Letting Go

I'm thinking of potatoes again—yes, they are a soul food and this time of year when we're losing our light, more spuds are a good thing. Today I will celebrate the Jewish New Year with several friends and we will eat traditional food and let go of our "sins". With me, it is the preoccupation with the ex that gets me going inside, all worked up, etc., that I want to let go of. I don't want to think about him. I want to imagine all the new things I want to accomplish and head toward them. I want to learn to be close with others without being afraid. And I want to be in love again some day.

For this evenings dinner, I will roast potatoes. I grew a few in the garden, so will dig them today. I used to grow heaps of potatoes and eat them through the winter. Now, I eat fewer potatoes per my naturopath's recommendation. He says that eating them with protein denies the use of the protein to the body. Thus, I'm only making myself more cholesterol. Eek! But I have been eating my meals this way for some time. I have greens and eggs for breakfast, greens or broccoli and meat for lunch, and same-o same-o for dinner. Oh well. If it lowers the cholesterol, that will be great.

Yesterday I went to the beach with Brenda and Abbe and the grandbaby. My grandson was having a great time throwing rocks and picking up seaweed and walking into the water—he had on his little boots, and then at one point, out of the blue, he ran into the water, fell face forward, and of course there I was grabbing him out. We were both soaked. And he was crying. I didn't have extra clothes with me, but I did have an extra diaper. So stripped him and changed his diaper and put him in the cuddly pack. It surprised him more than anything and taught me a lesson. Got to watch them like a hawk.

We went to Larrabee State Park and Brenda showed me her favorite rocky places. There were some very nice gnarled trees I'd like to paint. And the day was glorious, one of our last summer days I imagine, as the rain will come again soon.

Full Moon In Pisces

The full moon is opposite the sun in the sky Sunday—the sun is in Virgo—anyone having the urge to clean and organize? And with the moon is in Pisces—anyone feeling emotional, vulnerable, spiritual? And Jupiter is close to the moon in the sky. I heard that the moons of Jupiter can be seen through binoculars at night. Jupiter's energy is expansive and with its relationship to the moon at the moment, we could be asking ourselves how we can expand our belief systems—could we stand in the shoes of another? I'm trying this very thing with the ex. However his shoes are confusing. Today, until 7 pm, you can download from Oprah.com the book Why Men Cheat I downloaded the book. I'm curious. Maybe it will give me the answers.

Okay then, the grandbaby is here. He wants to look at the "putter", so more later.

Flower

Peaceful Bugs

You know how they say if you plant right, you won't have bug infestations. Well, I've had few bug infestations as an organic gardener and many of them are predictable. Like the aphids on the broccoli and the cabbage worms on the cabbage—and broccoli—and cauliflower. I just hose off the aphids or keep an infested plant as bait—hopefully it's growing far enough away from the other plants that it will be a bug magnet and not spread to the other clean plants. Soap spray also works, and I think the netting will keep cabbage worms eggs from being laid those fluttering white cabbage moths.

Organic gardening takes a little extra effort. Rich soil and lots of water, so the plants stay healthy, helps to keep bugs away. Also companion planting. The neighbor says she has onions growing around her garden and when a flock of black flies infested her tomatoes and she draped oniontops over them, which didn't work, but the wind came up a few days later, which did hlep. So perhaps a fan in the garden could be another deterrent to bug infestations.

I've heard that letting chickens wander through the garden rows will take care of many bugs, just make sure your plants are fairly mature first—as our little feathered friends are energetic with their scratching. Also geese are useful in mint fields. Dogs catch flies. Cats scratch up the newly upturned soil, so don't count on them for debugging your field.

When I lived in Yakima, I had an infestation of potato bugs—not the rolly-polly bugs, also known as sow bugs, but the bugs that are designed especially for potato plants. They are a shiny beetle larger than a ladybug and are easily picked off the plant and fed to chickens or just destroyed (crushing). If you are one of those angels that can't destroy a bug, then I don't know what to tell you. Put them in the garbage can—and turn your back. And certainly don't try the blended-bug cocktail as a garden spray--you'll be too squemish I'm sure.

The weather was cooler today and the grandbaby and I were going to hop over to the garden and fix the string on the bean pole, but alas, I was pooped and he was taking a nap, so I joined forces. He did carry his duck watering can around the house later and said, "Water, water, water." Which is astute of him, since I decided I'm too cinchy with the water. I'll do better, promise.

Ciao!

Gray Sky, Blue Sky

Today, cloudy and warm. You can get burnt on a day like this--the sun's out behind those clouds. I checked my garden yesterday to see if it had enough moisture in the soil--all I see there is a bunch of turned over dirt and some tiny seed starts. And of course, my now hearty tomato plants. They are very green. They look good--being so green, and all. I'm going soon today and water them. I had planned to take the grandbaby yesterday, but instead, we did a couple of walks, went to lunch with a friend for his 86th birthday, and took naps. We also ate brownies and played with the cat. It was a good day. Lots of growing on the inside yesterday.

This artichoke is growing in a fellow gardener's plot. I've grown them in other gardens that I've had, but they never get very large. I suppose there are secrets to growing the big globe artichokes that you buy in the store, and some folks are privy to that secret. Maybe it is the right type of fertilizer used, although they look like cactus or thistle plants to me--which means they don't need much to grow. They seem to like hot and dry, and yet, here they are growing in the PNW--rainy feet. They take up a lot of space, so I won't be having them in my garden. Do you eat them with vinegar and mayo, is the real question. Or are you a melted butter fan. The first time I had an artichoke was with my highschool sweetheart who later became my first husband. His family ate artichokes--mine was a meat and potatoes gig. We dipped the leaves in sauce he'd made of mayonnaise stirred with a touch of vinegar. I loved them right off--and then there was the ritual of scraping away the thistles at the heart--use a spoon. And then--man oh man, dig in.

Now I like the artichoke hearts that come pickled-very delicious. Try them with your salads during the summer. Refreshing and good for you. Well, now I'm off to water; not much new in my life today--except for that I may decide to marry myself. Why wait around for someone else to make me feel special. I was with a friend this morning who is getting married. We stopped in at the jewelry store, and that's when I made my decision. I will get myself a ring--not yet, because I have some completing to do still with the ex, but soon. Maybe by the fall--I could have a fall wedding. Maybe in the garden. What do you think?

Ciao!