A Year in Review-2011

Here goes my year in review...The first thing I remember from this year is cooking and eating some good ole' Texas New Year's Day foods, black-eyed peas and collard greens for that kick of luck and money. Tradition started, did it work? January 8 was a sad day, Rep. Gabrielle Giffords was shot and we were shown that mental illness should not be slighted or ignored. I remember that day, all too vividly. I was actually working a Saturday and I had 2 programs for 3 girl scout groups when I checked my email and news during my lunch break to hear about this horrible thing.

February saw the first plantings of seeds for the season, yet boredom had set in after having about 2.5 months off from school. I bore easily. So, a gift of a gardening book, and the sharing of the grounds on the upper compound, gardening ideas began to flourish.

March 3, I started this blog with my first posting being the salad planter and speaking of said boredom. This planter pretty much started the ideas brewing for what became of gardening this past year. This month holds my favorite holiday, St. Patrick's Day. My neighbor is 100% Irish, so I assisted in cooking my first all Irish cooking for this holiday. I don't remember exactly, but I am sure I either had a Guinness or a Smithwick's as my libation, but what I do remember are the potato pancakes. Mmm, those were awesome and pretty authentic. This was also a busy month. Water collection started, and worms were welcomed. These creepy crawling creatures are amazing and help substantially with lessening of food wastes. Added to the mix of veggie stock holding and R's chickens, food waste is a minimum on the property. 

This was also a sad month, the Stoke passed away. She was my sidekick for 9 good years, and I miss her everyday. But she is no longer in pain, and the pain was short-lived. Plus she was one lucky dog, had many doggie friends, and hiked many doggie miles alongside me and my friends.

Stoke last Christmas- Photo: M. Brandt

In April Guero took residence on the compound, and the first lesson learned in the garden.  This popeye, ghetto diva of a dog makes me laugh every single day.  Tried to get the garden to the upper level, but not so successful up there. Fences are needed in these hills, and only one tomatillo produced. But produce it did. Mmm, the tomatillo salsa was awesome!

G relaxing on the beaches of the Sea of Cortez

 Mid-June was the fire. What an intense experience, I learned lengths both personally and professionally. And Ms. Frieda Paprika was a result of the fire. She was never claimed, and she lost her eye in the end. What a one- eyed, independent, land shark, yet sweetest cuddler of a dog. I think my first gray hairs will be from her.

FP with one stitch left to fall out

Another sadness hit the compound. Lady Sophia of Cambria suddenly passed with little answers to the stack of questions. Her youthfulness and social awkwardisms are missed daily.

Sophie in search of America, Photo: SLee

 The garden flourished during the monsoon season, as it should, and squash, peppers, chard, collards, onions, tomatoes, multiple lettuces, and a plethora of herbs and spices were the rock stars. There were other plants that did well, but the list above are the things that stick out for me. There are as many lessons learned, better seedling planting times, methods of growing, where to grow, etc. But in the end I was able to supplement the Farmer's Market and Co-op foods with the foods from the garden. I also became a better cook, using better (for you) ingredients, with advices from a friend, the meals I make are pretty darn tasty. It is quite nice to step outside and pick items from your garden for the meal you are making. That right there makes all the lessons learned worth it.    

And the procrastination has come to an end. Appropriate plastic, "the Dr. Bronner's of plastic" says a friend, was ordered today. And instead of one large greenhouse, little micro greenhouses are going to be made on the planter boxes I made or quasi-made. This will keep the lettuces and cabbages warm during the cold snaps.

I have decided to de-clutter a corner in the Arizona/bathroom and make it a seedling nursery, and in the next month seeds will be started for some of the plants. Definitely want to get the sage (my signature herb) and other herbs and spices  going for next year. And probably all the tomatoes.  Next year's garden season (continuation, really) will hopefully apply some of the lessons learned, and will probably provide a few more.

 The past year, although sad at times, was pretty eventful and somewhat adventurous. From camping under the Las Palapas on a beach in Mexico, to my first poison ivy outbreak, to being held by Mexico customs for an hour and a half for soil in the car, to Wurstfest 2011, to... Many and most, good times. Let's hear it for 2012, Salud!