Dear Blog

Stop looking at me like that.  I meant to post, really I did.  I have put in the garden and I had a post about that.  Maybe it never got written on you but it was in my head.  Yes, I do feel that totally counts.  I've been working on Vi's stocking.  I know Christmas was  a while ago and her 1st birthday is fast approaching.  You see, dear blog, I haven't written in her baby book in 6 months.  It's not like I'm singling you out.  My child's 1st Christmas ornament is tagged in the pattern book...and that is it.  So it isn't like I have been super slacking in the craft post department (just the crafty doing department).   I got at book read.  That's right.  And it wasn't board book.  It was a real book for grown-ups.  So I actually have something to put in the What am I doing page!  I understand that having the winter background up when it has been in the 80s makes you a laughing stock in the blogosphere.  But rather unfortunately, dear blog, you are stuck with the blogging equivalent of the mom who drives the kids to school in her pajamas and gets there 5 minutes after the bell rang.  I apologize, but at least my bunny slippers are cute.

Happenings

I can't seem to get it together enough for pictures, so you'll have to take my word on the happenings of this post..  Vi's been sick and Shawn and I have both had some long hours at work (not at the same time but I figure in another couple of months Vi will be self sufficient enough to handle herself if we both have to work ;)  ).  But we've gotten the strawberries planted.  We're trying these in planters for this go around.  I figure it is 1)further from the ground and the slugs and 2) further from the ground and easier to pick.  I worked on my seriously neglected flower beds so now they only look like they are in stage one of Miss Havesham's plan for deriliciton and decay, though we could still give a run for the money in the redneck's yard of the week.  I have not finished my painted eggs but I'm hoping by Easter maybe I'll get them wrapped up.  Speaking of crafts, I'm almost to the back stitching on Vi's stocking.  So I might have slightly underestimated the required time frame on that one.  

Worm Moon

I missed February's Snow Moon, not that in Tennessee we were in any danger of snow.  But this Thursday is the Worm Moon, the last moon of Winter.  Farmer's Almanac says this is when the earthworms start to appear and behind the robins of spring.  I can believe that.  Saturday I saw quite possibly the largest earthworm I've ever seen.  It was easily 8 inches long.  It had to be the Great White equivalent of JAWS.  Also called the Crow Moon, the Lenten Moon, Crust Moon, Sap or Sugar Moon (all per Farmer's Alamanac), the Death Moon, and the Chaste Moon (per Wikipedia).  I can understand the Lenten Moon (it is Lent), the Crust Moon (snow is crusty on top from freezing and thawing), and the Sap and Sugar Moon (maple sugaring time).  Not so sure about the Death Moon and Chaste Moon.  Maybe the death of winter?  Maybe spring is supposed to be like a virgin (insert Madonna joke here)?  Nevertheless, spring is right around the corner and I am ready!

I've done stuff

So last night was more wretched weather.   April 27th of last year when the deadly tornadoes went through our area leveling homes and taking lives, I was 8 months pregnant.  This year we were crouching in the closet with a 9 month old and I got to say the storms weren't as bad but it was way scarier.

With work and a sick little Munchkin, there has been a decided lack of blogging, but, I have been doing lots of stuff.  First of all, a couple of weekends ago, I started my seedlings.  

Tomatoes, peppers-sweet&hot, broccoli and spinach (yes I know I have an abysmal record with it), and some herbs.

I also ordered some flowers for one of my flower beds that has suffered from serious neglect.  And apparently no one told the nursery that spring isn't for another 2 weeks.  This came yesterday. 

There are several packages of unsprouted flowers in the fridge.  

I also got a wild hair the other day that I wanted to paint easter eggs to use for spring decorations.  I have a ton of fall, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Winter.  I have zilch for the rest of the year. I finally found some large eggs.  I wanted wooden but couldn't find any large ones.  So I settled for paper maiche.  I bought some spray paint primer and a couple of top coat colors.

I don't know if anyone has tried spray paint recently but dang, it is deceptively difficult.  I have more than a couple of drip marks from some overzealous spraying.  I didn't get to the top coats but at least the priming is done.

A bit about love

Just in time for Valentine’s day, I wanted to do a post on love.  Not Cupid love.  Not Hollywood formulaic romance.  I’m talking love that leads to deep, committed relationships.  I’m talking about the love I have for my slow cooker.  I don’t really know how it feels about me, but it does have a warm glow about it when I’m around.  Without slow cookers, we wouldn’t eat a home cooked meal during busy season.  There would be no succulent pot or pork roast, no savory stews or spicy chili waiting on us when we got home.  I have certain needs (like not spending the few hours I have a home during the week in the kitchen) and my slow cooker, it knows how to meet them.  And I think every woman can attest to this, watching that someone special cook, well, it’s downright sexy.  That’s right.  My slow cooker is sexy.  Now I have to wrap this up.  I’m making the blender jealous.

Onward!

Goodness, I can see dust and cobwebs forming on the last blog post.  It’s busy season folks.  I will do my best to keep the blog freshened but if you could see my house right now (though thank goodness you can’t), you might not place bets on that.  I was all ready to start some seed when it occurred to me that I don’t really know what I want to do with the garden this year.  Shawn and I talked about whether to do the 2 gardens like I did 2 years ago or go back to the one.  I think he had visions of my spring verve dwindling into summer malaise or perhaps more likely, visions of me sobbing into a mountain of green beans about how I never have enough time to get stuff done (uncannily perceptive that man).  So I considered the wisdom of his words and then ordered enough seed and plants for about 20 acres.  Go forth boldly to your nervous breakdown I say!  

Holy cow, what a slacker I've been

I think I've used this title before, but it still applies.  I didn't mean to go so long between posts.  But anyway, Happy Groundhogs Day!  The official halfway point in the winter we haven't had (here in the South US anyway where there haven't been many mornings with frost).  So the fact the our groundhog saw his shadow doesn't mean much if there are going to be more days like today with clear skies and 67 degrees.  I intend to start my seeds this weekend.  I'm considering trying to direct seed the broccoli given the mild winter.  The ground is not frozen so it is a possibility!  I'm checking out websites for some new plants.  I have a one pitiful flower bed in serious, serious need of TLC.  But outdoor pursuits aren't the only thing that spring gets me primed for.  I'm checking out a bunch of new crafty possibilities.  Still want to try some socks and there is the super cute fair isle baby sweater.  Not to mention the owl cross stitched growth chart.  What about spring gets your creative juices going?

In which we have a terrible week

This week started off badly.  At 7:30 pm on Sunday night, I commenced throwing up.  At 4:00 am Monday morning, Shawn joined me.  It was like a reverse colon cleanse.  It was gnarly and nasty and I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.  

Tuesday, we had to put Mac down.  After 15 years, he developed kidney disease leading to kidney failure.  Though we didn't have him long, he made his mark.  For one he was the longest, tallest cat I have ever seen.  

For the most part he was quietly in the background.  We'll miss him.

Shazam!

I betcha you didn’t believe me when I said I was working to overcome a very serious desire to lay down the stitching and maybe let it drift into obscurity for a while.  I really want to take a break from this.  I got a bunch of new books, patterns, and supplies over Christmas and they are calling the siren song of destruction—destruction of the will to finish.  And I know what will happen if I put it down.  I think we all know what will happen if I put it down.  Should I let it rest for a while (a cooling off period if you will), it would likely join the ranks of the teddy bear (which need limbs knitted), the baby blanket (only 8 more rows required to complete, 8!), and a host of few other projects that are getting a bit long in the tooth. 

But I’m not going to lie.  I found an adorable cross stitch growth chart.  And I’m going to make it, as soon as I buy it, which I’m trying to hold off doing, and I might be able to hold out--until at least this afternoon.  

Cold Moon rising

Solstice has come and gone.  Technically the days are getting longer.  My Farmer’s Almanac says we’ll have an extra hour of daylight by the end of January.  Two minutes a day doesn’t really feel like an increase.  The full moon is tomorrow.  There was a time when everyone would have known the name of the full moon and what it meant for your garden, your live stock, and your hearth and home.  We don’t really need to know that now for obvious reasons.  But moon watching is one of my winter time ways to keep in touch with nature.  Our skies are sharp and clear but more importantly, there are no mosquitoes.

Farmer’s Almanac calls the January Moon the Wolf Moon, as in there is less food and the wolves can be heard howling closer to the villages.  I did a smidge of research on the January Full Moon.  There are several other names for it—Old Moon, Ice Moon, and Cold Moon just to name a few.  On the Wikipedia page, the Wolf Moon is designated as the Algonquian name.  Since that name only sounded vaguely familiar, I had to look it up. (sorry, it’s been a long time since 5^th grade).  The Algonquians are Native American tribes from the Northeastern US and Canada.  Since the names I found seem to be culturally and therefore location driven, I decided to see what the name would have been for the Native Americans in our area, the Cherokee.  For southeast TN, this is the month of the Cold Moon.  So come tomorrow night, I will be outside checking out our Cold Moon and watching for Orion rising (mostly b/c it is one of the few constellations I can find.  I even have problems with the Big Dipper).