Snow

It has been an unusual winter this year.  Spring temperatures during the typically coldest time of the year.  Quite frankly, I have not missed the -30 degrees below zero and the 50 mile an hour constant wind, but it has been dry and a few weeks ago we finally got some much needed snow.

A roaring fire in the wood stove kept me toasty and warm.  I spent my time curled up on the couch pouring over seed catalogs, painting in my art room, reading from the nature writings of Burroughs and Muir, and sipping hot chocolate.

I love cold days when you have to stay in. Unless..... they linger around for too long.

The evergreen bushes are filled with little birds using their branches as shelter from the cold.

While keeping toasty indoors, I have been working on painting the interior of the house.

I choose a warm rust color for the entrance room.

The room is quite small, about 9x10' so I was a bit concerned about using a dark color, but the double doors to the sun-room allow in enough light.

I made a new table for the kitchen. Using a narrow sofa table, I painted it white and then distressed it.  Then I added boards I have been saving from a recycled water bed project for the top.  It is a long narrow table, just right for our tiny house. It fits 4 chairs when pushed up under the window, but will fit several more when pulled away from the wall.

I found this old paint by number painting at the thrift store and knew it would look perfect hanging on the kitchen wall. 

How have you been spending your cold winter days?

Transplanting RHUBARB

Here is a photo of one of my Rhubarb plants in Roosevelt.

I snapped it just as I was heading out the door to go (South) to the farm.  Knowing that my Rhubarb at the farm would be much further behind because it is much colder at the farm ,I threw in several big coolers to bring a large portion of my rhubarb plants back up to transplant in my garden.

Spent several very cold nights at the farm in my Vintage Airstream.  A little bit of water left in the bottom of the water bucket froze solid.  The night temperatures dipped to 10 degrees.  Good thing we had a big pile of blankets to keep us from freezing to death!

The Rhubarb at the farm was just breaking ground.  I dug out about 20 plants and carefully placed them in the coolers.  Leave as much dirt intact as possible so they won't dry out.  After transporting them back to Roosevelt, I cut each plant into 3 smaller plants using a sharp shovel.  

For successful transplanting dig a deep hole and fill with water.  Place the roots down and fill back with dirt about 3/4th of the way, just to the top of the crown.  Water in good.  The indentation will help collect the water for the roots. 

 Now add a shovel full of aged, composted manure, and add straw or old hay around the plant.  Rhubarb likes wet feet and the hay will keep the ground moist.  Generally you are advised to wait a couple of years to harvest, but I have always harvested the stems as they mature through the season, just don't harvest them all.  Leave at lease half on the plant. 

This photo is of a plant in the late summer that I had transplanted early in the spring.

(MY SHOE HELPS PUT THE SIZE OF THE PLANT INTO PERSPECTIVE)

You will not always have this kind of growth, but with my organic methods, home-made compost, and the "Gourmet Goat Garden Garnish" (from my beautiful herd of Nubians) that I liberally apply, this is my typical results.  I harvest the plant within 4 months of transplanting, remember.... DO NOT harvest all the stems.

MORE INFO HERE

 CAUTION:  DO NOT EAT THE LEAVES!

THIS POST HAS SOME YUMMY RECIPES

make some Rhubarb Crisp

or a compote for ice cream....YUMM!!!