Burr, it’s cold outside February 13, 2018
Posted by liajo in flowers, good things, life, seasons, snow, strawberries, Uncategorized, weather.Tags: cold, Colorado, environment, snow, weather
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February usually cycles many small snow storms through Colorado and it’s doing that just that this year. Snow on Saturday, 40 on Sunday, cold all day today. And burr it’s cold outside now. February is the closest month to spring and often the coldest of the winter months.
Yes, I get it, we need the snowpack since it’s our summer water. Being a gardener I understand that. I know my strawberries with benefit a lot from this cycle. I know the clover is just soaking this up, or will when it defrosts. I know my wildflowers will bloom with beauty in a couple of months.
Even knowing all of this, I wish it was warm enough to rain.
Foggy morning February 8, 2018
Posted by liajo in fog, good things, life, weather.Tags: fog, life, weather
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I love the fog. I hate driving in it, but if I’m safe inside, I really do love the fog.
This morning was foggy, but only after I got to work, which is a little unusual. The fog usually comes early and burns off after sunrise. Not this morning.
The sun looked like the last full moon. It was almost perfectly round and white, that’s correct, I said white. Veiled in the heavy fog it looked white. It was beautiful but almost spooky, I’ve never seen anything quite like it. The fog would thicken and the sun would almost be gone but in a minute or two it would be back to the white orb. I won’t forget this morning anytime soon.
Somewhere around 11am the fog burned off and the sun returned to normal, but I have the image in my mind and I’ll hang onto. I’ll also count my blessings for being lucky enough to witness the white sun this morning.
No Candy Making Skills Needed February 3, 2018
Posted by liajo in chocolate, comfort food, good things, granddaughters, How to tips, life.Tags: choclate, family, food, life
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My granddaughters don’t always agree on everything, but chocolate is usually something they can agree on. So yesterday making chocolate bark was the project of the day.
I love baking, but candy making is not my thing. I’ve never been good at it. However, anyone, even preschoolers, can make a good chocolate bark. There is no candy thermometer, no soft ball stage, just some fun.
Here are the very easy instructions. Melt chocolate chips in the microwave. You know how, 30 seconds, stir, repeat until melted. I did put about a teaspoon of Crisco in because it makes the melted chips easier to work with.
Pour into a parchment lined baking sheet and spread to the thickness you want.
Top with whatever. We did dried cranberries and shaved almonds. Press these into the chocolate just a little.
Put in either the freezer or refrigerator until hard, about an hour.
Break into pieces and eat. It is pretty yummy and way simple.
The chocolate bark project was a success!
Making memories February 1, 2018
Posted by liajo in crafts, good things, granddaughters, insects, life, seasons, weather.Tags: family, granddaughters family, life
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I love playing outside with my granddaughters. It’s a great excuse to literally play in the dirt, or sandbox again. Chasing miller moths, butterflies, and grasshoppers. But it’s had to do those things in the winter and two little preschoolers shouldn’t be outside too long.
So we make our memories inside. Craft time is great. A little glue, some construction paper, and glitter made out of dyed Epsom salt. Add a few buttons and stickers and popsicle sticks and we can make almost anything. It’s a lot of fun and their mom, my daughter, gets all these wonderful things to decorate her mantel with. Each girl has a memory box, and some of their creations go there after being displayed. Some of them go into moms decoration box for use again next year.
If you haven’t crafted with a preschooler in a while I would suggest doing it. It’s almost as much fun as playing in the dirt.
Cabin Fever January 30, 2018
Posted by liajo in house plants, life, seasons, weather, wild life.Tags: animals, life, thoughts
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It starts to happen every year about this time, cabin fever is setting in. I need to get outside some, I must get outside. It’s cold still and there is nothing I can do in the gardens. The sun is up longer, but it still gets dark pretty early. But I have to get out of the house.
I can only knit, crochet and sew so much. My hands need to be in the earth. My houseplants could use some extra attention. Repotting some of them would let me play in the soil. That should relieve some of the fever, but probably not all of it. I’ll still be inside.
It’s time for a walk. I’ll dress warmly and walk carefully, there are patches of ice. Even in winter, there are plenty of signs of life. We still have birds around and geese flying. I’ll surely see at least one squirrel. The Evergreens are still pretty and with no leaves on them, the other trees can show their real form.
I walk just might do the trick.
Sharing your passion January 23, 2018
Posted by liajo in garden thoughts and ideas, good things, granddaughters, life.add a comment
Did you know that Easter is April 1st this year, no joke? I know when Easter is because I’m already starting to think about what I can put in my Granddaughters Easter baskets or pails.
They don’t need more toy’s, they have plenty. So what else can I get them? Gardening stuff! They love being outside, playing and gardening and I’ve always encouraged them to help me plant the few annuals I have each year and then water them all summer long. They love picking and eating the strawberries. I explain each vegetable plant since 5 and 3-year-olds don’t know it’s a bush bean or pea if it hasn’t started producing.
I’m getting them seed packets, little trowls and shovels and maybe a rack. Probably a watering can also. I bet they have fun watching those first seeds pop up. I know I did and still do.
It’s been awhile January 20, 2018
Posted by liajo in garden thoughts and ideas, good things, life.Tags: animals, family
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So it doens’t look like blogging held my interest in 2009. I’m hoping that has changed, lots of other thing have changed.
Bubba and Allie are no longer my gardening buddies. They have both passed on to doggie after life.
I have two new gardening buddies, my granddaughters. Aged 5 and 3 they love to be outside and love playing in dirt, picking strawberries and chasing faries.
A garden seen through a childs eye is truly a beautiful thing.
Funny Story April 11, 2009
Posted by liajo in Bubba & Allie, good things, Greenhouse Gardening, life.Tags: compost, dogs, family, gardening, greenhouse, life, vegetables
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Wednesday was a beautiful day here so I decided to get in some yard work. One of things I wanted to get done was some prep work in the vegetable garden. 
I can’t go outside without the dogs, Bubba and Allie wanting to come with me, so we all went out back.
I was in the fenced garden clearing out all the coverings I had left on the beds during the winter. I also had a pocket full of trash that had blown in. Needing to dump the ground covering material in the compost pile and throw the trash away I came out of the garden.
There was Allie wagging her tail and running around. But no Bubba, I didn’t see him anywhere. So I asked Allie “Where’s your brother, where’s the Bubba dog?”
As soon as I said his name Bubba comes a running, from the greenhouse. Now at the end of fall I knew I had gotten the greenhouse ready for winter and all zipped down tight. But somehow Bubba got the front zipper up just enough so he could go inside. I’m guessing to lay on the warm, dry ground.
After putting both dogs in the house I checked to greenhouse. Bubba had done no damage, there really wasn’t anything to damage. I also check the thermometer that I had put in the ground. It was reading 80 degrees.
I didn’t plant in the greenhouse this winter and hadn’t gotten it ready yet to move the tomato seedlings into. But it’s being used, as an over sized dogie sauna.
Up dates April 8, 2009
Posted by liajo in Bubba & Allie, crafts, garden thoughts and ideas, good things, life.Tags: compost, family, gardening, life, nature, trees
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The tree guys are coming today to start removing the old tree. It’s exciting and sad at the same time. I’m sorry to see it go but at an estimated 120 years old it had a good life and we won’t have to worry about it damaging our house in a wind storm.
All the tomato seedlings are doing great. The first pepper seedling popped up yesterday. Now I’m just waiting for more. I’ll keep a close eye on them the next couple of days.
Bubba is finally regulated on his insulin and diet. He has lost about 4 pounds and doesn’t have to go to the vet again for 3 months. I know he’s happy about that. He’s such a good boy for the vet techs but we know he hates having to spend the day there.
With any luck I’ll get a load of manure to add to my compost this weekend. The last several weekends have been crappy weather (pardon the pun) so we couldn’t get it. Along with the manure I’ll get some straw to use as mulch. It’s all coming from a local dairy farm.
Great news, the afghan is done. I finished it Monday night. Now I need another project to keep me busy at night.
And after 13 years in this house we are finally doing something to the kitchen. Paint, some new cabinets and counter tops and a new floor. The old floor is from about 1950. It sucks
Garden Crops March 25, 2009
Posted by liajo in garden thoughts and ideas, good things, life.Tags: food, gardening, life, Mother Earth News, vegetables
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My latest issue of Mother Earth News arrived yesterday and I’m still making my way through it, literally page by page.
One of the feature articles this issue is about picking the best garden crops for your region. Since I have already ordered all my seed I was interested to see how my picks stacked with others from my area.
The first thing that I discovered is that my region is kind of shady, sitting right on the line between North Central and Rockies and Central Midwest. So I’ll look at both areas.
Top picks for the North Central & Rockies are bulb onions, cherry tomato’s, carrots, spinach, snow/snap peas, lettuce, bush beans, slicing tomato’s, potato’s and radishes. All but the radishes are on my list.
Top picks for the Central Midwest are slicing tomato’s, sweet peppers, cherry tomato’s, onion, bush beans, carrots, garlic, paste tomato’s, snow/snap peas and lettuce. All but the garlic are on my list and you’ll notice quite a bit of over lap.
Also on my list are black eyed peas and zucchini which are both highly rated in both areas.
So, I guess I selected seed pretty well. And yes the garden is going to be really big and packed this year.
playing n the dirt 