’m not trying to sway anyone, but, I sure Work Hard in the Garden and wish to hear how you work as well.
So as the end of summer approaches, enjoy the Fruits of your labor, and if you have extra, remember those older neighbors around you that might not be able to Garden anymore, I’m sure they would appreciate a Garden Fresh Cucumber, tomato, maybe some potatoes, after all we are a struggling out here, and our older friends are on a fixed income and could use some help.
So as I was told this morning, I need to do some work. I spent the day yesterday working on the new green house and I ended up with a sore back. I was told that if I would do some work that I would be more valuable. So I have to ask all of you, is working in your Garden work?
I know that doing a garden is not for everyone, the tilling of the ground, the adding of the additives like sand and peat, raking out the soil, planting the seeds, pulling the weeds, watering, and the harvest, it is just a joy, kind-a like water skiing isn’t it? Nothing but fun in the sun!
So I’m going to put a Poll out there and I hope you all will answer the Question, is Gardening work?
Making sure there is no tripping hazards around the outside wall.
Removing the inside remaining dirt before bring in stone.
West wall , of the new greenhouse, finally in place.
Sense there is a walkway on the west and east side of the new Greenhouse, I need to ensure there are no holes to “trip” into….my wife has a knack for finding all the holes I dig in the yard. It could be in an area she hasn’t walked in for weeks….but I move one plant and she finds the hole.
After filling in around the walls, using the remaining clay dirt that is inside the new expansion of the greenhouse, I will go back and cover the clay with soil for new plants or cover the areas close to the wall with sandstone to complete the walkway. This helps to level the inside of the greenhouse, before I place the sand and stone on the new floor area.
Luckily, where the dog’s use to sleep….in an outside area, it has about 3 inches of sandstone which I will move and place into the floor area of the expansion . Its a long walk uphill from the old dog’s pen to the new greenhouse, so my work will be cut out for me.
Expecting rain today in our area , so I need to get the dirt moved so it settles a little. If your wall is a little more than 3 feet, be sure to put stone around the outside so it doesn’t freeze. Freezing dirt will push your wall into the open area, remember the path of least resistance is an open area.
Remember to Plant a little Green to give us a big Blue. Planting Trees gives us Oxygen.
This walkway was totally Free Thanks to Hagerstown Block.
My pick of Block from the Seconds area. Loaded in my truck.
This is the loading area for seconds
This is the Scrap Block, Seconds
The corner Stones are important to the stability of this wall.
Sign at entrance of Hagerstown Block
I want to Thank the Management of the Hagerstown Block Company for permitting me to tell everyone about the Free Block They have. Please visit them in Hagerstown Maryland and say Thank you for me, and remember they offer High Quality, Block and Brick for all your purpose either inside your home, outside in your Garden or to upgrade your Business. They have a wonderful display to get ideas as well.
You know some days you need to take a break, and today it rained. So my wife and I took a break and did some indoor projects. Even thought I should have picked beans again today and finish digging the red potatoes.
Today we painted our bedroom. It was fun to hang out with my wife and pick out paint colors, get the brushes and come home to paint. It was best to see her get so excited to do this.
Some days you need to take a break from everyday chores and spend the day with your love. It was a Great day watching her have fun! Can’t wait to get it all done so we can spend the night together there.
So, Take a break once an awhile, it might be the Best Day in Years! Love you Honey!
Remember to Plant a little Green to give us a big Blue. Planting Trees gives us Oxygen.
Allen's Garden Tips 