I think that winter is misunderstood.

One of the best things about the changing seasons is that you get the opportunity to plan for new things in the garden. Surprising things. Beautiful things. Or yummy things. The fact is that we need the down months of winter. Our gardens are always growing, moving, producing, and evolving in one way or another no matter what type or style.

At one point last year you may have hit a wall or two and found that it was it impossible to keep up with the weeds, or deadheading, or overgrowth, or the harvest. Did you really find enough people to take all that zucchini? Or maybe the armloads of flowers you brought into the house didn’t leave any blooms to dress up the garden.

The garden isn’t the only thing that needs the quiet time of the cold months. Winter offers the clean slate that we need to take a look at the bare bones and reassess. It gives us the rest that we need to collect our dreams and ideas and bind them together with some tangible planning. We need time to think and time to make plans.

I’ve got some killer plans.

1. Our first project is a brand-spanking new veggie garden — no small feat, I assure you. The bazillion deer alone are a force to be reckoned with. Since we just moved to hawk Hill last June, we weren’t able to wrap our minds around a proper vegetable garden. I just drug some over-grown, root-bound tomato plants and peppers with me popped them into the rock-hard soil. I refused to plant them back at our old place because probably a non-gardener would move in and waste my darlings. Heathens.

2. The hill-tiered garden that we stuck the scraggly veggie plants in last year will be a lovely (and my largest) herb garden. I refer to this garden as “the potager”, pronounced “POT-u-jer”. Which is, by the way, completely incorrect pronunciation of this word. It’s more French than that. But hey, my garden; my rules.

3. I saved my coolest plan for last. If you don’t like fiber or fabric, you can move on now. Cuz’ this will bore you to death. But if you’re a crafter…oh yeah, you’re going to be so pleased. I’m planting a dyer’s garden. What is a dyer’s garden? It’s badass, awesome, and totally on the cutting edge — that’s what it is. It’ll be a garden of plants whose flowers, stems, or roots can be used to dye fabrics, yarns, and other goodies.

This is not a sheep.

Plus, Betty White lets me spin her fiber, so there’s that.

Top those plans. Go on, I’ll wait.

*Oh, and for those who are still saying “potager” over and over, here’s the correct pronunciation of “potager”

(You have no idea how hard it was to resist adding “Dude” to that post title)

~ Dead plant photo by Yours truly, Chris McLaughlin
~ Calendula photo by Audreyjm529
~ Betty White (Angora goat) photo was taken by Hollis McLaughlin

Yes, I actually spun the wool on this spindle. Swear.

I learned to spin today. I’d been waiting for this for years.

More specifically, I learned the first part of spinning wool. Apparently there’s a few more steps and the next one involves “plying”. Plying basically goes like this: after you stress out and finagle everything into spinning a couple of bobbins, you let a couple of yarns twist together (or a single back onto itself to add the plies), effectively cutting your progress in half. Go figure.

Anyway, I’m trying hard not to think that far ahead. My teachers run a small business called All About Ewe and are some of the nicest ladies I’ve met since we moved up here. They kindly cheered me on saying that my spinning looked great (no doubt “for a beginner”, but ya’ll know I’m easy and I’ll catch any bone tossed my way).

I think I did okay.

I had my first spinning lesson inside a charming barn filled with all things warm, colorful, and handmade. This place where the sheep ladies teach doubles as a handcraft boutique that I didn’t get nearly enough time to peruse.

There couldn’t have been a better classroom.

Like every fiber craft I’ve ever learned, I knew I would enjoy it. I felt comfortable right away while drawing the wool from the roving and letting the wheel twist the fiber onto the bobbin. I’m learning on a smoky-brown wool called Rambouillet (pronounced ram-boo-lay) and while I don’t know much about the sheep breed itself, rambouillet is about as romantic and exotic sounding as it gets — so there’s that.

You’ll recognize this sheep breed from the back of your expensive wool sweaters — Merino.

When my lesson was over, I got to meet the sheep behind the wool, so to speak. I say “so to speak” because these sheep weren’t actually those behind the wool that I was spinning — but they very well could have been. The fiber I was using came from a sheep named Victor who is now grazing on that big pasture in the sky. Although, I’ll never meet him I silently thanked him for donating his lovely wool so that this first-timer could learn this ancient and classic art.

I tried to sneak this one into the back of the car…

I did get the chance to chat with a black sheep that had some seriously big doll eyes framed in long lashes that let me ruffle his wooly head — like a story book come to life. I kid you not. There was also a curious Llama who came right up to me and wasn’t unfriendly, but would rather you kept your hands to yourself thank-you-very-much…I felt I should respect that.

I got the feeling that she ran the place.

As I drove away with both spinning wheel and fluffy roving, I thought about the fact that after completing the basic spinning steps and the necessary hours of practice, I’ll be able to create something warm and wonderful for my efforts.

Then that it dawned on me that I don’t know how to knit.

The view of the Coloma valley from our back deck — I’ve died and gone to heaven…

So where the hell have I been?? Certainly not writing on my, poor, neglected blog. Okay, so while I finished The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Small-Space Gardening, I was also working on the edits for Hobby Farms: Small-Scale Rabbit Raising…and packing and moving to one of my favorite places in California — Gold Country (Sierra Nevada Foothills)! We’re now living on our little micro-farm at Hawk Hill.

Here’s part of the terraced potager. I can SO work with this, muahahahahaha.

Thirteen to fourteen years ago we lived out here and it’s been “home” ever since. So we were tickled pink to be moving back. We’re now out of the suburbs and have 5 acres of land to mess around with…can you even imagine what’s going on inside my head? The funny thing is that you’d be amazed at how much small-space gardening is still involved. I have a small, hillside-terraced potager which will be the first garden I’ll tend because it’s fenced and hot-wired to keep the deer out. Yup, we’re gonna have a face-off with the deer now. I also have containers on my back deck because it’s safe from the deer, as well.

Hydrangeas at the top of the potager.

Out front at this point, we have to carefully select ornamentals and veggies alike and plant those that are deer-resistant. Notice I said deer-resistant as there really isn’t any such thing as deer-proof. But I’m having a run of good luck do far. Not only is it gorgeous, historical, and right above the American River (white-water river rafting!), but I once again have my horses home.

Ya gotta love my mare’s fly mask…

If you’re a horse person, you’ re smiling right about now ‘cuz you get it. Right after we moved (about 3 weeks ago) the book edits came back for Small-Space and of course, I had online articles to work on in-between. Did I mention that in the middle of everything my kids and grand kids came to visit us from Tennessee for two weeks? No time for breathing — or eating. And I dropped 5 pounds off somewhere.

Yeah, so that’s where I’ve been: in Crazyville. But, a good kind of Crazyville.

I hope you guys will hang around because I can’t wait to share my gardening escapades as I start my gardens all over again!

The Mason bees in their little bee sleeping bags (cocoons)

My first season with my Western Blue Mason bees has been a tricky one. Everything was cruising along just fine until we decided to look for a place with a little more land — and found it. We didn’t have an exact date pinned down for the move-in, but spring wasn’t waiting for the likes of us and we knew that our bees were going to want to wake up soon.

Boring, cookie-cutter tract home

So, Husband-Extraordinaire, the Children of the Corn, and I decided to take them up to our new place in Gold Country (Placerville or Old Hangtown), hang up their little bee condo, and release them up there. Although, it’s been extremely difficult to get the pictures that I’d like, I think it was a smart move on our part. Placerville area is where California loves to grow their apples…and all kinds of other fruit trees. In other words, Mason bee heaven.

Semi-custom home in the same neighborhood

First, we rolled out the welcome mat by having the youngest of us decorate the bee house to resemble our indoor fairy house. We then used logic and science while we argued about the best location to place our first bee residence. We’re pretty sure our only-neighbors-on-the-hill didn’t hear a thing.

Of course, it ended up being secured in the exact location that I had suggested from the beginning. This isn’t so much because I’m bee-brilliant as it is that I have a secret weapon when it comes to rearing mason bees — Dave Hunter. Husband-Extraordinaire and the Children of the Corn are in no such way hooked up to bee people. So I win. Here’s a couple of tips for the spring from Dave at Crown Bees:

• The males will emerge first and hang around the holes waiting for females to pounce upon and mate. They will also forage for food, but predominantly will wait for the females.
• The females will emerge next (2-7+ days). They will forage, mate with the males, and then begin nesting.
• You might not see females actively go in and out of your holes for a while. Be patient…
• Your females might find other holes to nest in around your house, and they might also move to where they feel there’s better pollen and holes. It’s awfully tough trying to train a bee to know which house is theirs!
• Birds may want to nest in your mason bee house if there’s room. They may also want to play with the straws. (for shame!) Consider placing netting over the entrance if you’re concerned. Use holes no smaller than ½”. A garden or hardware store will carry netting or chicken wire.
• Pests, especially parasitic wasps or cuckoo bees. The cuckoo likes to sit near a hole that is being slowly filled by a mason bee. When the cuckoo bee sees the mason bee leave, she quickly runs in and lay her egg in the pollen filled hole. This egg hatches later and its larva then kills our mason bee egg/larva. The wasp lays her eggs through the side of thin tubes and can squeeze through plastic trays. You can remove either by spraying them with water from an old Windex squirter. (and then squishing them. I know… we should let nature do their thing, but still!!!)
• Mud is important! Be watchful that you have moist mud. Open water isn’t what’s needed… your bees can’t swim! Crownbees.com has a suggested mud pit to try.
• Dead male mason bees near the colony. This isn’t a bad thing, but something to be aware of that is natural. (They live only 2 weeks!)

Here’s what my Mason bees probably look if I actually had a picture…

Next, I’m going to con…I mean ask politely the only-neighbor-on-the-hill if she’ll snap a picture of my bees in the next day or two. If it turns out her legs are broken or worse, she heard us yelling and already refuses to speak to us, then I’ll snap a few next Friday to share with ya’ll.

*In case you missed it, here’s the first post here on Western Blue Mason bees ~ My Blue Mason Bees Have Arrived!

We interrupt this gardening blog to give a head’s up to the dudes in our lives. Valentines Day is kinda special to the ladies, guys and I wanted to share a few tips for the less-than-romantic out there. So, I’m bringing back an article I wrote a while back as an elbow- in-the-side for the uninitiated. And yes, guys, you will receive a little somethin’-somethin’ for your efforts even if you had to refer to a list on a garden blog to do so.

Let’s say you’re an old fashioned kind of guy, and you’d like to send flowers to your lady-love this Valentine’s Day. There’s nothing wrong with that. But let’s pump some steroids into how the flowers are sent. Remember, it’s all in the delivery, dudes.

Below are some ideas to boost the point value on the blossoms:

1. First of all, never send your lady flowers at her house where she receives them alone if you can avoid it. Not if you have the opportunity to send them to her work or any other place where her girlfriends and coworkers can see them delivered to her.

2. Is your Valentine also your wife? Then get down to the florist and bring her the same flowers she carried down the aisle on her wedding day. If you need to, find a picture of her bouquet and bring it with you to the florist. If you’re really romantic, you could have the entire bouquet re-created. (Could you even imagine what her ‘thank you’ will look like?)

3. Here’s a huge point-scorer. When you send your lady flowers, send a second bouquet – to her mother. Thank her mom for bringing your lady-love into this world. Don’t forget to send her mother’s flowers in front of people – she’s a girl, too.

4. You may have heard the rumor that we women can’t resist a man in uniform; this rumor is true. Rent one and show up with a bouquet in hand. I’ll tell you right now, you can’t go wrong with a fireman’s or officer’s uniform. It.never.gets.old.

5. And finally, if you’re in love with a gardener, bring her flats of cool weather annuals like stock, primroses or cyclamen. Trust me; she’ll appreciate you bringing her flowers with the roots still attached.

Today was an extremely rainy Saturday here on the suburban farm. But in between jags of pouring rain, I managed to capture what I think are sights of interest. The first one is what I’m thinking is the ultimate in small space gardening – a couple of volunteer baby lettuces popping up in the crack between my driveway and cement border. Remember the hanging basket of lettuce during the summer? Well, I let one of them go to seed and I’m thinking that the wind clearly takes its job seriously as a pollinator and planter. (Dinner? Just a minute, let me grab some lettuce from the driveway…)

The next thing I noticed was very pleasing, indeed. The neighbor’s lemon tree is hanging just perfectly over my fence and are happily beginning to ripen *snoopy dance*. Muahahahahahaha…Part of small space gardening is using what’s around you, my friends. Could this picture be any better? It most certainly can.

If I back up a bit, I’m able to capture my Americauna hen, Churro, in the image along with the lemons. Just look at this noble animal.

Oh yeah, the clouds part for a day or two, but is it enough to keep me from whining about the fact that we might as well be carving pumpkins? No. I’m a California girl and I want my sun, dammit. (Call me childish or call me determined – it is what it is.)

Yesterday, I decided to shed my Grinch attitude and look for positive signs of the warm growing season to come. Embarrassingly enough, the signs were everywhere. I’ve now decided that things are moving along, if not a a rapid pace, they are moving along and I’m going to be okay with that – yes, I am. Because I’m saving up the rest of my complaining for July, when you know it’ll be too damned hot for me.

This is a ‘Black Krim’ tomato that’s clearly an over-achiever. While I was tickled to see this tiny fruit make its appearance, I thought it was little bit show off-ish if you ask me. This is May 17th.

And because I’m just smitten with the way this turned out; here’s the top of my hanging basket out front. The heirloom lettuces ‘Mervielle des Quatre’, ‘May Queen’, and ‘Petit Rouge’ are practically frolicking in this ——>

There’s even some baby apples on my columnar apple trees out front. The things that happen when you’re walking around bitching, right?

If you haven’t ever been to a SF Flower & Garden Show, I think it’s my duty to inform you that you’re missing out big time. This show didn’t earn its reputation for being the most cutting edge garden show in the country for nothing. The sheer talent of the most amazing designers anywhere shows up in spades at this garden-gala and it’s an event not to be missed.

I know that there are some fantastic pictures and slide shows of these masterpiece gardens floating about the internet that can back up my claims. But, for me, one of the most impressive things about this year’s show is the Victory Garden display.

Inside the buildings wandering through the those jaw-dropping designs, I was in awe and maybe, (if the truth be told) a little out of my element. Oh, I always pick up a few great ideas here and there for my own yard and I have immense appreciation for these creations. But in the Victory Garden I was home.

This was more like my house. Colorful veggies and insect-inviting flowers combined with a lovely little design (I do love some design) and I was in my element.

And be still, my heart – they even had a chicken tractor with live chickens clucking about! I do want to mention that quite a few of the exotic garden designers used many a veggie tucked in here and there among their designs. This only goes to show that there’s no end to their genius (just sayin’).

These guys stopped at nothing to bring the most amazing plants to the public. This last image is of a 100 year old olive tree. How the hell did they manage that?

(*Yes, this is quite possibly the worst photography I’ve ever participated in and my apologies go out to Laura and the SF Flower & Garden Show team)

Okay – so check THIS out. I’m cruising through Borders minding my own business when I happen to pause at the garden section (most of you will actually read “garden” as “porn” – you know who you are). I’m telling myself that I absolutely will not purchase one more gardening book. Yes, the promise is made while my fingers are crossed behind my back, just in case.

Then I see it. It’s not a book, but a box and it’s sitting at an angle which could only be described as coy, wearing a come hither look. If there’s one thing I can’t resist (aside from books and mochas) it’s boxes. And this one’s a beauty.

She’s wearing an antique gray-green as a base and adorned with Victorian lettering and pictures of vegetables from yester-year. In old fashioned strokes, “Kitchen Garden Box” is printed across the top, with “Save and Sow Seeds” right smack in the middle. Be still my heart. The seeds from my garden deserve to be saved and displayed in something this lovely.

On the back of the box there’s some adorable advertising describing you what you can expect to find inside. I claimed that box so fast (after all there was only one) that I nearly forgot to get a mocha. Of course, I didn’t actually forget to get the mocha. I’m a box freak but not completely insane.

Inside are all these wonderful cards each written in a quaint scrawl. There are cards on seeds saving, growing seeds, recipes, tips…oh, God knows what else. When I came across the fantabulously decorated seed envelopes I damn-near swooned.

Who in world could have created such a magnificent box to sit on my own bookshelf? I see Mike McGrath’s name near the bottom of the seed treasure box and it all makes sense. No wonder the creator knew what I wanted – this is no gardener-come-lately. He’s one of the originals. Remember Mike from Organic Gardening Magazine some years back? By “some years”, I mean like 12. I think his last year there was 1997.

Hey, Mike…dude, you out-did yourself this time. I mean, you had me at the empty box.

*No one sent me this box or any money in exchange for a review. Yes, I seriously bought it myself. Yes, I seriously almost died over it.

You may have heard about the fabulous Type-A Mom conference (by Kelby Carr) that took place this last weekend in Asheville, North Carolina. You might also know about the many breakout sessions that not only consisted of some excellent speakers, but also addressed many concerns that we as bloggers have, but isn’t often voiced honestly (and we had some honesty). These sessions gave everyone a chance to ask important questions face-to-face with bloggers-in-the-know and make connections that may have otherwise stayed a mystery as we went about our busy lives.

You might have also heard rumors of the wonderful sponsors that supported the conference just as they do individual bloggers. Not to mention those that embedded themselves right there in the Town Hall Meeting to answer the questions of several hundred serious mommy bloggers.

Someone may have told you about the fashion show, the Walk Disney World reception, Boiron Mom Market, and the tee shirts we wore made of plastic water bottles by KikaPaprika. Creative Memories gave us an embellished slide show of the conference before the conference was even over. Oh, and the singing – did anyone tell you about the singin?!

In fact, Angela England wrote and performed Type-A Mom’s very own song with Sarah (@RealLifeSarah) accompanying her on guitar. If you did hear all of that, then you more than likely heard about the wonderful speaker dinners that gave us a chance to really get to know each other a delicious downtown dinner. There are dozens of other things an attending blogger could have told you about the Type-A Mom conference.

No one could have told you that many of us showed up with the concern that maybe we were frauds. We didn’t fit the definition of mommy blogger at all. We were political bloggers, weight control bloggers, gardening bloggers, business bloggers, fashion bloggers, writing bloggers, and news bloggers. Maybe we weren’t “mommy bloggers” because we didn’t blog about being a mommy or raising our families.

What you may not have heard about was how we laughed and joked and hugged… and ran through the rain to catch a bus. How we watched a fellow blogger be the last to climb the bus stairs because of the contractions in her baby belly. How we all smiled and appreciated the expectant moms who made it to the conference because we’ve all been there. Every last blogger at that conference was threaded together because of pregnant bellies.

What you may not have heard was how those of us questioning where we fit began to realize that being a mom colors everything we touch – including anything we blog about. Its what makes us passionate and compassionate. It allows us to be exuberant, furious, sad…and realistic.

What you may not have heard is that each one of us went to that conference under a single label and came back as an entire community.

I want to thank a most gracious woman, Margaret Roach, a garden writer after my own heart, and her own community at the The Sister Project for sponsoring me at this conference. Not only has The Sister Project opened my eyes to what I forgot I was, but also introduced me to sisters I had yet to meet, Mishelle Lane, Lisa Douglas, Sara Harmon, Amber Haines, Malia Carden, Corina Fiore, and Deb Rox. I’m honored to blog with the sisterhood.