Quilt for the Seminar

I did it again. I waited until the last minute to finish the quilt wall hanging for the silent auction at our master gardener spring seminar.
 
 

The top picture is the quilt at 4:00 this afternoon. The bottom picture is the quilt just after midnight when I finished it. In between 4:00 and midnight I helped set up for the seminar, attended my baby sister's birthday party, and quilted and put the binding on the quilt. Now I need to wind down and go to sleep so I can get up at 6:00 am.

Thing to Do Around Here in April

VP posted another You Ask We Answer (YAWA) edition on things to do around her neck of the woods. As a YAWA A.P.E. Texas Branch correspondent I feel the responsibility to tell you of a couple of things we can do around here at this time of year.

First I hope to see some of you this Saturday at the Kaufman County Master Gardeners' Spring Seminar at the First Assembly Church of God Church at 3401 S Houston St Corner of State Hwy 34 and FM 1388] in Kaufman, Texas. 8am registration. Program begins at 9 am. No attendance fee/ pre registration is not required. Seminar will include a Master Gardener plant sale, as well as the sale of Orchids and Earth Kind Roses, a silent auction, refreshments, informational booths and a photography contest [2 -8x10 photos per entrant. Photos must be submitted during registration between 8-9 am]. Speakers will be Lynn Ackerman, Master Gardener: Gardening with Cactus and Succulents; Dotty Woodson Ed D Extension Program Specialist- Water Resources Texas AgriLife Extension Texas A & M System: Home Irrigation Systems; Pat Abramson, Master Gardener: Gardening with Herbs. If additional information is needed, please call 972-932-9069. I will be the crazy lady selling plants.

The Ennis Bluebonnet Trails Festival will run 4/17-19. I am planning on attending on Friday and hope to get a bunch of other north Texas garden bloggers to meet up with me there.

Finally, Dallas Blooms will run through 4/12 at the Dallas Arboretum.

I Think I Survived April Fools Day or They Just Can't Find Me

I hid out all day at the library. Right now, it is 20 minutes until midnight on April fools day. So far, they have not got me. I took preemptive action and poked myself in the eye with my garden journal last night to get sympathy and avoid April fools shenanigans. I think they are all asleep. Just to be safe I am staying up until midnight. If I don't post tomorrow, somebody come find me. They are evil pranksters and cannot be trusted. I am not paranoid. Seriously.

Google Translate Makes Garden Blog Reading Even More Fun

A few weeks ago, I took an advanced google search class for my job at the library. I had used it before, but was reintroduced to google translate. We have many Spanish speaking patrons and this little tool makes asking questions a little easier. No magic bullet just one more resource.

How does this apply to garden blogging? Well, I love the photography on the blog Garden Life . His English is very good. My Japanese, not so much, er, at all. Now I just highlight his text, copy, move it over to google translate and boom, I can read what he is writing. Now I can enjoy the thoughts and words as well as the photos.

There are more blogs on Blotanical written in languages other than English. Now I am off to enjoy their blogs without the language barrier.

Give it a try.

Crimes Against Onions

 
 

Some monkey or another pulled up a bunch of half grown onions and threw them on the front lawn. This crime has Baby Monkey written all over it. He is going to eat those onions.

So tell me internet, what is the appropriate punishment for crimes against onions?

Middle Monkey's Favorite Greens

Middle Monkey asked for greens tonight. Here is how we do it.

Greens - Swiss chard and collards today, a bunch, more that you think you need. This stuff reduces down to nothing.
1 clove minced garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

Saute the garlic in the olive oil over medium heat. While the garlic is sauteing, remove the stalks and chop the greens. Add the greens to the oil and garlic and wilt. Add the chicken broth to the pot and reduce. When almost all of the liquid is gone, remove the greens from the heat and add the vinegar. Watch as Middle Monkey eats it all and doesn't share.

Greens cutting technique - Cut out the stalks. Roll the leaves up all together. Slice the rolled up greens the long way, don't let go. Now cut the greens the short way across the length of the rolled up greens. Ta-da, Perfectly cut up greens very fast. Hope this made some sort of sense. I'm tired. Never mind, I went and had Baby Monkey take some pictures that will show you. Sorry about that last picture.

 
 
 
 

Earth Hour with the Monkeys

A sampling of things I had to yell during Earth Hour.

"That's not fair. Your arms are twice a long as his."
"HEY! MY COUCH"
"Stop jumping around with candles"
"You may not catch anything on fire."
"Do not throw shoes."
"You have to pee in the dark"
"HEY, THOSE ARE MY PILLOWS."
"You need to take that stink outside."
"I don't want to learn how to play chess."
"NONONONONO, put the helmets down."
"DO NOT THROW SOCKS."
Seriously, somebody help me.

They initiated me into some secret club by candle light, wandered the house with an open cell phone, had a paper wad fight and declared Earth Hour the most fun ever.