May 27, 2012 - Fences Aren't Just For Critters

After hoeing out half of the row of carrots that were planted in front of the pole beans, not once but twice, I reseeded it and installed some folding wire fencing to keep myself out!

I often plant something on a whim, then don't mark it because I know I'll remember, and of course I usually forget.

I changed my mind on what to plant in the half barrel under the lilac tree.  My first plan was to fill it with Honey Bear winter squash, then I changed my mind and planted some cantaloupe.  Today I moved the cantaloupe to another location and replaced it with two sweet potato slips.  Some day I'll get it right.

I moved the cantaloupe to the container that earlier held the cucumber plants that died.  I think I'm just a glutton for punishment.

Trying to get radishes to grow through the hot weather ahead, I filled a container with good potting mix plus soil and set it in the semi shade between the house and the cedar fence.  It's always about ten degrees cooler there in the summer.  I planted the 15" x 21" box with radishes and a few seeds of slow bolting lettuce for summer.

The last of the Chioggia beets were pulled yesterday, and four rows of Imperator carrot seeds took their place.  I made Mr. Granny a quart of pickled beets.  I must say, Chioggias do not make very pretty beet pickles!  The little bit of color in their stripes pales to beige when cooked.  They taste good though.

I've been reading Daphne's post about her huge chamomile plants, and wondering why I planted two pots full of them.  I didn't realize they got so large, and I have visions of those giant cosmos that took over the garden last year.  I'm thinking I might go rip out the plant that is right next to the garden, and just let the one in the corner by the arborvitae grow to maturity.  It won't hurt a thing there, it can reseed to its little heart's content.

I have one pea pod developing on my tepee of shelling peas.

I fed Mr. Granny the first (and only, so far) strawberry of the year today.  He said it was way sweeter than those sour tomatoes I've been putting on his salad.  Hmmmf, I thought the tomatoes tasted pretty darned good.

I bought myself an ice cream maker, a Cuisinart that was on sale at Costco a couple of weeks ago.   I made the first batch with low fat milk and half and half, and it was way too icy.  The second batch was a cooked custard, with half and half and heavy cream, and it was good but too creamy for me.  Yesterday I made frozen yogurt, and used fat free vanilla yogurt, low fat milk and just a little heavy cream.  I tasted it as it was churning, and felt like it needed something else.  I pulled out a bag of frozen strawberries (from last year's garden), and put them in the microwave just long enough to thaw them, then put them in the blender with just a bit of sugar.  Can I just say....be sure the bottom is securely on your blender before you pulverize berries.  Yes, it was all over my kitchen!  Luckily the counter was nice and clean, so I scooped up what I could and added it to the yogurt.  It was really very good.  It did get a little too hard in the freezer, I liked it better at the soft serve stage.