Farm Girl

Ok, so I am not exactly a farm girl type. Too squeamish and vegetarian. Nor was this picture taken today, it was taken years ago at my cousin Meghan's engagement party. But today Billy and I did farm-ish things with our day. We wanted to get out into the first nice day we have had in a long time and were just going to poke around our area a bit.

We began by going to the Grosse Ile Herb Fest - and it wasn't that kind of herb, either, though for some reason this event name makes me think of the illegal herb. They advertised selling heirloom plants, herbs, and other herbish things. I bought some things from a booth selling lotions, soaps, and that sort of thing. Two are gifts so I am not telling what they are! But rest assured they smell very pretty. I think we got there too late to really take advantage of the plant selling, by the time we got there it was pretty much picked over and not much left. But we strolled around Grosse Ile's Centennial Farm for a bit, visited their cute animal shelter, where I saw some decorative ideas that would be so cute in the shelter I volunteer at, and envied the dog park. I would love a dog park in our city, and I am sure that Penny would too! We finished up the festival and our explorations pretty quickly, and decided that we were going to leave the island and try to find the ingredients for dinner by shopping roadside stands with vegetables, eggs, etc. Like a fresh food ingredient scavenger hunt.

Well, we must have picked the wrong direction, because we didn't find any roadside stands. We did bumble onto Calder's Dairy Farm though. As a side note here, I love Calder's Dairy, I grew up near the Calder's store (the one not near the farm) and my grandfather would always take us to Calder's for ice cream in the summer. Calder's Farm is open 7 days a week to visitors from 10-8, and it is free, if you can believe it. We wandered around, ate ice cream (this was twice in one weekend for me, and I usually eat ice cream once a year!), bought milk in glass jars and some other stuff like brown eggs from the roaming Calder chickens, and then - the best thing - we saw a newborn calf! As in 15 minutes old newborn! It was so sweet to see the momma cow licking her baby clean, and watching the baby stand for the very first time!!! I am glad we didn't wander into the barn while she was giving birth, I am not sure that I could have witnessed that, but seeing it all cute and spindly legged like Bambi was awesome. If I can figure out how to get the picture off my phone, I will upload it. Of course today of all days I opted to leave my camera behind. I didn't want any distractions today.

We ended our day a bit earlier than we wanted to, for some reason we are both feeling not the greatest. I have a killer sore throat! And I still don't know what we are doing for dinner. But all in all, what a cool day. It renewed my interest in forming a commune with my friends somewhere, so I can have goats, chickens and apple trees, and Chrissy and Devin can have bees. Who knows, maybe one day I will be a farm girl.

Marching in

"March comes in like a lion and out like a lamb."

I think aside from October and November, March is one of my favorite months. It is a month of hope and new beginnings; it is a month that stands on the border of winter and spring.

It is a very green month in my mind as well - I start thinking about my garden, since now is about the time my Uncle will be starting seeds, and will be heading out to his greenhouse to start our plants. I am excited to see every year what he will grow. I told him I want to photograph the whole process this year, from seed to finish, and I should be starting this pretty soon. I bought some seed as well, to have him start for me; I chose Detroit Dark Red Beets and Spinach. I hope I can fit everything in my garden! Last year we expanded the garden site, and Billy built a fence, which did not keep Penny out by the way, and I don't think Billy would like it if I asked to expand the garden even further this year. I am hoping for the usual suspects in a backyard garden, tomatoes, yellow squash, zucchini, red peppers, green peppers, banana peppers, cucumbers - my mouth is watering just thinking of all these fresh vegetables straight from my own garden. I always want to plant pumpkins, but they are such space hogs! I might try to sneak some in behind the garage though..

However, the best things I receive in my little uncle-grown garden kit are the sunflowers. Not practical, unless you are a bird or squirrel, but I love these giant yellow flowers of happiness. Last year mine were trampled as seedlings by a certain English Setter, so I have to figure out where to plant them this year to keep them safe. I also ordered a Blue Girl hybrid tea rose bush that I am going to plant in the front yard - I love the coloring in this picture! Every year I add to our perennials, but I like to do that by wandering around my favorite nursery and farm market, Kurtzhals' Farms, and picking out whatever calls to me that day. I currently have peonies and roses, many types of lavender (which I am addicted to planting for some reason), and Billy picked out lamb's ear a few years ago, which every year comes back bigger. The birds love it too, stealing soft and silky leaves for their nests, and in the fall after it has gone to seed, they eat it.

I have to totally redo the herb garden this year - I always plant it next to the house, and I love when Penny rolls in the herbs, because she comes back in smelling like thyme, rosemary, oregano. I probably shouldn't like it, since this is why I have to replant and fix the bed, but who can resist a sun warmed dog smelling like herbs? I am going to be smart this year, and plant extra in pots.

What about you? Do any of you garden? What do you like to plant? I am always looking for new additions!