Black Friday was so clear, sunny and beautiful, it would have really been a shame to spend it in a store. Instead I put the garden to bed for the winter. I'm still figureing out the whole tilling/no tilling debate, but I did decide to till this year. I let the weeds get a bit out of control, so I decided that tilling them in, would create some lovely green manure for the soil to break down this winter. I pulled up the stakes, the hoses, the decorative buckets, and hoops and all the rest and moved them out of the garden. I'm still trying to figure out where they will spend their winter, since I really want to park my car in the garage...hmmm.
Once we tilled, the Muscovies made a bee line for their very important role of Grub Patrol. I'm sure there were other goodies to be found, but I like to think they were irradicating the pesky grubs from my soil. Muscovies are such great creatures. I really enjoy caring for them.
The garlic was planted today, and this time I spread a nice thick layer of straw, like you are supposed to, and then I covered it with a layer of floating row cover, hoping to deter Grub Patrol from digging up the garlic.
Husband and I don't spend a lot of money, especially on big things, but with the combo of rising fuel costs, the fact that we don't really feel warm with propane/forced hot air heat in the way we'd like to, the fact that wood is renewable, and there are about 7 acres of it in our back yard, and the lovely tax incentives that expire at the end of the year, we decided now was the time. We bought a wood stove and had a chimney installed. Tonight we started our first fire. We have to do a slightly annoying curing process before we can really get a good fire going, but that is almost done, so tomorrow the heat will be shut off, and the wood stove will be fired up, and hopefully not stop again until Spring!
I mentioned Thanksmas in yesterday's post, but it's not the only thing we are switching up this year. My husband and I were trying to figure out a way to incorporate some small, meaningful gifts into the giving season, for our girls, but not have them overshadowed by the pile of toys that show up on Christmas.
Thanksmas will help with that, since one whole family has already gifted, and it's lovely that the girls got to read new books and play with new toys today, without being overwhelmed by which to pick.
Keeping with that, we decided to celebrate Saint Nicholas day this year. The celebration of the original Santa Claus falls on December 6th, with shoes or stockings put out on the evening of the 5th. We are going to hang stockings that I'm working on finishing the knitting of, and then I'll make several little items that will go in them. I'm excited about having a special day set aside, as well, as having the opportunity to focus on Santa, in a separate from Christmas, way. I'll share with you what goes into the stockings, as well as the stockings themselves, when all is done.
Well, back to knitting...after a quick pumpkin whoopie pie, with cream cheese frosting and ice cold milk break...mmm.
Thank you so much for getting some garlic to me :) I really appreciate it!
I planted it on Thanksgiving morning ~ pretty late in the season, but as you suggested, just in time before the ground began to freeze.
Thanks again ~ can't wait to see the scapes in the spring :)
~Andrea
Posted by: Andrea | December 05, 2010 at 12:02 AM