Monday, April 14

[gottawonder]

Today I am grateful for:

Sleep, and waking to kitties and Roxy. What a loving crew.

I spoke with Trainwreck, and she's leaving the hospital and going home tomorrow.

She's making it sound like the hospital is discharging her, but she's probably doing this herself. She was supposed to stay in the hospital to dry out, so that she could go straight to a rehab center once she had been dry long enough.

By going home, she's likely going to go straight back to drinking, NOT be able to or willing to go to rehab, and will soon be near death again and back in the hospital.

Sigh. Whatever.

I went to town for pottery, and I did see D briefly. She was in an odd mood. We talked a bit about the Facebook Group we worked on for the pottery studio, and she was like "I predict that no one will even use it".

Okay, well...glad we put all that work into it.

I don't think that will be the case. I already have people asking me about it, and if it's up and running yet.

I did throw another one of my "rounded vessels". It's sort of becoming my throwing trademark.

I did see some of the "newer" members on their way in, as I was leaving. I made a point of talking about the Facebook page (they seemed interested) and the upcoming Raku day.

Then I went to Winner's and found a few things, probably things I didn't need, but there you have it.

Then I got groceries, and once again was struck by the randomness of price increases. The Lindt chocolate bars were now six dollars each, so I bought a different kind to see if it's that big a deal.

I am trying to be aware of the origin of things. I wonder if I will ever buy American again, if I have other options. I'm not finding it too difficult to buy Canadian or Mexican food options.

I am grateful to have the means to buy groceries, the ability to do so physically, and to have a nice little car to get it all home.

My Sweetie had supper ready, and helped me put everything away. We chatted for a while before he went to bed.

Comments

[ratunderpaper]

We're not finding it hard to choose Canadian purchases over American - and so many Canadian brands are making the choice clearer with labelling.
Apart from winter produce, we don't buy many US products at the best of times. It's usually Canadian, European, Asian or Mexican.

Tomorrow, I'll be planting spinach!

Perhaps you will share photos of your trademark rounded vessels.

[gottawonder]

I'm really hoping our garden beans do better this year. In some years, we get LOTS of beans, enough to freeze and eat once or twice a week all winter.

Last year, we only were able to freeze a few bags. They just didn't prosper.

Having at least SOME of our vegetables come from our garden is helpful.

I'm finding that even most winter produce can be found from Mexico rather than the U.S. I've chosen to live without the radishes if I can't find another country to buy from.

I've been seeing some new brands recently, from Australia (honey) that I think are interesting to see on our shelves.

[ratunderpaper]

You might try growing Chinese long beans - they are easier than some of the French varieties.

[gottawonder]

The ones I grow are supposed to do well in Canada in our zone, and generally they do well. Last year was a funny year for beans.

[ratunderpaper]

The neat thing about long beans is watching them grow several inches in one day. Everything changes year to year in the garden. I planted many tomato plants, but only yielded a few tomatoes.

[gottawonder]

I don't usually do that well with tomatoes either. One year I even tried them in a planter against the South side of the house so they would get lots of heat, and watered them often. Still nothing to write home about.

We do well with carrots and beans mostly, okay with beets, our dirt has too much horse manure in it now to be all that good for potatoes, so considering planters for them with a sand/dirt mix. Not sure if I'll bother, since I don't eat potatoes (too starchy) and my husband never seems to bother. No idea why not.

Our raspberries generally do well, and they're so wonderful.

[ratunderpaper]

I wish we had the space to establish raspberries. We do have a big haskap bush, but the birds and raccoons usually get the berries before I do.

The old house had pear trees, and they were wonderful. These gardens don't really receive enough sun for fruit trees, though I could try a dwarf something-or-other.

[gottawonder]

Raspberries don't need that much space if you just want a few canes, but they do spread and then get grass and weeds in them.

You can get small Nanking cherry bushes, but the same issue with birds.

You could throw an old sheer curtain over it once the fruit has set to keep the birds out.

[ratunderpaper]

Lee Valley sells netting to deter birds as well, so I might try it. I had a hard time keeping raccoons out of the watermelon patch, too. I grew the melon inside a tree-guard and put cut rose canes along the ground.

[gottawonder]

Lee Valley is an amazing place. Expensive, but I generally feel that you're getting your money's worth.

[ratunderpaper]

Agree - with an astonishing array of Felcos.