Did I miss Spring?

The last thing I remember was taking a hike one chilly Saturday and remarking how many of the trees were barely beginning to bud. It was exciting - I could finally see an end to the dreary grey days we'd become accustomed to over the previous four+ months (admittedly, I love winter, but eventually enough is enough!). Then, quite suddenly, as if I'd traveled through a time warp, I found myself on the downslope of Spring - flowers had bloomed and their blossoms dried up, baby animals were poking their curious heads out of their burrows, and everything was strikingly green. How did this happen? Well, we've been immersed in a very intense project...J and I bought a house! All of you homeowners out there probably know what I mean when I say that this process can consume your life. And so it did...oh, how it did... But, we're on the downslope of that now, too, and all we really need to do now is wait for closing. So it looks like we'll be sticking around Ithaca for awhile, and we're really happy about that. :D

As far as blogging goes, I miss it! And I vow to be back more regularly from now on. I'll probably be dropping by on a lot of you, too, so be on the look out. Until next time!

True [Scone] Confessions

I have something slightly embarrassing to admit. Prior to today, despite all the hours clocked in my kitchen baking, I had never made scones before. Beyond that, I had never even eaten one. *sigh* I feel so unworldly. Well, for whatever reason, after planning for this occasion for quite some time, I finally decided today was the day to...get sconed.


I think citrus zest is just about the best thing ever to flavor baked goods. Because of this, I decided to make the orange cranberry currant scones from Extraveganza (orange zest + cranberry is even more powerful). I followed the recipe exactly except for a substitution of Spectrum shortening for the margarine - I also used the spelt flour variation. Overall, I must say that my foray into the strange biscuity/cookie-like world of scones was not a disappointment. These were just sweet enough to satisfy my sweet tooth and filling enough to satisfy my mid-afternoon hunger. I see many more scones in my future, along with tea, and hopefully some yummy homemade jams somewhere down the line...

Speaking of tea, I enjoyed my first scone with a cup of [not so proper] roasted dandelion root tea, which I think is reminiscent of coffee. Then again, this may be similar to my insistence that Brazil nuts taste like turkey...*shrugs*

How to Grow an Apple Tree

As promised, here are the instructions on how to grow your very own apple tree from seeds (I'm thinking the same instructions could apply to pears, as well).

1. Enjoy a delicious apple of your choice, then cut open the core to reveal the seeds.

2. Roll seeds up in a damp paper towel. You will want to roll them all up, because some will not sprout.

3. Refrigerate for 7-14 days.


4. Check on your seeds every few days. The skin will start to crack open and little tails should appear by day 7 or so.


5. Once the tails are about as long as the seed, fill a small container with potting soil and plant your seed approximately 1 cm below the surface.

6. Water whenever the soil dries out (I water mine every 2-3 days). Your seedlings will soon pop their heads out of the soil to greet the sun.


7. Once the seedlings look sturdy enough to fend for themselves, plant them outdoors in a spot safe from possible predators.

8. Sit back and relax for 6-10 years and then see if your tree produces fruit as delicious as that first apple!


Just as a note (and as a response to Erica's question): because commercial apples have been hybridized so much, you really don't know what genes will show up in your little seeds. This is why the tree may not ever fruit or, if it does, why the fruit may not be very tasty. I still say it's a fun project though...and besides, I have faith in my little trees! ;-)

Why Not the Window Sill?

I recently experienced what I would like to call a very "duh" moment. It all began with a little experiment I wanted to conduct: I had just eaten an incredibly delicious pink lady apple and started to wonder what would happen if I tried to grow the seeds. So, grow the seeds is what I did. It will be a long time (10 years or more, according to some sources) before my baby apple trees bear any fruit of their own, and even then it's questionable what the fruit will taste like, but it's still fun to be growing something. Watching things grow is good wholesome fun and provides a connection to the earth, especially during the dormancy of a white winter.

*directions for growing your own apple trees coming soon*

With the success of my apple seedlings, the realization that I could have been growing a lot of other things on my kitchen window sill (away from the mischievous kitty paws and teeth) finally came crashing down on me. Hence, the "duh" moment. So now I am embarking on a little adventure to transform the space in front of my kitchen window into a mini garden. I am planning to plant some herbs and wheatgrass for starters, and I'd also like to grow sprouts again - something I've experimented a bit with in the past (it's really so simple, I have no excuse NOT to at least sprout).

It's been my dream to grow my own food for awhile now and I kept putting it off until we had a house...but why should I wait when I can take action right now? Even if the action is a small action, it is still a step in the direction of where I want to go, and that is ultimately what is important. Here's to a happy garden and growing your own food!

If you really want to eat locally, why not try this challenge out for size: 100 Foot Diet from Path to Freedom.

Super Cows: celebrating the grotesque

According to the man being interviewed, "when you look at this, you can't help but think of lunch..."

According to me, this is completely perverse. I don't claim to be well-versed in cowspeak, but looking into the bull's eyes, it's obvious to me how miserable he is. He seems to be saying, "why have I been trapped in this freakish body? I just want to mate normally with females and frolic in a green field somewhere." Instead of frolicking, though, these creatures can barely move their legs - every step is precarious. All in the name of more meat. In my opinion, this is just another symptom of the sick human fetish with MORE-BIGGER-FASTER-BETTER.

I am deeply concerned for these animals, but perhaps I shouldn't be. After all, they are "as healthy as any other intensive-producing animal."

*sigh*