The Damsel in Dis Dress
Posted in gardening on Oct 2nd, 2009
The process for saving tomato seeds is different than, say, cilantro or marigold seeds like we did on this page. Ever notice how tomato seeds have a jelly-like substance on them? Sort of goobery? There’s actually a reason for it. That gelatiny goober keeps the tomato seeds from sprouting inside the tomato. Intelligent design! So [...]
Posted in gardening on Aug 12th, 2009
How can you tell if corn’s ready to pick? You peek. Pull the husks back gently and see if the kernels look plump. It won’t hurt the corn if you pull it back a ways, far enough that you aren’t just seeing those little tiny kernels around the top. If they still look small, just [...]
Posted in gardening on Aug 11th, 2009
It’s still summer for a little longer, but some things are already going to seed. Besides the Damsel herself, that is. It’s been soooo hot, which often means a short life span in the Plant Kingdom. Take for example, this marigold, that usually would be going strong for at least another month: The blossoms are [...]
Posted in gardening on Jul 17th, 2009
When the Damsel saw this on her apple tree, she was excited. She’s waited a long time for this particular tree to mature. Then she found out this many apples is actually BAD for her tree. Too many babies make the momma tired, and could even make it so the momma won’t have any babies [...]
Posted in gardening on Jul 7th, 2009
The Damsel has a lot of sage growing in her herb garden. It makes her happy, but she’s been wondering how she’d use it. Her recipes calling for sage all specify “rubbed” sage, not leaves. Rubbed sage has a unique look. Sort of spongey. Not like dried leaves at all. So, the Damsel worried. How [...]
The Damsel was making a dish that called for fresh basil, and although she’s loaded with mint, cilantro and sage, that didn’t help her situation. She went to the market and despaired. You know how much they charge for these eeny teeny packages of fresh herbs? $2.99. She went to the local nursery and bought [...]
Posted in gardening, preserving on Jun 19th, 2009
If you have lavender in your garden, maybe it’s flowering for you now like it is here in the mountains by the Damsel’s cottage. Lavender has a strong, fresh scent that’s been used for centuries. Very old-school. It’s used in soap, candles, lotion–pretty much anything scented has a lavender rendition. Some people even eat it. [...]
Posted in gardening on Jun 10th, 2009
The Damsel has a fun post in the works, but because it needs to ripen overnight, she’ll take you on a little tour of her garden instead. But get ready because tomorrow…yeah, tomorrow. It’s been a bit nuts around the cottage, because #4′s doing this: Whew! Now. Then. The salsa garden has everything the Damsel [...]
The Damsel has a few rose bushes at her cottage. She loves her pink one, and her yellow one, and her minature rose, and her old-fashioned rambling rose. Of course she loves the old-fashioned one. But her red one, an Abraham Lincoln, is the only one that really has a nice rose scent. Apparently, when [...]
The Damsel went out to her herb garden and shook her head in dismay. As usual, the peppermint was out of control. Why can’t the cilantro grow like that? The Damsel can think of many delicious solutions to an out-of-control-cilantro problem. But what do you do with peppermint? The Damsel has used a leaf or [...]
