Spring Fever...

Well...after going crazy over spring...having severe garden fever...I stomped into the office yesterday and informed my boss that I need to have fresh vegetables...of course he looked at me like I had two heads..."and that means what, Lisa?" he said...he is used to my "bright ideas"...and he looked at me like he needed an attorney...


Weeeeelll...it means I really need a garden..."aaah..." he said while staring at me...

It always goes like this when I want something from him...he tries to stare me down...and it gets kinda tricky...the first one to speak? loses....I don't know if any other women that visit The Dilletante Proprietor have ever dealt with the "oilfield" mentality?  Well..it goes something like this..."ALL women are crazy " and need to be dealt with on a 7 year old level and if that doesn't work... get an attorney....

I stared right back....and he says.."and where are you going to grow a garden around here?"

HEE HEE! I WIN!

LOOK at all this space...

Way in the back of the yard is something of a "dump" place for all the extra odds and ends that come in with the trucks...it is on an old railroad bed and can't be seen from the gates coming into the yard or the office....

There is 10 acres of unused dirt back there!

He knows I win...and he tries to counter attack..."HOW are you gonna water a garden back there?"

"There are 11 plastic food grade barrels back there from when they remodeled the boat dock"....I say...and stare....

"Hmmmph" he says and walks off....he always does that when I win...and I always take it as a yes situation....and he knows it...

Well the mechanic started chit chatting about how great it is that I want to do something like this....and then the cleaning gal got in on it and then some of the drivers....

AND THEN...here he comes again...round 2....

or so I thought...."there is a 250 gallon water tank under the storage trailer...."  and off he goes again....over his shoulder he says "I'll start saving coffee grounds for compost..."

BAAAAAAAHAAAAAAA!  I have to admit...I do love the sparring...and I think he does too....

On to my garden...

As you all prolly know...Wyoming is in a severe drought..it has been going on for years and there is absolutely NO grass...weeds...green...anywhere.... I have a treasure hunt ahead of me to find sheet mulching materials...hay and straw are at a premium as they have to import it to feed livestock...it is very expensive! and I am a terrible cheap skate....and I LOVE to recycle, reuse and re-purpose.....


In the very back of the lot...at the dumping ground...I found my spot...and TONS of reusable stuff...the images of sugar plums dancing in my head? have lot's to do with the welding shop on the lot...and my Honey...he is an awesome welder!
Trellis'...fencing...garden art...I can't wait!

So we will see if this Dilletante can build a recycled, re purposed, reused garden and coerce even one tomato out of this barren desert ....

New Beginnings...

I have been yearning...yearning for chickens and ducks...tomatoes and artichokes....I am still driving around out here in the oilfields...my Honey and I...driving...the landscape is beautiful...and wild....and we see and experience a ton of new things every week...it has taught us to appreciate the small things in life even more than we had in the past...we are very appreciated by the company that we work for and they treat us very well! but life...life is passing us by and our hearts yearn for green...

Last September...September 14th to be exact...we finally got married! It was a joyous occasion and it is wonderful to have a ring on my finger and to be joined with the love of my life...forever...being out here in the oilfields has been great...the money flies into your pocket by the fist full and we have taken advantage of it but once you get into the life style...it is so hard to get out!  We started making plans for a larger homestead...a bigger American Dream than we had as that is always how Americans think when money is plentiful...the bigger the better...MORE MORE MORE!  The very thing that I personally abhor and goes against everything I stand for...being caught up in this...we decided to stay for another year and "rented" out our little hut to a wonderful girl with two small children....I was so afraid to let it stand empty and unheated for the harsh winter in UP....we all know how it ended up after someone else left it empty and neglected...I say "rented" because no money exchanged hands...we decided to find someone to house sit really and the lady who answered our prayers needed to apply for school, was only working part time and was having a terrible time of it with two small children to care for...it was a perfect situation for both parties...my Hut would be heated and cared for thru the winter and she could catch her breath and live rent free for a year!

We made plans to outfit our little hut with new windows, roof and miscellaneous accoutrements while we were making money hand over fist...I went to the UP and did some work on it myself in late September last year....we had new windows installed, painted the doors, the house, and finally finished the back porch...the house sitting situation accommodated me....

It has lights....the back porch...the bane of my existence the whole time I was living in this house! the only lighting back there for 3 years was a string of Christmas bulbs....it is bright...and shiny...and WARM...the new window and door was an amazing blessing! Can you believe this little house has 26 steps? 3 floors of tiny...with 26 steps....it was a wonderful feeling finally finishing this part of the house...AND A PORCH LIGHT...let me tell ya....going down those steps and out that door at night? was like walking  right up a bears arse! not that I have ever had that experience...but you understand...lol!

One story I have never told my readers is the story of my first "fridge"...we didn't have one at first...we couldn't afford one and no one seemed to be leaving perfectly good refrigerators on the curb! Well...when we first moved in...there was a shed on the back of this hut...right thru that window....I hung all my frozen meat and veggies out that window on a hook...and in addition...there was a small storage space under the stairs...that is where I kept milk, cheese, butter...all winter long...it kept a perfect 38 degrees under those stairs!

First Fridge

When I got home in September...I was flabbergasted...the man that we actually paid to mow and weed decided to skip out...my yard and garden were a mess! BUT......inside my chicken coop....was a complete garden with pumpkins, tomatoes, squash and and sunflowers...everything I had fed my chickens...grew...on it's own! HOW did those seeds survive the 7 feet of snow and below zero temperatures?

 Compost....the heat from the compost kept them warm and dry and they flourished with no help from ANYONE!

In addition...the Tomatogeddon Garden...was once again...TOMATOGEDDON! All by itself....the neighbors and I harvested 150 pounds of tomatoes out of there in 1 day...we just couldn't get them all...the power of sheet mulch...I can't say it enough....

My Veggie Garden? Same thing...there was Rhubarb, Acorn Squash, Lemon Balm, Strawberries, Peas and Chives...and this is all after 2 frosts...

No one will ever starve here....

After my excursion to the UP to get it ready for the winter and finish up some of the inside details....I went to Georgia for a week and visited with my Daughter and my Grandkids...OH!...the Grandkids...how lovely to be a Grandma!

It was hard being in the UP in my Hut....people were asking me for jobs and advice as to where they could go to find one...we actually took a few with us back to the oilfields...one friend had a three bedroom house on 5 acres of heavily timbered land right up the road from us....he wanted 5000 for it....5000 dollars for 5 ACRES and a HOUSE!  It is absolutely gorgeous...

And we truly thought about it...in fact we thought about it all the way up until last week....

The house is very cool...old fashioned and has been empty for 6 years but it has a new metal roof on it...

Living room, Kitchen, Dining Room, 3 Bedrooms, beautiful Entry way with Covered Porch and Staircase....and it is just as dirty and full of stuff as my Hut was when I bought it....AND...it has the same green nasty siding...UGH!


We went up to the UP ...to move some stuff of ours out so our little Lady living in the Hut would have some room to live...it was -32...14 inches of snow fell and the wind howled like crazy...we went to see the house again...and decided...NO!


In fact? we decided NO on the UP all together...it is beautiful...but it is sooooo remote...removed from everything...we are the only ones in our area that feel the need to keep the old fashioned ways going...to live on the land...In this area of the UP of Michigan...the government plays a big role...things are incredibly expensive...there is only a handful of places to buy the things we needed and it is an enormous monopoly of small lumber stores and such that gouge the daylights out of you because they can...because there is no other choice but to drive 100 miles to find something more competitive and have more of a selection...I believe this area of Michigan keeps it's people poor...the biggest employer in the area is Walmart with their 30 hour max rule...so they don't have to pay health insurance...I love my neighbors...they are my family...I love the fact that all the good stuff is thrown out on curbs free for the picking...I love the area's penchant for barter because they are poor...but the biggest thing that got me was the weather...the HAVING to move tons of snow every year...and that is where I drew the line...I am getting older...and with my lifestyle..I will have to pay someone to move it...the gas prices are still $4.00 a gallon up there and where I am at they are $2.79...even to pay for gas for equipment to move it costs a fortune...the land prices are cheap, yes...but the cost of living is outrageous...even if you own your home out right....


My Honey and I discussed and discussed our options...our little house sitting Lady wanted the hut so bad...she has asked several times to buy it...she loves the gardens...takes excellent care of the house and has already amassed small livestock including rabbits...her ties run deep there...her Mom lives there...her Sister...right down the road...we asked a Realtor to do a drive by and give us an estimate of value...based on comps that had just sold in the area...we were flabbergasted! Our little $600.00 hut was worth $30,000 big ones! mainly due to the amount of property and how desirable the area is....not bad for 3 years of hard labor and scouting out free items!


We hashed and rehashed on a price...taking into consideration the circumstance of our precious occupant...she would like to go to school...raise her boys...supplement her circumstances with gardening and livestock....that precious Lady is one hard worker!


No price seemed right...we wishy washed around for two weeks...and finally...driving around one day..we came to a decision...we drove up to the UP...found our precious girl at Wal mart....


AND WE GAVE HER THE HUT...lock, stock and barrel...


The outcome is so sweet...she was very excited to see us...she asked about buying the house again...over a cart full of vegetables...and we told her no...her face fell...and she said she understood but was sagging by the moment...and then...we told her "we will not sell it to you...we have decided to gift it to you..."  her face read no comprehension...for the moment she just stared at us...her eyes filled up with tears and she squeaked "you are crazy".... and she turned around and I really thought she was going to fall before she caught herself and swept us into a huge hug... the joy I felt was so complete...so utterly overwhelming...it still brings tears to my eyes....


I really feel that the reason that we wishy washed around about a price is because we were being led by the Lord to pay forward what we had begotten...

 
Acts 20:35  

In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’


Luke 6:38  

Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”

The Lord Jesus has blessed us...there is no doubt at all in my heart...and He has steered us on to a new adventure....we have chosen Tennessee...20 acres with a hand built house....minimal snow and a LOOOOOONG growing season.... 4 hours from our beautiful Daughter and Grandkids....can't wait to share it with you all.....

Rhubarb...mmmmmm..mm.mmmmm!

SeaBlueLee asked for a Rhubarb dressing recipe...this is for her!

I picked a TON of Rhubarb last year...it seems that it is finally getting the attention it deserves...beyond the ordinary strawberry rhubarb pie...I remember my Grandmother sending me out to the Rhubarb patch with a little bowl of sugar...I would sit and dip Rhubarb in that sugar in the spring sunshine til my lips puckered and I had a belly ache...wonderful memories...but what do you do with Rhubarb beyond the ordinary? I had 16 one gallon freezer bags full of it...

Well...I experimented...a lot! Hee Hee!

The first thing I made was a Rhubarb Salad dressing...OMG! It was so good!


Strawberry Rhubarb Salad Dressing...
1/8 cup honey
1/4cup water
1 cup sliced rhubarb (about 1-2 stalks)
1 cups chopped fresh strawberries
1/4 diced red onion
3 tablespoons cup white wine vinegar
Zest of 1 lemon
1/8 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/3 cup olive oil


Directions
In a medium sauce pan, stir together honey and water. Bring to a boil and add rhubarb, strawberries and onions. Continue to boil for another 5 minutes, stirring often. Reduce heat and stir in vinegar and lemon zest. Simmer for 10 minutes or until reduced by half and rhubarb is tender. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.

I didn't use the lemon zest because I didn't have any...and I didn't use Honey because I didn't have any...I used regular syrup...AND I didn't have White Wine Vinegar...I used Apple Cider Vinegar...HEE HEE!

It not only tastes good...it is really pretty! A light pink color with the consistency of  a regular store bought dressing...

Pour it on fresh spinach salad...with tomatoes, chopped onion, sharp cheddar cheese and carrots and you will fall over in bliss!

I used my Alpine strawberries...out of my garden...it takes A LOT of those little berries but since I have 31 plants and they grow all summer, it wasn't a problem....I have these little berries because someone told me they were impossible to germinate and grow....hmmmm...don't ever listen to someone when they say that...I poured all the seeds in a strawberry container from Wal Mart full of potting soil and stuck them in my living room window...they all germinated...and they ALL are growing still!  They are scrumptious but they have an amazing strawberry-y taste...AND they grow all season!

Alpine Strawberries lining beds...

I also made rhubarb sauce...it's like apple sauce!  I put it in my Oatmeal...warm over Vanilla Ice Cream and spooned it into Vanilla Yogurt....

1 lb cubed Rhubarb
1/4 Cup water
1/2 C. Sugar
Combine all ingredients in a pot and stir together. Cover, and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Once the sauce is simmering, remove the lid, stir, and cook for about 5 more minutes until the rhubarb is soft. Let cool... Put it in a blender to make smooth if you like...you can also add or decrease the sugar to taste...

And last but not least....Rhubarb Sauce for Pork Roast...

4 cups cubed Rhubarb
1/2 C. Honey
1/4 C. Water
1/8 tsp Ginger (more if you like)
1/8 tsp. Onion Powder
1/8 tsp Garlic Powder
Salt and Pepper to taste

Stew all ingredients together til Rhubarb is soft...mash with potato masher for a lumpy consistency for dipping or put in a blender for a smoother consistency...I used pepper like it was going out of style because I love the sweet/tart hot taste...

I glazed my roast with the sauce half way through the cooking time...LOVED it! with fresh carrots and oven roasted potatoes...

Rhubarb is just one of the many plants people tend to ignore, any more....but it is an amazingly adaptable vegetable that is usually free for the taking!

2011 in a nutshell....

I am trying to catch up with 2011 so you all know what I was doing....the season was a fabulous one in the gardens and I learned many new skills!  I still have to expound upon the virtues of sheet mulching...this is the garden in 2010...

This is the flower garden in 2011...

I revamped this garden with the new doo dads I got from the salvage yard for two ducks! I didn't plant anything in this garden this year...except for sunflower seeds....

This is all what came up out of the dirt in June!

I haven't weeded....watered....NOTHING!

There were flowers in there that I planted in 2010 that came up this year...forgot about them!

It was absolutely gorgeous and offered a cutting garden that filled the house daily with fresh flowers....

In addition...the veggie garden was fantastic!

Onions...

 I am still learning how to plant in succession so I have fresh vegetables and then have another crop for storage in the fall...

I got some interesting vegetables this year...my Honey called this one the "MAN" squash....

I have seen many of these hanging from the pick ups in Texas........BAAAAAAAHAAAA! 

The crops came in in 5 gallon buckets and bushel apple baskets....

The girls loved to take dust baths....

We also went and picked up a small chicken coop made by George Neill that we thought would be an excellent rabbit hutch! His skill at building this little hutch made me smile! It's soooo cute!

We moved the duck pen and made a bigger one...complete with a pallet fence....

My Honey rebuilt the foundation on the back porch and we took the walls down to add electricity...

We did, however, take SOME time out to enjoy the beautiful summer afternoons...

When fall rolled around...I took First Place in the Antique Tractor Pull....at Pumpkin Fest!

I also learned the art of bartering...hee hee! I received two free freezers...big ones! I put them in the shed and filled them to overflowing...the first thing I bartered for was meat...I gave the neighbor all the squash and zuchini he could put in his pick up...and in return, he promised me a certain amount of meat for the winter...he baits the bears and deer with these fruits...

yep...and here he is....I didn't get to see the deer..it came in a box....roasts, brats, sausage and steaks....

I also traded Apple Butter Jam for Apples...thirty 5 gallon buckets full! and made apple butter, apple sauce and Crap Apple Butter....

 OH! and Rhubarb...and Blackberries!

This Rhubarb made the best Rhubarb salad dressing I have ever tasted! it also makes awesome sauce for Pork Roast!

My neighbor gave me plums and I canned 7 quarts of Plum Sauce for use on Duck! YUM!

Can't forget Mayonnaise...nothing beats it fresh with a hint of garlic...

I learned how to make Artisan bread from fresh ground wheat berries...we ate the whole loaf in one sitting it was so good!

We of course butchered chickens and ducks for the winter....and I sold some at a whopping forty bucks a piece for Thanksgiving!

Winter rolled around and we had so much food!

and too much snow!