Gardening – VIRTUALDISTORTION

July 16, 2014

Lovin’ Summer

This summer has been spectacular so far! I can barely keep up with documenting the highlights of life in between all of the events, traveling, family time and working on my shop. Here are a few photos and tidbits I decided I must stop what I’m doing and share…

I love this duo … a nice rain cloud pouring out its contents and part of a rainbow. I have seen at least 6 rainbows and very bright sun dogs this summer since it has been so rainy in Minnesota.

Colorado supplied this lovely, bright sun dog. I love that state more each time I visit – this time I got to check out some southern areas around the San Juan mountains (Durango, Pagosa Springs) and stayed down in Farmington, NM. That mountain desert feeling is awesome.

I buried a pallet and planted lettuces in it – spinach, chard, arugula, romaine, and a few leaf varieties. It worked out well, I’d do it again. A big salad is on the menu tonight.

Shine on, sun. Shine on. Next weekend I’m going to see a huge fireworks show from a boat, on a lake. Boom!

May 31, 2014

Asparagus Season, Oh My Favorite!

If you look closely at the top photo, in the upper left hand side you can see the asparagus growing out of the ground. This is in “lake country” Minnesota. I grew up here just like this asparagus 😉 It lives really close to the lake and has some big spears because the plant base is fairly old. I think it’s going to get moved to higher ground this year because the thick grass that likes to grow in the soggy soil is really hard to keep out of the asparagus patch.

I love roasted asparagus with olive oil, salt and pepper. It works perfectly in a stir fry and I’m really wanting to try and make pickled asparagus this year if I can harvest enough out of this patch.

This was my first cutting of 2014. I’m savoring it.

January 29, 2014

A Little Ray Of Sunshine

I’m in Minnesota and it’s been a very, very cold winter. One thing I like to do at this point (end of January, the thick of it!) is look at some photos from spring/summer and remember what it’s like to feel really warm while standing outside. I offer you a little ray of sunshine…

A few days ago I purchased some new house plants, pots and dirt too. That helps the winter blues! I’m also trying to make as much new art-stuff as possible so that when the weather does warm up I’m more able to be out in it.

May 18, 2012

Container Gardening : Spring 2012

I grew up in the garden. Seriously! I think back and some of my first memories were of me standing in the garden among rows of peas on wire, smiling faces of sunflowers, and marigolds dutifully guarding the perimeter, watching my mom who was busy as a bee with the water hose.

Growing up, my family had not ONE garden… no… more like FOUR! We always practiced organic gardening, too… composting animal manure, kitchen scraps, leaves, and grass clippings.. and always picking all of those pesky weeds by hand! That was a big chore when I was a kid. Now I look forward to it because it’s a great excuse to be outside in the sunshine with my shoes off doing something productive! However, I don’t live where I grew up.. my brother and his family does! So I don’t have 4 gardens to tend to… I have to resort to some container gardening:

Which I really enjoy!
I’m also teaching my boyfriend a lot about gardening. We both tend the plants and I can’t wait for him to eat some of the first ripe tomatoes he’s ever really had a hand in growing himself right off of the plants in the back yard. Gardening is so satisfying! Even if you don’t really know what you’re doing I suggest trying anyways.

Check out this bush tomato plant already bearing fruit!

Flowers on another tomato plant:

I LOVE the smell of tomato plants. Whenever I am out watering them I rub against them, stick my nose right up against the plants and sniff.. and sniff my hands as a I walk away. Ha! It’s such a unique, fresh scent that comforts me.

This pepper is almost big enough to eat too! Oh my gosh, it’s only mid-May!

I’m totally in love with succulent plants too.. here is one of my baby jade plants! I also have a hobbit jade and at least 6 other kinds of succulent plants to share with you in a future post! I used to have jade “trees” and think they make the coolest bonsai trees when they’re really trimmed right and get super old.

Cheers to spring and a glorious summer! 🙂

April 25, 2012

A Cute Gift Given

An old, worn black cowboy boot that I picked up at an antique store in southern Missouri earlier this year… With a baby sensitive plant / Mimosa Pudica planted inside!

Gifted with a Happy Birthday announcement flag made with decorative paper and a bamboo skewer pushed down into the dirt, a matching envelope to the flag with a hand written letter, and a needle felted bee that I made and suspended at the top of a small wire which is barely visible so it looks like the bee is flying above the plant!

EEee cute!!! Right?
I planted another sensitive plant in the other boot for myself 😉

March 25, 2012

DIY Oyster Mushroom Kit – Day 8 – Final

It was a success! Shortly after these photos I cut the mushrooms up and added them to stir fry. I saved a few and used them the next day on a homemade pizza. I ate a few raw, too, and.. wow! They pack a lot of flavor!

This was such an awesome project. Many thanks goes out to my friends who gifted me this kit! I love you guys! <3

March 21, 2012

Project: Mushrooms From A Box! Day 6 & 7

They are really starting to look like recognizable mushrooms now as you can see by the bottom (latest) photo. It is so very exciting! Even though I haven’t eaten any yet, I already recommend this kit to anyone who is interested.

OK, enough words, it’s photo time!
Tuesday March 20th ~ 1pm (day 6)

Tuesday March 20th ~ 4pm (day 6)

Tuesday March 20th ~ 8pm (day 6)

Wednesday March 21st ~ 1pm (day 7)

Wednesday March 21st ~ 11pm (day 7)

March 19, 2012

Project: Mushrooms From A Box! Day 5

GROWWWWWTH!

See the white dots starting to pop up around the horizontal cut? That’s what the spot that sprouted up looked like last night! So fast, mushrooms.. so fast!

It’s time for daily photos from here on out.

March 15, 2012

Project: Mushrooms From A Box! Day 1

I’ve officially started my oyster mushroom kit! It’s from here if you’re really curious. Nowhere on that website or on the box does it say to soak the bag for 24 hours after cutting slits in the side but that’s exactly what the directions inside the box said. So I did that…. I cut a ~ 3×5 X in the bag and submerged it in cold tap water for a WHOLE DAY. *thumb twirls*

Since these photos, I drained the water and put the bag back into the box which I then just placed on the kitchen counter top. I can’t wait until I see some stuff growing and wonder if it’s good growth or bad growth. It all looks so interesting to me. When I feel the layer of white mycelium that has already grown inside the bag it feels kinda like salamander skin or something.

Would you touch it? o.O

March 12, 2012

Project: Mushrooms From A Box!

We’re all excited over here because today in the mail I received THIS from my amazing friends! It’s a DIY kit for growing edible oyster mushrooms at home.

I’ve wanted to try this since I first heard it was possible years ago. Tomorrow I will cut the box and start misting it to get them to start growing. Stay tuned for progress posts!