The winter garden has been the most kind to me this year.
The birds are poking holes in the oranges and sucking out the juice, so I've been making sure to have my fair share as well.
I have broccoli planted in two areas and decided to take the skinnier of the two because it was blossoming.
Did you know that the reason broccoli is so delicious from the winter garden is because it increases it's sugar content in order to not freeze?
No wonder the broccoli has been utterly scrumptious.
This is just regular broccoli, not broccolini (which is a combination of regular and Chinese broccoli).
And as you can see, some of it decided to bloom, so I put on my apron with giant pockets and set out to do a little harvest.
There is so much that thrives in winter.
You can plant broccoli and brussels sprouts and cabbage and cauliflower in July (to name a few), and have wonderful winter eats available to you.
The most curious thing is that citrus harvest season is in winter as well.
That just seems the luckiest treat, doesn't it?
The wind was really whipping around...
So I layered up my little dresses and off I went...
The sunlight was absolutely breath taking.
Dappled light through the trees, warm sun, cold air.
Wind whipping your hair all around.
I found such goodies, but I've learned...
Only take what you can eat that day, except for citrus, that can last.
There is nothing as good as fresh fruits and veggies.
And some how, they always taste so much better when homegrown.
This broccoli below is super big and strong.
The broccoli over by the citrus trees was taller and skinnier due to lack of sunlight from the trees.
But the huge planter mid garden gets a ton of light, and as seen above and below, the veggies have turned Jurassic here.
I really can't gush enough about how much I am enjoying these.
The leaves are yummy too.
And the Napa cabbage is nearly ready as well, I can't wait.
I used some organic plant food for veggies and it really took them from good to great.
You can cook broccoli in so many ways, and I do.
I often just salt water and bring it to a roaring bowl, turn to low, then plunk the broccoli (leaves stems and all) in the water for 5 minutes and blanch it.
It turns the most brilliant otherworldly green.
Then you can just put a little butter on it and eat.
They are good just plain as well, since the water is salted, it's all you really need.
I eat arugula every day when I'm working in the garden.
I love when the entire part of a plant can be eaten, such as arugula, broccoli, nasturtium (to name a few).
Gathered my loot and headed back down and into the kitchen.
I even have a few bell peppers that are ready.
And, I still have tomatoes here and there, amazing.
We've had a fairly mild winter, so that's why the tomatoes are hanging on, and they are also in a very protected area.
But I will cover them tonight as it might freeze.
This makes a really happy heart for a garden girl.
You put in so much time and nurturing, that to have a happy edible outcome is wonderful beyond.
You should see all the little flower sprouts and bulbs growing that I planted in December.
There are super fragrant hyacinths and all sorts of little bits and bobs doing really well.
I'm listening to Barbara Streisand and Josh Groban sing Somewhere as I am typing this.
It's making it kind of hard to get through this without sobbing, truth be told.
But not sad, just heart touching.
I get that sort of sappiness from my dad.
We text each other all sorts of sappy songs and then we have a running commentary on them.
It's something only he and I have - my mom rolls her eyes and says, there you two go again!
Because we might cry or want to listen to overly heart wrenching songs, it's very funny really.
But I enjoy it immensely.
I've always been so into music.
I used to carry around suitcases with tapes that I'd play in my white on white Volkswagen Cabriolet convertible as a teen.
Now I just have an Ipod full.
I always wondered why music affected me so deeply.
Now I know why.
:-)
I sent my dad the pics above and he said - the farmer in you.
Pretty funny considering he was a produce broker for over 30 years and owned his own firm.
He sold fruit and vegetables to grocery stores all over the country and I learned early how to determine if you have a perfect avocado (amongst others).
I remember going to check on warehouses of his tomatoes, and the scent was otherworldly.
The only time I ever have smelled that again is in summer, when the tomato vines emit their scent in the warmth.
Gloriously beautiful.
It's the kind of scent that can take me way way back in an instant.
My dad retired his company over 20 years ago and decided retirement wasn't for him.
He had always been into building on the side, so he took his contractor's exam and now builds houses.
He's a real gem, that guy, a real go getter.
We have epic conversations - can't wait to hug him again.
Anywho, I veer as I normally do.
My grandmother who recently passed, my dad's mom, had the most wonderful little gardens.
I remember eating endless strawberries under her pear and quince trees as a child.
I'm just a simple gardening girl deep down in my heart.
Lover of gardens, birds and all animals.
And whilst I love all sorts of music and fashion and styles -
None is as good as warm sandals in the garden.
Watching the clouds roll by.
My mom's mom is still with us, and she loves the garden too.
I saw my first zinnia in her garden when I was a child, which I shared on Instagram.
My dad used to have so many plants when I was young, and I loathed the chore of watering.
But I can say, I love watering my own and if I could go back in time as my current self, I would love to water his trees and endless petunias.
Well, those are my tales for today my friends.
I've been making this blog post for you all day and now I must go take my roasted potatoes out of the oven as it is beeping at me.
I hope you are cozy and well in your neck of the woods.
Fill me in on anything you'd like.
oh and ps:
Check out the color on this nasturtium.
It looks like velvet in person.
I'll see you super soon!
Magic, wishes and stars for you always!!
Love, Vanessa
pps: Question I get often, do I have naturally curly hair?
I have very fluffy wavy hair with a few spiral curls here and there, but mostly just beachy waves.
However, it straightens easily when dried with a round brush and a blow dryer.
I've embraced air drying it the last 13 years and hardly ever blow dry it anymore.
I think it's more on the mid to finer side as I've gotten older.
I've had long hair my entire life.
(except the time my mom cut and permed it in 2nd grade, disaster, haha!)
How about you, what kind of hair do you have?
