Chili Weather

All that I can say is that I'm really glad that we didn't have anywhere that we had to be this weekend. It is cold. Not quite as cold as the -40 that Minnesota is having, but cold for here. :) The picture above is the ice on my lotus container. We went down to Lake Guntersville this morning to have brunch with a friend of ours at the Outlaw Steakhouse. I had ideas of getting some good pictures to post while we were there because it is very scenic. I quickly decided though that maybe the springtime would be a better time for pictures.

So we came home and I decided that we would have chili and grilled cheese sandwiches for supper. Here is my reliable stand-by chili recipe.

1 lb. ground sirloin
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green pepper, diced
1 (5 oz) can of tomato juice
1 (16 oz) can of petite diced tomatoes
2 (16 oz) cans of black beans, drained
1/4 c. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. each black pepper, oregano, sugar
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

In a frying pan, brown the ground beef, onions and green peppers. Put the remaining ingredients in a pot, cover and let simmer for 30 minutes or so.

I personally don't drain the beef because ground sirloin has barely any but if you used a higher fat percentage you would want to.

:( :( :( :( :(

Holy cats is all I have to say. It was coooold, and 14 degrees had actually warmed up some. It wasn't too bad when in the sun and the wind wasn't blowing. At least I am home for the long weekend and the fireplace is going. I think some hot chocolate is in order. :)

Pico de Gallo Garden

Back when we lived in Virginia, about 10 or so years ago I started growing some vegetables. They didn't ever do that well and I gave up when we moved to North Carolina. Now that we are getting settled again here, I would like to give it a try again. I figure that this time I'll start small and then when I have proven that I can take care of a very small amount of garden plants I'll slowly start adding more. I always wanted to try Square Foot Gardening, so I figured that if I started with one 4'X4' bed that would be good for the first season.

Now the other fact of the matter is that I am a hopeless addict to fresh salsa. I can literally go through a whole big bowl by myself in no time flat. So I figured that the best thing to attempt growing was a salsa garden. After spending quite a bit of time out in San Diego I have settled on Pico de Gallo as being my favorite form. There is something about its elemental simplicity that I love. So since I have been piled under with seed catalogs for the last couple of months ago, I finally pulled out the Cook's Garden catalog to have a look at what they are offering this year. Here's what I'm looking at getting:

Persimmon Tomatoes - These are the tomatoes that I tried growing in Virginia. I am really debating whether to try starting my own seeds or just buying some plants instead. My seed starting efforts in the past haven't been that successful. So if I go with plants I will probably get something locally.

Red Baron Scallions - I am a sucker for things that have different colors in them. I figure if you're going to the trouble of growing your own veggies you should get something you can't just buy in the supermarket.

Jalapeno - The peppers are subject to the same dilemma as the tomatoes - try to start seeds or get plants. Jalapenos are the classic peppers for Pico de Gallo and I definately don't need anything hotter.

Cilantro Defino - I like limited amounts of cilantro in my salsa, it is very easy to overdo. When there's too much it reminds me of soap. Not a good thing by any means. I like this one because it's feathery so I won't have to try as hard to chop it up fine.

So there are my plans. Which do you guys think...start my own seeds or buy plants?

What The??!?!!

You'd think it was January or something! After the last week that was warm and even sunny, the bottom dropped out of the temperatures. I woke up this morning to a heavy frost, freezing fog and 23 degree weather. (Whine) I took these pictures at work early this morning.

As I finished taking pictures, our production planner Chuck came up to me and told me that there were some spider webs with frost on them back in the smokers' overhang. So I grabbed my trusty camera and went to take some more pictures. They looked extremely cool, unfortunately most didn't have a very good backdrop (the overhang is in the back of the warehouse and has vehicles parked all around) but I did get a couple of good ones.

Isn't it time for spring yet?

Six Things That Make Me Happy

Kiy tagged me with this meme so I thought I would come up with some. I don't really have anyone to tag so this part ends with me.

1. Holding and nursing my daughter. I wasn't sure how I would feel about this when she was born, but it is so special.

2. Getting time to play my guitar, even though I have a "helper" :)

3. Having time to cook, doesn't happen often.

4. Being outside in my garden.

5. Uninterrupted reading, which doesn't happen often either.

6. Sitting and having long conversations with my husband.

A Quilting Diversion

My mother was here for a visit last weekend and I wanted to take her to our local quiliting/cross stich store. Patches and Stitches has a large selection of material and also cross stitch patterns and threads. I don't cross stitch much (okay, at all) anymore but I do appreciate it when it is well done. So we set out on Saturday morning.

It was hard to capture detail on this miniature quilt to make you appreciate its scale, but it was amazing.

Here is the room with the threads in it.

One of the mixed fabric bundles.

And this is my mom, Kay. :)

Painter's Sky

I stepped outside to walk between buildings at work today and had to run back in to grab the camera. The whole sky was covered with the clouds shown in the picture and it was probably one of the most amazing skies that I have ever seen. It looked like an artist's painting.

Blue Sky

For those of you that aren't living in Northern Alabama the picture above might look pretty mediocre. For those of us that have been living under gray skies with damp and rain for the last few months it is one of the prettiest sights seen in a long time. The skies were bright blue with puffy white clouds and the sun shone down. It was colder than a witch's bosom though so I stayed inside for most of the day, looking out whenever I had a chance. I'll enjoy it while I can. :)

Walk in January

My mom left this morning and we are getting settled back into our routines. I finally got my tulip bulbs planted. I took Quickbeam out for a walk this afternoon to see what was happening. January is starting as grey and damp as December was.

There aren't a whole lot of things to see, but here and there are a few things of interest. These are the seedheads from my crepe myrtle tree.
I was surprised to see some buds on my Butterscotch Jessamine. I don't know if it is going to frost before it blooms.

And finally, there is still a little life left in the hen and chicks on my succulent bird feeder.

The Elephant in the Room

A few years ago I was a frequent business traveler to San Diego. There was a wonderful nursery there that I used to visit and I bought this little elephant statue there. I have kept him on an endtable in the living room ever since and he has helped to bring some zen-like tranquility into the house. Alas, this is the year of child-proofing and rearranging so I moved him out into the garden. I think he will probably be happier there.

And yes...the phlox is still blooming. :)

Merry Christmas!

First, I wanted to wish all of my friends and family Merry Christmas. I appreciate everyone who has visited my blog throughout the year. I take pictures and write for my own pleasure, but it is always fun to share with others. It is always a challenge for me to limit my activities to the time that I have available, since I am interested in everything. :) Off to eat Christmas candy and take long naps!

Published!

For those out there that like to blog, write and take pictures I was wondering if you had been introduced to Blurb. Blurb.com is a website where you can download software, plug in your pictures and writing, upload it and get a book. My dad came down for a visit earlier this spring and he showed me the website. He has been working on a family history that he plans to publish using it. I also have a cousin and his wife that have published some books through it. I don't know much about the official publishing method, but this appealed to me. You can capture a special trip, family event or other thing in a book and the prices aren't that outrageous.

I decided that I wanted to capture the pictures and writings from my blog. I figured that I could do an update each year and keep a record of how things develop. We started with a bare lot and I want to see where we go. I figured that there might be some of you that would also be interested in doing something like this. I finally got my book up and ordered and I can't wait to see what it looks like. So, I'll keep you posted!

My Book

Green Thumb Sunday 12/21/08 - Fungus Rules

There hasn't been a whole lot going on in my neck of the woods for quite a while now, and today the most interesting thing is the rash of mushrooms in the front flower bed.

I have always been fascinated by mushrooms though, ever since I was a little girl. They are so delicate and only last for a day or two. We have had so much rain here lately though and even when its not raining it is damp and overcast. So I guess it is the perfect recipe for a couple of really good crops.

The only other real object of interest is the fact that my froggy bottoms have started to rust.

This was a wrought iron stepping stone that my friend gave me when I left North Carolina and I got them placed this summer. I expect that I will eventually bring them in and make a wall ornament after they get sufficiently aged looking.

Sunshine! Blue Skies! 60 Degrees!

For the last few weeks it has been rainy, icy at times, foggy and overcast all of the time. I was starting to think I might have SAD and need a sun lamp. It doesn't help that it is pitch black outside by 5 PM. I took off work a little early and took Quickbeam outside and lo and behold we saw blue skies. So it was time to do an inventory.

I know that everyone is probably sick of pictures of my phlox, but is still plugging away and I am extremely curious how long it is going to keep blooming. There are a few blooms on each of the plants. It also looks like there are a few buds opening up on the Alyssum plant.

Imagine my surprise to see a dandelion blooming in the yard. I have never been one of those that has to have a weed-free yard and I have always enjoyed seeing cheerful dandelion blooms.

There is a large bloom with probably 20 plus mushrooms in the front flower bed. Since I was carrying Quickbeam (and the ground was wet) I couldn't get down to get a really good picture. My camera lens seemed to be kind of fuzzy.
The lack of leaves helped to expose the bird's nest in my crepe myrtle tree. I tried to avoid getting too close to it this summer.

So that was our expedition today. It felt really good to get outside and get some fresh air. I let Quickbeam run around for awhile and she enjoyed the time outside also. Keeping her from eating leaves and grass definately keeps me busy. :)

Green Thumb Sunday 12/14/08

We finally got a really cold snap and good freeze over the weekend. The sheet of ice shown above is in the lotus planter. I didn't post last weekend because the weather was miserable and there wasn't much to show. When I got up early Saturday morning there was a really heavy frost all over everything so I went outside to check it out.
Here is my elfin thyme with a good dusting.

And here is the seed head on the Joe Pye Weed. And then later that afternoon, in spite of everything...

More phlox!

Last Two Standing

I am down to just two plox left as the only blooming plants left. The nighttime temps have been in the 20's and daytime in the 40's and 50's. We are supposed to get some snow on Monday!

Stuff I've Done

Here's an interesting list from my friend Kiy. She has the link on her site for the original. Here's how it works:

So there is this list floating around and you are supposed to bold the things that you have done in your life. Should be fun! Feel free to play along!

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/world
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Gotten flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in Arlington Cemetery
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

Green Thumb Sunday 11/23/08 - Hard Frost Survivors

We had our first really hard frost on Friday evening, and woke up yesterday morning to 22 degrees. I figured that would be the end of any blooms that I have, but I still have a few stalwarts hanging on. It looks like Alyssum is going to be the main star of my blog for a while. :) I went out and inventoried yesterday and the pickings are getting pretty slim now. The alyssum by the pond is protected from sunlight early in the morning and probably doesn't start getting exposed until 11 am or so, by which time it has been warming up to the 40's.

There are still a few odd blooms on the light blue creeping phlox.
The few remaining Black-Eyed Susan blooms got touched by the frost.
There are still a few lily pads left on the water lily, but they are starting to get a little ragged now. Not too ragged for my bird friends to use them for a bird bath though, as noted in the post below.
And one of the main stars of the show now, Coneflower seedheads.

Those are the major happenings now. I have some wild tulip bulbs to plant today if I don't keep procrastinating. I picked a variety with low winter chill requirements so I'm hoping to get them to rebloom.

Bird Bath

I saw today what was possibly the coolest thing I have ever seen in my garden today. I'm going to try and post a video that I took of it.

Here's what happened:

I was walking by the window in the living room and happened to glance out at my pond. I noticed that there were a lot of little sparrows (that's a guess, I haven't ID'd them) landing around the edge of the pond. And then I noticed what they were doing, they were hopping down on the lily pads and taking a bath on them. I had never seen birds do anything like that with either of my ponds. I would imagine if the birds had been any bigger it wouldn't have worked because their weight would have made the lilypad sink. So since I had my trusty video camera I tried to capture it. The video isn't too good for these reasons:

• My vido camera isn't that high quality, it's a small handheld that is meant to be very portable
• I had to reduce quality on it when I shrank it for a smaller file size
• It was taken through the screen on the living room window
• It is kind of shaky because I am holding it

I have tried previously to move to get a better picture angle, but the birds notice the movement and fly away. So I did the best that I could with it. I'm not sure if you will even be able to see them, they were pretty small.

P.S. I looked at it when it was posted and it was pretty blurry so I don't think you can see them. It did however remind me that I need to pull out the horsetail so that I have a better view of the pond surface from the house. I need to anyway because it is shooting out runners under the gravel as far as three feet away. :P

Green Thumb Sunday - 11/16/2008 - The Old Reliables

It's getting to be slimmer pickings in the garden now, and the plants are few and far between. The temperature dropped to 30 degrees last night and daytime highs have been in the 50's. I noticed that the alyssum tumbling into the pond is still there (above). For some reason I always seem to overlook it. It has been a steady, reliable bloomer in the garden all summer long and into the fall now. I have never really been much for annuals in the garden but this one is definately going to have a place in mine from now on.

I got a big pot of Hen and Chicks earlier this summer to break apart and plant in the succulent bird feeder. I tucked the ultimate mother into a corner between the bricks around the pond area and a rock stepping stone. It has been multiplying happily all summer and I am pleased to report that it seems to be happy where it is.

The creeping phlox has gotten well established in several places and seems to be at home. The whole 'scree garden' concept seems to be taking root and growing now, no pun intended.
The Black-Eyed Susan has been giving consistent splashes of color in the back of the garden all summer long. It's also been self-seeding prolifically so I will have to be giving away some young plants next spring.

And finally, the Blanket Flower has also been plugging along all summer. Now that there are fewer flowers it is still decorating the bird feeder bed with seed pods. I think that I'll be moving some of this into the scree garden next spring.

Gardeners, Plant and Nature lovers can join in every Sunday, visit As the Garden Grows for more information.