Every good deed has a silver lining.

The price tag for good deeds is very steep these day.  And so begins the Great Lawnmower Saga of 2011...

You see, the neighbours went away a couple of weeks ago.  Being a nice person (I can hear you laughing, you know), I decided to mow their lawn for them just before they came home, figuring that's the last thing I'd want to do right after a vacation! 

However, I didn't realize there was a metal pipe of some sort poking up though the lawn.  A pipe, capped with a flat metal piece held on by two bolts.

Well, one bolt now, since I sheared off the other one with my mower.  And killed my mower in the process.  Although I'm not that mechanically inclined, I figured it was dead when I turned it over, and all the innards fell out.  I'm intuitive like that.

Of course, the two hostas planted in the middle of the neighbour's front yard now make much more sense - too bad I didn't realize they are there to mark the location of the pipe!

Now, my mower was a very cheap, very basic electric mower, that has served me well since I bought it two years ago, and if it was still in working order, I'd still be using it.  But, as I've put more gardens in the yard, it has gotten more and more frustrating to drag a 100' power cord behind me, trying to make sure it's not dragging over something I want to keep alive.  Mowing has gone from something I really enjoy, to just another chore to be gotten through. 

I thought long and hard when it came time to pick another mower.  I really do like the idea of electric mowers, and I like reel ones even better, but the reality is I'm getting older every year, and my yard is not getting any smaller or easier to mow.  I also wanted a bagger, which would allow me to bag up that wonderful nitrogen (in the form of grass clipping and fallen leaves) and use it for mulch or add it to the compost.

So I caved.

I went gas powered.  Yep, a horribly polluting, expensive, gas powered lawn mower.  Oddly enough, the first one I have ever used (growing up, our yards were always large enough we had riding mowers).  Of course, buying a lawn mower, like usual for me, was easier said than done.

I tried Walmart:  No, we don't have that model, it's in the warehouse, I mean on a truck, I mean it's been ordered, no I can't tell you when it will get here, no I can't hold it for you, no no no no no.  But feel free to go out of your way every day to stop in (oh, I guess you could phone) and see if we have it yet.

No thanks.

I tried (and I really should know better) Home Depot:  Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.  Go to customer disservice, ask for help.  Seasonal paged to the lawnmower section.  Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Guy walks by on his way home, realizes I'm waiting, pages seasonal to lawnmowers again.  Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.  Clerk  approaches... and veers off to help someone with a patio set (all the while looking at me, so she knows I'm waiting for help).  Customer leaves, clerk heads in my direction.... only to answer the phone, and spend five minutes talking to someone looking for a part.  That's when I lost it, and went back to customer disservice.  A bit of a rant later, I got a very nice lady (Liz from Liverpool) to help - she answers my questions, and brings the mower I selected up to cash.

It's the wrong mower.

Wait, wait, wait, wait wait.  She brings another mower up to cash.  It rings up $50 less than it should have, but I just thought it was on sale (I really, really, really, really, really should know better).  We struggle to get it into the car - the only way it will fit is to take it out of the box and tip it into the back seat.   We realize this after scratching the back bumper trying to get it into the trunk.  Grrrrrr....

Get it home, get it out of the back seat...

It's the wrong mower.

I had figured I would have trouble starting a mower with a pull cord thingy, so I splurged for the key-start feature.  No key start on this mower.  The one thing I really wanted...

Now, I was in Home Depot for AN HOUR AND A HALF, trying to buy a damn lawn mower.  Some of that time was spent looking at all the different options, but the major part was spent trying to get help to buy the damn thing.  So, the last thing I wanted to do was struggle to put the damn thing back in the car, drive back to Home Depot, and repeat the whole business.  Besides, the grass was getting to the schnauzer-eating stage again, and I was afraid I'd loose a dog if it wasn't mowed soon...

I got the mower assembled, and started, no problem.  Mowed half the lawn (oddly enough, the self-propelled feature didn't seem to make that much of a difference, but what do I know about gas mowers?).  I had to stop the mower a half dozen times to move things, and it started up again fine each time.

Until it didn't.  I tried everything.  I even read the manual.  Would.  Not.  Start.

The last thing I want is to be frustrated on a regular basis while trying to mow the lawn.  The whole thing with Home Depot frustrated me to no end, and the fact that I got the wrong mower, and one that didn't even work properly (and it was NOT cheap), made the whole thing so much worse.

Of course, a mower filled with gas and oil won't go back in my car without spilling fluids all over the place...

I know stores have return policies, and I even give Home Depot credit for having a great one.

But they can't return my wasted time, and the time Dad wasted coming to my house, putting the mower in the back of the truck, driving to the store, returning the mower, and driving to Canadian Tire to get another one.

So, after way too much grief and wasted time, I now have a new lawn mower.  One that starts with a key, every time.  (Well, one that starts after Dad made another trip over here this morning to teach me that it helps when you have the spark plug connected.  Ooops!).  One that really is self-propelled, and has a speed control to boot (I'm glad it does, because I'd look damn funny trying to mow the lawn while running to keep up!)  And one that allows me to mow the lawn in about HALF the time it took with the electric mower.

Yes, it pollutes much more than my old mower (but less than the old 2-stroke engines).  But the time saved will be put to good use.  And I can collect clippings to help the garden.  And it has turned mowing back into something enjoyable again.

And it's red :)

Now she just needs a name...

Oh, and I vow, once again, to NEVER shop at Home Depot EVER again.

CSA Basket 1 of 10

Barley and roasted asparagus risotto

We got our fist CSA basket last Friday, containing asparagus, lettuce mix, radishes,  green onions, micro-greens, kale, Swiss chard, small turnips, and a small-leaved basil transplant.  Although the farm owners apologized for such a "scanty" basket*, I thought it was plenty enough, given the spring we have had! 

Part of this whole project is to see how well I do at actually eating seasonally, so I will be completely honest here - I had such a busy weekend (with an out-of town guest - had a GREAT time though!!), that the compost ended up getting the perishables - the kale, chard and micro-greens.  My apologies to the growers, since I know I would be pissed to see my hard work getting tossed out!

However, the lettuce, radishes and green onions went into my first salad of the year, complete with a dressing made with my chive vinegar - yum!

And I was trying to figure out what to do with the turnips and asparagus.  I know I could have simply cooked them as usual, and eaten both as a veggie, but I wanted something a bit different.  Something that would extend the vegetables into a main meal, since spring is traditionally the "starving" time of year, and I think it's important to have a store of recipes that, while taking advantage of what is available, keeps this in mind.  Omelettes and soups would both work, but I wanted to challenge myself, and try something new.

And lo and behold, I had a brain-storm one day - risotto.  Keeping with the "local" theme, I chose barley over rice (not that this barley is local, that I know of, but it could be, unlike rice).  The information that came with the basket suggested roasting the turnips, so I thought a roasted veggie and barley risotto would do.  And seeing that I had stock, barley and Parmesan cheese (I know, not local, but again, could be) on hand, I didn't have to buy any groceries to make this work.  Unfortunately, when I went to clean and cut the turnips, I realized each was occupied by some insect, so those, too, went to the compost.  But the asparagus was good!  Again, I don't follow recipes, but this is basically what I did:

Ingredients:

1 bunch of asparagus, washed and trimmed.
1 onion, minced (or, if, like me, a mince is beyond you, chopped as small as you can!)
2 cups barley
4 cups stock (I used store-bought beef stock, in a 900 ml container)
~1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (please use the real stuff, not the impostor that comes in the plastic container! (says the woman using store-bought stock...))
vegetable oil, salt and pepper

Pre-heat the oven to 400 F.

Heat a glug of oil in a large pot, over medium heat.  Add the chopped onion, and cook until soft.  Add the barley, and cook for ~1 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the stock, bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat and simmer for 30-45 minutes, until the barley is cooked and the stock is absorbed.  (I cooked mine for the full 45 minutes, and it was still a bit chewy, but that's the way I like it.  Like all risottos, the liquid volumes and cooking times are suggestions only, since it really depends on what grain you are using, and how tender you like it. ) 

While the barley is cooking, place the asparagus in a single layer on a baking sheet and pour a bit oil over it - just enough to lightly cover.  Shake the pan back and forth to distribute the oil, then salt and pepper to taste (do not use a lot of salt, especially if you are using store-bought stock!).  Place in the oven, and roast for 5-10 minutes, watching very carefully - thin asparagus will not take long at all to roast, thicker will take a bit more, but this is a very quick cooking method!  Every few minutes, take the pan out, shake it back and forth to move the asparagus around.  When it is tender, take it out, and allow to cool slightly.  Cut into ~2-3" pieces when it's cool enough to handle (adding it to the cooked barley will heat it back up). 

When the barley is done to your liking, add the cheese and chopped asparagus.  Stir well, taste, and adjust any seasonings.  (I found it salty enough, and almost too salty - next time, I'll use home-made stock, since the salt on the asparagus, and the salty cheese, are enough for my taste.)  

Then dish up and enjoy!!

Since I only have a half share, it means I get a full basket every two weeks, so no basket this Friday.  But if I'm not working Saturday, I'll head out to the Farmer's Market, and see what looks good there!  Meanwhile, there is another blogger who belongs to the same CSA - go see what she's making with her bounty!!  She has posts at Eating Local in Niagara and Eating Niagara.  Enjoy!



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* for future weeks, I will try to take a picture of the basket before I unpack it.  Blame a busy weekend for this week's lapse!

Planting a free shrub in a $20 hole.

After putting in an extra shift at work on Saturday, Sunday was a busy, busy, busy day! 

I did 6 loads of laundry and finally got to use the line to dry everything - the never-ending rain has resulted in using the dryer more than I like, since I LOVE line-dried clothes, especially sheets. 

I then ran some errands, including buying 85 pounds of chicken for the dogs (Sunday was the last day of a really good sale, and I have a freezer :) ), then came home, and cut up and bagged the chicken.  A lot of work, but added to some beef I'll buy this week, it's food for the next 4 months for them, so it is worth it!

Then came the "fun" part of the weekend.  While I plan to fence the back yard, I don't want the fence to go into the front yard, but I want something to mark the boundary line, and flowering shrubs, to form an eventual hedge, are a great alternative.  My sister's lilac sends up shoots every year, so this year, she dug out 12 of them and gave them to me.  By the time Sunday rolled around, they had been sitting in a bucket of water for over 24 hours, and HAD to get planted. 

I marked 30" out from the property line, and ran a line to mark the edge.

I started digging out the sod along the line - and WOW, was it thick sod!

I then ran the line back at 42" from the property line, and dug out the rest of the sod, resulting in a 12" wide trench. 

12", by 22 FEET long.  Twenty-two feet long, through thick sod, all by hand.  Fortunately, I had ice water with mint from the garden to keep me refreshed!

 

I filled the trench with topsoil, and spaced the lilacs ~22" apart.  One down, 11 more to go...

And done!  There was a range of sizes, and I realized after I got them all planted that I probably should have put the smaller ones in between the larger ones, to make it more even, but I am NOT digging them out and re-planting.
 

I'll be surprised if all of them live, and actually won't be surprised if none of them live - they were in water a long time.  But the total cost of the project was $20 in topsoil - $20 for a row of lilacs that, if I had to buy them from a garden centre, would cost me at least ten times as much, and I still would have had to buy the topsoil!  I've been watering them well, and I'll eventually mulch the area, but wow! 

 $20, three hours of work - and, after almost three years, the beginnings of my flower gardens!!  Thanks sis!!

June?? Already? REALLY?? Aka $500 Challenge - May Edition

And I haven't done the May $500 Challenge update!  I guess spring isn't the only thing that is behind?


One of the main purposes of this challenge was to replace kitchen items that I wasn't happy using anymore - and a big one was my Teflon-coated cookware.  I started the challenge off with a 12" Lodge skillet, and I LOVE it!  So this month, I decided to expand my Lodge inventory with an 8" skillet and a grill pan.

And yes indeed, I bought them from Walmart in Buffalo, USA.

Why?  Because I am not rich, that's why.

The grill pan in Canada, from Home Hardware: $38.99

The exact same pan in Buffalo, mere minutes away from me:  $18.97

These items are more than TWICE as expensive in Canada.  Now, I firmly believe in supporting local business, and local producers.  I will not buy produce or meat from Walmart, I try to buy all my garden plants from local garden centres, I prefer shopping at local stores vs. big box chains.

Up to a point.  And when that point is double the money, for something that isn't local to begin with, then yes, I will shop where my money goes the farthest.  And Walmart in the USA has a much larger selection of Lodge products than Home Hardware does, and the Walmarts here don't even carry them!

So, for less than the cost of the grill pan here, I got both the grill pan and the 8" skillet.  I've already used them (sausages in the grill pan, a mixture of bacon, potatoes and onions in the skillet for a quick supper one night), and I know they will get a lot more use in the future.  With the 12" skillet, the 8" skillet, two (non-Lodge) enamelled cast iron Dutch ovens and the grill pan,  I'm well covered for anything I think I'll be cooking a lot of!  I would like the deeper "chicken fryer", but it's not something I need right now and so can be put on the "want" list.  I'd also like the large Dutch oven, since the lid also fits the 12" skillet, but again, it's not a necessity right now.

Costs:
skillet + grill pan: $29.94 + $2.62 tax  (the tax rate for Buffalo is 8.75%, and the Canadian dollar is worth slightly more than the US dollar right now, but it's such as small difference, I'm not taking it into account)
Total: $32.56

Balance: $168.93

Sometimes, you just have to wrap yourself in a blanket and jump*

I did it.  I put my money where my mouth is - literally!

I signed up for my first CSA yesterday.

Yes, I do have a rather large vegetable garden.  But I signed up for a CSA anyway.

Why?

1. My garden isn't quite large enough (yet) to be my main source of vegetables for any extended period
2. I have NO fruit plants (yet) (well, other than those that are botanically fruits but eaten as savory dishes, such as squash, tomatoes, peppers... what?  Too geeky?  Sorry, moving on....)
3. While I am growing a large variety of  plants, there are many I don't grow that are available through the CSA
4. I'm interested in seeing if I can actually handle a large amount of produce coming in all at once, and either use it or preserve it before it turns into compost.  And at $25.00 every two weeks for a half share, it's money I'm willing to risk to discover my shortcomings before I put the larger amount of money into expanding my own garden
5. And last, but not least, I'm supporting a very local farmer instead of the non-local grocery chains

It starts the week after next, and a half share is actually a full basket every two weeks (a full share is a basket every week).  I'll be picking it up at the farm (who's web site is currently down) on Friday afternoons, and hopefully will be posting regularly about the CSA and my own garden, and how my attempts as eating local are working out!  Good times :)

I have a LOT of meat in the freezer, and am planning on using that up over the summer, then also starting to source my meat locally.  Due to the price, I'll be eating a lot more vegetarian meals, and need some help there.

Anyone care to share their favourite vegetarian recipes, that can be made from mostly local items??  Please?!?!


______________________________________________
*My former boss used to come out with some interesting sayings.  We were never sure if he was doing a literal translation from his first language, or if these were just odd sayings of his, but either way, they were memorable!

Sometimes, things just work out right.

I needed a load of dirt to top up the vegetable garden beds, so Dad brought over a load this morning, and I spent a few hours moving the straw mulch, adding dirt, then replacing the mulch.  I had planted a couple of beds last weekend (finally!!), so only 3 beds got filled, but it's good for now. 

Last year, in a fit of impatience, I bought a couple of discount potentillas, and plopped them in front of the shed on either side of the door.  Ever since then, I've looked at the beds and though "hey, those really need to be edged and mulched, and some other things added... maybe some trellises and morning glory, or clematis..."

Today, after working in the vegetable garden, I looked at the beds as I was putting the tools away in the shed, and thought, once again, "hey, those really need to be edged and mulched, and some other things added... maybe some trellises and morning glory, or clematis...".  And so, at 3 pm, I went looking for edging material at the local hardware store. 

Now, a quick rant on edging.  I hate, despise, cannot stand, that black plastic edging.  And most other stuff sold as edging is just as bad.
So I, although I knew what I didn't want for edging, I didn't quite know what I did want.  All I knew was it had to be not plastic and not pricey.  Easy, right?

Actually, it was easy!  I ended up grabbing some "cobblestones", generally used for patios and walkways.  On edge, they make a great edging, and at less than 67 cents each (including tax), definitely within budget.  I also bought a couple of bags of cedar bark mulch (which ended up costing almost twice as much as the stones!), came home, grabbed the shovel, and less than an hour later, had two edged and mulched beds.

Of course, the poor little potentillas still looks lost all by themselves, but I got a gift certificate for a local garden centre form my sister for Christmas this past year, so tomorrow, on the way home from visiting Mom for Mother's Day, I'll stop there and get some other plants.  And Dad is going to make a couple of trellises for me, so it is all coming together :)

Sometimes, things just work out right!

And a Happy Mother's Day to all mothers out there!

I voted - did you?

I cannot stand politics.  I hate the one-up-man-ship, the point-scoring, the nasty attacks on the other parties... but I vote.

I vote for lots of reasons.  I vote because I don't think you have the right to complain if you don't vote.  I vote because that is my official voice.  I vote in mind of all the millions of people who cannot vote in their country.

But there is one overwhelming reason I vote.

When my grandmother was born, in this country, women did not have the right to vote.

Women were not considered persons under the law.

Her mother, her aunts, her grandmothers were all powerless.  They had no voice.  They were not considered persons under the law.

I vote in honour of them, and for those women (and men) who stood up to the system, and demanded to be counted.

I vote in honour of them, because not voting belittles their memory and their fight.

I vote because I AM a person under the law, and I have those women to thank for my freedom.

I vote.  Do you?

Who put the fun in fungi?

I was taught mycology by Dr. George Barron - one of the best, most inspirational and funniest professors I've ever had the pleasure of knowing.  In addition to being an excellent teacher and an untiring researcher, he is an incredible photographer.

If you are at all interested in mushrooms, or nature, or excellent photography, grab a cup of your favourite beverage, and spend some time on the site.  The links may take a while to load, and some are broken (the site hasn't been updated recently, probably due to Dr. Barron's age), but it is worth the time spent.

Dr. Barron's main area of research, at least when I knew him, was on predatory soil fungi, and one of my most sentimental items is the framed photo he presented to me for getting the highest lab mark in the class.

He is the major reason I am where I am today, and why I was lucky enough to spend 15 years of my life working with fungi.

And why I still get a joy out of finding fungi in nature, from the largest bracket to the smallest birds-nest.

His field guide to mushrooms is on my want list, and I think I'll include it on my very next book order - just for the amazing photographs, if nothing else.

As an aside, he was the first to instill in me the difference between "edible" and "palatable", a distinction more "forage experts" should keep in mind!

 All photos copyright of Dr. Barron, and they are all of spoulating slime molds!  Now you see why I think they are simply amazing :)

$500 Challenge - April Edition

Not too exciting, but I bought some glass canisters - not really as a replacement for anything, since I have never really had canisters before :)

I do keep my coffee beans in a stainless steel container, and my sugar in a pottery sugar bowl, but everything else is simply stored in larger container in the cupboards - mainly because I have lived in places that have been deficient in counter space!

Not that this current kitchen is any better (and, in fact, is the WORST kitchen I have ever had), but it will get better!  Of course, during that process, a lot of my stuff is going to be in boxes for extended periods, so I thought canisters would be a good idea, both during the renovations (allows me to keep small amounts out while storing the larger containers), and for after as well, since I will have more counter space - although I might end up keeping these in a cupboard anyhow, since I tend to like clear counters, and they are glass after all - not the best idea for long-term storage in sunlight.

Anyhow, 3 glass Anchor-Hocking containers with screw-on lids, for the exciting, on-sale price of $10.00, plus tax :) 

Of course, this is nowhere near my total storage requirements, and to tell the truth, I'm not sure what I'm going to do about that.  I have a LOT of Tupperware containers for bulk dry goods, which I really do like - they are easy to get into, have large openings to scoop out of, keep items dry and bug-less (at least so far), and so they aren't on my priority list for replacement.  I did get rid of all my small plastic containers I used for storage of leftovers, etc. in the fridge, but the larger ones will stay around for now, at least until I hit on a better solution that is in my budget. 

Costs:
3 glass canisters: $10.00 + $1.30 tax 
Total: $11.30

Balance: $201.48

Slump

So, that laryngitis I was talking (he he he) about last time I posted?  Yeah, still got it.  Anything above a whisper is almost impossible, and yes, I have been to the doctor (4 times), and yes, I am trying honey and/or lemon and/or hot water and/or whisky, and yes, I have heard EVERY joke about how I got it from talking/yelling/singing too much, and how nice it may be for the people I live/work with...

And spring here is craptastic - rain, snow, sleet, hail... let's say nothing has been planted in the garden yet, and leave it like that.  And all you garden bloggers out there, waxing poetic about your spring blooms and lettuce and seed starting and such?  Yeah, shut it.  Okay, not really, but when I read their blogs, then look outside to the dismal skies and water-soaked yard...

And not much has happened on the house (okay, the wall between the kitchen and dining room has come down, and the framing for the bulkhead has gone up, but that's about it), mainly due to Dad's operation (he's all good now - yeah!), and the fact that the last two prescriptions I've been on have made me feel like a huge pile of, um, compost...


So, yeah.  Sorry about the lack of posts.  But really, I LITERALLY have nothing to say.

The dogs are good though!