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Tuesday, May 5, 2020

Welp. Things WERE getting a tad boring.

Shattered!
Since I fundamentally refuse to turn my heat on after May 1, I decided to start a nice fire to warm up paws and toes this morning.  After all, it was 34 freakin degrees.  Lovey and her partner in warmth, Slimmie, had just vacated the hearth when - WHAM BANG CRASH - one of the glass panels on the fireplace screen shattered.  Geezlouise.


Other than that excitement, things have been grinding along.  I decided to get all my little (and getting smaller) ducks in a row to ease me into retirement, so there have been phone calls and emails about the state of the market (stinks), the future of the market (stinks) and my options.  My new motto is 'whatever'.


Lovey highly recommends
retirement.
 This past Saturday, we celebrated my youngest sister's birthday, along with our fourth sister, Barb's.  Champagne and social distancing.  I brought the cake.


 I've started my journey to use up as much of the pantry/fridge/freezer items that I can.  While the casserole below looks less than appetizing (I'm no food photographer), it was delicious - The Enchanted Broccoli Forest's Savory Apple Casserole, starring apples, cheddar and sauerkraut.
Thanks to a day and a half of spring-like weather, I have been able to get six of my nine raised beds ready for planting.  If only spring would arrive with it's entire wardrobe, instead of the little overnight bag she's toting around.  We are due for snow Friday night, with frost/freezing temperatures almost through next week.  While I'm waiting for the soil to warm up, I am using my Burpee Big Daddy onion starts as a center piece.
We're bracing for another round of shortages - this time it's beef, pork and chicken.  Makes me glad I have segued into a mostly plant-based diet.  I'll be even happier when the plants are from my own garden.  My favorite nursery opens tomorrow with all the bells and whistles of social distancing and state regulations.  Luckily for me, they offer order-ahead-and-pick-up service.  I sent off my list and will pick up curbside.  So many adjustments, although I am very aware that these are First World problems and I am very, very grateful to have the opportunities I have.


Meanwhile, my Meyers Lemon tree and I are waiting impatiently to be able to outside and stay there.



16 comments:

jaz@octoberfarm said...

for me, living in the city, the cold weather has been wonderful. it's keeping people inside. as soon as it warms up, people will be out in droves and putting SD behind them. we can only buy 2 lbs of beef at a time here.

Goatldi said...

Agreed on the early retirement and your lofty opinion of the market. My standard mode of expectations is low that way if it isn’t I am presently surprised.

I got a drawf Meyer lemon and she came out of the nursery bearing fruit. Ok I did need my specs to see them but they are there and lots of them.

Good luck with your late winter episode. Every time I have looked at NOAA I thought of you. In fact I think I heard audible expletives coming from your direction.

PS
Glad the kids survived the fireplace explosion. Not fun could have been worse.

ellen abbott said...

yeah, I need to resurrect my food garden as I don't see things getting better any time soon. I'm checking out my options for above ground beds with bottoms! johnson grass is evil stuff.

and I highly recommend retirement as well. as if you'll be less busy. ha ha.

tpals said...

I would have jumped out of my skin at the sound of the shattering. Glad you're all ok.

I refuse to look at my 401k while this is ongoing. In fact, I try not to think about it. Lol

Love the onion centerpiece! Hope you get a real spring soon.

Retired Knitter said...

Wow! That must have been a big startling. Glad no one was hurt by flying glass.

Mama Pea said...

A darn scary thing your fireplace explosion. Very glad to hear no one was hurt . . . but no animal may ever feel comfortable lounging in the warmth in front of it again. I suppose the whole thing could have been worse, but golly!

So your time in lock-down has made you think very seriously about retirement? Good for you! I know you will adore it once you get used to not living in your car for hours each day. ;o)

Poopy weather here again. Down to freezing at night. Had 1/2" of ice on the poultry waterers this morning. Grumpf.

Debra She Who Seeks said...

My ducks are all smaller now too. A couple of them have keeled right over. Thanks, Covid-19!

Helen said...

Didn't you just install those fireplace doors? I tried to look back in your posts, but stopped a little way back (too lazy?hmm) Glad no one 2 or 4 footed was hurt. How strange.
Stay warm.

Debby said...

I refuse to turn my AC on till June and each year it gets harder to keep. I did finally kick it on last week before bedtime. Triple digits this week so I have no choice.

I can't imagine having a fireplace explosion.

Ed said...

We don't eat a lot of meat so I'm not real concerned over any shortages. Plus I already have placed my order with a local chicken raiser for eight birds delivered here in another month and a local beef raiser for 25 lbs of beef, probably more than we will consume in a years time. So for now, I'll let others fight over it and stick to the veggie and baking goods aisles.

Joanne Noragon said...

The weather here in Ohio is no better. I would be out covering the hanging flowers tonight except I have no extra sheets and no newspaper. They're on their own.

Sam I Am...... said...

I hope all goes well with retirement! You will love it! Your casserole sounded so good so I found it and printed it off. I love sauerkraut and keep meaning to make my own...one of these days! LOL!
Our soil is warm here and I have tomato seedlings outside and a few other things but I really have to get going! I have to container garden as there are too many critters above and below ground here to have garden beds. I tried when I first moved here and no go. There are so many bugs and critters here that I'm not sure I will ever be able to grow things. Last year it was squash bugs, the year before that tomato hornworms...very frustrating. I didn't have these problems up north. Here nothing ever really dies in the winter. Good luck and Happy Spring!

Steve Reed said...

YIKES re the fireplace -- and the cold! We've been chilly (about 50ยบ in the mornings) but not nearly as chilly as you are. Thank you, Jet Stream!

These meat shortages are strange to me. We haven't had that in the UK, and I don't know why. Are our meat plants still operating? Have they been operating all along? I have no idea. Need to do some research.

Nancy In Boise said...

Scary having a piece of glass just pop out like that! Retirement? What is that haha. I have about six more years to go currently unless things get much better. I try not to look at what the market says because like you were a lot more resilient than the mainstream. We have a 87 degree weather yesterday! Crazy! Today cold front blew through, we just had about 55 miles an hour gusts and it's now 48 degrees. Crazy. Supposed to be in the 80s this next weekend so we're going to go ahead and take the plunge and plant our peppers tomatoes Etc. Hang in there it will be summer soon!

Michelle said...

I've made that casserole; it IS good! And that cake has almost sent me to the kitchen to bake something to ease the craving you have created. Too bad the whole world won't switch to a plant-based diet; that one change could set us well on the way to solving the climate crisis according to all the experts who measure these things. Hugs, friend!

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