Such a good song, such a natural dance. Have you ever TRULY danced? I mean, have you danced the way your body wanted to? If not, go for it. And do it with other people. They'll surely join you, especially if your moves happen to make you look like a spasmodic weirdo. (Preschoolers are especially enthusiastic about dancing this way...) Sometimes I fantasize going back to my high school prom and hijacking the dj set. I'd put on some music that's not so reminiscent of a Baltimore club mix... something that makes you really dance, not just "bump and grind" the opposite sex in some hormonal robotic frenzy. High school dances are gross.

venison bean soup

The past two days were spent making a skirt from that flowery fabric. Sewing by hand makes me pay attention to every little detail. What's the point in rushing through? I found a handmade clothing shop on Etsy called Gaia Conceptions while looking around for more sewing ideas. This sort of clothing is exactly what I like to wear, but do not have the money (nor desire) to buy. Minimal, layered, comfortable, non-seasonal... I'm determined to start sewing clothes like this for myself.

Alright, girly clothing talk over. Better go check the stove. Venison and mixed bean soup for dinner. Perfect for a drizzly evening.

1 pint canned venison (looks and smells like dog food, I know)*
1 quart canned potatoes*
1 bag frozen chicken stock**
7 or 8 whole garlic cloves
1 roasted red pepper
3 carrots
1 onion
4 or 5 cups mixed beans that have soaked for 24 hours
rosemary, marjoram, pepper, salt 

chop everything and simmer until done

*By canned, I mean home-canned, not store-bought. If you don't have real canned venison, use raw meat. If you don't have home-canned potatoes, use raw ones. Just increase the cooking time.

**This was chicken stock that we prepared from scratch and froze. To make fresh stock, just simmer a chicken carcass or about a pound of chicken feet in a big pot for the whole day, until the water is fatty, it smells amazing, and everything is falling apart. Strain and use as your base. You can add peppercorns and other herbs while this simmers for added flavor.

tattoo

Soon you'll see that mandala placed permanently on my good friend's foot. Eventually there will be a set of eyes, one on each foot. I'm excited to look down at them. This will be the second tattoo I've made for someone else. Still, it's nerve wracking! I don't think I'll ever have the nerve to get one myself. My favorites change too frequently.

And do you see that little Swedish flag? My great grandma made it before I was ever born. Love it.

it felt like spring cleaning

 

The past week has been an absolute blessing. I can't believe the temperature has been in the 70's! At school, the yard has turned into a total mud pit, but I'll take muddy cheeks and toes over ice any day! At home, we've stripped off the plastic weather sheeting from the windows, let the breeze flow through, and cleaned the soot from the fireplace. Today is windy and cold again, but it's worth it having had one week of beautiful weather. It gave me the motivation to store away the dried herbs we've had hanging around. Basil, Lavender, Marjoram... I also made the most amazing bread ever. Try it. No kneading required. Perfect!

what will you make today?

Dinner will be chicken stock with zucchini, winter squash, corn, green beans, potatoes, garlic, onions, and rosemary. The only store bought ingredients are salt and pepper. Hooray! It's meals like this that give me hope. We're lucky to have so much food stored away. I did have to throw away four moldy squash tonight, but that's okay. I read that oiling the skins helps preserve them. 

Look at 'em shinin'!

ps. While in need of some sewing music I discovered something quite surprising. How did this crap (hairdo?) turn into this? Wow. For once television has not ripped the soul from a lovely voice!

Seeds

This post is merely for garden fanatics, oddball farmers, and people who like longs lists. We ordered everything from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds. The rest I either had already saved, was graciously given by Daphne's Dandelions, or plan to buy as plants, tubers, or bulbs.
 

Seeds from Baker Creek 2011:

Ma-Zu Purple Chinese Eggplant

Listada De Gandia Eggplant

McCaslin 42 Pole Bean

Purple Podded Pole Bean

Orangelo Watermelon

Stowell's Evergreen Sweet Corn

True Gold Sweet Corn

Collards - Georgia Southern Creole

Golden Beet

Bull's Blood Beet

Five Color Silver Beet Chard

Bloomsdale Long Standing Spinach

Purple Top White Globe Turnip

Chinese Red Meat

Lincoln Garden Pea

De Bourbonne Cucumber

Empereur Alexandre Cucumber

Large Sweet Antigua Pepper

Sweet Yellow Stuffing Pepper

Cosmic Purple Carrot

Amarillo Carrot

St. Valery Carrot

Tendercrisp Celery

Basil - Genovese

Basil - Dark Purple Opal

Dill Elephant

Cilantro, Slo-Bolt

Parsley Giant Of Italy

Red Romaine Lettuce

Tom Thumb Lettuce

European Mesclun Mix

Carentan Leek

Arikara - Sunflower

Mammoth Grey - Sunflower

Hopi Black Dye - Sunflower

American Legion - Poppy

Lilac Emperor Cactus-Flowered - Zinnia  

Get at Southern States:

Potatoes

Garlic

Onions

Spring Onions

Shallots

Buy as starters:

Cabbage

Broccoli

Cauliflower

Brussels Sprouts

Seeds we already have:

Morning  Glory: Tall Mixed Colors, Heavenly Blue, a purple variety we saved from seed

Mixed Kidney Beans

Moon and Stars Watermelon

Early Long Purple Eggplant

Fennel

Random Wildflower Seed (saved)

Loofah Gourd (saved from Harold’s garden)

White winter squash (second year saved)

Butternut Waltham Squash

Costala Romanesco

Spaghetti Squash

Lungo Bianco Zucchini

Striata D’Italia Zucchini

Big Dipper Green Pepper

Seeds from Daphne’s Dandelions:

Dried Kidney Bush Beans

Dried Trail of Tears Beans

Heinz Tomato

Gabreille Anne Sungold Tomato

San Marzano Tomato

Cherokee Purple Tomato

Romeo Tomato

Market Miracle Tomato

This is DEFINITELY on the agenda for summer camp. Along with plant dyes, felted soap, beeswax candles, cherry pie, solar prints, rock salt ice cream, homemade butter, wheat paste and tissue paper balloon lanterns, plaster imprints, and yurt-yoga. This year we have seven weeks of camp. I've themed each week around an in-season fruit or vegetable. What better excuse to make carrot cake, apple crumble, real whipped cream for fresh blackberries...? Planning activities for children is endlessly fun. Oh my.

I would like to thank my Grandpa Ditter and Eva for mailing me a huge stack of dishcloths and an oven mitt that actually fits Jamie. He's really excited for grilling season now! That was so thoughtful.

Before I got their package, I made a new green cover for our old one and cut up a pretty blue wool sweater to make a large mitt for Jamie. The sweater was a gift from Eva as well. It came in a HUGE box full of many, many sweaters for my birthday. (And then my dad's wife gave me even more!) Soon I found myself swimming in sweaters! What to do? Make the ones that didn't fit comfortably into new and more useful objects (oven mitt, leg warmers... ideas anyone?) I'm thinking of making some mittens lined in cotton batting and stuffed with alpaca fiber. 

Sewing by hand is really relaxing and absolutely perfect for winter. I cut up an old linen tablecloth and made about a dozen dishcloths from it. I also found an unfinished embroidered dishcloth in my fabric trunk. Aren't those flowers pretty? It's nice to think about the woman who embroidered them years ago. It must be at least 50 years old. 

Today the temperature is up to 41 degrees and the birds are chirping. The snow is beginning to melt which is fantastic because I'm sick of worrying about the kids at work knocking their teeth out on the ice. Bring on the mud!

little nest in my nest