Chiot’s Run Labor Camp
Well, that’s what Mr Chiot’s wanted me to name this post after spending the weekend gather rocks for some new garden beds and to line the driveway.
Mr Chiots spent some time each day this weekend gathering rocks for some hardscaping in our garden. We have tons of rocks everywhere, especially in the back woods. They threw all the rocks out there when the built the house, so there are piles of lovely big rocks that are beautifully aged with moss. The best part is that they’re FREE (just a little manual labor needed).
These rocks sure come in handy when we want to define garden beds or terrace our sloping lot (see What to do With an Abundance of Rocks). Every year we add more and more of the to the garden.
I love the look of the natural native stone in the garden, you just can’t beat the look. They blend right in and look like they’ve always been there. Especially when it’s got alyssum or thyme cascading over it, or is being overtaken with some sedum.
I much prefer it to the square retaining wall stones many people use, although I realize some people don’t have easy access to free rocks like we do.
Are you a rock wall lover? What do you use for hardscaping?
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Quote of the Day: Minnie Aumonier
“When the world wearies and society ceases to satisfy, there is always the garden.”
~ Minnie Aumonier
This is one of the things I love about gardening. It seems like all we hear is bad news, everywhere. Not in the garden, only the sounds of birds and the smell of earth. The plants don’t care what I wear or whether I have the latest & greatest thing, it’s very peaceful when you’re working in the garden.
Is gardening a peaceful activity for you?
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Enjoying the Fruits of our Labor
If you were around and reading my blog this past summer you’ll remember that we foraged for bunches of blackberries and we picked blueberries at a local farm. We’ve really been enjoying the fruits of our labor this winter. There’s nothing like berry syrup over lemon pancakes, blackberry or blueberry muffins or our favorite, triple berry cobbler. We eat this often for breakfast, it sure makes all the hard work of picking blackberries, black raspberries and blueberries worth it.
TRIPLE BERRY COBBLER
1 cup of all-purpose flour (I use whole wheat)
2 Tablespoon of sugar (I skip this and sprinkle some on top before baking)
1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon (if desired)
1/4 cup chopped crystallized ginger (if desired)
1/4 cup cold butter
1 egg
1/4 cup of milk
6 cups frozen berries (I use a mix of blueberries, blackberries & wild black raspberries, sometimes I use 8 cups)
1/4-2/3 cup of sugar (I usually use 1/4 cup of honey and omit the remaining sugar)
1 Tablespoon of cornstarch
For filling: in a saucepan combine the berries, sugar (or honey) and cornstarch and 1/4 cup of water. Let stand for 10 minutes (20 minutes for frozen fruit). Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly, keep warm.
For topping: in a medium bowl stir together flour, sugar, baking powder and if desired cinnamon (ginger is added later). Cut in butter till mixture resembles coarse crumbs, stir in crystallized ginger, set aside.
In a small bowl stir together egg and milk. Add to flour mixture, stirring just to moisten. Transfer filling to a 2 quart baking dish, or large cast iron skillet. Using spoon, drop topping onto small mounds atop filling (sprinkle with sugar if desired).
Bake cobbler in a 400 degree oven for 20-25 minutes or till a wooden toothpick inserted into topping comes out clean. Serve warm.
What’s your favorite way to eat berries?
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Looks Like Winter?
When we woke up yesterday morning it no longer looked like spring here in Ohio. Everything was covered with a blanket of snow. Fortunately everything I have outside can take a little cold & snow.
I really don’t mind days like this, they make me appreciate the nice days even more. Not to mention, if we didn’t have days like this I’d never get the house cleaned. I also spend the snowy/rainy spring days making up batches of soup and bread for the freezer. They make quick meals on those days that I spend every daylight hour getting outside chores finished up.
What do you spend the snowy/rainy days doing?
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What a Difference a Day Makes
What a difference a day makes in the weather here in Ohio. On Sunday it was sunny and warm with the high around 65-70. Yesterday it was cold and snowing with the lows in the 20’s – BRRRRR.
This is not uncommon in Ohio, it happens quite often in the spring and in the fall. We can even have fairly cold weather in the middle of the summer.
This is the main reason I have a cold frame and the reason we decided to build hoop houses on our raised beds.
My little lettuces & beets are tucked warmly inside the cold frame, it allows me to plant things out much earlier than I would if I didn’t have it. The good thing is that weather will be warming up this week just in time for us to get our bees (that happens on Wed).
Do you live an area with rapidly changing weather? What do you do to extend the season?
