Welcome December?

Is it possible that it is really December?  The weather here being so lovely and warm, makes me feel like, Halloween should only be next week.  I am so confused :)

I suppose it is a good confusion, since I am still gathering out of my garden regularly.  Although, there is warning of cold moving in, and great wind outside whipping back and forth as I type.  The tomato vines have crawled way up into trees.  So, I will have to collect a huge box of green tomatoes, and close them up, hoping they will ripen up on their own with the help of their own gas (ethylene?).

We have enjoyed some of the most delicious turnips this week.  Sweet and delicious in every way.  Do I hear rain?  Oh my, I think so.  Excellent news for the continuous stream of wildflower seeds and poppies I have tossed into the dirt.  Poppies need a cold snap.

Cool weather vegetables are growing, making my heart so full and happy...

I have two varieties of lettuce right now, which I collect almost every night for dinner.  Whilst broccoli, cabbage and spinach grow and grow.  Oh and brussels sprouts too, yummmmm!  I love to eat vegetables.  Mmmmmm...

Our garden project out back is officially complete, and ready for more planting.  Both Mister Lovee and I have put in lots and lots of hard work.  We dug down many many inches, in each bed, and lined them so no gophers can get in and steal my growings.  A huge endeavor, but one you only have to do once, which has grand benefits.

I dug out most of the beds, Lovee perfected them and lined them, then put the dirt back in plus manure and compost soil.

I love team work.

It took me a long time to learn how to be a good team member, as I normally take over and do everything myself.  Growing to a place where I can be open to being a team member is huge for a rotten sort such as myself ;)

We have 8 beds in our expanded vegetable garden, and Mister Lovee enclosed the perimeter with chickenwire, to keep the rabbits out.  I am soooo thankful to him!!

I can't wait for spring planting!

Right now however...

I am collecting huge quince for jam making (although the rodents took off with a lot of them), turnips, bell peppers, habanero chilies, lemons, tomatoes and beloved flat leaf parsley.  A huge staple in my cooking.  This parsley is not bitter and stinky.  It is mild, with a bite of sweetness, much like honey, at the end.  It has self seeded itself to become a big part of the garden, growing in many places.

The garden has grown, and has integrated itself into our lives in a deeper way.  Easily, lovingly, beckoning us...

Gifting. 

Not just edibles and flowers, but peace and time for reflection.

Plus, some hard physical work, for good measure.

There is nothing that adds a skip to my step, and a giggle to my overall demeanor, than a basket full of little collections from our own parcel of earth.

This is a perfect time to start planning and reading up on gardening for spring, if you are interested?  Container gardening is quite rewarding also.  You can even have a little herb garden on your kitchen counter if you don't have a place for pots or planting in the ground.

I remember in the 70's (from photos) and 80's (from experience), almost every house I went into had an abundance of houseplants.  Creeping Charlies crawling all over the place.  Pots in window sills, on counters.  I miss seeing that in more homes these days.  Do you keep houseplants?

One thing that caught my attention when I first met Mister Lovee, was his enormous collection of potted plants.  Lots of interesting cacti and succulents.  I think I need to add more green to my inside world.

The herbs that do really well in pots for me, are mint and rosemary.  The mint loves to be kept moist, the rosemary wants to be well drained.

Funny lil' group photo -

Tree Stump, giant squash, rosemary, bell pepper.

Oh and, if you are lucky, you will find a rogue pumpkin here and there, still...

Warm sunshine, orbs of light...

But, lets not forget my favorite spot to graze in...

The nasturtium patch...

One of my favorite edible flowers, that nasturtium.

I eat the flowers and the leaves.  I am crazy about the leaves.  They have this faint wasabi-ish horseradish bite at the end.  I can't get enough.  I was thinking about making sushi, and rolling some in nasturtium leaves instead of seaweed.  Must give it a go.

I know some of you love the seeds pickled, I can't wait to try this!

My sweetie below (one of my sweeties), as the sun sets to the west...

He is after any mice he might find in those long tubes (he never finds any).  He moves them all over the yard, even though they are about 20 feet long.

Crazy little mad dog, whom has my heart in the palm of his paw....

Off I go, to see what the winds bring.  I already spent 3 hours out there tending to blowing things.  But I hear more nature chaos as I type...

See you sooooon!

 

Love, V

 

 

 

 

ps:  One of my greatest obsessions is watching old episodes of The Victorian Kitchen Garden (that, and the Two Fat Ladies).  I shared this glorious episode here with you in the past.  I was going to share January with you today, but I will save it for January.  Instead, I will share this one below.  At about 4 minutes into the video below, you will be gifted with extra wonderful old photos and tales... 

Comments

[Miss Linda]

Oh Miss Vanessa, What amazng things come from your garden. You've done all the work, now you may enjoy. Oh, how your gardens do grow. Thank you for sharing.

[Queenie Believe]

Honey Man and I moved into our house a little over a year ago. We hope to start a wee secret garden in our side yard.
What do you line your garden beds with?
Have you every tried growing apple mint? I had a chance to try some a couple of weeks ago, YUM. It looks just like mint with the fabooo flaver of apple and mint.
Thank you for sharing your garden with us.
Have a great day.
Always, Queenie

[Linnea-maria]

Envyy!! Over here the sun sets at 2pm and it's the temperature is around freezing degrees. But no snow just rain. Very gloomy. I have never thought about nasturtium as a wasabi like taste. Well I haven't eaten that much either :) I will definitely give it a try when the summer returns. If it ever will.....

[Jackie]

Missy V, it sounds like you have found a new "foil" for keeping those destructive gophers at bay! Now what are you going to do with all of that leftover dog poop??? ;-) TPL

[Teresa in California]

Your garden fare is glorious! And I am sure you and Mr. Lovee are very healthy from all of your hard work and good eating.
Thank you for sharing the quaint video of the Victorian Garden...I wish I had a cook to cook for me! That would be just lovely! (But I do enjoy cooking meals for my family, it's the clean-up that is the dull part...
Have a very lovely day, and I hope the wind doesn't blow too much...Los Angeles is having high winds as we speak on into tomorrow. Glad I don't live down there anymore. It is so much more peaceful in the Central valley here.
Cheers!
Miss Teresa

[Marrissa]

Garden's are so rewarding aren't they! I am most at peace when I am in my garden, sun rays beaming down on my skin, listening to the breeze and little creatures... look there I go, off in my daydream again! I have a nasturtium in a pot, I have never tasted it but now I think I must!
Have a wonderful weekend, big smiles from Oz! xx

[Ruby Slippers]

Victorian Kitchen Garden and Two Fat Ladies are the best! I remember waiting eagerly for the next episodes on TV every week. I'm one of those who has lots of house plants (in fact I just finished watering them before I visited here). I love vines and I have vines climbing all over my bathroom which has a skylight. They hang down and join me in the shower and tickle the back of my neck as I lie in the bathtub.

[Jessica]

Wow I can't believe that you still have garden goodies! Here it is very windy and icy. The sun is shining, but everyone's Christmas decorations are strewn about the neighborhood. See? Procrastinating does pay off :)

Big smilies to everyone out there on this very windy day!

Happy first, everyone! Welcome winter!

xoxo Jessica
A Woodland Fantasy

[Theresa]

Oh what deliciousness from your garden! Ours is long-ended. It is so fun to harvest and enjoy the fruits of your hard labor all winter long. :) It is going to be very chilly here this weekend, and me and the hubby will be taking in a bit of holiday cheer...A Christmas Carol live. Might be a new tradition for us! Have a beautiful night, dear one! And Happy December to you and yours! xoxo

[Renee]

Your veggies look wonderful. Lucky you to still be getting the garden gifts. Glad all your hard work is paying off so well.

Ha, I remember the 70s:)

I do have houseplants, quite a few and always have. Need to start an indoor herb garden.

I grew nasturtrium for the first time this year. It did very well despite the drought. I had to water a lot of my plants. What a difference a few months make-Monday we had flooding in this area again.

The food channel is one of my favorites.

[Annalee]

You got me hooked on the Victorian Kitchen episodes... =D

I have three plants in my tiny apartment. A cactus on my kitchen window sill, ivy in a hanging basket & a Wandering Jew also in a hanging basket. ^-^ I love them so much. They make me terribly happy! I love that the two hanging plants' vines hang down so I can let them touch my face... chlorophyl kisses. ^-^

I adore nasturtiums!!! I've been saving seeds from them to grow next year... they're beautiful AND tasty. ^-^

Hope the wind doesn't damage anything, and please don't blow away. ^_~

XOXO

[Tara @ The Butter Dish]

I've been reading your blog for months on FlipBoard for iPad but I haven't been able to re post a comment since it's only a news reader minus Facebook and Twitter.
I've loved your fanciful photos, and dreamy fairytale creations that beckon my imagination to journey to another time, another place.

I dream of having a garden like this. I would love to have a little cottage greenhouse and have everything growing in my yard edible.

This is simply beautiful and peaceful.