Gardens, Fishies and Other Random Thoughts

 Well, my gardens have been planted, now all we have to do is wait...the hardest part for the Monkeys!  I got one of the gardens wrapped with chicken wire, but didn't have enough to go around the other one.  That will be this weekend's project as well as another million things I have to get accomplished.  This morning Big Monkey told me that she wishes there were only Wednesdays and the weekends.  (Apparently the only day she likes to go to school is Wednesday because she has cooking class and gets to go to the gym.)  I couldn't agree with her more!  As a full-time-working mom, it is so hard to get the house cleaned and in order.  I feel guilty after being away from the girls all day and the last thing I want to be doing is cleaning.  I want to make the most of my nights and weekends with them.  Touch-up cleaning gets done here and there, but my house is far from spotless....and that is ok, because my time with them is more valuable.  We are, however, very lucky to both have the summers off; one of the perks of us both being teachers.

In the big garden I planted cucumbers, two different kinds of lettuce, spinach, and zucchini.  In the smaller one I have watermelon, cantaloup and strawberries.  I also planted a blackberry and blueberry bush.  

Last weekend I decided to try to make my own goldfish-type crackers.  In an earlier post I mentioned I had made my own fish cookie cutter using a pop can.  The recipe was very simple to make, but with using high-quality ingredients, it wasn't really cost-effective, but boy were they good!  The original recipe called for four tablespoons of butter, but they were a bit greasy, so I decreased the amount to 3.  

Goldfish Crackers

8 ounce block sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (works best if you shred your own)

3 Tbsp. butter cut into cubes

1 cup flour

3/4 tsp. salt (I use sea salt)

2 Tbsp. cold water

Pulse everything except water in a food processor until the mixture resembles course sand.  Pulse in water 1 Tbsp at a time.  Remove dough from the processor, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.  Roll out the dough (about 1/16 of an inch) and cut into shapes.  

Place on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper and bake for 15 minutes in a 350º oven. (May need more time to get them to right crispness.)  Remove from sheet onto a cooking rack and cool completely.  I ended up letting mine sit out most of the day to dry out a bit because they were a bit chewy (but still delicious).

 

So, I haven't posted about my budget this much...with good reason.  It is long busted.  My garden and other expenses have washed it away, but I can tell you that I haven't spent anything on clothes or other useless items.  At least I'm trying :)

Trying Out My Green Thumb

A few weeks ago I decided to start some vegetables from seed. The seeds I had were all "approved" for growing in pots, however I realized I would need a lot of pots to grow the number of plants I started, and that just wasn't a frugal idea.  I searched the internet and found quite a few good ideas--ever think about planting in a reusable grocery bag?  I considered it due to our backyard not having consistent day-time sun; I could easily move the bags around to catch the light, but decided I wanted something more permanent.

 I found box planters but at $40 a piece, that wasn't practical either.  So, last weekend I decided to build a raised garden bed myself.  I picked up six pieces of 4-foot cedar fencing, trimmed off the tops, cut one in half and nailed the pieces together.  The remaining three fence slats went on the bottom with space left for drainage.  Once I got the box together, and after talking with my friend Amy and my neighbor, I realized that my one box just wasn't going to cut it.  So, I build another box using 6-foot fencing.  Each box was lined with heavy grade plastic.  I cut several holes along the open spaces and covered each with rocks to allow for drainage without losing soil. So now I have two garden beds on my patio awaiting my beautiful new seedlings.  The girls have thoroughly enjoyed helping and watching the seeds grow.  Today they noticed our spinach surfaced and were quite excited.  Maybe this will get them to eat it!  I was hoping to get the seedlings in the ground yesterday, but it was so cold the past few days.  Maybe tomorrow.  I also plan to surround the boxes with chicken wire and top my fruit box with a netting that is supposed to keep birds out.  We have a lot of deer, rabbits, raccoons and other friendly creatures, so I worry I won't have much left by the end of the season.

       

This is all a learning experience so we shall see how it goes.  I'll keep you updated on its progress throughout the spring and summer.  I don't think my garden will prove to be so "profitable" this year due to the start-up costs, but hopefully as the years go by, I will reap the benefits.  If nothing else, it will certainly provide many hours of fun, learning and memories for my girls and I...which is the most important thing of all.