Bountiful Harvest

Primitive watercolor painted at my kitchen counter on the farm

I read blogs all the time written by new converts to growing one's own food. Etsy frequently features people who grow their own food on their blog. There are "movements" of young farmers, and gardeners who have discovered the satisfaction of putting what one grows onto their table, and into their mouths.  I guess I am showing my age when I say "Victory Garden" is old school.  My opinion is: you better learn how to grow your own food, period.  Being dependent on grocery stores frightens me! Having a generation of "right nows" scares me too.  It takes patience and hard work to grow one's own food. 

Cukes starting to climb trellis, eggplant middle row, tomatoes in the back.

I recently unearthed a watercolor pad that had farm house watercolors from back in the days when I had my own farm.  I taught myself to can in the 90's when it was difficult to even find canning supplies. My local Farm and Fleet had the big pot, jars, and such I needed.  Now I see canning supplies in the grocery store!  As I am writing this, I realize I also taught myself to farm.

Karen wanted sweet corn...

I see that I am going to have a bumper crop of tomatoes this year.  Exciting !!  So 3 apple trees, a pear tree, peach tree, strawberries, chickens, and vegetables  feed more than Bob and I.  We also feed our vegetarian neighbors.  My goal was to grow enough food for our whole block. What I didn't foresee is how my neighbors would be inspired to plant vegetable gardens too.  We have a new neighbor who moved their hens all the way from California!  The cost of getting soil and raised beds, shade cloth, mulch and fencing was high.  It would have been cheaper to go to Albertson's or Smith's.  But it wouldn't taste as good, nor would I be able to walk 10 feet and snip chives, parsley and cherry tomatoes.  It's so worth the time and labor and cash invested. 

Apple trees planted last year doing very well.

 I no longer have a  Midwestern farm with a red dutch stone bottom barn. I had acres of fertile soil there, and long cold winters.  Now we have an acre in high desert. I read somewhere that all each family needs is 1/4 acre to grow food for themselves.  In some ways I am happy to report I have come full circle.  We eat daily out of our garden.  I plan meals around what is harvested.  For a few months I eat tomatoes and veggies that TASTE like something besides the foam and shrink wrap packages in the produce department.

"Missy 2" hops on my lap as soon as I sit down.

She needs a name, and English Langshan who give me the chicken eye constantly.

The only Silkie hen...what a cutie. She is unnamed also. A Japanese breed.

This year I am gardening year round.  I have hoops arriving and greenhouse cloth to cover the closest two beds near the house.  One cannot grow fruiting items in this.  But we'll have root veggies, and greens all winter long.  I will continue to teach the generations younger how to do this. I am grateful for my neighbors who have helped water and shade my garden while I recover from my broken foot.  I am passionate about growing.  I imagine I will be until the day I am planted too. :-)

Breakfast "mash" of: milk, cornmeal, stale bread, pea pods, and crackers.

I invite you to share what you are growing. Canning recipes, and garden tips.  I loooove learning new things! I need names for the above chickens....any ideas?

Strawberries are starting to overcrowd.  Still bearing fruit in this heat.  Yum!

Thanks for reading.
Each day is a gift. Open now.
xo,
Suz

The 3rd of July

Star shaped sugar cookies going in the oven.

It's almost here...and this year I said I wasn't having the gathering here this year because of my broken foot.  But I caved and am having a few guests.  All bringing many things.  Knowing people are alone on a holiday is one of my buttons.  I can't help it.  So here we go.  Cookies baked, peach and green chili chutney will be made today to top the lamb burgers on the grill.  I am threatening to make a blueberry pie. :-)

"Bobbles" all feather out with a big rose comb!

"MysterE" has no comb.

It seems that 2 of our Silkie chicks are roosters.  Their combs have bloomed: one did not.  "Bobbles" the non neurotypical chick with tics has grown a comb.  The other little rooster is posturing, and confronting all hens to show them he is the boss.  Bobbles doesn't care about dominance, just surviving.  "MysterE" has not grown a comb, and appears to be a hen.  She is the most talkative hen of the bunch. Constantly muttering to herself, and anyone who will listen.  The bantam buff Cochins hop on my lap every time I am out feeding. They are the sweetest of the flock.

Kale and chick peas have been a favorite from our garden.

Happy 4th to you all, whatever your plans may be.
Thanks for reading.
Each day is a gift. Open now.
xo,
Suz

From The Garden To The Table

Onion tarte in a casserole thrown by Bob and glazed by me.

Onions, radishes, chard, peas, arugula, cherry tomatoes, and mustard greens have all been happily eaten. I bogart the strawberries when I am out in the garden.  The ever bearing varieties are bearing...even in 100 degree heat. The fire in Los Alamos looks like it will be contained soon.  Smoke still hangs in the air. 4th of July is this weekend.  Of course only an idiot will set off any fireworks in New Mexico.  I'm sure there will be a few.

Covered cheese dish, that was supposed to be a butter dish! Ethan's blue bowl.

 I have been cooking from the garden.  Onion tarte from days of French cooking has mad perfect use of our gorgeous white onions.  Bob dips radishes in salt and olive oil nightly.  I am using our pottery we have made in ceramics to bake and serve in.  It's really meaningful to set a table with items you have made.  This is something new, and very rewarding.

Thanks for reading.
Each day is a gift. Open now.
xo,
Suz

Runaway Chair

I write this from beneath a cloud of ash. The Los Alamos fire is not contained. The wind shifted directions and all the smoke has come our way.  Our beautiful mountain view and valley are gone. We have a sort of fog...but it's gritty and oppressive.  The town of Los Alamos has been evacuated.  There isn't a prayer of stopping this fire without a downpour from above.  My heart and prayers go out for the residents there. The Red Cross and National Guard are there. A red sun sunset is promised again tonight.

I am wearing Mayan jade beads Bob got in Guatemala.  Special occasions only. Taken after the wedding.

Last Friday, in 100 degree weather I went to a wedding in the South Valley. A man who I worked with in the movie biz was getting married. Joe and Melissa had a traditional Catholic wedding.  Charlie Z offered to help me get there in spite of my wheelchair bound self.  Having this broken foot has given me a new awareness for those who are not foot abled.  I do love the power chairs for grocery shopping, and big box stores.  They have allowed me to go where without these battery operated vehicles, I could not go.

Jesus seems to really be enjoying the latin words sung by the mariachi band.

Charlie and I pulled up to the church just in the nick of time.  Accidents and construction delayed us.  No problem getting the chair out of the car and me in it, Charlie wheeled me toward the church.  When we got to the steps of the church...no ramp.  Stairs flanked by 45 degree angled cement slopes.  Charlie said: "we're going up!"  He backed the chair up to get a running start and pushed me up the steep slope.  The groomsmen saw us coming and were holding the door open.  We reached the top only to catch the wheel in a crack.  The chair started rolling backward and Charlie exclaimed: "oh no!"  I thought we were going to roll back down the hill, with me running over him with my runaway chair. He caught the chair and slowly pushed me toward the crack. A groomsman grabbed the chair and pulled me up and over, Charlie hanging on.  I know how to make an entrance !!

The luckiest woman in the South Valley

The mariachi band started to play as we found our seats.  Joe saw us and came to me, tears in his eyes:
"Susi, you made it."  I don't think he knew about our recent experience.  :-)   The most unusual Catholic ceremony proceeded.  I cried when I saw Joe's chin quiver when he saw his bride. His mother, also a Susie and I really struck up an unexpected friendship at the wedding reception.  Upon leaving the church Charlie Z slowly backed me down the steep slope.  He said he invisioned the chair careening down Isletta Boulevard like some runaway train. 

Muaaah!

My congrats and love to the newlyweds.  Our love for Joe made the extra mile worth it.  My gratitude to Charlie Z for pushing his friend around for the night. 
Thanks for reading.
Each day is a gift. Open now.
xo,
Suz

The Coop Mahal

This chicken village is to much!

 It's been over 100 degrees here for the last week.  I keep a vigilant watch on my flock's  water, and have put up more shade cloth in the last month than I could have ever imagined.  I have 2 fans blowing from the east end of their yard.  I am really considering getting one of those small children's wading pools and putting a few inches of water in it, and see if they would splash around.  I think I am going to plant a shade tree next on the southeast corner (the only place to put one).  I imagined hot Albuquerque weather, but I never imagined how bad I would feel seeing them panting.   There's only one word for what I am experiencing: codependent. :-)

MadeABQ has the coolest chicken tractor, and in several sizes. Kenji who owns FabLab in Albuqueque is the man who does my letter laser cutting. Imagine my surprise when I walked in his shop and saw this!

My fave...amazing design!

I have been planning the final coop with nesting boxes.  Originally I was going to match our house roof line and make a mini me coop.  But now that I have lived with them in this spot, I know it has to be one I can walk in.  I don't want to bend over, or crawl on my hands and knees to clean it.  So it will be 4' x 8' and just over 7' tall.  There will be a door I can open and clean out their droppings.  The internet is full of chicken coops and plans.  Design Swan had a blog about modern coops. I put the link below.  There are some amazing ones.
http://www.designswan.com/archives/creative-modern-chicken-coop-designs.html 

Backyard poultry are common place today as they were in the depression. My Dad told me that many of his neighbors on the North side of Chicago kept chickens  for eggs mainly, but in a pinch for stew.  When I had my farm my Dad would get a lawn chair and sit and watch my chickens.  He loved their interaction.  I would catch him taking a couple of slices of bread and putting them in his pockets, and I knew he was headed out to watch my birds.  This made me happy.  As happy as when my Grandson was here, and loved watching them too.
http://localecologist.blogspot.com/2010/01/chicken-cribs-where-city-chickens-roost.html
http://www.chickencoopmaker.com/
http://www.twinlocustbarnsinc.com/coops.htm

I added a few more links of coop sights.  There are literally thousands of them on Google images. The Amish even have their own coop company.   I call it "farm porn".  I could look at these web links for hours.  $300-$10,000 per coop.  At that price you won't be saving much money on eggs. I keep chickens because I love them like pets. Our dog and cats don't lay eggs.

It will be something like this one with nesting boxes on the side.

We will build the "coop mahal" in sections and assemble the sides, and roof out in the yard.  3 or 6 nesting boxes...that is the question at the moment. I'll take some photos of the drawings.
Thanks for reading.
Each day is a gift. Open now.
xo,
Suz
 

Summer Solstice

G'Dawg and Eman at Big Trees. I walked a mile trail with this foot.

Summer is officially here. Yesterday was the solstice. The days are the longest they will be all year. I always feel energized and ready to tackle the world at the beginning of Summer.  However this year I have a broken foot.  And I really need to cool my heels so it will heal.  It is not in my nature to be sedentary.  I normally run from shop, studio, garden, chickens, laundry, errands, socializing, cooking as if someone is chasing me.  I am known to wear out small children. :-)  I have ALWAYS been this way.  There just seems to be so much I want to do, and I am excited to be and do.  Boredom is not something I know very well.

A front page favorite on Etsy.  Sold, sold, and sold :-)

Recently we had a visitor who Bob has known for years.  Joan is an easy going aging Santa Fe hippie.  She floats from one thing to the next. Rarely with a plan, and seems to always get there.  Bob had mentioned she might stay here on her way from Mexico to Santa Fe. She's done it before.  I always enjoy our conversations.  She is a dear.  I wanted to share the fun story of how Bob met Joanie years ago, before I had arrived in his life.

E's favorite chick "Precious" posing.

Bob's son Dan, a new driver, backed into Joan's car that was parked on the street.  Bob was paying for the damages, and Joan had come to pick up a check at his house.  Bob's ex-wife Gail was visiting also.  When Gail left, she was in a hurry.  Bob and Joan were talking in his shop.  They heard a huge "crunching sound", and looked out the window.  Gail had backed into Joan's newly repaired car in Bob's driveway.  You can't make this stuff up!  Joan and Bob were forever bonded as friends from that moment on.  They both chuckle every time this story is told.

Our visit with the Elephants is still in my mind.

I feel Joan arrived to give me a message...chill out Baby! And time to do some drawing and painting.

Thanks for reading. Each day is a gift. Open now.
xo,
Suz

G-Dawg and Mr. E

A new favorite...Silkies, E really loved them all grown up.

16 days with  Grandma: aka "G-Dawg."  Ethan left today after  being with us for16 days.  Our trip to the Elephants and Giant Sequoias in California started it.   The time flew.  We went to ceramics, played in the pool, played with chicks and chickens, movies, 2 nights of serious Texas Hold'em, a visit to the "In Plain Sight" set,  photography, bacon cheese burgers, birthday party, many of my colorful friends, chasing me through Target and Walmart on my electronic scooter, and countless real time talking and sharing, and laughing. Lots of laughing!

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Cast chairs at the set of "In Plain Sight"

G'Dawg burning rubber in Walmart

My boot cast makes an excellent perch

4 new Aussies, "Precious" posing on the right.

E and Precious...both are precious !

It takes me a day to get used to not having him here. It was an incredible visit.  

Memories to last a life time.  

Thanks for reading.

Each day is a gift. Open now.

xo,

Suz