Millerton - Home Improvement

It was a busy weekend but so many things were accomplished.

One of the first things I did was paint the iron furniture my neighbor had given me. It was black and a little rusted in spots. The entire process took about an hour! Yah, that's all. I used 4 cans of RustOleum white paint. I found some nice & reasonably priced cushions and pillows at Target of all places. It's coming along nicely.... but definitely needs a fire pit!

I also finished putting the gravel around the raised bed for my vegetable garden. No more navigating the lawnmower around the boxes of vegetables and no more edge clipping! I also think it looks fantastic.

I'm very pleased with how my garden is growing. We've had a lot of rain, not a lot of sun, so everything is very green and healthy. But, without the sun, nothing is blooming or ripening.

All we need is SUN! Look at how fantastic these Brussels Sprouts are doing. The turnip and beets, on the other hand, have beautiful greens but no bulbs...

All in all, our home is coming along nicely. I took this photo of the front yard as a "before" picture because we should be getting our picket fence in the next couple of weeks! Very exciting.

Millerton - Things to Do

This past Saturday we went strawberry picking with friends at a farm near Copake.

On Sunday night I made Strawberry Jam. I'm sure there are recipes you can follow, but I'm not much of a follower.

Here's how I make Strawberry Jam.

1. Clean and prepare strawberries (remove stems, etc.).

2. Place strawberries (about 6 to 7 cups) in large pot with about a 1/8 cup of orange juice.

3. Cook strawberries on low heat until they release their juices.

4. Add sugar and stir (add as much sugar as you like - I start off with about a cup and go from there).

5. Continue to cook strawberry/sugar mixture until all of the liquid from the berries is released.

6. Use potato masher to smash cooked strawberries until they are at the consistency you like (I don't like large chunks of strawberries in my jam).

7. Add pectin.

8. Once the mixture comes to a rolling boil, ontinue to cook, on medium heat, for about two minutes, stirring consistently.

9. Ladle mixture into sterilized jars.

10. Clean the rim of the jars and place sterilized lids on them then tighten lids slightly.

11. Once the jars of Jam have cooled a bit - but are still warm then tighten as much as you can.

12. Once the jars of Jam have cooled completely, store in refrigerator (I keep them in the refrigerator because no preservatives are used and to be safe).

This is the basic method I use to make any type of jam. If you want to make jelly just strain the liquid from the pulp and use only the liquid.

Millerton - Vegetable Garden

The real difference between rich and regular people is that the rich serve such marvelous vegetables. Little fresh born things, scarcely out of the earth. Little baby corns, little baby peas, little lambs that have been ripped out of their mothers’ wombs. Truman Capote.

Our lovely garden is coming along nicely.

Pumpkins.

My little pumpkin patch (first time pumpkin grower here) seems to be doing just fine! I can't wait to train their long tentacles to grow all around the garden boxes. And this fall, my daughter and her friends will be so happy picking the orange beauties for Halloween Jack-O-Lanterns. (Oh, and I'm looking forward to making - and eating - pumpkin pies.)

Vegetables

I took advantage of the cool weather this past weekend and placed pea gravel around the raised beds. No more having to navigate the mower around the boxes and I love the earthy look (although I'm feeling the 15 wheel-barrel loads of gravel it in my back today!)

I also planted a few more things. I planted some sweet potatoes, a rhubarb, a sun choke and even tried soy-beans. Soy-beans don't generally grow around these parts (hehe) but I figured, "What the heck. If they grow and I get some beans, my daughter will be very happy with me."

Fruit

Although our plum tree had a bunch of lovely white blossoms in early spring, only one lovely little plum survived our very strange weather including exceptionally high winds (even some suspect "tornadoes") torrential rain and thunder storms. Now, if it can just survive the birds!

Millerton - Creating

Yes, it's Spring and the weather is perfect for gardening - or just relaxing.

One of the reasons I fell in love with this particular village home was because of it's fantastic wrap around porch.

The thought of sitting on the porch, sipping coffee and sharing conversation with family, friends and neighbors was enticing to say the least.

But it wasn't until our first spring that I realized how beautiful these these Rhododendrons would be.

Millerton - Creating

Lily of the Valley

In the early spring, on the shady side of our yard, there is a huge patch of Lily of the Valley.

The white bell-shaped flowers (which also come in pink) cluster on a small stem and hide under their large green leaf.

The fragrance from these small flowers is soft and delicate. Pick a handful and put them in your home and you will be shocked at how their sweet clean scent fills the air.

We are also fortunate to have this lovely wild columbine. While it may not have a perfume, it's flowers and foliage are lovely.

With the rock wall backdrop, these columbine stand nearly two feet tall.

Millerton - Creating

Recently Updated with this photo!

Here is a photo of my tree peony after the buds opened.

These amazing flowers are about 8 inches wide.

One day this bush will be about six feet high and four feet wide and hopefully

COVERED in these amazing blossoms.

One of my first "posts", in June 2010, was about Peonies.

After many years of wondering, "What is my favorite flower?" I can honestly say, unequivocally, "It's the Peony!"

There are so many varieties - in so many colors and shapes - with a perfume unlike any other. Whatever your favorite color might be, you'll find a suitable peony. Yellows, purples, pinks and reds and stripes, solids, doubles and singles. All with a fragrance that will knock your socks off. Small flowers, huge flowers or in between. They are great for cuts and essential to a proper cottage garden.

Just look at this tree peony - ready to pop! With its huge blossoms and bronze leaf.

This is only a one year old plant - first time bloomer - and look at it's beauty.

Each year I plan to add a couple peonies to my landscape - collecting peonies will be my new hobby.

Millerton - Vegetable Garden

2011 Vegetable Garden.... progress

In this photo, we have Brussels Sprout on the far left, followed by Radish and Carrots, then Beets and the 4th row are turnips. I've mixed the Radish and Carrot seeds because the Radish will mature faster and as I harvest it will provide ample room for the carrots which are slower. I've started my seed on two-week intervals to hopefully have vegetables for a longer period.

As you can see, the tomatoes are in their cages,

the chives have already started to bloom and the raised beds are made and ready.

I love the beautiful pink chive blossoms which are fantastic in a salad.

And my new neighbors (Cathy

and Walter) gave me these

brightly colored tomato cages.

In this photo are two varieties of cherry tomatoes - a red and a yellow.

I also have cucumbers and sage.

Now, all I need is for the weather to

cooperate.

WE NEED SUN.