Pisces Moon Studio

Chuckle. Here it is, three days past Christmas, and my mailbox is suddenly filled with gardening catalogs. That’s okay, actually — we’ve had bright, clear, not-too-cold weather lately and my mind’s been trending that way for a week or so.

I thought I had lost the last of the Greek oregano this winter, but it’s beginning to come back. Just a few leaves right now; it will be a couple of months before I can pick fresh ones for cooking. My big lemon tree (the one I bought as a twigling last spring) is doing well, and the little one, that I planted from seed in May, is also coming along nicely. In a few years I may have my own lemons!

The strawberry plants, too, the ones that survived the flood and then the drought last year, are looking quite healthy.  I hope we’ll see some berries from them this spring.

So this morning I pulled out the Seed Box and took stock of what I had left from last year and what I’ve collected since the beginning of summer.

• Tomatoes: 10 (!) varieties, of which 7 will be new this year.
• Squash: crookneck yellow and zucchini
• Peppers: Bell and Anaheims
• Eggplant: Rosa Bianca and White Beauty
• Carrots, parsnips, beets
• Spinach, mixed lettuces
• Lemon basil
• Red potatoes

So I sat down at lunch with the Burpee catalog and picked out some more things to round out the garden.  I’m going to get another couple types of peppers, some Delicata and spaghetti squash, more culinary herbs.  I’m seriously tempted to try canteloupes, but I imagine this will be more than enough to keep me busy in the second season of the Great Container Garden.

This year I know much more about the sun’s position during the growing season.  I know a lot more about tomatoes and which varieties do best in this area; I know that peppers are a roaring success and taste delicious; and I know that I have a good ways to go in learning about squashes.  I also know that, despite making tomato sauce and putting up roasted tomatoes for what seemed like all summer, I didn’t put away nearly enough.  They’re almost gone and it’s only December.  Next summer I need to do even more.

On to the 2007 Garden Adventure!

2006 has been an extraordinarily busy year for me. It’s been productive and fruitful in many areas, but art — and writing — have been relegated to the back of the closet. Although I can’t promise that will change completely, I have a little time now while things are slower at the bottom of the year, to catch up a bit and maybe to start something new.

One thing I want to do is finally to clean out some old projects, some fabric I will never use again, maybe some materials as well. I’ve spent years collecting things and making samples for classes that I’ve taught, but now I’ve come to the conclusion that teaching is in my past. I don’t need to keep these samples any more; I have no place to put them; and neither of my children is interested in keeping them.

I began this morning, actually: I pulled out half a dozen samples and a couple of art pieces. I pressed the wrinkled ones and set up the photo backdrop. I took pictures of the first piece and set up the second. The camera batteries gave up the ghost, and when I put new batteries in, nothing happened. The camera’s about four years old and there’s a new and worrisome little rattle inside the body — did something short out? Fall out of its socket inside?

Well, I didn’t plan to spend the money right after Christmas, but… for less than I paid for this one, I can get a much nicer, new model with more bells and whistles and the 6X optical zoom that’s a must for my work. I ordered it today and it should be here on Friday. So samples, fabric, et al will be posted toward the end of the week or on this weekend. I hope you’ll come back and browse.

In other news: The mannequin has been missing most of the year. Last winter and spring the house where she lives suffered damage in at least two separate storms. The roof was covered with blue tarp for months, and her window stayed empty while the owners waited for the roof to be repaired. She appeared briefly in Hallowe’en costume and again in evening dress just before Christmas, but neither time did I have the now-defunct camera with me. Yesterday when I passed her house, I saw that her window was tarped over with plastic. There were chunks of broken concrete lying on the porch near the window — did some neighborhood hooligan throw a block through the glass? I’ll keep an eye out and report when I know more.

Deb at A Stitch in Time writes about an email recipe exchange.  The email comes in with two names on it.  You send a recipe to the #1 name, move #2 up to #1, add your own name as #2, and send it on to 10 more people.

I’ve sent my recipe to Gerrie:

Cheesy Barley Bean Bake

2 cups cooked pearl barley, cooking directions below
1 can (15 ounces) pinto beans, undrained
1-1/2 cups grated sharp Cheddar cheese, divided
1/2 cup non-fat milk
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon dill weed
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350° F. Coat 8-inch square baking pan with non-stick vegetable spray. Combine cooked barley with beans, 1 cup grated cheese and remaining ingredients. Spread in prepared baking pan. Top with remaining 1/2 cup grated cheese. Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until cooked through. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Makes 6 servings.

Per serving: 319 calories, 23g protein, 13g fat, 29g carbohydrate, 115mg cholesterol, 6g fiber, 646mg sodium.

To cook barley
Place 2-1/4 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon salt in medium saucepan. Bring to boil. Add 3/4 cup pearl barley. Return to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook 45 minutes or until barley is tender and liquid is absorbed. Makes about 2-1/2 to 3 cups.

Barley is one of my newest favorite foods.  Very low glycemic index, tasty, and filling.  I use it anywhere I would normally use rice by cooking a pot of it ahead of time and keeping the cooked barley in the refrigerator.

Be sure to use pearl or hulled barley; the quick-cooking kind has been processed to death and doesn’t have nearly as many nutrients.

Now  – as to the next 10 – I’ve sent out a message to a couple of lists I am on, asking for volunteers.   I like recipes but don’t want to send  a chain mail letter to anyone who  isn’t interested.

Drop me a note in comments if you would like to play!

My husband has a really bad cold today and stayed home from work. Around midday I took him to the pharmacy to pick up some prescriptions. (He has to do the paying since prescriptions are paid from a medical savings account that only he has access to, and he didn’t feel well enough to drive.) It was going to take a few minutes, so I went to the car to wait for him, whereupon I promptly had a sneezing attack. (I’m coming down with The Cold as well.) Reached behind the seat where I keep the box of tissues… which was empty.

Grumbling and trying valiantly not to drip, I went back into the pharmacy, bought a box of tissues, blew my nose, and waited for him to finish and come back out.

Halfway home it occurred to me: This morning I went to Costco. I bought a 10-pack of boxes of Kleenex.

They were still in the back of the car.