Tomatoes on my lunch break

Let's play a little game of what's in Shelly's purse.

 

When I attended a friend's bridal shower in October (The same friend I made the pies for!) one of the games we played made the ladies in attendance empty their purses and for various items you received different points (more common items less points, unique items more points) here's a link to a similar game (sadly I couldn't find the one we used)... but you get the idea. (ours had a handgun on it... not sure about that, concealed weapons aren't really that popular around here)

So, I digress... What's in Shelly's purse?

Here's a hint, I've blogged about it recently.

It's going to fit right in on my window sill.

um.... it fits in my purse (which isn't a purse, it's barely bigger than some womens' wallets, really... but it works).

Haven't guessed it?

SEED PACKETS!!!

I'm so beyond stoked. I bought some Kale, Lavender and Rosemary at good old Wal-Mart (hey, we only have one greenhouse in town and it's closed between October and May, don't judge!) and today my heirloom tomato seeds were delivered!

Don't ask me how (I really can't remember) I found TomatoFest a couple weeks ago, but I couldn't help myself when I saw all the pretty heirloom varieties. The colours, shapes.... Lets just say it was pretty much porn for the girl lusting for potting soil under her nails. 

I ordered a fun little selection of tomatoes to get me going this summer and as a bonus the generous folks threw in a free packet!



I hope in a few weeks I can show you the tomato seedlings but for now I'll continue playing with my other three packets (still not enough daylight around here so my plants are a little spindly).

The tomatoes I ordered were: Spoon, Gold Nugget, Beefsteak, Blue Berries and Aunty Ginny's Purple. They threw in a packet of Wickline Cherry for free!

**for the record, I will not be planting anytime soon... apologies for the grainy picture, I was busy shivering**


technically speaking, that's freaking cold.



Wish Wednesday ~ Wednesday Februsry 18th, 2015.

I sort of feel like this #wishwednesday thing is seriously a thing of my past.

It used to be full of pretty things and whims that I just no longer care about. These days all I wish for is my farm.

So while my #wishwednesday tag may fall into disuse (I might still use it though! It's just not the same), I'll keep wishing. Maybe not just on Wednesdays.

I had a small problem...

As anyone who has indoor plants (or who has brought outdoor plants indoors for the winter) will know... sometimes bugs happen.

Last winter I ripped the top off a pineapple and planted it in a pot (seriously, it was pretty much that simple). The thick green leaves are flourishing a year later... but somehow that little bugger has attracted (or brought in) a bunch of what I can only guess are some version of white flies. I didn't notice them much last winter but since this fall I've seen a number of the thinner-than-fruit-fly little buggers in my room.

You know things are bad when they start flying up your nose when you're trying to sleep.

Something had to be done. 

So I borrowed from my mother a pack of Safer's Sticky Sticks, and within a few days I'd caught several dozen little flies! I couldn't believe it! I knew there were a few of them but I ever imagined that many!

Sticky Sticks! (The name doesn't lie, don't get them on your fingers!!)

Conclusion: Great product, highly recommended!

Happy Family Day!

I hope everyone had a great Valentines (/ Singles Awareness) Day and are now enjoying their long weekend courtesy of Family day (or whatever it's called where you are today)(unless you don't get a holiday today then I'm sorry)!

My V-day was spent in Kenora (a beautiful little tourist town an hour west of home) with my honey. He bought me lunch at the Cornerstone, a great little pub which came highly recommended and did not disappoint, entertained my whim to visit a winter farmer's market and sampled tea with me at Spirit Oak Tea Company.

Maple Sugar, Raspberry Tartlet and Kenora Sunset

The farmer's market was small but considering the population of the area, it had a good variety (but you should see the summer market!!). There were a couple of different local meat suppliers, a few tables of baked goods, some handmade jewelery and some jam. We bought some pomegranate and some crab apple jam.

Temperatures were pretty bloody frigid (in the -40s with the windchill!) which made coming home to a nice warm cup of loose leaf tea so much more enjoyable! I just got in from watering the horses (only the -20s today!) but I'm in love with this Maple Sugar tea!

Frosty ponies! (nice tongue Max!)

Happy Family Day!

Baking Pies and Planting Herbs

This weekend the weather gods sure weren't looking out for us poor fundraisers, that much I know. Between 10 and 20cm fell Saturday (the day of the benefit dinner and dance), but that didn't slow our locals down! Over 200 people turned out to join in supporting the affected family and I was reminded again why I love living where I do. My pies were well received and I enjoyed mingling with locals (incidentally I ended up sitting with some Quibell residents and the man who's 120 acres I helped mow this past August!) and trying my hand at a penny auction (and the losing streak continues!).

Pecan (at the back) and Chocolate Pecan Pies ready for a good cause!

But of course my heart is still aching for some soil so Saturday morning while the pies were in the oven I hauled out the bed sheet and did some February gardening. I helped my mum transplant a couple houseplants to bigger pots and moved some herbs into pots from their peat plugs.

Mum's houseplants, my herbs

My dill has fluffy little dills!! (well ok, you know what I mean)

My little garden experiment is taking up a lot of room on that sill...

My current inventory is (starting with the pot at the bottom of that last photo, working my way up): Dill, Basil, Catnip, half a pot of Parsley (the Thyme is taking its time (har, har, har...) and is spending a couple more days in the peat plug before joining the parsley), a whole pot of Spinach and in that last pot I have five different kinds of lettuce!! But I didn't label them so it'll be a surprise to everyone if they sprout!

And of course what would indoor gardening be without the watchful eye of our guard dog (read snoozer)?

Really, Chihuahuas are best left in warm chairs when there's soil on the floor nearby.

I fully intended on leaving you hanging for a couple of days before sharing my stellar pie crust recipe (I don't want anyone thinking this is one of those recipe blogs) but a great recipe like this is meant to be shared! So here goes, help yourself and please share with your friends, family and favourites! (and if you actually read this, please do put a little hello in the comments! I see those hits but no one's been brave enough to introduce themselves yet!)

I like using vanilla (or in this case, cinnamon sugar) flavoured vodka

Pie Crust
Makes enough for a 9" pie tin and a lid (or bake the extra and eat dusted with cinnamon sugar!!)
(adapted from Food52)

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 to 2 cup Flour
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 tablespoon sugar
• 9 tablespoon cold butter (1/2 cup +1 tbsp)
• 1/3 cup cold vegetable shortening
• 3 tablespoon water
• 3 tablespoon vodka

Instructions

1. Combine shortening and butter and place in fridge for a couple of hours until cold and solid
2. Combine vodka and water in a measuring cup and place in fridge or freezer to cool while combining remaining ingredients.
3. In a food processor combine 1 cup flour with sugar and salt (a couple of quick pulses) 
4. Add cold fats and process for approximately 10 seconds or until a dough begins to collect in uneven clumps.
5. Add remaining 3/4 to 1 cup flour (depending on how dry or humid your kitchen is) and pulse approximately 5 quick pulses until dough is broken up and flour is distributed. Empty into a mixing bowl.
6. Sprinkle chilled liquid over flour mixture and mix until just combined.
7. Turn dough out onto plastic wrap, flatten into a disc and chill for a couple hours or overnight. 
8. Roll dough out on a floured surface.
9. Line dish and chill until ready to use.
10. Fill and bake according to your pie recipe.