'Mater Murderess and Other Garden Stuff

So today is November 4th and I harvested three salvageably-ripe Kellogg's Breakfast 'Maters and one pale Early Girl.

I can't say that's a Record-Breaker for me (I know I've found 'maters as late as December and early as February - in years' past), but all-told, I have to say "Not Bad!"

There are definitely worse things than harvesting fresh, home-grown maters in November, right?

(Even those that are destined to be Green Tomato Relish!)

I pulled the greenies off today...  Because...

It's time to say "Adios" to the Tomato Beds.

Today is turning into a simply lovely day - possible record-breaker with temps creeping into the low 80's (AWESOME!).  But nighttime temps are definitely dipping into the 40's so the maters are essentially "Done."  Plus, there were white-flies galore.  Yep, definitely time to rip 'em out.

Beds are now (nearly) empty

And the wheelbarrow is (very) full!

Next up:  Need to amend the empty beds. I'd already stuck a few transplants in the ground, under the 'maters, so I need to be careful not to OVER amend.  Although I am sticking with organic amendments so, hopefully, no risk of burning (tho' I'm not sure about bagged steer-manure...  Seems not to have hurt the FFF bed though).

Speaking of:

My seeds have sprouted!

Not sure if they're carrots or radishes. Oh well!

And here are a couple more shots from around the yard:

Morning Glories had a rather "Vigorous" year!

Nannas are still hangin' in there (the fruits are about thumb-sized)

No chance of harvesting anything edible though :-(

I've had these bananas since 2004.  I'm pretty sure that the only survivor from that particular eBay acquisition was the Saba.  And this is the second time I've gotten an inflorescence and fruit.  They die back every year, but also put-out pups, so I think I'll have nannas forever!  Saba is cold-hardy, but what Googling I've done has led me to believe that the fruits need to stay on the tree for appx 11 months before they can be cut down.  They may still be green at that point, but they might stand a chance of fully ripening.

However...  We don't get 11 months worth of Banana-Friendly Weather.  Winter temps can (and DO) dip into the 20's so Edible Fruit just ain't gonna happen.  The first hard-freeze will wipe-out the trees, turning the "trunk" to mush, unfortunately.

Next year, I think I may try to plant a California Gold Banana.  Supposedly, that variety does stand a chance of ripening into edible fruit.

Nevertheless, I still think it's pretty damn cool that my Sabas are at least attempting to fruit!

Okay, I think that's a pretty decent "Garden Update" for November, wouldn't you say?!!

Random Rambly Randomness...

When I got off the plane from Mexico, I discovered that something TERRIBLE had happened while I was gone:  WINTER ARRIVED ("Ohhh Nnnnoooooo!!!").  It was cold and drizzly and it *smelled* like rain.  Boooo!!!

I did learn one valuable lesson though.  See, when you fly home from Mexico (mid 80's, every day - to upper 60's at night), and you find that "Home" is now upper-60's by day, and 40's at night.  Well, take a little side-trip to someplace BALMY like f**king Idaho, right?!!  Mid 40's by day, and I don't even wanna know what the nighttime temps were!  And the wind..???  Good Gawd I had *almost* forgotten about the bitterly cold wind in Idaho.  

I did a semester-and-a-half in Idaho - including being Out-The-Door of my apartment, and down at the barn at zero-dark-hundred - to shovel steaming piles of horse sh*t (part of my Horse-Training and Stable Management Curriculum) (Yes, seriously!).  In the winter, the poop-elevator (which carted the manure up, and into a large trash-container), crapped-out (pun intended), and we'd have to load the horse bedding onto a trailer, behind a tractor, and spread the manure onto the cow pastures - in the dark, freezing, bitterly-cold, take-me-out-and-shoot me wind (Srsly - you could feel your nose hairs freeze-up!).

Anyway, I worked VERY HARD to forget that wind!!!

Oh, and Buffett ROCKED, BTW (Yay!!!) 

So yeah, we also had a layover in Denver (35*!), and now Northern Cal doesn't seem so bad anymore!!!

Actually, I had one day between trips, so I shoved a couple of loads into the washer, then came out and puttered around in the veggie beds...

I harvested more 'maters (Yayyyy!!!)

Kellogg's Breakfasts in the back
Early girls and one lonely San Marzano Paste (the ONLY SM I got this year!)

And I decided to tackle the Former Finny Farm bed.  I had already amended it, a week or so earlier, with organic blood-meal (to bump-up the nitrogen and give it a chance to get watered-in).  Then I added some organic compost and a bag of steer manure from Home Depot.

P happened to mention that OSH (Orchard Supply Hardware) had transplants of cool season veggies, so I dropped some $$ there and picked-up 6-packs of Broccoli, Cauliflower, Cabbage and Swiss Chard.  They also had transplants of Radishes (with the radishes already nearly fully-formed) - now that's just plain silly!  So I planted an assortment of kohl crops throughout the beds - although I still haven't ripped out the maters from the other two beds.  I was being optimistic, but I'm beginning to realize that NOW it's time to remove 'em.  I'll just have to be careful not to rip out the cool-season stuff at the same time!

Anyway, here is the Former Finny Farm:

Kohl crops and I also sowed a row each of carrots and radishes

Barely a week later, and some of my seedlings are starting to appear - Yay!

I also purchased a couple of mini-greenhouse frames that *should* fit over these beds, just fine.  I just need to decide when (how) I'm gonna rig 'em up and/or if I'm gonna be hiring Rent-A-Son-Services...

Oh, and I sowed various lettuce and spinach seeds in my patio planters, so hopefully I'll be able to pick fresh salads thru winter (I say that EVERY year and I think it's only ever happened ONCE! - Ha!)

More backyard chores:  Weather's still too warm for fruit-tree spraying (hell, they've still got most of their leaves), so I'll hold off on that.  I *do* need to clean-out my greenhouse and tape new bubble-wrap to the inside of the walls and ceiling.  Thennnnn...  I need to drag the marginals into the greenhouse...  I might also think about firing-up my hydroponic garden and try growing some lettuces - just for grins...

Annnnnddd...  We've still got a boatload of patio furniture to put away - yet. :::sigh:::  I did start moving the lounge chairs into a horizontal plastic storage bin.  We need to take down the palapas (thatch umbrellas on the Tiki Bar and dining table :::BIG SIGH:::).  Followed by COVERING the dining table and Tiki Bar (That's *more* than a :::sigh::: - that's more like a :::SOB!!!:::).  

Then break-down and store the backyard stereo; move/cover the bar sink; and move the fridge over to the front-porch of the storage shed.  Those are definitely "Rent-A-Son" Chores.  Hmmm...  Wonder if he needs money?!!

Yep.  Plenty to do, and need to get to it before it starts raining.  Damn........

So far, the weather does seem to be holding up - but I fear I am pushing my luck a little too far with all this Yard-Chore Procrastination Stuff!

* * * * *

In other news...  (Warning: Not for the squeamish, nor Ultra-Conservative!)  I haven't p*ssed and moaned about my psoriasis in awhile.  It's definitely still "There" - but it is starting to become a bit more manageable.   I'm not exactly sure what I attribute that to, but I will be performing some "Experiments" to see if I can pinpoint it.

I'm really kind of debating whether I should be blogging about this - I am "mostly anonymous" - but there ARE folks who know me, and my blog...  But what the hell, right?  I mean, it's not like it's ILLEGAL (well, not "Completely" anyway!).  

So I did survive my trip, in spite of a significant amount of WALKING - between airports, TSA strip-searches, hiking to various gates through various airports, and vacationing in Mexico, and then going to the Jimmy Buffett Show (and I did NOT avail myself of handicapped parking at ANY time - thankyouverymuch!).  

What it all boils down to is: The more walking I do, the more "tender" my feet become.  And the thing about psoriasis is: It causes skin to re-generate FAR too quickly (which results in thickening, unbearable itching, and ultimately peeling which leaves raw, open sores behind).  I am now on my fifth dermatologist (and I swear-to-Gawd, she must be, like, a MAJOR stock-holder in Big Pharma - given her propensity for prescribing ONLY the latest and greatest NAME BRANDS of ridiculously-overpriced medications).  

I don't even want to list all of the medications I've tried.  Most have been high-powered steroid-based topicals (Nasty, nasty stuff).  Some have been so irritating that they BURNED and then caused me to break-out in hives ALL OVER.  I had done well with Narrow-Band UVB light-treatments but then, inexplicably, that stopped working.  

I've tried various and sundry "Systemic" medications.  Soriatane (which I couldn't tolerate), and Methotrexate (Nasty-Nasty Sh*t - left me feeling like I was having a heart attack and "If I am - Can I please just die QUICKLY and get it over with already?!!") (I *wish* I was exaggerating!).  There may have been one other systemic drug that I've forgotten but - basically - the systemics are the same drugs that they give to organ transplant patients to keep their immune systems from rejecting their new organs...

So the latest drug I am on (in addition to all the Steroid Creams that cost a freaking fortune!), is Humira.  If you're in the U.S. you have, no doubt, seen advertisements for this drug.  It's a full-on Immune Suppressant used to treat Rheumatoid Arthritis, Psoriatic Arthritis, Plaque Psoriasis and probably a bunch of other stuff as well.

Key-words here: Immune Suppressant.  Now yes, I understand that psoriasis is an auto-immune disorder.  But I also understand that I have a bunch of other icky health issues, annnnnd we are heading into winter, and the LAST THING I need is to have my immune system supressed!  To say nothing of the fact that Humira BURNS like the fires of hell when you inject it (It is BAD.  Really-Really excruciatingly painful!).

And then there's the cost.  Oh my, yes.  Humira is still under patent and it costs.......  Drum-roll please....  $2,700.00/mo for maintenance doses.  Grant you: My co-pay is only appx $55.00 but - Seriously?!! - $2700/mo?!!  No effing wonder our insurance rates are doubling!!!

Yeah.  I really DON'T like Humira.

So, the other night, Hubs was watching some documentary on Netflix about Medical Marijuana and that got me to thinking...  Or, more specifically, Googling.  Turns out, there is some guy on one of the Medical Cannabis Boards (sorry, can't remember which one!) who combined concentrated THC with Coconut Oil and used it as a topical cream on his psoriasis lesions.  And it actually worked!  In just a matter of DAYS!!!

WTF!?!  That just might be worth trying, right?!  Hell, at this point, it can't hurt.  Also, one of the pills they prescribed for me is an Anti-Anxiety/Anti-Itch medication that DOES help me to sleep - but it turns me into a freaking ZOMBIE the next day!  I'd certainly like to wean myself off of those!

Sooooo...  Long story short (Too Late!).  I Googled further and found a Medical Doctor who - more or less - "specializes" in writing Cannabis recommendations (Yeah, no surprise there).  So, $90.00 later, after expressing my dismay over the prescription of "Anxiety Meds" I have to take, and explaining how "My anxiety exacerbates my psoriasis" yada-yada, I am now a Card-Carrying Cannabis User.

Now, lest you think I am a complete Loser-Stoner, I should probably explain that - Yes, I did smoke recreationally back in high-school and even a little in college.  And, if I am in a Party-Type environment and a joint is placed in my hand, yes - I probably will take a hit.  But overall, we REALLY aren't big pot-heads (at all!).  I think we bought an 1/8th about three years ago - AND WE STILL HAVE MOST OF IT!

Honestly, I am really not looking to "Get high."  In fact, my primary interest in cannabis is as a topical preparation to moisturize my skin and STOP the itching.  I was thinking I might try to incorporate a small quantity of hash oil into my next batch of hard-lotions (but hash oil is awfully damned thick and sticky - and stinky! - I've discovered).  In the meantime, one of the dispensaries had a product called Kind Rub which is sort-of like a cross between Ben-Gay (in terms of smell) and Vick's Vap-O-Rub, in terms of consistency/color.  Although it's kind of greenish and pasty (and greasy - all at the same time!).  It's meant as a muscle or joint rub ("joint" as in elbows and knees!).  I've been using the Kind Rub (Google it, if you're interested) on my hands/feet for the past several days and I have STOPPED all of the steroid creams and ointments - cold turkey!  I have to say, since I started this new regimen, my hands have cleared-up DRAMATICALLY.  My feet still itch and peel a bit, but even they seem to be improving as well.

And, as far as I can tell, the Topical preparations have NO hallucinogenic properties.

I daresay that I am VERY pleased with the results I have gotten, so far, with the Topical Cannabis Rub.  I suspect if I mention it to my dermatologist, she is gonna claim that "it's the Humira kicking in" (and it may well be). So I think I may need to experiment with STOPPING the Humira for a month or two - to see if the psoriasis returns.

Interesting world we live in, now.  Prop 215 has made it easier for patients to seek relief with cannabis - which is a good thing.  And, hopefully, this will open-up opportunities for "Science" to dive in and identify/isolate different cannabinoids to address specific complaints (There appears to be some good research *starting* at least!).

Nevertheless, I'll be doing a bit more research on my own, and probably experimenting with different home-made topical preparations to see what brings me the most relief.  Although - with the Medical Cannabis Boards, it's kind of difficult to separate "useful info" from some of the "Duuuuude...  I got sooo f***kin WRECKED on that sh*t!" posts, unfortunately (and yes - I suspect that not ALL visitors to the dispensaries are there for "Strictly Medicinal" reasons!  I just hope the "Duuuuuudes" don't spoil it for those of us who have a real medicinal need, right?!)

I do believe that there is definitely room for some "Legitimacy" in this new industry.  I really hope that it pans out!  And if I find things that DO seem to help (Honestly, anything's gotta be better than the Pharmaceuticals I've been taking), I'll post my findings.  Maybe, just maybe, someone else will find it helpful.

Oh, and to answer one final burning question:  What with this post being about Gardening and Medical Cannabis..?  No, I will NOT be growing my own!

Random Mexico Photos...

I have NO idea if this is gonna work, but I just uploaded my Mexico pictures to Shutterfly, and I am attempting to link to the slide show...

Try this!

Maybe I'll even get smart and figure out how to actually embed it into the blog.  Or maybe not!

Oh, I hope this works!

I survived!!! (Back from Mexico)

Five Days without INTERNET! :::GASP:::

Last Thursday, I hopped on a Volaris jet and flew down to Guadalajara Mexico.  Mi amiga mas preciosa, D, met me at the airport and we made our way down to Jocotepec (appx an hour from GDL), to their most GORGEOUS hillside casa overlooking Lago de Chapala...

Million Dollar View!

Now, I had planned ahead and purchased an international data plan for my Droid (100 megs for $25.00), as well as packed my Netbook.  Last time we were there, one of her neighbors had unsecured WiFi that was accessible from the side-yard.  This time?  No WiFi!!!  Okay, no worries, I'll just use my phone for email and occasional FB updates (no photo uploading, however - gotta limit my data usage).  Well, as soon as I arrived at D's, my Droid's battery was almost dead, but I was pleased to see that I still had 3G coverage (Yay! Internet!!!), so I shot an email off to hubs to let him know I'd made it okay.  Then I shut down the phone and hooked-up the charger.

The very next morning, I fired up the Droid and EEEEEKKKK!!!  No 3G!  No internet!!!  WhatEVER shall I do?!!

Now I should note that D and her husband are VERY low-tech...  bordering on ANTI-tech, to be honest!  And they both kind of laughed at hubs and me, last trip, because of our apparent "Internet Addiction!" (We spent an inordinate amount of time - with our "Dueling Netbooks" - in the Side-Yard/Smoker's Lounge/Internet Cafe!).

Well, this trip, I (more-or-less) proved that "I can quit anytime!" because, well, I *had* to!  Of course, I was checking my phone about every half-hour *looking* for a 3G signal.  There was none!  Not in Jocotepec, nor Ajijic!  I can personally confirm that! (Eeeek!).

Actually, it was All Good.  D and I had a FANTASTIC time just hangin' out; staying up late, drinking copious amounts of alcohol, and yakking endlessly about nothing!  We got up whenever we decided to wake up, and we left the house by the crack of 11:00am, every day!

Now generally, D, dons her "Julie the Cruise Director" hat and plans out every-last-minute to ensure non-stop entertainment.  This trip was decidedly more low-key (Thank Goodness!  I do *not* expect to be "entertained!").  But there were a couple-three "Must-See" Attractions on my list.  

First up was Viva Mexico Restaurant in San Juan Cosala.  They make THE VERY BEST Chiles En Nogada, and I was totally jonesin' for that dish.  We went there on our second night and discovered - much to my dismay - that the restaurant was closed.  Evidently, there had been some Narco Trouble in their neighborhood, earlier this year, and they've shortened their operating hours.  We arrived at 8:15pm, but they had closed at 8:00.  Augustin, the owner, was most apologetic - but we went back the next night.

Started off with a Margarita:

I think this glass held about a quart!

(I kept giving myself Brain-Freezes - it was sooo good!)

Then, my All-Time-Favorite Dish:

OMG - The dish was just as good as I remembered and I damn near had a Meg Ryan Moment, right there in the middle of the restaurant!

I thoroughly enjoyed dinner that night, and explained to D that I had located several recipes, online, but I hadn't attempted to make it yet (it looks like a BOATLOAD of work!).  Although I wondered, aloud, if they might be willing to share their recipe.  I mean, it'd be a shame to go to all of that work and NOT have it come out as good, right?!

So D asked our server, in Spanish, if they would share the recipe with us.  The waitress replied "No" and explained that it was their own Secret Recipe.  Well, damned if Augustin didn't come out to our table, a few minutes later, and pull-up a chair.  I then "Ooohed and Ahhhed" about how wonderful the meal was, and explained (in my seriously-broken Spanish) that I had looked-up the recipe and it looks like "Mucho Trabajo!"  He agreed that it was a lot of work to prepare, and then he proceeded to explain (in detail!) how he makes his Chiles en Nogada! (His English is very good, BTW, Thank Gawd!)  I grabbed a scrap of paper from my purse and started scribbling notes furiously!  In fact, he went so far as to excuse himself and run to the kitchen to bring out his Secret Ingredient (a specific brand/flavor of Mexican yogurt - that I probably *won't* be able to find in the states!), and he hands me a spoonful of the yogurt explaining "I want you to remember the taste - THIS is what makes the sauce so good!"

How FREAKING cool is THAT?!!

Needless to say, Viva Mexico will ALWAYS be a "Must-See" attraction whenever I go back!

As far as the recipe goes:  I'll save that for another post - whenever I work-up the nerve to try to make it.  It really is Mucho Trabajo - a whooooole lot of work!!!

Another "Must-See Attraction" was the Cholesterol Delight (No, I still don't know the name of the place).  This is where they cook the meat (Pork, Beef, Goat) on rebar stakes jammed into flaming/glowing wood embers.  Unfortunately, the last couple of times D and her husband ate there, they both got sick.  They think it was from the salsa (since the meat, clearly, is fully cooked), but she was a little scared to risk it again.  Bummer!

We did grab dinner To-Go from a questionable-looking roadside stand: El Rey del Pollo (The King of Chicken).  D trusts this place because the "cold stuff" is kept on ice and the folks who handle food do NOT handle the dinero (and vice versa).

El Rey Del Pollo

We ordered a whole grilled chicken and some fresh-grilled chorizo.  That was, quite possibly, one of the best grilled chickens I ever ate!  We did take it home and snarfed it down with homemade tortillas, queso and salsa.  And - I just couldn't resist - I had to SIN and drink a Mexican Coca Cola, from a glass bottle and MADE WITH REAL SUGAR. Waaaaaaay the hell better than that High Fructose Crap we get here in the states! 

We also ate, one night, on the plaza at a little sidewalk taco stand.  Evidently, we were the talk of the town because Gringos don't generally eat there. :::shrug:::  I'll admit, it wasn't a Five-Star dining experience, but it was still damn good food!

Anyhoooo...  This isn't all about eating, believe it or not!  The purpose of my trip was to get all Artsy Fartsy, right?!!  Truth be told, we spent most of our time at D's house, just yakking and drinking and playing old 70's and 80's rock (on LP vinyl no less!!!).

We did go into Jocotepec, one afternoon.  I love Joco and the old "50's-Style" of shopping (You want fresh produce, go to the Fruteria.  You want meat, go to the Carniceria.)  And you have to have extended conversations with each of the shopkeepers! "How is Tia Lupita?  I hope she is getting better." yada-yada.  I wanted to pick-up a poquito puerco molcajete for P, so we bought it in Joco.

We did breeze through Ajijic - but the Gallery Scene just *isn't* my scene.

No, the highlight of my Girls-Gone-Wild Weekend was our trip to Tonala (where they DO have 3G coverage!).  I'll share pictures of that portion of our trip in a separate post.  I will say that Tonala is f**king AWESOME!  Loved it COMPLETELY and, honestly, can't wait to go back again!

Now, when I left, I packed fairly lightly.  I've got a large, expandable suitcase.  But I also had enough room to pack a large (empty) duffel bag inside of my suitcase.  We were very cognizant of baggage weigh limitations so, when we went to Tonala, we actually BROUGHT my large suitcase - along with a scale!  The ladies in the metal shop thought we were nuts until D explained that I was traveling back to the states - and then they agreed that we were very wise for being so prepared!  HA!

Anyway...  Our first stop in Tonala was Forja Española (Note: Website is written in Spanish and, honestly, the pictures don't even BEGIN to capture it!).  An AMAZING shop with metal sculptures, furniture, lighting fixtures, etc. etc. etc.  Now THIS is where they actually manufacture the Mexican Metal Art Stuff you find at expensive galleries.  They have a very nice, tasteful showroom.  Hell, I was blown-away before we even set foot in the place because they have these MASSIVE metal sculptures out front (including a life-sized horse made entirely of metal washers!).  Unfortunately, photography is not allowed inside the shop - but I think I snapped a few pictures of the sculptures out front (I still need to go through them - hence, the need for a separate post).  

Anyway, we browsed briefly in the showroom (and availed ourselves of el baño!).  Then we headed for the back-room where the cool stuff was absolutely overflowing!  It was complete Sensory Overload!  Sculptures of all shapes and sizes of Anything and Everything!  Iguanas, fish, turtles, chickens, dogs, horses (Oh Gawd did they have horses!  A HUGE LAMP made out of  wagon-wheel and metal horses!).  It was positively dizzying - the assortment of metal sculptures.  And furniture?! Oh My Gawd!!!  Srsly - if I lived in Mexico - I could outfit my entire house JUST from that store alone!

Anyhoooo!  One thing that I really-and-truly wanted was a set of Metal Mariachis.  D has a life-sized Mariachi welded to her Terrazza - and I think he is too cool!  And every time P and I go to the SF Garden Show, I drool over the smaller (~30" tall) Mariachis that are for sale, every year, at one of the vendor booths.  But they are, like, $120-150 apiece (and I want a trio!  More $$ than I am willing to spend).  

Welllll...  I am happy to report that I DID find my Trio of Mariachis.  Annnnnnd they are UNIQUE!  And I love them!

Tres Al Rojo Vivo ~ Muy Picante ~ Chile Pimiento Mariachis

What's funny is: D originally thought they were potatoes (which made no sense).  I decided they were frijoles (beans - which makes a little more sense!).  But then the gal who took our money told us that they were actually chile peppers - which made the most sense of all (Duh!).

Soooo...  I think that's enough of an update for one night!  I'll try to go through my Mexico Pictures and hope to share more of My Messkin Adventure in the days to come... 

Hell, then there's still the Boise Buffett Show to yak about (I have been on 6 planes in the past week!  Enough already!!!).  In other words, I am BEAT, so I'm off to watch the Giants Game and hopefully go to bed EARLY tonight!

Adios!!!

Random Ramblings: Time Sure Flies!

Okay, this may end up being a short one (HA!  Yeah, right!), but I am blogging outside at the Tiki Bar and will be forced to go in when it gets too dark (far too early - and yes, I know, it's only gonna get worse!!!).

First up, some Random Garden Ramblings:

So Blogger-Friend (And Piggie-Partner) Finny is starting her own Garden-Coaching Business, IndieFarms.  And I "Like" her Indie-Farms FB Page.  So, this past weekend, I decided to stay indoors and fight-off The Black Plague (I was feeling a nasty head+chest cold coming on), whilst annihilating my opponents on my various Scrabble and Words-With-Friends Games.  Well, in the course of switching between games, I happened upon a post by aforementioned Indie Farms about how "It's rained three times, people! Time to give-up on those tomato plants and sow those cover crops!" (Okay, that wasn't a Direct Quote) accompanied by a jpg of a wheelbarrow-full of recently MURDERED 'MATERS! :::GASP:::

Well, if you know me, you KNOW how Cleopatra-like I can be.  Yes, I am the Queen of De-Nile!  "Summer's not over!" I pouted.  And, in fact, I managed to pry myself away from my computer long enough to toddle out to the garden where I found SEVERAL 'maters that were fully ripe-and-ready for pickin', and several MORE on the way!

Annnnd...  The Weather Prognosticators were claiming that yet ANOTHER warm-spell was on the horizon.

So take THAT - you Cover-Cropping Season-Pushers!

I wished I'd taken pictures of my last haul, but it included two GINORMOUS Kellogg's Breakfasts, a couple-three Speckled Romas, and :::gasp::: another Early Girl!  And I am confident that I'm gonna pull a few more RIPE 'maters off the vines before *I* call it quits! (Hmph!)

Of course, now I've got a BIG pile of tomatoes getting ever-mushier-by-the-minute on my kitchen counter.  I may drag out the Tomato Press and make more Frozen-Squozen 'Maters, or I may choose to roast them with olive oil and basil, then simmer them into a tasty bisque...  Haven't decided yet - but I'd better decide quickly or they'll end-up being compost!

I've also got ripe apples on my 6-variety espaliered apple-tree, and a basket-full of organic apples from the farm-share and grocery store (and 6 bags of cranberries) and DELUSIONS of thinking I'll have time to put-up a batch of Cranberry Apple Chutney. (Umm, when?!).

(Worst case: The cranberries can go in the freezer and the apples can run thru the Juicer!)

Complicating matters even further: Yes, we are having another brief spell of downright pleasant weather (and I'll take it!).  Of course, that means I spend EVERY AVAILABLE MOMENT outside and soaking-it-up while I can.  But that definitely cuts into my "I want to make Cranberry Apple Chutney" and "I need to do something with these 'Maters" (and assorted other "Wanna-Do" Indoor-Projects Time!)

Plus, my workload has gone a little crazy of late, so I can't get outside in the afternoons anymore.  Actually, the total number of projects I'm working on, right now, isn't all that bad.  But the complexity is a bit mind-boggling.  Annnnnd...  I'm getting ready to take some time-off!  This, unfortunately, has resulted in widespread PANIC on the part of all my business partners and clients.  Nevermind that I gave EVERYONE a week-and-a-half notice of my imminent departure and "If you need something, speak-up NOW" blah-blah emails...  My last day is tomorrow and I had wisely (?) blocked it - figuring I needed time to wrap-everything-up before I took off, right?  Well, by the time I closed-down today, my "Tomorrow" was fully-booked with back-to-back-meetings.  "WTF???"

:::sigh:::  It sucks being popular!

Next up, Vacation Ramblings:

Last year, Hubs and I went to visit my College-Buddy/Ex-pat friend D, and her husband in Jocotepec, Mexico.  Near Lake Chapala (a BIG ex-pat enclave) and Ajijic (pronounced Ah-hee-HEEK) - not too far from Guadalajara.  We got a taste of what "Ex-Pat Life" is like.  I loved it.  Hubs, not so much!

Anyway, Ajijic has lots of Artsy Farsty Galleries that cater to the Rich Gringo Ex-pats, and there is a town called Tonala - with lots of Mexican Artisans - not too far away.  Ajijic is more Fancy-Shmantzy/Artsy-Fartsy.  Tonala is more "gritty" and less "Gallery-ish."  Soooo...  Me being of the Artsy-Fartsy (but decidedly not Fancy-Shmantzy) ilk, I was actually looking forward to doing some "Gallery-Hopping"/"Art-Prowling" in both towns while we were there.  But, for various and sundry reasons (that I shall not dwell on), it never happened.  I was actually extremely disappointed about that.  So then it was decided that I would fly back down to Guadalajara on my own so that D and I could go and prowl around the galleries of Ajijic and the streets of Tonala on our own.  A "Girl's Weekend" as it were.

So I made travel arrangements several months ago (Scored a KILLER fare: $230.00 R/T! Awesome!) (Including "Overweight Baggage" charges for the Return Trip - Don't tell me I don't plan ahead!!!).  And D will be sending her husband back to the states for a week (He's retained his U.S. Citizenship and utilizes Medicare for some of his health-stuff.  I think he's getting more stents put in, or something).  Anyway, point being: It will be Just Us Girls for an extended 5-day weekend.

I CAN'T FREAKING WAIT!!!

Hubs will drop me off at the airport on Thursday morning, and I'll return home on Tuesday afternoon.  Wish it was a little longer, but I'll be SURE to cram AS MUCH FUN AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE into those five-and-a-half days!!!  Hubs is in charge of keeping the critters alive while I'm gone (They will drive him ape-sh*t crazy, I'm sure.  He lets them get away with murder and they know how to "work him!").  I will have internet while I'm down there (or at least I *hope* I'll have internet!).  Their next-door neighbor has unsecured Wi-Fi which is accessible from the side-yard/smoking lounge.  Of course, this is all dependent on the "Community's" Internet being operational - so, we'll see.  Just in case, I've also purchased an International Data Plan for my phone for while I'm down there.

I highly doubt I'll be blogging though.  MAYBE some Facebook Updates - and definitely checking email.  But that's about it.

Anyhoooo...  I am SUPER excited about this.  And D is one of those friends that you can go - for years - without communicating, but when you get together, you just pick-up again like it was only yesterday, ya know?  Pretty damned cool, I think!

Next (Oh crap, it's getting dark out - but I have the Tiki Bar Mini-Lights on!), Artsy Ramblings:

(So much for this being short - HA!)

Okay, anyway.  I know I whined, previously, about my Psoriasis Woes (and yes, they are definitely STILL there - even with the Added Bonus of "Immune-Suppressant"/Burns-Like-A-MoFo  Humira!).  Well, I've decided to break-down and attempt Clay-Play with Vinyl Gloves.  Not nearly as satisfying, but I'm making it work.  I definitely wanted to make another "Hostess Gift" for D (especially now that I've seen her house and know her color scheme).  Plus, my company has a "Holiday Bazaar" every year where people can sell their hand-crafted wares.  I missed it, last year (We were in Mexico), but Good Friend P secured a booth (actually, a table) and sold a bunch of her stuff, as well as a good chunk of mine!  This year, we will share a table again - only this time I will BE THERE.  Annnnd... Well, I need crap to sell, right?!

P, bless her heart, is always sharing AMAZING ideas of stuff to create.  None of it is particularly difficult, but some of it can be a bit "challenging."  I figure, at this stage of "getting back into it" I want to keep it SUPER SIMPLE so I can get the Instant Gratification of cranking something (ANYTHING) out!  So I made a few soap-dishes in various colors.  One is intended for D.  It kinda/sorta matches the spoon-rest I made for her a couple-three years ago.  Nothing earth-shattering, but the colors will go great in her kitchen (D's decor - to sum it up: She is NOT afraid of color!).

Soap Dish

I don't think I have a picture of the Spoon-rest on this computer so - Oh well! - But it's in the same color-scheme.  I was also hoping to make a batch of Coffee-Scented Hand-Made Soap.  But that's an even *lower* priority than Tomato Bisque and Cranberry Apple Chutney.  In other words - ain't gonna happen!

Ooh.  Thank Goodness for my FB Albums.  I did find pictures of some of the earlier items I'd made for D!

Spoon-rest

Vase - formed over a wiffle-bat

And the pattern is from a silicon sink-liner!

Salamander Coasters

(Matches the bar in her side-yard/smoker's lounge/WiFi Zone)

Actually, her house is more rusty-orange and green (paint-wise, inside), but she has lots of yellow and cobalt accents.  Very "Mexican." And I think my mostly-yellow + cobalt "accents" work nicely with her decor.  At least she is a most-gracious recipient and claims that she loves them!

She is also a most-gracious House-Guest and always brings awesomely appropriate Tiki/Beach-Themed gifts for us, as well.  I've got an awesome Retro-looking Corona Beer Bar-Server tray, a hand-made wrought-iron parrot sculpture and some fused-glass vases that she picked up in Tonala.

Anyhoooo...  I have cranked out a few pieces (mostly soap-dishes and trays).  I was rather hoping I would be able to "start" a few more trays before I leave for Mexico but - prob'ly not gonna happen. (Well, maybe...  We'll see!).  I did start all of my Holiday Ornaments for my coworkers, so those - with a few more trays - will fill up the kiln for a bisque-firing.  And I think I can somehow manage to squeeze-in one more Glaze Firing before the Holiday Bazaar.  I also really DO want to mix up a batch of that Coffee-Scented Soap (I'll post the recipe whenever I get around to making it!).

In the meantime, I REALLY DO have to do a couple-three loads of laundry ("Drudgery!").  Somehow, I think I'm gonna need to bring CLEAN clothes with me on my trip to Mexico!  (Jeez, this ALSO falls under "Where does the time go???")

Okay, Lastly, some Buffett Ramblings:

Oh, and THEN, immediately after I return from Mexico, we are turning around and hopping ANOTHER plane (or two!) to head up to Boise (I abso-freaking-lutely HATE the state of Idaho - and I have valid reasons, k?!).  Jimmy Buffett is playing a show there and I HAVE TICKETS!!!

Thankfully, hubs has abundant FF miles on Southwest and with Holiday Inn and whatever Car Rental Company - so transportation is Almost-Free.

Now Jimmy added a few shows at the last minute (as I expected he would!).  He had two shows scheduled in Vegas (which is normal), and he usually squeezes-in a NorCal and a SoCal show in between.  Not this time.  He actually added a Seattle Show (the sane-day that I fly back from Mexico), then the Boise Show (next Thursday).  Well, I scrambled and was able to secure tickets to the Boise Show (Yay! Parrothead Club!).  

But THEN! THEN!! Sunuvabitch scheduled ANOTHER show at the Fillmore in San Francisco (SUPER intimate venue - only accommodates appx 1000 people!) (I paid over $300 to a scalper for ONE ticket, once, to see him at the Fillmore  and it was an UNBELIEVABLE show!!!).  Buttttt....  That's this Thursday: The day I LEAVE for Mexico.  Thank Goodness I had already scored tix to the Boise Show - otherwise, I might have cancelled my Mexican Sojourn altogether!

So, much as I hate to miss Buffett at the Fillmore...  I think the Girl's-Gone-Wild Weekend in Mexico is probably gonna be better for my soul (and probably pocketbook!) in the long run...

Okay.  Well, how's THAT for a "Short Post" - HA! (LIAR, I know!).  It is decidedly DARK out here and I've got LAUNDRY to do, so I think I'll call this a wrap, eh?!

TTYL!!!

Cranapple Jam ver 2.0 (Almost like cranberry sauce - only BETTER!)

Yippeeee!!!  Cranberries are back in the grocery stores again!

And I've got bags of apples up the gazoobie (and - contrary to popular belief - my gazoobie just ain't that big!)

I wanted to make a batch of Cranberry Apple Chutney, but when I printed out the recipe, I realized I was missing a few key ingredients.  Oops!  And I was too lazy to go to the store again...

Almost Halloweeny - wouldn't you say?

But no, it's not a crime-scene!

I decided to whip up another batch of Cranapple Jam (I think we're having a Jam-Exchange this year!  If not, the extras will make lovely holiday gifts, yes?).  And I am venturing back into Stevia Experimentation (is that legal?!) because I found a new product in the baking aisle of the grocery store - a 50/50 Sugar + Stevia mix.

Cranapple Jam ver 1.0 is here.

And, again, I started with the same original recipe here.

But, as usual, I tweaked around some more and, I must say, I am MOST pleased with the results!  This jam, while definitely still "jam," has a flavor reminiscent of canned whole cranberry sauce - only WAY THE HELL better, k?! (I heard you say "Ew!"  Just go with me, k?!)

QT's Cranapple Jam ver 2.0
Adapted from Simple-Good-And-Tasty
Yields 1 pint jar and 6 half-pint jars

Ingredients:

• 8 cups of apples, peeled and chopped into 1/2"-3/4" chunks (I love my Apple Peeler/Corer!).  I used a mix of mostly Fujis and some Granny Smiths.
• 4 cups of fresh, rinsed cranberries (about 1-1/4 bags)
• 1/2 cup lemon juice (bottled stuff is fine)
• 1 cup unsweetened, natural cranberry juice
• 4 cups of C&H Light Sugar + Stevia Blend
• 1/2 cup dried sweetened cranberries (Craisins)
• 2 TBS granulated sugar + 2 TBS Low/No-Sugar Pectin (optional, if needed)
• Dash (or two) of salt (optional, if needed)

Instructions:

1. Rinse, Peel, Chop your apples and toss 'em in a bowl.  Sprinkle your 1/2 cup of lemon juice on the apples, a little at a time, to keep 'em from turning brown. Stop when you have 8 cups of chopped apples
2. Rinse and review your cranberries.  Remove any stems and/or squishy ones.  Measure out 4 cups.
3. Combine Apples/Lemon Juice + Cranberries in a big pot.  Add sugar/stevia blend and cranberry juice.
4. Heat on medium high and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.  As soon as it starts to boil, dial-back the heat to medium low (mine *attempted* to boil over and woulda made a HELLUVA mess!).  You do want a hard-boil for appx 1 minute.  
5. After boiling one minute, dial the heat back to low and let it simmer, stirring frequently.  Apples will start to go mushy and cranberries will start popping.  
6. At the simmer stage, add the dried cranberries.  Continue to simmer 'til it thickens to a jam-like consistency (took me appx 30-35 minutes).  
7. Apples and cranberries have natural pectin which should be sufficient for getting the jam to set.  In my case, I wasn't able to achieve a good "set."  I ended up cheating mixing 2 TBS of granulated sugar + 2 TBS of pectin and stirring it into the pot toward the end of the blop-blop simmering stage.  Then it thickened-up nicely.
8. Once you've gotten a good "set," remove from heat and ladle the jam into hot, sterilized jars.
9. Process for 10 minutes

This stuff is GOOOOOOOOOD!!   Definitely a bit on the tart side (which I like).  I'm still "on the fence" about jamming with Stevia.  Stevia has - well - it has a flavor that is almost too sweet and borders on bitter, but I think it worked well with the tartness of the cranberries.  On the other hand, as I taste-tested it, I felt it was getting a little too bitter-sweet, so I added a few shakes of salt to tone it down.

When I was about halfway done with filling the jars, I glanced down at the recipe and realized "Oh sh*t - I forgot the cinnamon!" but, honestly, I think the omission of the cinnamon is why it tastes more like cranberry sauce.

Again, I am happy with that because Guess what I'll be serving with Thanksgiving Turkey this year???  No more pukey canned cranberry sauce for me!

As a jam, it's awesome on crusty sourdough with some kinda herby cream-cheesy spread (I actually had some leftover Goat Cheese Fondue which I'd spread on the sourdough).  I don't think it would make a good PB&J though...

Enjoy!

PlantCam / Timelapse Cam Follow-up

I figured I'd share a few more thoughts (and pictures) of the Time-Lapse Camera Gee-Gaw - since it really is pretty cool!

First-up: Side-by-side Old and New (Old, dead one is green.  New, live one is black).

And here they are out of their boxes:

They have a tough, weatherproof exterior and they seem to seal-up pretty tight.  The old one made it thru several rainstorms without incident.  They both have a screw-ma-bobby hole on the bottom that enables them to be screwed onto any standard tripod.  They also come with brackets that can be mounted thru a lattice fence or on a sturdy garden stake.  The bracket has a corresponding screw-ma-bobby and adjustable angles and yada-yada.  Wingscapes also provides straps so you can strap the camera to a tree trunk.  All-told - you will be able to find a way to rig it up (just don't put it in a high-traffic, narrow-walkway, at shoulder height, like I did!).

Here are the cameras with the doors open:

You can click on the image to Biggify it.  All told, it's a pretty simple set-up.  There's a viewfinder ("Meh!"), a power button, a focus-ring (the flower-lookin' ring around the lens).  The old camera had a laser-aim (but it really was only marginally useful), and they both have light sensors (so you can set the camera to go on at first light) (again, that didn't work for me b/c of our motion-sensor lights and nocturnal neighborhood cats!).  The middle rectangle-screen is just a simple LCD.  You basically use the dialy-knob (bottom left) to pick your setting; then when you're in setup mode, you use the 5 "directional" buttons to navigate thru the menu selections.  It's fairly intuitive and SUPER simple.

Incidentally, this is not intended to be an instructional post (you can always go to Wingscapes for more info) on how to use the thing, but since my last post generated some questions, I figured I'd share a few more observations based on my (limited!) experience...

It uses 4 AA batteries (one set of alkalines lasted most of the summer: May - Aug) (over 1,100 jpgs).  Apparently, there's an AC Plug-in option, but I never bought the adapter - and I never needed it (I don't think I'd want to run an extension cord outdoors anyway).

It does need an SD card for storing pics - and if you're half as geeky as us, you've probably got dozens of cards laying around.  Otherwise, I think if you send back the Registration Card, Wingscapes will send you an SD card for free (Free is good!).

I used a 2-Gig in my old Plant-Cam and you saw the quality.  Not bad (Not great, but not bad).  I'm gonna bump-up to a 16-Gig b/c the new cam has HD capabilities.  Also: It looks like the new cam supports WiFi.  I haven't "RTFM" yet so not sure if that means it WiFi's the images directly to my laptop (which means my machine needs to be on all the time).  I think I'll prob'ly just stick with the SD card.  And now that I finally figured out the Movie-Maker software, it's ridiculously easy.

Price seems to have gone up a bit (no surprise), but Amazon's got it for $99.95 w/Free Super-Saver Shipping.  I do think it's a fun and cool gizmo.  The key is to find a good place to aim it (Finny Farm was a sucky spot, unfortunately).  It did pretty good with the "longer view" of last year's garden.

Honestly, I think the trickiest part of the PlantCam is finding a good place to put it.  The mounting stuff provided is excellent - that's not the problem.  

First up:  It's pretty difficult to "aim."  There is a little Viewfinder, but it really doesn't help much (especially if you are mounting the camera on a lattice fence and really can't fit your head behind it!).  And it's not like you can "aim it," let it take a few pictures, then view the output right away...  

(Well...  Wait a minute - maybe you can?!  But you'd have to be SUPER careful not to jar the camera.  I'm thinking Bolt it into position FIRMLY, let it take a days' worth of shots, then the next day *very carefully* open the door and remove the SD card to view the jpgs on your PC - just to confirm that it's aimed properly...)

So - up 'til now - it's been kind of a crap shoot!  I'm not sure if it will be easier or more difficult on smaller subjects; say, aiming the camera at a seed-tray to capture germination.  I think I'll experiment with that (I know, I think I said that last year, right?!).

I do like the broader selection of focus/distances with the new camera.  I bet a lot of folks were trying to do close-up seedling shots and getting fuzzy photos.  And they do provide a tape measure so you can accurately gauge the distance.

Secondly: In order to get a decent video, you need to be cognizant of where you're aiming it and what kind of background you'll have "competing" with your video.  In other words, trying to photograph my GREEN veggie garden under a GREEN tree with GREEN vines covering the fence in the background?  Ummm...  Yeah! (Obviously I am NOT an award-winning photographer!).  Think "Composition!" Duhhh!

Footnote to that: Don't aim the thing due-east (as I did last year!), or due-west (as I did this year!).  You'll end up dumping a LOT of shots because the sun is blaring straight into the camera at dawn/dusk.

And for something large, like a garden bed, you'll want to keep the camera further back so you can actually see the whole bed.  Last year's video was much better from that perspective: You could actually see the plants grow from seedlings and eventually fill the entire screen!

And, personally, I like having some kind of inanimate object IN the picture so there's a sense of continuity (plants do seem to "move" during time-lapse photography).  Last year, it was my Weenie-Dog Whirlygig  This year it was a garden stake.

Hmmm...  What else?  I set my camera to take pics at one-hour intervals starting at 8:00am and ending at 7:00pm.  You can probably get a "smoother" video by shortening the intervals to, say, 30 minutes.  You'll need to have a pretty big memory card for that, though...

I had actually tried to use the PlantCam, last year, to photograph my Plumerias coming into bloom.  Strapped it to a palm tree and set it at 15-minute intervals (since the bloom-time of Plumies is just a matter of days).  Unfortunately, I never got to complete that experiment due to some palm-tree-trimming action that practically annihilated my Plumeria tree (Ooops!).

Anyway, I think that's about it.  To summarize: Be aware of where you're placing your camera - for a big area, the further-back the better.  Don't aim it in a location where it's gonna get direct-into-the-lens-sun.  Don't put it someplace where it's likely to get bumped.  And have fun with it!

I really do like my PlantCam (even if it is a toy that requires a lot of patience!) and - as previously noted - I love any company that stands behind it's product...

HTH!