Busy, Busy, Busy...

What can I say?
I knew I was going to have amazing adventures here.
I dreamed about it, planned it, prepared for it.
I want to share my adventures with you.
Little did I know that these amazing adventures would keep me so busy that I have not found time to write.

My garden is growing great!  However it has taken quite a while before I was able to say that. For two months, it has been growing at a snail's pace.  Not all of the plants have been successful.  This first year is a learning experience for me, mostly by trial and error.  I have learned better how to NOT FREEZE everything in the mini-greenhouse, that weeds grow like weeds- but only when I'm not looking, ALL the outdoor critters like to eat my garden too, and to be really really patient.  The surviving plants that remain in the garden are:  (10) Tomatoes, (3) Patty-Pan Squash, (2) Chard, (1) Zucchini, many Lentils, (+/- 40) Sugar Peas, (6) Cilantro, (2) Beets, (20 +) Carrots, (3) Eggplants, (3 Sq Ft) Romaine Lettuce, (26) Bush Beans, and about 30 Potatoes.  In my herb bed, I have Thyme, Sage, Mint, and Chammomile, all growing very well.


As I said, everything grew at a snail's pace.  Only just a couple weeks ago I was able to start harvesting the snow peas and the lettuce, and a couple leaves of chard.  The first Fall frost is expected by the end of this month, so I may not get much more.  The lettuce, however, is exploding with growth- much more than I can eat or juice.  I have supplemented much of my diet with wild edibles- Nettles, Wild Chammomile, Dandelion leaves, Plantain, and Bedstraw.

Like lemonade?  Try steeping 1 cup of Sweet Clover blossoms in 1/2 gallon hot water.  Then use that Sweet Clover tea as the water for your lemonade!  Wonderful!!!

Saskatoon Berries

Saskatoon berries, Blueberries, Gooseberries (Currants), Cranberries, Strawberries, and Raspberries!
They all grow here in abundance.  There's some other berry here also that I haven't identified yet.

Blueberries

Cranberries

      
This is a very busy month for us.  I just returned from a camping trip with friends, and their friends.  There was about 80 persons total, mostly of off-the-grid families.  A fantastic trip meeting interesting people.  Tom did not get to join us, as he had a lot of work to get caught up on at home.  However, this coming weekend,we will be away together, revisiting a resort we went to when we first met.

Grizz with Summer coat

Grizz???  He's still a most handsome pup, perhaps except when he goes for a swim in our lagoon (Canada's version of a septic system).  Strangely, he has not grown as we expected.  He had reached 70 lbs by 9 months old, then he just stopped growing.  He recently turned 1 year old. He's a crazy nut, but we love him.