Life in the Bog means living in peace

Enough said.

*The* Smoothie Recipe!

The ingredients are:

1 cup chopped up fresh spinach and kale. Cut away the stems, use only the tender leaves.

1 carrot, chopped

1/2 banana

5-6 slices of unpeeled cucumber

1/4-1/2 an apple, unpeeled

1/4 cup frozen or fresh blueberries

2 heaping tablespoons pineapple

1/4 cup of "Simply Lemonade with Blueberries" 

Blend in your circa 1978 Montgomery Ward blender on the liquefy setting.

Once the raspberries are ripe, I will be experimenting! I can't wait till august when I can gather most of this from my own garden!

The Three Sisters.

Thus, referring to a Native American planting system which is suppose to be mutually beneficial to the three crops of Corn, Beans and Squash as well as to the soil.  Legend tells that it is time to plant corn when the leaves of the Dogwood are as big as squirrels' ears. I love measuring things that way! The corn provides a pole for the beans, the beans fix nitrogen to their roots and the squash provides ground cover. There are many more subtleties to it, as well as the whole nutritional thing. It is a centuries old technique and I am excited to see how it goes! 

Trying to live simply on an easier time scale is hardly congruent with one of the best $189 purchases ever, my electric tiller! I purchased it from L&M in Cloquet when I was still working. I had the garden tilled in 10 minutes. Let's face it, it's nice to be able to straighten up at the end of the day!

After it cools down this evening I hope to get my seeds into the ground. Stop by in July to see how it's doing!

How to Build an Apple Orchard in One Day!

Step one, get a man who really knows the business end of the shovel.

Step two, dig 2 dozen post holes.  Using the available piles of logs, trim them down and plant one in each hole.   Then run some "Swedish" style rails from one post to the other. This is to keep the deer out! We'll also put some rabbit fencing around each tree.

The "Apple Tree Guy" said to get 2 different types of Apple tree that bloom around the same time for pollination reasons.

 I am standing next to my new Zestar. The other one is a Statefair.  I also have 2 Honeycrisp that might make it.  We learned the hard way about how much deer love apple trees!  By now it's 3:00. Time to pick off ticks and soak feet.

Everything I need

Chaise lounge, check. Fire in the fire pit, check. Spring peepers and evening birds, check. Big red dog, check.  Mom's old wool blanket, check. 

Luxuries

Automatic Dishwashers are great! I used to have one. There was nothing better after a long day at work than to be able to throw all the crusted egg plates in and turn on the power. 

Without the time pressure anymore, I have rediscovered the true joy of washing dishes. The luxury part of this endeavor is doing them outside, with water I have pumped and heated myself. It is especially pleasant if the dishes being washed were used to entertain truly enjoyable people. It gives a second chance to reflect on an evening of good conversation, music and some fairly good soup and bread! 

The last bit of luxury-added is the "doing them outside" part. It's still the earliest part of spring with nary a bud or green shoot, but the birds are back and the fickle spring clouds compete with sparse sunshine. All in all, I do realize the value of time with each passing day.  May you have time for everything that moves and shakes you!

Haiku

Green Booted Trees
Rod Steger would be so proud
MukLuks of the Bog.

Spring 2014

Considering most things *start* in the Spring, so too, shall this blog.

Spring 2014 begins my second full season here in Mahtowa, MN.  If you want to cut lose from the grind and the grid, maybe you'll find some ideas here to get you started.  I certainly live in the rough.  It's a matter of being intentionally poor.  I just don't do well with too much money and find I am happier shopping at thrift stores and Habitat for Humanity.  There is something very vital and rewarding about reusing and recycling.  There is something even better about not buying anything in the first place!

My home: