Victory Garden, Week 2

I have plants! Well, it seems that my gardening efforts have not been in vain. I have now 3 beautiful bean plants and 2 sorry looking bean plants. The sorry looking plants I had transplanted, which they didn't like, but they are producing beans so I don't have the heart to rip them out and start over. There are 6 small beans, which are getting bigger every day, especially if we have some sunshine. The 3 newly planted bush beans are looking very hearty. We've had a lot of rain and not too much sun mixed with cool weather. My heart goes out for the farmers who make a living on this. It's hard going when the weather won't cooperate.

The tomatoes have not benefited from the increased rain and lack of sun. They are still the stumpy 4-5 inch plants that I had transplanted. I should have started them earlier. Note for next year!

The rest of the herbs are coming in and I am curious to see which ones are which. Of course, I forgot to write down what I had planted where, so I'll have to wait for real leaves to grow before yield can be determined.

I've included a picture of my alpine strawberry bush which I grow inside. Since I've started watering them at night, they've increased 50% in size and produce easily 2 strawberries a day, sometimes even more. Yummy!

Victory Garden, Week 1

Oh me, oh my, how many funny things grow by! Or don't grow at all. I spent my evening 2 nights ago seeding and planting my wonderful magical garden, only to be heartbroken over the next few days to see the leaves on my bean plants dry out and wither away. I've called an expert to give me some advise and I am hoping she will return my plea for help before the last vestiges of life escape my plants. Does anyone know if I have to prop them upright?

On the positive side, the tomatoes I have planted don't seem to be succumbing to the same fate as quickly (yes, their leaves are also starting to wither at the ends). On the yet more positive side, it seems that although the bean plants are losing their leaves, they are producing beans! This is incredible. The tiny purple flowers of a few days ago are turning into thin, tiny little beans, which are growing very quickly.

No sign of anything else I've planted. Neither the extra bean plants or the herbs.

Here is a funny aside on parenting: after a particularly awful sleepless night with a toddler, I was staying horizontal as long as possible in the morning while my ever energized toddler ran circles around me. I was finally roused from my half sleep by her proud announcement that she did just like mama did with the seed packet and seeded the oregano seeds into the already overfull rosemary pot. Oh, well. Maybe that will be the oregano that actually grows!

Victory Garden, Day 1

I love to garden, but I have one small problem. I live in a condo with 0 land. I've been growing alpine strawberries in pots for 4 years now - they yield about a strawberry a day in the summer and a strawberry a week in the winter. But that's not been enough for many months now and after unsuccessfully petitioning my association to plant in common space, by husband has agreed to fulfill my "eat fresh and grow your own" ambitions and figured out a way to secure a window box on the outside sill of our 3rd floor condo.

Here is day 1:

The box is attached; I've purchased all the hardware to attach the second box and my husband will likely do it soon, since he hates clutter even more than I do. I've started string bean plants and tomato plants. The string beans are in a pot, and are about a foot now (you can see them in this image).

I've placed them outside this morning because I need the flowers that have started blooming to be pollinated by someone other than me. The poor things have bent over under the weight of the wind and the rain that has descended on them today. I have to see about getting some steaks to prop them up.

The tomatoes are still at a 3-4" dwarf level and I need to get them transplanted asap if we are going to see any this summer (they need more sun than I have inside). I've also purchased seed packets of basil, parseley, sage, and oregano. I've got seedlings on mint, which are not making too much progress, but hey - beggars can't be choosers and perhaps they will grow once they get outside.

Let me outline my goals for the summer:

1. Supply any and all herbs my family needs for the next year (I will dry the excess and keep them for the winter)

2. Supply at least one tomato salad worth of tomatoes

3. Supply 1 side dish worth of bean plants (my friend who is knowledgeable about these things thinks I need more plants - good thing I have more beans).

4. Not let any plants, dirt or tools fall to the ground, 3 stories below).

It's chocolate and it's delicious

For your foodies and knitters out there - I have two items to enter into the "love it" category. First, is a chocolate tart (originally called Chocolate Espresso Tart) from martha stewart. I had to drop the espresso part because we didn't have any espresso beans and I prefer my ganache sans coffee. The crust is not too sweet, the mascarpone adds the perfect amount of smoothness to balance the rich creaminess and sweetness of the ganache on top. It's all around delicious. You might be surprised by the shape of my tart in comparison to the picture with the recipe - I didn't have a rectangular tart pan so I used a regular cake pan, which worked fine. If you have a round tart pan, that might actually work even better for the sides, which collapsed a bit in my version.

The second item to be entered is a new addition to my yarn stash. From Fleece Artist, sock yarn appropriately called Chocolate, with slightly different hues of brown throughout. Delicious, isn't it? If fact, it's so good that my husband, upon seeing this noted very pointedly that he has no socks made by me.

City Select Stroller Test Drive

Today, I did something that seemed impossible even only 4 months ago. I took 2 toddlers to the park by myself. Now, before you think that I adopted another child - let me explain. I helped a friend by taking her soon off her hands from her for a couple of hours - a favor she has done for me many times.

So, now you might think - how did you get said children to the park. I live in a city, and the parks are close, but not quite within easy walking distance for a toddler, and my friend lives up a heinous hill. So, I borrowed her brand new City Select stroller, equipped for 2 - she is expecting in a week, so she's equipped.

First impression: I am driving an SUV and I am only used to driving a coup. Second impression: this stroller is great and with 2 toddlers weighing in at 30 lb each, it handles only marginally worse than my Maclaren loaded with 1. Major cudos to Baby Jogger for the huge wheels, easily adjustable seats and the extra large canopies that kept both of my charges nicely shaded on this sunny day. The basket is the dream of every city mom. Not only could I fit the random collection of essential park items including: the sand toys, hand wipes, ball, diaper caddy and my husband's old tshirt for wiping slides, but I also fit my not so small bag stuffed with water bottles, snacks and personal items including a makeshift boo boo fix kit of band aids, alcohol wipes and disinfectant cloths. The handle bar is a little chunky for my hands, so I would have liked for them to narrow it a little bit in the center, but it's still great.

I had the kids facing each other, since they are friends and would get a kick out of it. I would NOT recommend this position with siblings unless you have children who share an incredible love for each other and don't poke, prod or otherwise torchure each other when cranky, tired, etc. Because, let's face it, you need to pay attention to the road and not who untied whos shoe, etc.

So, would I buy this stroller? Probably. If my kids were less than 3 years apart and my oldest couldn't easily surf on a board, I would opt for it. I am hoping that my kids will be more than 3 years apart, so that my oldest will be either walking or surfing, which means I won't need a stroller made for two. If you have twins, check the bassinet setup. You may not be super happy with the way the basinets can be arranged although the dual toddler seat setup is great.