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Garden Planning

I spent most of the day sitting in bed, and trying to relax and rest, but wasn't quite been able to do that.  I have had a million things that have been hanging over my head, and instead of sleeping, I attempted to get them all done. 

Getting prepared and planning for the vegetable garden had been bouncing around in the back of my mind, but hadn't managed to get crossed off my list until today.  We'll start planting indoors at the end of February/beginning of March, so ordering the seeds was something that needed to get done.  Last year I used http://www.vegetableseed.net/ with a reasonable amount of success, so this year I'm doing the same.  The seeds come in tiny plastic bags with a small piece of paper identifying them.  It made it difficult for Victor to know what was what, and without directions on when, where and how to sow them, we had to do some guess work.  Probably wasn't the easiest way to plant our first garden, but I think this year we'll both be a little more aware and certainly more educated.

Victor has been reading a lot about how to plant, maintain, and harvest; it's nice to see him take such pride in the farm.  I've done some research as well, but it's funny, I feel more scared this year than I did last year...I keep wondering if we've done the right thing, if we've prepared properly, or if we completely destroyed the beauty of the DPF floral garden that was here when we moved in.  We'll see.

The bulbs that we planted in the fall are already peeking through, and that makes me a bit nervous.  It's been a rather warm winter, and I'm not sure that we're done with the freezing weather.  I just hope that we don't lose what has already started coming up!  I know last year the crocus flowers were blooming by February, so they're not that early...but I'm not sure that the daffodils that are coming up would make it through a deep freeze...

the first little bit of color...

There are times that I feel like such a city girl, and this is one of them.  What if the summer comes and our garden is just as brown and grey and ugly as it is now??????

These darn poppies were pulled up 2 years in a row...first by Jeffrey who thought they were the biggest dandy lions he'd ever seen, and second by Victor who thought they were thistles! MAYBE this year they'll bloom

The Dahlia's aren't doing so well, but their blossoms are already soooooo fragrant 

Last year I discovered PlanGarden.com, and am excited to use it.  I just have to get Victor on board so that all our data can be correct!  The actual planning graph is so easy to use, and helps with spacing, etc. You can even grab a  a snapshot of your garden plan.

Our still expanding garden plan

We'll see how things go! I still have to add all the peppers and various other yummy edibles.  We're also adding a section of corn, squashes, and beans behind the shop...if the deer don't destroy it!

One of the other items on my list that I was able to accomplish today had to do with the property as well: moss gathering.  Since it wasn't raining, I used the opportunity to head out on a good walk to harvest moss for all my creations.  It's a good way to clear my head, as well.  The fresh, clean air helps me breathe and refocus on what's important (I have to admit, that's something I'm struggling with right now).  I found a great little nook with lots of well woven moss sheets that came up cleanly and easily.  Next step is to leave it upside down outside so all the bugs crawl out, then bring them in to dry before it's ready to use.  

believe it or not, but underneath all those brambles is beautiful green moss

The moss grows in one of the most beautiful spots on the property: the "forest".  There are several acres of the land that have been pretty much untouched aside from the trails that wind through it.  There is a stream that flows through, gorgeous greenery, old trees - it's just spectacular.  It's also incredibly wet. Much of the lower areas are "wetlands" and can be a bit treacherous to wade through, but well worth it for the smell of soil and growth,  the cleansing sounds of the rushing water, and the intensity of the greenery. I'm so glad I brought the camera along and shot just a few of the multitude of amazing spots.

OTHER RANDOM PHOTOS FROM TODAY

This struck me as beautiful

what's left of the tree that fell

Apparently this clay pigeon was shot in half, fell to the ground, but managed to stand up. What are the chances of that!

Stuff Happens!

Holy Moly. What a whirlwind the last few days have been...I mean, for crying out loud, it's Monday night and the last post on the blog is from WEDNESDAY of last week?!?!?  Thursday, Friday, Saturday - the days just kinda run together and I'm having a hard time sorting out which was which!

I do know that most of Friday was spent doing one of my favorite things: preparing the house for an overnight guest.

My dear friend Jessica came from California to visit for a few days.  She arrived at DPF on Saturday afternoon, and she's just one of those friends who fall right into the rhythm of the house.  She was always one of our "core" friends in Los Angeles who kept the social buzz at our house at a constant hum!  It was so incredibly wonderful to have her here in Oregon for a few days.  We had lots of down time, lots of wine and martinis, lots of laughs, and made plenty of new memories together!

The DPF Passionate "Jaleplumo" martini

Ok, honestly, I know I'm totally immature, but even without martinis, this candied peanut makes me laugh

Jessica left today, but not before getting a taste of the craziness of DPF.  We woke this morning to a beautiful day without much rain - and thankfully we were able to take a nice slow walk around the property without getting poured on!  Once the day was going, however, it was full of challenges: a fallen, deteriorating fence around the paddocks at the barn made it completely and utterly unsafe to put the horses outside. A massive fallen pine tree in front of the shop led to a broken chain saw and a frustrated groundskeeper. A dog whose front feet were horribly painful and sensitive ended up causing a trip to the vets' which turned into a full day stay. A second dog who had eaten SOMETHING to which she had an allergic reaction and couldn't stop drooling like a faucet gave cause to much worry and concern, though luckily not another vet payment.  On top of that, we had a baby to take care of, people to feed, and American Idol's "Pants on the Ground" to watch (that, my friends, is a catchy song!!!).

Boots' pads and feet are extremely sensitive, but we can't find anything wrong with them

We made it through the day with some help from my mother (thanks, Mom).   I did NOT want Jessica to leave, but even with the calamity that the day developed into, we still enjoyed our last day together.  When we hit traffic on the way to the airport, there was a tiny moment where I thought, "Woo hoo!!! I get her another day."  But, despite my hopes, I sped to the airport arriving no more than a few minutes behind schedule.  We said our good-byes, and she hurriedly got herself to the counter --- only to find out that her flight had been delayed 3 hours -  NICE.  Unfortunately, she didn't call me until I was too far gone to turn around.

After finally winding down the day, EG and I spent some time together in my bedroom playing on the bed.  It was nice just to play, cuddle, and look at her beautiful face.  What a wonderfully upbeat way to end a rather intense day.  She really is so darn adorable!

Thank you, Ellie, for making me smile!

RANDOM PHOTOS OF THE LAST FEW DAYS

this is just so damn funny to me

She insisted on wearing a pull-up under AND over her leggings

Ellie's little Pull-Up clad tooshie sitting on a chair, shirt tucked in!

Jax loves to wake EG up in the mornings...

Mom painted that Neverland mural...

Chilling together

Excelling and Perfectionism

Aren't January and February supposed to be the months that the farm rests???  Harvest is done, it's not yet time for planting, the holidays are over...what more could there be, right?  RIGHT?!?!

I was so looking forward to having the first part of the year to have some down time with Ellie Graye, rejuvenate, and slow my pace for a while.  Of course, I quickly found out that I don't function well when I have too much down time, and am so much happier when I'm running around like a chicken with my head cut off...but still, do I really need to be running around like a CRAZY woman?!?!  Chicken or crazy lady - you pick.  Great options, huh?

I did have an epiphany tonight as I foraged through all the things I've collected, harvested, created, and stashed looking for "the perfect touch" to put on one of my new projects.  My intense desire to excel at everything I that I do is the common ground I have with my husband.

We recently had the opportunity to meet with a Zen priest and Life Coach, and as we already knew, were able to see on paper how we operate in two very different quadrants of our brains.  He's a left-brainer, and I'm a right brainer.  In fact, we're so opposite, that we pretty much exactly mirror the other, balancing one with the other. The beauty of our relationship, however, is that under stress, we both turn to the same part of our brains - organization.  This is what facilitates our open communication and willingness to "work it out."  I knew all that, but tonight, it hit me.  We also both strive for greatness; we both have a strong desire to be the as good as we possibly can at what we're doing; we both love to apply ourselves; and, more importantly, we work hard -- THAT is an amazingly rare commonality.

Mediocrity isn't something Jeffrey and I are comfortable with, and in our relationship, that means we'll work as hard as we can to make things the best they can be.  I like that.  I like knowing that he is as committed to "us" as I am; he is as committed to our family as I am - and we're willing to work our asses off to achieve that.  My friends, I couldn't ask for anything more.  I don't expect perfection, but I'm certainly happy to know that I have a partner who is willing to face the ugly things, figure out what needs to be done, and then DO it.  Aaah, I love that man!

Ok. Enough mush. Back to the chicken-with-her-head-cut-off day.

I'm desperately trying to get DPF Home Decor off the ground.  I have a potential customer on Etsy who has custom ordered some pieces for her wedding.  The odd thing was that the items she ordered were things that I had already started making...when she asked, "Can you make such-and-such," I about fell over, since I had already discussed the idea with Victor!  Funny how life guides you, huh?

The following two photos are what she sent me (I don't know where she got these photos, so I can't give credit...if these are yours, let me know, and I'll make sure you're sited).

standard place card holders...

very cool dessert table. GREAT inspiration!

My response to her photos, and what I have been working on for displays for boutique stores that will be carrying my drink tags:

an adaption of my standard photo holder

My mirror for holding my drink tags. I LOVE it.

Victor was so excited and proud of his slices of wood, that when he saw what I made, he went back out and made me a ton more so I can start pumping these babies out!  He's such an incredible worker, and has just recently discovered his creative side - we're beyond lucky to have him!  He loves this farm so much, and sees it as his own.  We're so happy that he cares about each little nook and cranny.  When I asked him the other day if he knew of a tree that had fallen in one of the storms that had good, solid bark, he immediately knew exactly where to go.  It makes me so happy that this land is the host to so much positivity!

His first load of stump slices

His SECOND load of stumps

Needless to say, I spent a lot of today working in the basement on drink tags, workshopping decor items, and planning menus.  I feel like I have a two full-time jobs - one upstairs being a homemaker and one downstairs trying or pretending to be an entrepreneur.  At the end of my time working on DPF, I couldn't wait anymore and had an organizing spree...came up with this fabulous idea for organizing all the small stuff that tends to clutter my desk!

I already was using the shutters for miscellaneous items, but the galvanized tins and plastic dixie cups are PERFECT for all the tiny little odds and ends.  Tomorrow I label them...

One of my other projects of the day was to finally plant the curry seeds that my dad had sent to me in that mysterious package I got on Christmas Eve.  I was supposed to plant them ages ago, but didn't get a chance until today (sorry, Dad!).  Let's hope that they grow...I did use the peat capsules, so hopefully it'll work...the guy said 4 - 5 weeks...

What HAS grown is the basil I planted in the "Power Plant" machine thing that my dad gave me for Christmas...I think I was supposed to grow the curry plant in it...but I didn't realize that until just now.  Damn, I'm so not with it.  Anyway, the basil has sprouted, and if all goes well, I'll be cooking with fresh basil again before I know it!  It's kinda crazy that this thing doesn't need any soil...kinda scares me.  If I die, be sure you sue the hell out of these guys, ok?

Our neighbor Darcy came for dinner tonight.  She owns the other two horses that are at the barn, and has been beyond helpful over the last month.  Usually she feeds in the morning and I turn the horses out (of course, I've been slacking on the turn out side of things) and Victor dumps her wheelbarrow and keeps the barn clean and up to par.  It's been awesome having companions for Avdoo and Frank.  I wish things could be this easy always!

For dinner, I adapted a yummy Asian Chicken Peanut Pasta dish that I had seen on AllRecipes.com, and added my delicious sesame green beans on the side.  It was light, spicy and scrumptious.  We had a good time talking over dinner while EG ran around being her normal entertaining, precocious, rambunctious self.

So that's it.  That's all I did, nothing spectacular, ground-breaking, or life-changing...I just got through today, made a little progress, and made a few people smile.  What more could I ask for, huh?