Organic Garden Update

Here's an update on Stone Wall Organic Garden:

There are a million tomatoes and I've been blanching and freezing just about everything. I feel like I am playing "Twister" while I pick the tomatoes. We have 70 tomato plants - my new name is "Farmer Girl!"

We also bought a "FoodSaver" - see link on side bar for more information. It takes the air out of the bag as your food is sealed. That way your food can last much, much longer in your freezer. Years even!

We have some mega zucchinis like this one:

The cucumbers are excellent! Here's one:

Wax beans are like bananas - look how big!

This is oregano. The watermelon is spreading, however, so I had to put bricks around the oregano to protect it. It's very mild oregano and tastes good in salads too! Drying it will bring out the true oregano flavor for seasoning.

Here's one of the baby watermelons starting. This was last week (7/26/09), but as of today -8/5/09 - it's the size of a bowling ball!

Oy vey! - we are going to have many watermelons!

Here's a turnip - I blanched, cut and froze most of the turnips using the FoodSaver.

Here's some beets - I boiled them, cooled them off (following the Barefoot Contessa's recipe), removed the skins (wearing rubber gloves of course - or else I would have purple hands!), cut them into small sections, marinated them in Julia Child's vinegrette recipe, and sliced fresh onion like my Grandmother used to do. Very good food!

Here are some carrots. I will have a separate post showing more photos. I also made a video of the carrots and will post it on YouTube. They are rainbow carrots and we harvested about 50 lbs!

The broccoli is starting - not too bad for the first planting.

This tomato looks like a turtle with a smile:

Here's our basil. I am going to make pesto, providing I can find REAL pine nuts that are NOT FROM CHINA! Do you believe it? I am going to look in an Italian market for pine nuts FROM ITALY!

Here are some onions and leeks:

The parsley is holding up and it's very flavorful:

Every time I look at the cabbages, I am reminded of Peter Rabbit:

The potatoes are almost ready too. We've harvested some. There are red potatoes and Yukon gold.

That's it for now.

Au revoir!

On Higher Ground Original Water Color

Painting again! I usually go through dormant stages, but eventually end up picking up the brushes and getting out the paints!

This painting is from a recurring "mountain image" in my mind from all of the years that I lived in Vermont. I grew up on Long Island, but loved to ski - not very well, mind you! I decided to be a ski bum one season in Vermont, but didn't realize -- back then -- that I would stay there for the next 17 years!

"Ah - Yup," as they say.

Vermont is where I learned most of my fiber arts like knitting, felting, and spinning yarn. It was there that I learned how to paint watercolors as well.

There is a Christian worship song, with the chorus: "Lead me to the Rock that is higher than I." This chorus became engrained in my mind, from listening to it over and over when I went running. For this painting, I decided to add this chorus for encouragement and inspiration. There are many people who need encouragement right now.

The painting measures 10" x 7" on Windsor & Newton "Cotman," 140 1b watercolor paper.

Please visit my Etsy Shop for more details --> PAfiberartist.etsy.com

"...Lead me to the rock that is higher than I."

(Psalm 61:2).

Le Petit Chat

Here is Le Petit Chat - he's a small plush toy that I just completed. He measures approximately 8" tall by 3" wide. He has an embroidered eyes, nose, and mouth, and is wearing a sky blue crushed velvet ribbon as a cat collar.

The crushed velvet ribbon was purchased in NYC at a shop in the Garment District called: "The Store Across the Street." The Store Across the Street was originally launched by Tinsel Trading Company years ago (formerly called The French Tinsel Company). However, due to the economic crunch, The Store Across The Street has merged with The Tinsel Trading Company. If you are ever in NYC, please be sure to visit them! You'll feel like a kid in a candy store!



Le Petit Chat is stuffed with toy stuffing and his soft fabric body is made from polyester soft fleece fabric.



I will be posting him in my Esty stop soon. Please stop by: (PA Fiber Artist).




Merci Beaucoup!
Au revoir!

Organic Garlic Collage

This is a collage of the organic garlic that we grew for the first time last Fall. They were harvested in June and my husband dried them. We will have fresh garlic until the end of the year!

Bon Appetit!

PAFiberartist.etsy.com

I made a new Youtube video. It contains my latest PA Fiberartist creations.

Here you will see some of my new knits featured on Etsy.





Here are some closeups:

The garden is really growing now! Here are some updated photos of Stone Wall Organic Garden:

Lettuce:

Garlic - very pretty when dried:

Lettuce, squash, cabbage, onions, etc.

Carrots sticking right out of the ground:

Peas -- of course! Only God could create something so perfect!

The tomatoes are abundant!

Baby squash:

Wax beans:

See ya! Eat organic food!