Cultivate Simple 50: Simple Holidays
In this episode we discuss ways to make your holiday celebrations simpler and more enjoyable.
Around the Run
Brian got new welder, well a used one. Welding was one of his five picks in our episode about Five Things we wanted to learn to do. If you haven’t listened to that episode, check out Cultivate Simple 31: Five Things
I made this quilt for my dad made of old jeans, old flannel sheets and his boy scout patches. I also made my nephew a super hero cape, see this post to see his super awesome reversible cape.
Books of the Week
Brian’s Picks
Susy’s Picks
What’s the best simple holiday celebration you’ve been a part of? Have you received a meaning, simple gift that you loved?
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:49:31 — 75.9MB)
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Quote of the Day: Eleanor Roosevelt
“We walked tonight up to the top of the hill back of my cottage and saw the sun go down…Then, as we came home, the rain began to fall very gently–that soft spring rain which give you the feeling you can almost see things grow. My lilies-of-the-valley are just young green shoots coming up out of the ground…The lilacs are out, and as we walked through the woods two white dogwood trees gleamed, almost in full bloom. Yes, the world does live again. Perhaps nature is our best assurance of immortality.”
-Eleanor Roosevelt in her journal a week after the death of her husband FDR (Franklin and Eleanor: An Extraordinary Marriage)
Yesterday I spent a few hours cleaning up the garden. It’s that time of the year to clear out all the dead plants to make way for winter mulch. As I was working, I planned out next year’s garden, taking notes of what worked, what didn’t. I noticed the low sun casts a good deal of shade on on the potager during the fall, making this garden not as good for fall crops as the main garden. That can be remedied by taking down a few trees.
I’m actually quite happy that fall is here, I’m ready for the garden to go to sleep.
Are making plans for next year as you finish up this gardening year? Will you make and changes?
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Too Cute
These ducklings are simply too cute. I’ve said before that ducklings are my favorite little animals, ducks are one of my favorite adult animals as well. It’s hard to get anything done around here with so much cuteness walking around.
I try to keep an eye on these guys to make sure none of the cats are going after them. Mama duck is one tough cookie, she’s even threatened to attack Tara if she comes too close, but I still like to make sure she’s not getting them too far away. We had an eagle flying very low yesterday and found her with the ducklings way down the driveway. The ducks are the only animals we have that aren’t behind an electric fence for protection. They aren’t behind a fence because they simply fly over it.
I love how the immediately take to water, if I had a deep enough pool they’d be swimming already. On a sad note, none of our guinea keets have survived. The cold weather was simply too much for them to handle, which is what I figured would happen.
Could you get work done with these cuties around?
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Friday Favorite: Old Gardening Books
I’m a big fan of old gardening books, and I find myself frequently purchasing them at used book stores and for only a few dollars off Amazon. One of the reasons I like old gardening books is because they often offer more in depth information than is available in new books. There are times when I get frustrated with new books because they have to assume everyone is a beginner and there are a few chapters of the basics of gardening. It would be nice to have a disclaimer that the book is for more experienced gardeners and then give me more information about the topic at hand.
My most recent vintage gardening books are both by Thalasa Cruso. I have read many of her books ‘Making Things Grow’ is one of my favorites. This time around I purchased To Everything There Is a Season: The Gardening Year and Making Vegetables Grow.
I especially like the illustrations in Making Vegetables Grow. I’m considering purchasing another book just so I can cut them out and frame them.
I’m not sure where I originally heard about Thalasa, but these two books were recommended in To Eat: A Country Life, which I read recently while traveling. I think I heard about a few others in Onward and Upward in the Garden, another vintage gardening gem.
Do you have any oldies but goodies gardening books to recommend?
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Garlic Giveaway
It’s that time of year to start thinking about planting garlic. Mine is going to be planted where the sweet potatoes were this summer. I plan on planting a lot of garlic, loads and loads of it. I never seem to have enough and I like giving it away as well. We eat a lot ourselves and I feed it to the chickens and the dogs every now and again.
Last year I did a giveaway thanks to Peaceful Valley Farm & Garden Supply (also known as GrowOrganic.com), a company that my parents have been purchasing from since I was a kid. I’m more than happy to get a great prize for one of you while helping spread the word about this great company! Peaceful Valley also has a in depth weekly newsletter with loads of how-to videos and lots of useful information. They’re also on facebook if you want to keep up with their sales.
The garlic giveaway special will feature: a Garlic Combo collection, a quart of liquid kelp and plant labels. The garlic combo pack contains: 1 head of Elephant (conventional), 3 heads of California Early White (organic softneck), 3 heads of Music (organic hardneck), 3 heads of Russian Red (organic hardneck), 3 sets of French Red Shallots (organic).
So why the liquid kelp? Garlic bulbs do better when soaked in liquid kelp before planting. It gives them the boost they need to get a strong root system going before winter arrives in earnest. The plant labels were included because I have a very bad habit of never labeling my garden plants, particularly the garlic. As a result I have different kinds of homegrown garlic in my pantry but I don’t know which is which. The labels should help you keep things organized!
If you’ve never grown garlic before, don’t worry. I’ll have a garlic growing guide up on the blog next week. Deadline to enter is Wednesday, October 23 at midnight. Winner has been chosen via random.org – #72 – Matt who said, “I’ve loved garlic all my life.. Now I’m starting my own Back to Eden style garden and of course plan garlic to be part of it.”
How do you enter this giveaway? Tell me what’s your favorite way to use garlic in the kitchen?
