Late Winter Harvest

I've been shamefully absent from my blogs for some time now. It seems the Spring gardening takes more and more of my time the older I get. I have little energy for anything else this time of year.

We've been harvesting our winter vegetables for some time now. Today I picked the bulk of our remaining cabbage.



I took a 6 gallon bucket with me thinking I'd pick some early beets, turnips and other veggies at the same time. Even without the outer leaves, the cabbage filled my bucket to overflowing. (The chickens got treated to the outer leaves this morning.)

I did manage to pick a couple beets and turnips. I thinned my carrots and clipped a few little shoots of broccoli from plants that bolted long ago. I also picked a few snow peas and some mustard greens.



I thought I'd make another batch of sauerkraut today. I plan to throw the colander full of veggies in with the cabbage to make a different kind of sauerkraut. I already have a 10 liter crock of ordinary sauerkraut fermenting on my counter. I think this batch will require my 15 liter crock, the one I got for making pickles. It takes 6 weeks to ferment a batch of kraut; I sure hope I won't need my crock before then for pickles. We might have to eat a lot of cukes before 6 weeks are done.

We are planting a fairly large garden again this year. I would love to grow enough vegetables for our family's use during the year. If we could get extra, it would be great to start selling at the farmer's market. Especially if I could get the Brix values of my vegetables high enough to have something really spectacular. I'd love to show my neighbors down here in the south just how good organic living can be!

Snow Day

One of the dearest, most selfless friends I've ever had lives in Brewton.

Back in December, I really wanted to take the kids to Foley's Christmas in the Park Festival. Unfortunately, the festival was scheduled on the same day as one of the craft shows I planned to attend to sell my soap, sewing, weaving and other items. Kurt had to study for a test and I didn't know what to do. Enter my wonderful friend Darlene. She drove all the way down to Foley to take the kids to the festival and keep them for me while I spent the day at the craft festival. I am so blessed. She also took pictures for me so I wouldn't miss all the fun.

Every year Foley has a special Christmas Festival. This festival is particularly special because it snows in the park every year on that day.



Well, this is how we do snow in the coastal south - we make our own. It was funny to think about snow with the 70 degree outside temperatures that day. It was also rough deciding how to dress the kids.

Of course the kids think snow is great fun. I mean, how great is the snow when you can have it and beach weather at the same time.

Michael has always wanted to make a snow angel.



Immediately when he got into the snow area, he dropped to the ground. (Next to someone wearing flip-flops, lol.) Since snow melts pretty fast at 70 degrees, it was too icy for a snow angel. So he discovered his next favorite snow activity.



Michael discovered he could throw snow at people without getting into trouble like he would for throwing anything else. And boy did he throw snow.



He showed Darlene's son, John Mark, no mercy. He even went after Darlene too.



Fortunately, both Darlene and John Mark are good sports.



Gregory had lots of fun snow fighting too.



So did Gabrielle.



Though I think she got more than she gave.



Of course with Gabrielle, it is always more about meeting new people than the activity itself.



As for Gregory, he was all about the fight.



He took aim at anyone he could hit.



And had a blast.

You can tell my kids have a knitter in the family. Each one of them wore wool mittens. You can't just walk into a store around here and get wool mittens.



The kids had an amazing day and we thank God for our great friend Darlene!