The Accidental Boilermaker

Our garden is mostly planted.  We are waiting for some of our tomatoes and pepper plants that we started from seed to grow a little bit bigger before we transplant them.  Unfortunately, we pretty much lost all our green beans to corn maggots (yuck).  Apparently all the cow manure (since our garden was once pasture) that we thought was going to be excellent fertilizer is actually an amazing breeding ground for these tiny green bean destroying bugs.  But not all hope is lost.  We can replant and as it gets warmer and drier, the green beans hopefully will be able to grow faster than the bugs can eat them. We also kind of wondered if birds weren't nibbling here and there on some of the peppers and squash plants, so Nate made a scarecrow.  It's pretty creepy looking but it seems to be doing the trick.

Nate and I are on the hunt for strawberries. We want to make some jam.  So yesterday we went to the Catawba Farmers Market in hopes of finding some berries.  No luck.  But there was a lady from the Craig County Extension testing pressure canners.  So we decide to drive back home (we live not even 2 miles from the community center) to get the canner and have it checked out.  Good thing too because it was two pounds off.  And we got our picture taken. Catawba Farmers Market Facebook page

Happy National Vegetarian Week !  I made these very yummy and surprisingly not too time consuming potato, mushroom, and leek croquettes last Friday.  Tonight we went vegetarian too - orzo lentil pilaf with sauteed kale. I took a bite and thought these are really good - I should take a picture : )

I worked the  Center in the Square grand re-opening this morning.  Kids (and a fair number of adults) spun the prize wheel and I asked them a question about different healthy behaviors and then they won a prize.  It was a fun morning. Then in the afternoon, Nate and I went to a birthday party.  The daughter of one of the psychology interns turned two today.  I made her a little purse.  (Not pictured - the yellow and white flower I added later). The 2012-13 Salem VAMC psychology interns

I have made a few of these cup cozies for Nate - he really seems to like them.  Well the other day, someone from the VA asked Nate to ask me if I would make a few for her sister. My mom helped me decide on the colors.  After I had made two, I started to doubt the yellow, but once all four were finished, I was really happy with the final result. Nate dropped them off today at work and told me that the woman was very pleased with the cozies.   Phew : )

Not too much has been happening around here so I took some garden pictures. Our summer and winter squash grew really well in their containers.  Technically, we could have just direct sowed the seeds but we thought we try to grow some seedlings anyway. Onions and lettuce.  This is volunteer lettuce from last year.  We haven't even planted any of the lettuce seed we bought this summer - we will probably wait till late summer to plant more. Most of the milk jugs plants are doing reasonably well.  Hopefully with the warmer weather, they will really start to grow.  Notice all the other plants?  Nate bought extra tomatoes and peppers from the VA greenhouse.  When it comes to gardening, Nate and I typically subscribe to the more is better philosophy.   

With my parents arriving in Virginia on Monday, Nate and I had a busy (and fun) week.  Too bad it rained the whole time.  My dad set up shop at the dining room table and my mom and I did some shopping.  Nate even took Wednesday off from work.  And I got to fix some good vegetarian meals for my dad (like this homemade pizza - yum!). My parents left Thursday for Philadelphia to watch Meredith row in her last big regatta and then they all will drive back to Purdue for graduation on Sunday.  Since we can't make it to graduation, I made these cute mortar board caps from mini Reeses cups for my mom to give Meredith.