Garden 2009

Just a quick post between packing and losing my mind. Here is the beautiful garden I'll be leaving behind in exchange for some ratty perennials , a measly carport and a BBQ joint constantly wafting smoke two doors down. I'm not bitter. I know it makes no sense to plant a garden when you aren't planning on being here for the harvest, but I love the garden so what am I to do?
Hopefully I'll be knee deep in an urban rooftop gardening oasis by this time next year;)

Moving update- estimated time of departure is set for July 11th!
Maybe we'll have a chance to taste some of these lovely veggies before we go.

Just an update

I have a million things I want to share, so bare with me for a moment. First here's the progress on the garden so far. It doesn't look to impressive I admit, but there is only so much a pregnant woman can do. I cleaned up all the weed growth, and Lorenz 'installed' my bamboo fencing. I decided to leave one bed open for my new step-dog to have a poop patch. It seems to do the trick. I also cleaned up the wisteria and will hopefully have this new IKEA trellis in place soon because it will start

taking over the yard before we know it.At the front of the house we have a special little memorial Lumpkin garden which I'll post about later this week because it has some exciting features this year.

Moving on to the kitchen,
this morning i was inspired by my huge sack of the most delicious oranges this season, to create a new granola recipe.

Orange Ginger Coconut Granola
(first draft)
Preheat oven to 300' F
6 c. oats
1 c. chopped pecans
1/4 c. tasted sesame seeds
1 c. unsweetened medium cut coconut
1 t. ground ginger
1/2 t. salt
........
juice and zest of one orange
1/4 c. coconut oil melted
3/4 c. maple syrup
1 t. vanilla extract

mix it all together and pour onto 2 cookie sheets with a rim.
bake at 300'F for 1 hr. or until it's all dried out and golden brown.
Stir once half way through baking.

I think it turned out pretty well. It wasn't terribly sweet and the oranginess was perfect.
I only use coconut oil occasionally, but a less saturated oil would work out just fine too. Give it a try and let me know what you think. In other news, I'm moving closer to finishing my little sleeveless spring knittydirtygirl sweaters. I have postponed my adventures in polymer clay button-making in exchange for a simpler solution. I've discovered the joys of Shrinky-Dinks. M2 looking very "little match girl"I got a variety pack from the local Micheal's store and I've been experimenting with it daily. I think I've settled on a simple little button for the sweaters and
I'll be sure to post the finished beauties soon!
I also want to say (and this is a little bit late) that today is the last day of the Lancaster County Library Book Sale. That means it's half price day! and if you get there late in the day around 3 or 4 they will let you fill a bag for like a $1.00. I love that book sale. M2 and I went on Monday with the rest of the book lovin' kooks in town. We had to park a half a mile away and it was pouring down rain, but we had fun. This was the first year that my youngest was able to entertain herself browsing books for a couple hours. I came away with a few gems including a cutesy little sewing book for M1 and a sweet little May Day 'Operetta' just in time for Mayday. My favorite was the tiny little hardbound Maurice Sendak alphabet book Alligators All Around. Well, I guess that's about it. We're off to have some lunch and take our nap, M2 is four years old and she's just now starting to take naps! I'm training her for when lumpkin3 arrives. Because I plan on napping constantly! I'll leave you with a peek at our lunch- Vegan grilled 'cheese' can be fun, I swear!Vegan grilled 'cheese' w/ FYH jack cheese, pizza sauce for dipping, oranges, blue corn chips, mint tea

YUM! Maybe I'll do my little Lumpkin garden post tomorrow in honor of May Day?
We'll see, have a lovely Wednesday!

Whoa mama

Ok, there are officially less than 2 months left until baby 3 arrives. When did that happen? As you can see I've grown to gargantuan proportions. Actually I'm not any bigger than I was with the other two and they were each under 7 lbs. Not that I'm afraid of a big baby... come on I dare you kid! It just gets harder to lose after each babe, slower anyway. We are out in the garden getting ready for the big transformation from lump of weeds into this years magical veggie patch. There is much to be done before this weekends rain comes. I'd like to get the seeds in the ground before a single drop falls. I've been doing lots of other little nesting things around the house too. I decorated a little Lumpkin Tote hat box with some fun embroidery which I'll blog about more later, and I have been in perma-knit mode lately, so I made about a dozen of these little gems, soon to be in the shop
Oh, and I just in case anyone is in the Marietta area, this weekend... Please stop by the Susquehanna Waldorf School's Spring Fair this Saturday April, 26th 11-2pm. There will be lots of fun games, and crafts, and entertainment and food. Hopefully there will also be some sunshine. It's a really great event. Fun for all!