What I Learned from My First Garden 2011 Wrap Up

1. I will not feed my family with only 3 square foot garden beds in the ground.
2. Seeds will only grow scraggly and lanky at my westward-facing windows. There is not enough light for them to grow properly.
3. I need to always prepare to plant twice as much as I really expect to need, because things die. 
4. (Corollary to the previous number) Always have a back up plan.
5. I learned how to use a water bath canner to can pears. And I learned how to make Pear Butter. YUM.

     6.  I learned that my kids can be good while I make one batch of pears. At first, I only did this when my husband was home to keep a close eye on them, but I ended up with a few pears that needed to be canned when he wasn't home. It was fine. They watched. I wouldn't attempt that with an all day marathon, but for one batch, it was fine.

     7.  White flies will decimate a garden, so be careful to keep them out.

     8.  Herbs are easy, fun and pretty to grow. 

     9.  Bush green beans are a waste of time, money and precious space in the garden. Pole beans work fine for my needs, but 24 bush bean plants only produced 5 to 6 green beans per week. 

    10.  Eggplant plants are beautiful. 

    11.  Spiders are my friends in the garden. (I have always HATED spiders, but found them very helpful in the garden.)

    12.  Ants eat the nasty sugary honeydew produced by aphids, and because they like this so much, they help the aphids, even carrying their babies and protecting them. Yuck.

    13.  This one is silly, but I love composting. I love to take things that are trash and put it into the compost pile and wa-LA, out comes beautiful, rich, healthy, black soil. 

    14.  Celery is very easy to grow.

    15.  Little Marvel Peas are like candy to my kids. We got a reasonably good harvest, but not one single pod made it into the house. Every one was eaten Raw in the yard by my children. 

And my most important lesson of 2011: Keep trying. If one thing doesn't work, try another. Don't be the person who gives up too easily. 

Joy to the World!

Joy to the World , the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing.

Joy to the World, the Savior reigns!
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as, the curse is found.

He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, wonders, of His love.

My Review of The Best Gardening Books I Read in 2011

For several months now I have been posting "lenses" on Squidoo. I have enjoyed it, though the sales numbers are really low for me. Such is a work-at-home-on-your-own-computer type of job.

I have enjoyed myself, however, and I have just completed a new lens that people who read my blog may be interested in.

Here is the link.

Seed Order for 2012

A couple of weeks ago I received the most beautiful catalog in the mail. It was from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds. Stunning, full color pictures, and articles about different garden plants. I have read and re-read this magazine. That is a first for me. Normally, one reading is all I will give a catalog (if that.)

I decided to order a small amount of seeds. I have a small square foot garden, so I don't really needs hundreds of dollars of seeds. I enjoy buying them. Seeds speak of hope to me. But really, I only need a few.

The seeds came in the mail earlier this week. Such stunning packaging. I really like this company. Their phone number is 417-924-8917. Give them a try. I don't think you will be disappointed.

I am ready now for my spring garden. I have already decided how to plant one of my 3 square foot garden plots. I am going to do a Three Sisters Bed (corn, squash and beans).  I am going to plant lots of eggplant this year too, possibly a whole plot of them (16 squares). I have obtained some interesting seeds for this purpose (thanks, Irina!!!).  I am planting red, white and a huge blackish eggplant and maybe one other. I hope they all grow. I am really interested in this. The third bed isn't as well planned out yet. I am still thinking of what I would want for that bed.

Review of December 1941

I read this book from cover to cover. I have read many books about World War II and was looking forward to reading this book. I was greatly disappointed. The author states at the beginning that he used the newspapers of the day to write the book, along with some previously undisclosed top secret documents. 

Each chapter is titled according to the day. There are 31 chapters. The first six chapters happen before Pearl Harbor, and though the author does reveal some information that the government had prior to Pearl Harbor day, he spends an inordinate amount of time and energy covering sporting events (70 year old football games, anyone?), entertainment news and other extraneous things that I am not interested in now, much less when they are so old. Many of the stars of the day that he reports on to the point of exhaustion are not even people I recognize and they certainly are not important to the story line he was trying to achieve.

When the author finally gets to Pearl Harbor day, I expected the pace to pick up, but this was not to be the case. I assume that he did it this way because he was following newspaper articles, but the one chapter that should be mesmerizing and gripping was boring and confusing. I know that Pearl Harbor day happened on December 7, but from the author's account it could have just as easily have happened on December 11th. It wasn't until December 11th that the author got around to revealing the seriousness of the attack. 

By Christmas day things were going badly for America in the new war, but the populace was strongly supportive. The author is still reporting on football scores and movies at the theaters. There is more war news, but often there are long lists of people involved in different aspects of government work, to the detriment of plot progression. Often, he jumps from one subject to another, without any cohesion. 
I didn't like this book. I wanted to like it, but I did not.

I received this book for free from Thomas Nelson in exchange for an honest review.

Summaries of Several Spurgeon Sermons about Isaiah 28:24 to 29

I love Spurgeon. I will just say that to begin with. There have been so many times in my life that a Spurgeon sermon was just the recipe for some need I was experiencing or scripture I was pondering.

I have recently read three of his sermons relating to the scripture Isaiah 28:24 to 29, which say 


         "When a farmer plows for planting, does he plow continually? Does he keep on breaking up and harrowing the soil? When he has leveled the surface, does he not sow caraway and scatter cumin? Does he not plant wheat in its place, barley in its plot, and spelt in its field? His God instructs him and teaches him the right way. Caraway is not threshed with a sledge, nor is a cartwheel rolled over cumin; caraway is beaten out with a rod, and cumin with a stick. Grain must be ground to make bread;so one does not go on threshing it forever. Though he drives the wheels of his threshing cart over it, his horses do not grind it. All this comes from the LORD Almighty, wonderful in counsel and magnificent in wisdom." 


This scripture has really been on my mind lately. I have been pondering it. And Spurgeon is just the ticket for carrying the pondering farther.

That's the background.

Now for only the highest highlights from my readings. I may come back and give more info on each sermon in another few posts.

From  The Ploughman (Remember, Spurgeon was British, so the spelling is British.)

• The ploughman perseveres. He keeps at his work until it is done. 
• When the Holy Spirit brings a man to the place he is downright earnest in his praying, it won't be long before he finds peace. 
• Keep your hand to the gospel plough. Continue in well-doing.
• Then, answer the question in negative. Ploughman doesn't only plough. He has other jobs.

From A Feast for Faith 

• Prayer: Lord, work salvation in me. I will have nothing to do with my own merit or strength. I will be dead that Thou mayst live in me. I will be nothing. Be Thou my all in all.
• Sitting at Jesus' feet with Mary is the very best preparation for doing the work of Martha without being cumbered by it.
• Don't run ahead of the cloud that leads by day. Keep in pace with the Spirit.
• When we are content to wait on God's plan, it opens to us very wonderfully.
• When we do know God's plan, we must carry it out, for the same God who is "wonderful in counsel" is "excellent in working." (KJV).
• When you resolve to carry out God's plan, expect His singular assistance.
• Whenever there is the working of the sword of Joshua and the prayers of Moses, there will also be the almighty arm of God.

From The Principal Wheat

• "The wisdom of earth is a reflection of the light of heaven."
• God is the great teacher of agriculture and handicrafts.
• If God instructs in gardening, will He not much more instruct us in the "tillage of our lives", if we ask? 
• The farmer knows what is the most important crop to cultivate and makes it his own.
• The farmer gives the principal thing the principal place.
• The farmer selects the best seed for sowing, not accepting mealy, moldy seeds.
• The farmer tends the principal crop with principal care. 
• Do these things, because from your principal care you may expect your principal crop.

I would encourage you to read the entire sermons at the connecting link, if you get a chance. But even if you don't, I hope these notes will encourage and instruct you today. 

Thankful Thursday December 8--Peach Tree

My dear husband bought me a peach tree for my Christmas present. He planted it 2 days ago, after work. Every time I walk past that cute little tree it makes me happy.

It may sound funny, but I am also thankful for compost. It is just like God to take stuff that would otherwise be thrown out, things that seem to be awful, stinky things, rotting things, and make them in to the richest, blackest earth you ever saw. God did that in my life. He took a whole lot of nasty things, composted them together and brought forth abundant fruit to His glory. So compost always impresses me.
Speaking of His glory, did you know that Psalm 148 admonishes all sorts of inanimate objects to praise the Lord? In verse nine, it says that all you mountains and hills, fruit trees and all cedars are to praise the Lord. I have been telling my little tree that this is what the scripture commands for it.
See what others are thankful for over at Garden of Learning.

Gardening in Winter 2011 Happy News

I have so many blog posts in my head that I am having to keep a list.

Today I just want to drop a quick line to tell you the exciting news about my garden. There are two little things--just little things really--but they make me so happy.

I have read about growing celery from the bottom part of a purchased celery (the part you usually throw away.) Several sites said that you needed to use the freshest one you could find. Well, I had an old one that I was about to throw out. I thought, "What the hey? I am going to throw it away any way. If it doesn't work, I haven't lost anything." I set it in a bowl of warm water. That was only yesterday. This morning it is already growing roots. Amazing.

The other cool thing is my Christmas present from my husband. He bought me a peach tree. It came yesterday. The instructions told us to leave it in water for between 8 and 24 hours and then plant. He plans to plant it tonight. This makes me so SO happy.

I know it's hard to see with all the clutter in the
garage, but there is my peach tree!

Movable Face

Over on Doris' great website, there is a tutorial for making these great movable faces. I had been meaning to make some with my kids since seeing the tutorial.

I finally got around to it last week.

We didn't have the hand drill, so I let the kids use
a hammer and a nail. 

They punched holes through the slots for eyebrows and
mouths. 

Then, using a large embroidery needle, they threaded
the doubled yarn from the back side. 

Once the doubled yarn is threaded through both eyebrows and
the mouth, the facial features can be changed. 

My middle daughter threading her face. 

She wanted you to know that this is a girl, with freckles (Not a
beard), and she is sticking her tongue out. 

My kids with their silly faces.

My kids loved making this craft and have kept them with them since making them. 

Toilet Paper Roll Crafts Week of Nov 28 to Dec 3

I made myself a goal to use toilet paper rolls and paper towel tubes in crafting at least once a week for an entire month.



This week we got our inspiration from this book. I like it because it has full color pictures and the children can do most of the activities without too much assistance.

I did assist them with these crafts, but they can.

My middle daughter decided that she wanted to make a lizard out of a paper towel tube. (It actually required 2 or 3 of them, counting the scales on his back, and the feet.)

She started out brightly colored and then decided... 

to paint the entire thing navy blue. 

My son decided to make a robot. We never could get

it to stand up. It is still on the table, because we are still

thinking about that problem. 

Crown Craft for Children's Choir

My son is a wise man for this year's Christmas musical. I knew that he was going to need a crown. I had a costume that would work for his outfit. Yet I did not start working on the crown until Thursday night. I normally don't procrastinate like that. What can I say? I just didn't do it.

I did, finally, do an Internet search about crowns. It is funny, though, I didn't find the answer through that Internet search. I found it through reading a fellow blogger, who was talking about the crafts she was planning for Christmas this year. One of the comments was that they had done a crown with the materials the post was describing. She gave a link. When I went to the link, I knew I had found my answer. Frontier Dreams has a beautiful tutorial about making crowns.

I didn't follow her directions completely, because I just used things I had around the house.

I used a skirt I had bought from a thrift store. After getting 

it home, I realized that it was stained beyond use. Here's it's new

use. Recycling in the best way!

Here are the three crowns I cut from the material, after

deciding on the shape I wanted to use. 

This is the first crown after top stitching, but before

applying the embellishments. 

This is the completed crown. I am really happy with how

it turned out.

This is a fedora I made in 2010 for my son's Inspector

Gadget birthday party. All the kids play with their fedoras

quite frequently. It was really pretty hard to make, though,

compared to the crown. The crown only took about 2 

hours start to finish. 

The fedora took me about 15 hours for each one. It was

really time consuming and detailed. I used a pattern I had found

at the fabric store. 

Winter Comes to the Garden

We have had frost for the last two nights. The first night of frost killed my zinnias.

I couldn't stand looking at all that dead, brown mess right at my front door, so I cleaned it out.

The first night of frost didn't kill my square foot garden, but the second night of frost did.

I don't know if you can see what I am trying to show you, but all the eggplants, the zinnias, the marigolds and the green beans all died yesterday. I pulled the eggplants and then ran out of time. I will still have to clean up the green beans. 

I do still have English peas, and broccoli in the garden. They are loving this weather, and just growing great. I have also planted two types of carrots, spinach and watermelon radishes from seed. They aren't big enough yet to decide how well they are doing. They seem fine right now.