Renaissance Woman

A couple of years ago, my friend Edward told me about a radio broadcast he'd been listening to.  Brian Minter (of Minter Gardens ) was talking about growing tomatoes and in it he relayed that growing heirloom tomatoes was very tricky.  Today ... I agree with him. Today I'm not sure if I am qualified to give tips on growing tomatoes.  Aside from the tomato that the cat sat on yesterday (thank you, Jack - she also killed two pumpkin plants!), I'm having a little bit of trouble with a few of my tomato plants.  Two of the cherry tomatoes (that I grew from suckers on my indoor plants from last fall) are NOT looking good at all.  Their leaves are going dark green with lighter green mottled spots, the leaves are curling and both of the plants look very hard doneby.  Now, there are lots of great sites on the internet to tell you about tomatoes and the various diseases and problems they can have.  The closest I've come with this one is a phosphorus deficiency - but that

In response to the great comment left by Laura on my last post ("The Eleventh Hour - continued"), I need to clarify a couple of things. There is no doubt whatsoever that corporations such as McDonalds and Starbucks are bad for our environment.  It cannot be denied that fast food outlets (and, yes, Starbucks is a fast food outlet) create tonnes of incredibly unnecessary waste, what with disposable cups (which will at least biodegrade eventually), lids and straws, wrappers, plastic salad containers (which REALLY pisses me off - be healthy, but environmentally irresponsible).  But along with creating a huge amount of waste (which is what we see, and with my focus on plastics is a huge pisser), these types of outlets have had much more wide-ranging and deep-reaching effects.  Just read " Fast Food Nation " to get a good idea of how McDonalds has been a primary driver in creating factory farms, destroying the Amazon rain forest and transforming our food system into th

Noel found a book for me at the Library.  It's called "Eaarth" (yes, that's "Earth" with 2 a's), and the theme of the book is a continuation of "The Long Emergency" and "The Eleventh Hour".  I'm only 15 pages into it and I'm depressed.  But I need to read it.  I need to know what might be coming in the future.  Because I want to survive it in some comfort with the skills that I need in place. Our situation is, truly, dire (if you really want to know the details, read the book - but most people just don't want to know).  And we've allowed ourselves to get here.  Our greed, our inertia, and our blinders (what keeps us from wanting to know) have kept us from seeing the truth - if these guys are right.  And I suspect they are. But, really, even if we don't want to see it, our world is changing.  And if we are going to survive with any quality of life, we have to open our eyes and see it.  Truth be told, my life in

Today I went to my son's classroom to talk to them about the environment.  Their teacher knew of my interests in recycling and such, and thought it would tie in well to their current curriculum. It went really well.  I read them The Lorax - that wonderful Dr. Seuss book about environmental destruction at the hands of industry.  It's a fantastic book.  If you have children and haven't yet read it to them, you need to.  If you don't have children and haven't read it, you need to.  (I got the copy from the Wetaskiwin Library, but of all the books I should own, this is one). We talked about all sorts of things - from recycling to single use plastics to alternative items they can use.  It's great because Daniel has been with the same kids for the past 3 years and I'm getting to know them all, so there is a certain familiarity with them.  And they are getting older and were so good at listening and putting their hands up.  I was so proud of all of them. But

Tomatoes will likely take up a few of my "tips" blogs.  There's a couple of reasons for that.  The first is that, despite what I saw someone write online (she said it was easy to start them from seed indoors - it'd doable, but not easy), tomatoes are tricky.  Especially in the north.  It might be easy to grow them in, say, Florida, but in Central Alberta, where it doesn't get hot and our growing season is short, they are darned tricky.  The second is that I've taken on the challenge and grown far too many tomato plants for the past few years.  And I've had problems every year - so I can pass along quite a few tips about them. It's a little late to be giving you tips about starting tomatoes from seed, so here I'll just talk generally about tomato care. I started off buying small tomato plants and growing them in large, round planters on my apartment balcony about 13 years ago.  Growing tomatoes in planters is a great way to have enough for salad

I'm pleased to announce that I have joined with a group of other crafters for an online auction through Bigger Picture Blogs to support the Salvation Army in relief aid to Joplin Missouri. One of their bloggers lives in Joplin and they wanted to help the community out.  I saw that another blogger I follow had donated some jewellery to the cause and I e-mailed to see if I could, too. They are putting up several items for auction - a new one every hour for the next two days.  I really don't know when mine will be up there, but please check out their site, pass the URL on to other people and donate if you feel the need.  I'm going to make another of the green dragonflies for them. Having lived in Texas, and through a much milder storm that produced 13 tornados back in 1997, I understand the fear and destruction that can occur with smaller tornados.  I have no concept of the size this one must have been, nor the fear and destruction that happened in those few minutes

Here is the latest thing up on my Etsy account - a pair of swirly earrings.  I've been meaning to make them and get them up for the past week.  But things get in the way.  The photo isn't that great.  The other ones I took were in the sunshine - no sunshine here today, but I'll change the photo as soon as the sun comes out again. Please tell your friends if you are so inclined!

We went with Daniel's class to the Ukranian Cultural Heritage Village today.  It was a fun trip - very interesting to see what they do.  And they were all planting today.  Potatos, corn, peas, beans.  When we went into one of the houses, the woman had their seeds all soaking in water.  And I thought "Shit, I forgot to soak my peas". Seeds like peas and beans as well as corn can all be soaked over night before being planted.  It helps them germinate faster.  I usually do it, but this year I forgot.  It may be too late for you this year, too, but remember for next year.

Last night we were enjoying a rousing evening of company and conversation at our friends' house across the street.  Dale and Kevin have a beautiful 1914 Eaton's catalogue house.  They have lovingly restored it to it's deserved stateliness, and have decorated the interior with bits and pieces of history - wonderful pieces of furniture, old picture frames, shutters, trunks and the like.  A glass-topped coffee table has compartments that show off the bits and pieces of past lives that they have dug up in the garden and around the property.  They like to surround themselves with old things.  Maybe that's part of the connection we have with them - a love of the past and the past's stuff. Anyhow, last night someone pointed out the mark on a piece of wood that Kevin brought to the house.  This piece of wood sits atop a radiator and serves as a side table with a lamp and books sitting on it.  I'd never really thought about it, wondered where it came from or what it wa

Ah ... the May long weekend.  Here in Central/Northern Alberta it is usually a gamble to plant anything earlier than the beginning of June.  Believe me, that shortens our growing season significantly, but frost is a possibility any time up til then and sometimes afterwards.  In this new technology age, however, we have the Weather Network dot com, which is a step above the Farmer's Almanac, and I rely on it a little too much to judge just whether there is going to be frost or not.  And they say there won't be ... so I planted my garden this weekend.  The tomato plants are in, as are several varieties of squash.  Daniel's 3 corn plants have found a home among the pumpkins, the onions, peas, carrots, lettuce, kale, turnips, spinach ... all in.  The strawberries were uprooted from their usual spot and moved to a shadier strip - not sure if they'll do well there, but they really didn't produce enough to take up the room they did.  And where the strawberries were - a n

Beth Terry at www.myplasticfreelife.com is going to be putting this on her blog.  She was asking for help finding a copy that she could post, and after watching it, I felt I needed to share it with you. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4r3krs8eEY Please watch this.  It's about Britain's plastic recycling being shipped to China.  But the same thing happens with ours.  Not all of it goes to local manufacturers - as a matter of fact, I'm not sure that all of the plastics we put in the recycling bin actually get recycled at all, but I would have to research this. Anyhow, watch this and then think about it next time you decide you can just recycle your plastics and it will all be fine.  REDUCE is the most important part of reduce, reuse, recycle.

As you could probably guess, styrofoam egg cartons bug the crap out of me.  I usually buy the organic eggs from Safeway and they come in cardboard cartons.  But when we got out to the Hutterite colony I can buy local eggs for less then half the price of the organic.  Problem is, they come in styrofoam cartons. So the last time we went out, I took the old, heirloom egg basket that I acquired from one of my grandmothers, and got the nice Hutterite lady (Sarah) to get me eggs without a carton.  Straight from the cardboard flat, the eggs went into my basket and came home that way. Now, the Hutterites will take the cartons back for re-use, but they can only be re-used so many times before they are worn out.  This just takes me out of the loop and removes my responsibility for that carton.  Remember ... there are always options. P.S. - if you have an option of buying eggs directly from the layers (or their owners) I don't think you need a special basket to do it - any basket s

Just tonight I watched Leonardo Dicaprio's enviornmental documentary "The Eleventh Hour". I've also been reading a book called "The Long Emergency". Both are rather depressing.  But only because they are telling us that things have to change.  And, let's face it, life has been rather easy and comfortable for quite a while now, and we don't really want things to change. Want it or not, however, change is coming.  The form that change will take is what is in question.  If we don't each individually make some major alterations in our lifestyles, the change will be much more uncomfortable.  And, frankly, my faith in humanity is such that I suspect that is what is going to happen.  I just can't help but think the vast majority of people (not those of you who read my rantings on a regualr basis, but the seemingly uncaring rednecks that I see on a daily basis) don't pay enough attention and don't think about it enough to realize that w

Also added a pair of earrings yesterday - they match the orange dragonfly pendant. I hope I don't annoy any of you with all the postings - but this is one way to advertise.  I won't be posting everything I put there - just these first few, and then maybe once a week or twice a month. And for those who like it, please feel free to pass along this blog address.

Thanks to my dear, supportive friend, Shelly, the first dragonfly pendant is gone.  So I made another: I am hoping to have some earrings and things up on the site in a couple of days.  Thanks for checking in at www.sandiratch.etsy.com

Okay, well, I did it.  I set up an Etsy shop (click on the blog title "Etsy shop" to go there).  Don't get too excited yet.  So far I have only one item for sale: Now, I haven't had much time for the jewellery biz the past couple of years, so I really don't know how well this will go.  But if you would like to pass along my name and the internet address ( www.sandiratch.etsy.com ), I'd be grateful. I'll try to get a few things made this week, but I don't expect this to take off like gangbusters.  I suspect a lot of time and effort will be needed.  I don't know if I have the time to commit to it, but I'll at least put in an effort for a couple of months. And now, to the garden.  Or the laundry.  Or the dishes.  Or maybe thinking about supper.  Hmmm ...  Or work.  Or writing.  So many things to do.  So little time.

Okay, well, I did it.  I set up an Etsy shop (click on the blog title "Etsy shop" to go there).  Don't get too excited yet.  So far I have only one item for sale there: Now, I haven't had much time for the jewellery for the past couple of years, so I really don't know how well this will go.  But if you would like to pass along my name and the internet address, I'd be grateful. I'll try to get a few things made this week, but I don't expect this to take off like gangbusters.  I suspect a lot of time and effort will be needed.  I don't know if I have the time to commit to it, but I'll at least put in an effort for a couple of months. And now, to the garden.  Or the laundry.  Or the dishes.  Or maybe thinking about supper.  Hmmm ...  Or work.  Or writing.  So many things to do.  So little time.

Okay, well, I did it.  I set up an Etsy shop (click on the blog title "Etsy shop" to go there).  Don't get too excited yet.  So far I have only one item for sale: Now, I haven't had much time for the jewellery for the past couple of years, so I really don't know how well this will go.  But if you would like to pass along my name and the internet address, I'd be grateful. I'll try to get a few things made this week, but I don't expect this to take off like gangbusters.  I suspect a lot of time and effort will be needed.  I don't know if I have the time to commit to it, but I'll at least put in an effort for a couple of months. And now, to the garden.  Or the laundry.  Or the dishes.  Or maybe thinking about supper.  Hmmm ...  Or work.  Or writing.  So many things to do.  So little time.

So here's the thing.  I feel like I need to make a little bit more money every month.  I do have a regular contract gig with a heritage consultant that ends up usually being about 5 hours per week - sometimes more.  And I work at the Millet Library 3 hours per week.  And then I have contract work that can be quite a lot at certain times of the year.  But there are always dry periods ... like now.  We're kinda in-between seasons with both archaeology and heritage consulting.  And this is the time of year I start to feel pinched. I really shouldn't worry about it.  For years now this time of year has been tight.  And I spend my time gardening and doing things around the house.  And when work starts up again, I realize there is more than enough work to keep me busy and to pay the bills.  But somehow that doesn't stop me from feeling ever so slightly panicked at this time of the year. However, a little extra money each month wouldn't hurt.  We have things we want to

My friend, Laura, asked me to share some prairie gardening tips on my blog.  So it's her fault! We are not talking flowers here.  I am a vegetable gardener.  I have nothing against flowers.  They are pretty and really spruce up a place.  But I feel my time is better spent growing things we can eat.  So my husband is in charge of the flowers. Let me start with this - I have not been gardening that long.  This summer will be number 5 for me.  My garden has grown from a little 10x15' plot to something larger - about 15x30' (although I haven't actually measured it).  So I am not an expert.  But I have a good friend who has been giving me great advice, and you really do learn a lot by doing.  So I do have a few tips to pass along. My first piece of advice comes from a conversation I had with someone the other night.  No, you cannot just rototill the weeds into the ground and "voila!" have a garden.  Certain weeds will multiply with being cut up and turned int

This e-mail came across my desk today.  And following it is the reply I sent back. Friends and relatives here is something to think about: In the line at the store, the cashier told the older woman that she should bring her own grocery bag because plastic bags weren't good for the environment. The woman apologized to him and explained, "We didn't have the green thing back in my day." The clerk responded, "That's our problem today. The former generation did not care enough to save our environment." He was right, that generation didn't have the green thing in its day. Back then, they returned their milk bottles, pop bottles and beer bottles to the store. The store sent them back to the plant to be washed and sterilized and refilled, so it could use the same bottles over and over. So they really were recycled. But they didn't have the green thing back in that customer's day.

This e-mail came across my desk today.  And following it is the reply I sent back. Friends and relatives here is something to think about: In the line at the store, the cashier told the older woman that she should bring her own grocery bag because plastic bags weren't good for the environment. The woman apologized to him and explained, "We didn't have the green thing back in my day." The clerk responded, "That's our problem today. The former generation did not care enough to save our environment." He was right, that generation didn't have the green thing in its day. Back then, they returned their milk bottles, pop bottles and beer bottles to the store. The store sent them back to the plant to be washed and sterilized and refilled, so it could use the same bottles over and over. So they really were recycled. But they didn't have the green thing back in that customer's day.

The other day a friend of mine jokingly berated me for ruining his vacation.  He and his wife had gone to the Olympic Peninsula for a getaway.  But as he walked the beaches, all he could do was see the plastic, apparently.  This friend, nearly 20 years ago, had sailed across the Atlantic Ocean, and at that time had started to notice the problem of trash in the seas.  Anyhow, I told him I was glad to ruin his vacation, and hoped he would start ruining things for others ... but in reality, I don't consider being aware of a problem as ruining anything.  Isn't it better to know about it, and be able to do somehting about it?  It's like finding out you have cancer - it might be nice to be blissfully ignorant, but in the longrun, you'd rather find out early, while it can be easily treated, than to wait too long until it's lethal. That's how I see the plastic issue.  If we start to fix it now, maybe it won't be a lethal problem. An article came over Facebook