Between late buses and general stuff to do I’ve not had much time for blogging lately. I am not sure why the buses have been late every single day by 20 – 30 minutes. It is super frustrating and makes a big difference in how my evening goes! But you don’t want to listen to me complain.
The poor Dashwoods have not been out and about for sometime. The ground is cold and covered with snow and when given the option of leaving their dry, straw covered, wind protected run for what must look like the Arctic to them, they make what can only be interpreted as sour remarks about the ^*&#$@! weather and turn their backs on the door to the garden. They have been getting treats now and then to ease the sting of being “cooped up,” including today a purple cabbage swinging on a string from a rafter in the run. Last year they’d venture out across the snow now and then but this year they are older and wiser and will have none of it.
Meanwhile I am into garden planning for spring. I already mentioned I ordered most of my seeds on Black Friday because sale. The other place I get seeds from has sent their catalog. Baker Creek sells heirloom and rare seeds, the more unusual the better. I came pretty close to ordering atomic grape tomatoes because are they ever gorgeous. However, after reading the reviews, thank goodness for reviews, I decided not to. Beautiful as they are, they are really slow to ripen and they don’t have all that much flavor. Since I live in a climate where I have no idea what my growing season will be like anymore — short or weirdly long, blazing hot and humid or coolish — I need something more reliable in both growth and flavor.
What I did order, however, are two things I have not grown before. One is tendril peas. Tendril peas are sugar snap peas, meaning you eat the pod kind of like snow peas. The variety I am going to try gets a lot of tendrils and few leaves and the curly tendrils are also edible. And, supposedly the vines can grow up to 8 feet! Excited to see if I can have success with them and to see if they taste good!
The other new thing I am going to try is Hopi squash. This is a winter squash that has a thick, hard rind making it great for long storage so I won’t have to eat it right away or cook it and find a place in my freezer. The squash gets up to 10 pounds with orange flesh that is reportedly sweet and tasty. And yes, it comes to us from the Hopi. I am looking forward to the vines taking over the garden at the end of the summer.
Solstice is coming later this week and as many of you know, it is the one day each year that I do the cooking. For this year’s menu I went for a kind of upscale diner meal: creamy carrot-ginger soup, marinated peanut tempeh sandwiches with homemade vegan mayo and homemade vegan cheese on homemade sandwich rolls, baked sweet potater tots, and roasted broccoli. Dessert is vegan mint chocolate ice cream cake.
Maybe the bus will actually be on time this week and I will actually have time to write a post or two about some of the fabulous books I have read lately!
Stefanie, I just have to read about Dashwoods to lift my spirits. They are such darlings. And I so hope the buses wouldn’t disappoint you this week.
The dinner sounds lovely. I am drooling, thinking of the vegan cake. I am sure you would post some pictures of the cake. 🙂 Astrid must be missing you because of the snow.
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Deepika, I am so glad the Dashwoods lift your spirits! They lift mine too. And thanks, I hope the buses get back on schedule. It’s never been this bad before. I will definitely post photos of Solstice dinner! Astrid and I both miss going outside but she gets lots of attention hooked up to the trainer indoors. We just have to travel far in spirit rather than body 🙂
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I got the Baker’s Creek catalog too, and it’s so fun! I haven’t spent enough time with it to choose things yet. Those tendril peas sound awesome!
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Laila, fun! They have so much that is so tempting. I got the tendril peas with the purple pods and my mouth is already watering in anticipation! Have fun choosing some seeds of your own!
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What time’s dinner? I want to make sure I get there before you and Bookman eat all that great food!
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Joan, LOL. Dinner is usually around 5:30. We indulge in dessert in the early afternoon so if you would like some shade grown fair trade organic coffee and ice cream cake stop by around 1 🙂
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I love that you have dessert earlier in the day. My cousin always looks at the Dessert section of the menu before she looks at the entrees. I’ll have to suggest that she just have dessert first!
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Joan, dessert first! Why save the best part for last? I like your cousin! 😀
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Does ordering your seeds help you get through the winter – something to look forward to?
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BookerTalk, oh yes, it sure does!
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I think I would be with the Dashwoods and be warm inside not venturing out! Your menu sounds delicious and can’t wait to hear how it all turns out. Hope you get some downtime to look forward to as well!
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Iliana, heh, the Dashwoods probably do have the right idea! After my epic day of cooking I don;t have to go back to work until January 2nd. A very nice break to look forward to!
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oh! Stefanie….how I love your gardening adventures. My boss (who is more a friend than a boss) and I were chatting last week. She is based out of our center office in Phoenix but comes from your part of the world and will be visiting her parents during the holidays. She was recounting her Dad’s gardening adventures and I could just see your blogs to come to life. I told her about you and she was like, yeah, all folks up there struggle between the extremes of climate and yet diligently garden away! I love your Winter Solstice Menu and as you know over the years have picked up several recipes which are now stable in moi home! I look forward to seeing some pictures and I am sure I will bother you with the recipes! In the meanwhile, here wishing you and Bookman, Happy Solstice and restful holidays!
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cirtnecce, gardening in Phoenix has its own challenges with the heat and dryness, but there are so many more things a person can grow. Still, I love a good challenge for the climate here! 🙂 Well, if it turns out there is something on the menu that catches your eye and you want the recipe, let me know! Thanks for the good wishes!
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