Tomato Makin'

Today I potted up my tomato plants in larger pots so that they can get a little bigger before heading out into the elements. They have been growing in the basement...

under fluorescent lights.

They seemed to be outgrowing their small pots so I made some new ones...with a technique I learned from my grandpa's wife Pat.

I took two full sheets of newspaper (equaling four layers) and folded them in half, then wrapped them around this soup can. Then I tucked in the bottom and stapled it (they didn't look pretty from the bottom, but the soil weight holds it down). And there you have it...free, biodegradable pots. Pat plants them directly in the ground, I may take the plants out of the pots depending on how broken down they are when they are ready to go in the ground.

And then I got my hands a little dirty.

Hopefully they will be happy in their new homes. You'll know if someone rings your doorbell and leaves tomatoes that it worked, even if you live far from these plants the tomatoes will find you.

I potted up 8 Romas, 4 cherries, 4 brandywines and will soon pot up more of those varieties as well as some beefsteaks. I also put one Roma in the garden with a milk jug over it, which I have never done before.

Our onions are going strong as well, this picture makes them look gigantic!

The season starts so much earlier here than it does in Portland. It's pretty wonderful right now but it will get to a heat, fairly soon, that greens and such cannot handle. If I stay in the midwest I will work on growing greens in the heat of the summer, perhaps shade cloth or some other cooling device can be employed.

Breezy Ayr

These are some of the cheeses we make, I believe these are the cumin variety. I was getting ready to dip them in wax to seal them up for two months of aging.

Each wheel weighs about 2 pounds and is softish, like a gouda. I don't have any pictures of the other variety that is aged in the cave for at least 4 months. It has a natural mold rind that we brush off once a week. We'll bring some with us back to the mid-west, don't worry.

Bitches Brew

Nick considers spinning a web of lies that would allow him to drink all three glasses.

Mt. Mansfield Mania

Shortly after David visited, once Adam stopped crying, we made a trip to Albany, NY to pick up Nick at the airport. Luckily he made it just before the big snow hit.

So, we played in it...

We snowshoed up Mt. Mansfield, not quite to the top. The back country skiiers and snowboarders started shreddin' some made powder, down the path we were hiking up, so we headed back down.

Nick's snowcovered, non-waterproof pants.

Nick decided to dance to dry his snow melt covered pants...

Then Kylie started to tap her toes, something was happening here...something big.

Suddenly Adam broke into a funky groove as well...what had come over these young people on Mt. Mansfield.

The only cure for our dancing was making scary faces at one another with ice stuck in our beards. Kylie tried her best but could not produce a full beard in time to save Nick. Nick continued in his hysterical dancing. We had no choice but to leave him behind. Survival was our only concern.

As Adam and Kylie shook off the effects of the Mansfield Dance they looked at one another in horror, they had forgotten David in the car! When they arrived David was frozen but smiling quite broadly. Adam tried making a face at him, with the icicles in his beard, no response. We decided what we had to do was dance him back to warmth.

All of that dancing really made us thirsty, so we headed back to the house and drank an amazing beer by Dogfish Head called Bitches Brew, inspired by Miles Davis album. It was brewed with a root called Gesho. We all rather enjoyed it, even Nick, who had unbeknownst to us, grabbed onto the luggage rack in his dancing stupor and made it back home with us.

Farmin' fools...

The milking barn.

Sadie, she's got personality.

Thumbs up kitty!

The Canadian hunter's club begins...

David Rae paid us a visit, we hiked out in the swamp for some pumpkin shooting but not before Adam and David...

Sparred in the living room...

the Canadian hunter's club is born!

Canadian hunters make surprisingly good dancers!

Adam hasn't been the same since David left him.

Christmas Riddles

So, about a month ago there was a little holiday we fondly call Christmas. Our lovely, loving, wonderful families sent us packages and we tried very hard to figure out what the gifts were.

had my mother visited the bass pro shop this year for a little last minute shopping?

or perhaps her concern was the warmth of our ears?

????

Perhaps a drink will help us figure out this riddle...

Finally...Adam leans back to think and I see it so clearly...pasties! Thanks Mom!