Friday, February 28, 2014

Almost Done


Almost done with winter...in fact, after a couple of days of ten degrees C last week, just a tease really, my heart was set on an early spring and thoughts of lets get growing! The ice is starting to break up, although the Captain said the week ahead is going to be quite cold and with the sea temp at zero, it only takes overnight for it to make more ice. He travels out by boat most mornings taking workers to a Mahone Bay island, so personally, I really wish this ice would go and stay away, away.

Have you found this winter long as well? March seems so much more optimistic, but February is just so long yet, it's the shortest month of the year. Attitude Brenda..it's all in the attitude.

During those two warm days, I scratched a packet of winter lettuce, mache and spinach in the cold frame with the lexan cover.  Honestly, the soil was lovely and warm from the radiant sun and almost steamy. Oh the smell when the cover was raised...spring, possibilities, enthusiasm and pleasure.

To keep my garden spirits up the last few months, I started some peas for shoots. This year however they didn't amount to much so even though they say any pea will do, I am going back to my original variety next year. I did sprinkle a packet of speedy veg in a plastic shell from the grocery and they did very well. Have you read the book The Speedy Vegetable Garden by Mark Diacono and Lia Leendertz? Well I think it has as much advice in there for growing shoots and sprouts as one would need. Plus there's lots else to recommend it. Great photos and great advice.

Meanwhile, I also discovered the little bulbs of Egyptian Walking Onions that truly love walking all over the garden, if potted up, grow green onions all winter long. I snip off the greens and they simply grow back time and time again and even if ignored, they don't give up. This was an accidental discovery as I thought the bulbs were something else. Next year, I will pot up a lot more.

Soon it will be time to stick some peas in the ground, as soon as the soil can be worked they say, but only if there's a window of time when it isn't going to rain for two weeks and they rot in the ground. But, while waiting for the real thing, these below will have to do ;-)  I took a clay class and came away with a selection of peas. The glaze is a little thick yes, but I loved feeling the clay and shaping it in my hands. In fact, a girlfriend said, it was like holding my hands. I liked that. Thank you.

So...I'm changing my attitude, and plan on Marching into next month with a springy step and a mind full of possibilities and earthly delight. Come on Spring.



18 comments:

  1. I'm totally ready for spring although our winter has been fairly mild - no snow at all but lots of miserable, soggy, weather.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Your weather has been very soggy from the reports we hear in Canada. Hope your spring is sunny and lovely. Thanks for commenting.

      Delete
  2. I like the sound of all that Positive Attitude! Things WILL get done... A question: why did you not paint the clay peas green? I think they are very attractive, BTW. They would make very good chopstick-rests!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Mark for your comment. Am really working hard on the positive thing ;-). As for the peas..the glaze on some are the green glazes she had on hand..so I experimented with other color glazes..just to see how they would work. I would like to make more as I learned a lot from making these and it was a lot of fun. And they would make excellent chopstick rests..very true. Happy gardening.

      Delete
  3. Isn't it amazing what some nice weather will do for a person's attitude? I was looking forward to spring but now I feel like I could reach out and grab it, it seems that close. Your peas are beyond adorable! I love them and they look professionally made. I feel destined to work with clay at some point as my grandmother did it as a business for years. I'd love to take a clay course sometime, looks like I may have to travel as I have never found one close to me. Happy, hopes of, Spring!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I replied to your message Jessica but it appeared as a comment..

      Delete
  4. The sun is shining today really helping with the attitude ;-) Thanks for your comment and especially re the peas. We are lucky to have a local, Marla Benton, teaching classes, think she has a website. Interesting your grandmother worked in clay. You should blog about her...bet you would be a natural. Yes, happy hopes of spring.

    ReplyDelete
  5. That accidental discovery about Egyptian onions was genius. I never know what to do with those.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I know..I was so pleased. Will have a nice fat pot planted up next year. And, my guess is, springtime, they will easily plant outside. And truly, I neglected them and snipped and snipped and they just kept coming back.

      As for what to do with them...when they are young, I do boil them up and slip off the harder outer skin when still quite warm and use as one would pearl onions.

      Delete
  6. A friend of mine gave me some walking onions. They didn't get into the ground last fall. I wonder if they will grow this year? What do y ou think? I hate to tellher I didn't plant them. I need the better attitude. :/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lisa...If you are referring to the little bulbs that grow off the top of the Walking Onions...yes, they will grow. In fact, if you pot them up now, they will grow inside the house for early tender green onions and could be potted out in spring.

      I once kept a bulblet cluster in a drawer for well over a year...no light, nothing nothing nothing...and those grew when I put them in the ground. I was shocked. I wonder if they were originally found in the pyramids.;-)

      Delete
    2. "and could be potted out in spring"... I think ;-)

      Delete
  7. It seems impossible not to grumble a little bit this year. Winter has been unrelenting here. There is a pile of snow taller than I am at the end of the driveway. It has been there for well over a month. To add to our misery, we got more snow last night. I could live with the white stuff if it was even just a bit warmer.
    Enough grumbling! The little clay peas are wonderful. The little box of your greens makes me hopeful that spring is not as far off as I think it is.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jennifer, thank you so much for your comment. I am hoping the snow is behind us..hoping! Thank you re the clay peas. They were fun to make.

      Delete
  8. Positive thinking Bren, that's the way to do it! Spring is just around the corner and before you know it all that snow will be but a distant memory as you chomp your way through your garden.
    Paul:)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Paul...I do hope Spring is right round the corner, but am pretty sure it arrived on your street a little while ago. Look forward to your garden share posts.

      Delete
  9. You've got the right mindset, keep up the good thoughts. I'm afraid I've let this winter start to get to me. But I've started to pull out my pots and dirt, hopefully that will prompt me into spring thinking and all the good that comes with it. I like your little pea pods, must have taken a little work to shape all those little peas and delicately place them.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Okay, the Captain made a mistake and it's this Friday the weather gets better! ;-) There are daffodils coming out of the ground and even a peek of rhubarb. Suddenly M, the snow will be gone and we can rejoice!

      Thanks for your kind words re the pea pods. I love making them, and didn't take very long. Always enjoyed that kind of hand work.

      Spring peas in the ground soon!

      Delete