Missing in Action

It's been a beautiful week, and one where it has just been way too difficult to resist the temptation to be outside....so blogging has been neglected.....

First of all, dumping bunny manure on the garden all winter must have worked, because the darkest, thickest, lushest grass in the whole yard was in my garden. So the week was spent clearing a couple of rows to start planting. It's dusk, but you can see that the row where peas have been planted against the fence (that will be wired up tomorrow), and where the chili peppers have been planted are clear. There is a lot more work to do....(yea!). It looks a big pathetic right now....but it will improve (unless the bugs have their say).

After all, as you can see, cabbage, tomatoes, bell peppers, and more tomatoes are waiting to go in...as well as carrots, beets (for kvass), onions, and two raspberry plants. I bought asparagus roots. I have always put off planting asparagus roots because there is something in me that says "if I do that, my husband will get a call somewhere else, and I'll have to start over."

Well, if I'd done it our first summer here, I'd be enjoying my asparagus right now. I figure if for some reason it does happen, then I've given a present to the next pastor's wife.

I also finally got around to making some of my own lacto-fermented sauerkraut (ala Nourishing Traditions) (I buy heads of cabbage and only get as far as letting them rot in my fridge. I'm really good at letting things sit around...that's why I'm good at making kombucha and kefir). The one that looks above the water level wasn't until I shook it today to see how it was doing...it will be the first jar eaten anyway.

Maggie and I also made salsa today. I use my own recipe rather than Nourishing Traditions, but then I add whey and let it lacto-ferment. Since I don't seed the tomatoes, I don't need to add water since it's own juice is in there....I LOVE my salsa.

Also, we had a WONDERFUL time last night at Indiana Jane's. Susan and her family came through on their way to vacation and we got to hang around and have fun while our kids chased each other around with swords and lightsabers and all else (Melynda brought the most incredible pie and we had some great laughs). Only in Martin Looper circles (and Lutheran blogging circles, of course) could you get two Magdalenas in the same room (at one point our little Lutheran homeschool email list had four, I believe).

So sorry for the neglect....when Spring Fever is over and the garden is planted, I assume I will get back to blogging.....Thanks for your patience.