This year was my first year to try growing celery.
Looking at the photo above, you would think, how on earth is that celery going to look like the celery I purchase at the store?
The trick is the following.
Once the celery is tall enough, you will wrap a paper bag around the plant, leaving the topmost foliage exposed. Tie the paper in place with twine.
What we are doing is blanching the celery.
Blanching is accomplished by excluding light over a period of time while the plants continue growing.
You do need to check the progress of the blanching, celery is susceptible to rot.
Once you have stalks that have reached a light greenish yellow color, the plant is ready to harvest.
I forgot to take a photo of my celery all in a row with bags wrapped on them.
I did remember to take a photo of the finished product.
I froze some of my celery for soup.
We ate some fresh and I tossed some in potato salad and chicken salad.
Everyone thought it tasted great.
I am already making my garden list for 2016 garden season. I will be planting two rows of celery.
A neighbor suggests that I might put up a scarecrow near the vines, which would keep the birds away. I am doubtful about it, the birds are much too accustomed to seeing a person in poor clothes in the garden to care much for that.
1. It's hard to believe, but next week's Hodgepodge will find us in the
month of September. What's one thing you want, need, or hope to do still
before summer officially ends?
I can happily report, I have done all I wanted to for the summer of 2015.
We enjoyed many great summer adventures.
2. When were you last at 'your wit's end'?
Again, I can happily report I have not really been at my 'wit's end lately'.
Of course, now that I said that I am sure something will happen today.
3. Describe a time you were figuratively thrown into 'the deep end'?
The first story that comes to my mind is from when I was in my early 20's. It is a funny story.
My grandma Martha was living at the nursing home when I came to pick her up for an outing. She was not dressed to go out. I was rather shy about seeing my grandma naked. She asked me to help her get dressed. I was slow at helping her. She yelled at me, "Carla, I do not not have anything different than you have got, now help me with my bra." And so I helped my grandma Martha get dressed up and helped her do her make up too. I was tossed into "the deep end". In the end, our relationship just grew even more special.
4. Does the end always, ever, or never justify the means? Explain.
Never!
8 Finally,
brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is
right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if
anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:8-9
5. What makes your hair stand on end?
6. I read an article on the website Eat This! Health,
that listed 11 foods we can eat to help end bad moods. Basically it's a
feed your brain so you're less anxious, grouchy and lethargic. The
foods are-mussels, swiss chard, blue potatoes, grass fed beef, dark
chocolate, greek yogurt, asparagus, honey, cherry tomatoes, eggs, and
coconut. Which of those do you think would most help end your own bad
mood? Which do you fear, if forced to eat, would put you into a bad
mood?
Dark Chocolate...oh yes, this will put me in a wonderful mood.
I also love honey, cherry tomatoes, greek yogurt, asparagus, eggs and coconut.
If the mussels are not prepared in way that I would like, that would put me in a bad mood, especially if I am already hungry.
7. What project around your home, office, or life in general feels like there is 'no end in sight'?
Sweeping or Vacuuming my floors.
8. Insert your own random thought here.
I will be enjoying my first garden fresh squash this week.
We enjoy getting together with friends and family and playing lawn games. My new favorite is lawn darts. Have you ever played lawn darts? My husband shared with me that when he first played lawn darts they had a metal tip on the end. Not anymore.
Our boys love scavenger hunts. We have enjoyed doing scavenger hunts for many years.
Grab your space suit, your space food and let us go "to infinity and beyond!"
Genuine Space Food
This was a fun exhibit. I was amazed at all the choices of food.
We also learned that on the International Space Station all the Nations share foods. No need to travel to Russia to try Russian food, just head to the International Space Station.
With this exhibit you got to try working in space, wearing a space glove. It was a challenge.
Look real close at this photo, do you see I am floating.
We are taking the controls of the International Space Station.
We have to keep the air clean and moving. We are using the sun to charge our batteries. Keeping fans going and lights on or off. This was so much fun, and I am happy to report we made it. We did not kill everyone.
Working a robot arm to do repairs on the International Space Station.
A quick trip to Mars and back.
We loved this guy. He was so much fun. He did experiments with liquid nitrogen.
Exploring other fun areas of the museum.
Playing a round of Mini Golf in the Big Back Yard.
Back to Earth!
Well, that was an adventure.
Thank you for coming along with me today, on an out of gravity experience.
1. Way back when (the Hodgepodge bicentennial to
be precise) several of you submitted questions as part of a giveaway I
was hosting. I went back to that list for inspiration today and found a
question submitted by Marla, who blogs over at Marla's Musings. Thanks Marla!
She asks-At what age did you feel like a 'grown-up'? What keeps you young now?
I felt like a grown up at age 21. I was living in my own little house. I was working in Accounts Payable for a great company in my hometown. I just met Jeremy, my husband today. I was on my own and making my way. I was blessed to live only 10 miles from my parents and they gave me a lot of support.
What keeps me young now? My boys!
2. When did you last buy a vehicle? Was this by design or because you
had no other option? Was the car/truck purchased for your own personal
use or was it bought for someone else to drive? On a scale of 1-10 (with
10 being delightful and 1 being 'pass the Excedrin') how would you rate
the experience?
My husband and I hate vehicle shopping. When we purchased our current truck, it was a NEGATIVE experience. Looking back, we are like, "why did we not just walk out?"
The saying goes" You live and learn!" Still!
3. Corn bread, corn chips, corn pudding, corn on the cob, cornflakes,
corn chowder-your favorite of the corn-y foods listed? What needs to be
served alongside your selection?
I love fresh sweet corn. While growing up my parents had a big garden full of sweet corn. My sister and I could not wait for the first meal of sweet corn.
Pass the butter please!
4. What's something in your life that regularly requires you to 'put your thinking cap on'?
I am learning German with my boys.
5. Share a favorite movie set in a school or classroom, or whose theme relates to school days in some way.
The Blind Side
6. Reading, writing, and 'rithmatic' are commonly referred to as the three R's. What are the three R's in your life right now?
Raising two teen age boys.
Reaping our produce in our garden.
Remembering Sam's baby days. I am going to start a T-Shirt quilt for my son, Sam who will be 16 in 2016. I have saved his T-Shirts from day one.
7. What's something you've learned or tried recently you can say was as'easy as ABC'?
I made Dill Pickles for the first time. I thought it would be hard, not at all, ' easy as ABC.'
8. Insert your own random thought here.
"It is not what you gather, but what you scatter that tells what kind of life you have lived."
We are heading to, The Paine in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
The museum preserves the property’s historic architecture,
with the mansion as the centerpiece, and many of the house’s interiors
as they were created by founders Nathan and Jessie Kimberly
Paine. Selections from the museum’s art collection,
much of which was acquired by Nathan and Jessie, are featured in the
many rooms and settings of the estate. Outdoors, the Paine maintains and
enhances numerous display gardens as “galleries” of horticulture with varied designs and thousands of plant specimens.
In addition, the museum presents changing art exhibitions, from classical to contemporary, as well as seasonal events
like Nutcracker in the Castle during the holidays. The Family Discovery
Gallery, located on the house’s lower level, offers “hands on”
activities about architecture, art, and gardens for people of all ages,
and the Paine hosts a wide range of programs throughout the year in the carriage house and conservatory.
