Hot Temperatures, Canning and Selflessness!

Hot Temperatures, Canning and Selflessness!

It's difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato. ~ Lewis Grizzard

Paul's Amazing Tomatoes!

As we approach another record setting day with temperatures that are well above 90 degrees, it becomes rather difficult to go outside to work in the garden. At best, I will hand water the back in the morning, and go back outside and tackle the front during the early evening. This is definitely summertime, without a doubt. The realization of why I do not have much of a fall vegetable garden is very clear. One cannot breathe when it is this hot. As an incomplete quadriplegic, I am thankful that I can sweat below the level of my spinal cord injury (SCI), otherwise I’d probably have more dead plants. My advice to anyone is to get out early, or wait and go out much later in the day. It is not worth having a heat stroke.

Ideally, I would have every garden equipped with soaker hoses and every container with drip irrigation. It would be a lot easier if I only had to turn the water on, and turn the water off on a daily basis. Unfortunately, this is not the case and I have to be smart about what my body can safely handle with the intense heat. As I have emphasized before, we all have to stay hydrated and keep cool. Surprisingly, everything is still alive, including myself and my husband. We both did some much needed garden clean-up over the weekend. I only did what I knew I could safely handle. We get a second bloom from our perennials, although not nearly as nice as the first bloom and it was time to cut them back. Some we let set seed and we leave for the birds to enjoy.

In spite of the heat, I am thinking about a fall garden. I have my elevated beds and several containers on the back porch. This location is ideal for me. In the fall we will be adding some raised vegetable beds to the very back portion of our property. We will also be installing soaker hoses in them that will be connected to our irrigation system. Because of the more distant location, irrigation is a must.

High-tech tomatoes. Mysterious milk. Supersquash. Are we supposed to eat this stuff? Or is it going to eat us? ~Annita Manning

In spite of the sweat, I have been totally inspired to eat healthier and to grow more of our own food. My awareness of more and more vegetables becoming genetically modified with GMO’s or heavily ladened with pesticides has increased my own desire to become more sustainable through organic backyard and front yard farming. (A fairly new phrase to me, ‘yarden’ refers to this practice of growing more vegetables within the yard instead of lawn.)

I will continue with my organic practices, and I will continue to learn more about good companion plants. I have a totally new appreciation for anything grown for one to consume. I also have more plants growing in my yarden that are edible than I ever realized. Hopefully, as long as I maintain a small useless patch of lawn, my neighborhood association will be okay with this.

I’m inspired by the numerous photos I see daily showing off the amazing amounts of fresh produce that my friends on Facebook are growing and sharing with others. The delicious recipes and cupboards full of canned goods are a definite indication of the amazing results of their efforts. The photos all bring back happy memories for me growing up too. We always had canned tomatoes and green beans available to eat throughout the year. There is truly something wonderful to be said about going out unto your back porch and coming back in with a shirt full of tomatoes! My eggplants, tomatoes, okra, and peppers are all still going strong. My purple beans may be ready to go soon, but have been wonderful too. I just need a better strategy next year for my squash and cucumbers. I will happily support our local farmer’s market too!

Rita's Amazing Canning!

By now, many of you realize that I’m into this gardening thing for the flowers too. If you look at my pictures as simply being pretty, I appreciate that. To me, my photos are a little more than that. My photos are usually taken up-close for everyone to enjoy the uniqueness and the amazing detail of every flower. I am intrigued by this to say the least. I prefer to take my photos out in the garden. I believe that life is more visible and evident this way. It’s also more of a challenge for me when it comes to having the right light, and, hopefully, not too much wind jiggling the flowers around. (Yes, I like challenges too.)

My dexterity isn’t completely intact, but I’ve learned to use what I have. Occasionally, I come close to dropping my camera. (I have a strap on it though, but not always around my neck.) I use my thumb to push down the shutter button to take my pictures. It works better. Sometimes I trigger a spasm if I hit my elbow just right on my wheel, and God only knows what I’ll take a picture of. Oh well, that’s life! I have my own file of not so perfect pictures too. To me some of them look more like nice water colors.

Gardening in itself may pose a few challenges here and there, but overall it makes me incredibly happy. Whether it’s the challenge of cultivating something new, or learning a new technique, there is always something to do or learn. I really don’t need any measurable statistics to tell me that mentally I’m more at ease surrounded by beautiful flowers. Although, it may be hard for me to realize, not everyone is into gardening quite as much as I am. (They should be!) Biting into something that I have grown myself is truly what it is all about for me. Waking up to that beautiful bouquet of flowers sitting on the counter is the nicest expression of “I love you” that I can think of. Even if it does contain the one flower you were planning to photograph later that morning in the garden.

I simply refuse to dwell on negativity no matter how much I must contend with on a daily basis, and within life in general. I can’t understand the psychology behind any acts of violence or vandalism, nor do I try to justify or rationalize these needless acts of aggression. Selfish, cruel acts are not excusable by me. Higher powers offer that kind of forgiveness. Random acts of kindness and selflessness (‘melessness’) are what I favor in life. These ever growing senseless acts of violence shock and sadden me, but make me look for and appreciate the real beauty in life even more.

Sometimes I think that if we all could simply appreciate the abilities that we do have, and focus less on what we don’t have, we would all be better off. I can push the button on my camera with my thumb, and for that I am grateful. I’ve had to use my nose before on my phone to take a picture. That worked too! I use what I have, and try not to dwell on what I don’t have. That too is life!

Sharon's Delicious Tomato Pie!

More of Rita's Wonderful canning!

Her is a delicious recipe on how to make a tomato pie by Cottage at the Crossroads. Looks Delicious! Thanks Jane! http://cottageatthecrossroads.com/how-to-make-a-fresh-tomato-pie/

Fresh Tomato Pie
Ingredients:

I frozen deep-dish pie crust
1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
2 pounds tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 sweet onion, sliced thinly and sauteed slightly
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried dill weed
salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Wash, peel, and slice the tomatoes. Lay the slices on 2 sheets of paper towel. Sprinkle the slices with salt and allow them to drain for at least 15 minutes. Take another sheet of paper towel and dab any moisture from the top of the slices. This step is very important because you will end up with a soggy pie if you don't!
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Poke a few holes in the bottom and sides of the pie crust. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove pie crust from the oven.
3. Spread 1 tablespoon of mustard in the bottom of the pie crust.
4. Layer the tomato slices in the pie crust and season with salt, pepper, fresh basil, and dried oregano.
5. Place the onion slices on top of the tomato slices.
6. Mix together the cheese, the mayonnaise, and the dried dill weed.
7. Spread the cheese mixture on top of the tomatoes and onions.
8. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until the top is lightly golden.
9. Let the pie rest for about 15 minutes before slicing. Serve warm.

Buds, Blooms and Birthdays: Celebrate Life!

Buds, Blooms and Birthdays!

"One who plants a garden, plants happiness."

Happy day to all! Celebrate life every day! Twenty-five years ago today I was heading home from the hospital with the greatest birthday gift a person could ever have. My son was born two days earlier on the 14th of July when I was twenty-five, and just two days from my twenty-sixth birthday on the 16th of July in 1987. Two days ago, he turned twenty-five. Amazing how time really does go by fast.

I’ll never forget the uncertainty that I felt when I confirmed that I was pregnant. I stopped off at one of those “Doc in a Box” places to verify the accuracy of the home pregnancy test that I had used the previous day. I never told my son's father beforehand, because I knew we were moving back up North again very soon. He was going back to work for a company he had previously worked for, and I didn’t want to cause any unnecessary stress if the test wasn’t correct.

The doctor and nurse at the clinic seemed heartless. They looked at me as if an abortion was my only alternative. The doctor said he couldn’t take care of me because I was a high risk pregnancy, and he didn’t want to deal with the risk. They pretty much asked me “What are you going to do about it?” I guess they couldn’t understand, even though they were medical professionals, how a quadriplegic could have a child. It was quite sad on their part actually. Thankfully, I very quickly found a new doctor.

We moved up North and lived in a house that was off a dirt road during the winter and spring while we were trying to sell a house in the South. We were blessed to live in the in-laws house rent free while we tried to find a new house that we could afford. To get into the house, I remember quite vividly having to transfer up one step from the garage into a mudroom, from there I had to scoot across the floor with my wheelchair in tow, only to climb up two more steps to reach the main house. (There wasn’t a ramp.) I did this until I was over 8 months pregnant. I couldn’t take any medication for my neurogenic bladder, and I’ll never forget having to do this feat several times a day. Fortunately, I was young. I guess every pregnant woman remembers urgency. I just had to climb two mountains before reaching my destination.

My new doctors were an hour away and quite awesome. No one really knew what to expect, whether they would need forceps or if I would need a C section. Labor was indeed intense, and fast. (The doctor was in his jogging shorts when he delivered my baby.) I felt the labor pains as well as the pounding headache from autonomic dyserflexia (AD), a condition that acts as an internal alarm clock that alerts people living with SCI that there is something wrong going on within their bodies. AD is a life threatening condition that can elevate blood pressure and lead to a stroke. In other words, it truly felt as if both ends wanted to explode. Seriously!

During labor, I clearly remember screaming very loudly, “Get this baby out of me now!” Five hours after my contractions had begun, and one push later, I gave birth to a beautiful baby boy, 7lbs. 15 ounces. I was immensely grateful for every pain that I felt. I was blessed. The next day, I was dressed and having lunch in the cafeteria with a friend. I’ll never forget the doctor walking by and taking a second look. I hate hospitals and I wasn’t going to lie around all day in a hospital bed, regardless.

Anyone who knows me will tell you that I love life. I am truly grateful for every breath. To this day, I still love the reaction that I get when people realize that I had my son after my accident. My general and somewhat sarcastic response is typically, “Yes, I had sex, once!” I know that I've used this line before in my writing, but it makes a statement.

For me to take care of myself was still somewhat of a challenge, but I had mastered it. To care for a child and to keep him safe was a daily challenge. I figured everything out along the way. I had one rule that applied to everyone. They could not run over and pick him up unless it was a ‘real’ life threatening emergency. I couldn’t easily do this, and I had to make certain that he came to me. My strategy worked. I could tell the severity of an issue with him, by how quickly he came crawling, and later running, to me. As he grew he learned to crawl unto my lap as well. As he grew, so did my strength.

I missed not being able to push a stroller, but I became the stroller. He didn’t mind. In fact, as soon as he climbed on board my lap, he would slouch back against me. I still remember going through doors with him on my lap, and saying “squeeze tight”, and he would squeeze his legs together to prevent his foot from getting hung up in the door. As he got older he opened doors, and he still does today for everybody. When we were out in public people would always comment about him helping Mommy. My response was that we helped each other, and that life was about helping each other. It is a two-way, give and take kind of world, no matter how old you are. He would do for me so I could do for him.

He was indeed probably the most patient child on earth. He had to sit in his car seat while I assembled my wheelchair and got out of my car to retrieve him on the other side. Like any child, he tested me along the way. He never ran away, and he would put himself in his time out chair. This was pretty astonishing actually.

My love of life reflects within my home and garden as well. My belongings make me feel good, and have special meaning. I can trace my life through my things. No great dollar value on anything, but full of sentiment. Yet, if they all disappeared, I would still be full of love from the many very happy memories I carry within.

Sometimes I miss having my little buddy around, but I’ve loved watching him grow into an incredibly responsible adult with a huge heart. I think he truly realizes that life is a gift. No doubt.

From my garden pictures, I have been able to watch my plants grow on an almost daily basis. Plants make me feel great and often bring back special memories from deep within myself. I have happy memories of the tomatoes and green beans my parents canned every year. I can still remember standing over the sink in an extremely hot kitchen peeling the tomatoes. I use my parent’s last mason jar as a vase. My grandmother would always float a gardenia in a bowl of water for its aroma.

For me, plants evoke a great feeling of peace and happiness. Each flower is a little different than the one next to it. The seed, the plant, the new flower, the bee with the pollen, and the ultimate fruit or vegetable, is all kind of magical really. The closer that I look at each plant and flower, the more that I can see and appreciate about them.

In life we have to do whatever it is that makes us happy. During the winter, I often find myself looking at flower pictures, and reading multiple publications about gardening. It is not a phase, but rather a necessary passion. When negativity and conflict invade my personal space, there is no better escape for me. Socially, I can converse with any gardener. Every day, I find myself learning something new.

I love sharing my photos because they give people a different angle on the world from my perspective. I am generally looking up at sunflowers, and I am eye to eye with my zinnias and perennials. (I’m slightly over 4 feet tall in my wheelchair.) My husband tells everyone that his wife is 4 feet tall. I could be if I was a little person, but actually I’m 5’ 10 ½ inches.

I’m grateful for my husband who has helped me with his knowledge of photography as fine art. He has unknowingly taught me a ton about art and the importance of having it evoke a feeling. Light is also incredibly important for bringing out the detail in any picture. My niece through her pictures of my garden showed me how much beauty was really just outside my front door. For this I’m appreciative too.

There is a lot to learn and share about gardening. My experiences, in and out of the garden may be inspirational or helpful to others. To me, that is a very worthwhile thing. If I can simply share the joy and beauty of life, that too is worthwhile. As an advocate, life isn’t always roses. My goal, my survival, is to stay focused on the positive outcomes. Occasionally the squash vine borer may win, but at other times certain reporters and editors are required to attend sensitivity training. If I can only grow one squash, that one squash will be delicious!

Courtesy and Companionship: In and out of the Garden

Courtesy and Companionship: In and out of the Garden

Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see. ~Mark Twain

After living 28 years with a disability, I never wanted to be perceived as that lonely, angry person who finds fault in anything, everything and with everyone. One of my biggest complaints of living my life with a disability is that I can never get away from my disability. When I go on vacation, I still have to deal with me and my personal care schedule. Quite frankly, that part of life truly stinks. When I go somewhere that I expect to be accessible, and it is not, I can’t get away from that either. My ex-husband would somewhat jokingly tell me to “shut up, don’t worry about it, and have fun.” It obviously didn’t bother him as much as it did me, and he was seemingly more bothered by me than by the lack of my independence. He wasn’t the one who had to go the entire evening without drinking anything because the bathrooms weren’t accessible.

Admittedly, I agree wholeheartedly that it can be all encompassing. For me to not worry about it when it affects me personally is almost impossible. For me to “shut-up” is not very probable, but I do try not to dwell on any issues during my off time. To ignore things completely would be the equivalent of a child abuse social worker ignoring child abuse. Although the child abuse scenario would require immediate action, my issues can usually wait unless I nearly get killed trying to cross a street. I have learned to make mental notes and to readdress most issues later. This provides a better opportunity for me to contact and communicate with the right person. After all, I usually just want to eat. It is generally not the waiter’s fault and it would be a waste of my energy to yell at him. Except, there have been situations where the wait staff have asked my companion, “What would she like for dinner?”, as if I wasn’t even there! Generally, I would speak up, stare them in the eyes, and tell them what I would like, usually with an extremely heavy emphasis on the word “I”.

When you live an active life with a disability, you learn to live with a certain threshold of discrimination. That’s life. Ignorance often prevails, and as of late, insult from self-indignant people is not unusual. Something I will never be accustomed to, or ever will be. I simply remind myself that it is their way of coping with something that they are completely insensitive too, for now. Someday, they will thank me and they too will understand. The important thing for me to realize is that I’ve made my point, with the obvious realization that they have no issue with insulting me and many others living life with a disability. (The lowest form of low in my book. No sleep loss from me when it comes to dealing with stupidity.)

Negativity can consume you. When you go to a park you simply want to enjoy the beauty of the environment. When you go out to a restaurant, you want to eat and drink however much you wish. When your son’s swim team gets together for an awards dinner, you expect to be able to get in and not have to be carried up a flight of stairs to enjoy the celebration. Wouldn’t that be an obvious courtesy? When someone plans a company party, shouldn’t the location be one you can enjoy too? Unfortunately, this has not always been the case.

With the right attitude, and the right companions I have been afforded these courtesies. For this, I am incredibly appreciative. I can’t dwell on the negative, and be sane. There is simply too much. When I offer my assessment, most value it as an added means of protection from what could be a needless lawsuit, and as a means of providing better customer service. Some surprisingly avoid me, which is generally a tale-tale sign that something is seriously wrong. This scenario is most upsetting! Some embrace the issue head on and learn from me, and do something about it. Those people make any aggravation I encounter worth it. When I see an elderly couple enjoying a pier, or a group of friends with disabilities heading to the aquarium worry free, I feel rewarded.

One of my Facebook followers on Access to the Garden recently commented that parks and gardens should be a place for all to enjoy. Amen. This is my mission, and my passion. Whether it is a community garden, or a public park, one must consider every person within the community and how they can best utilize the space. One must also think beyond the space and ask how is a person with a disability or someone who is elderly suppose to safely travel to the garden or park? If there is public transit, where is the closest bus stop? Is there on the street accessible parking, and a safe means of sidewalks and curb ramps for an individual in a wheelchair or with any mobility type of disability to safely cross the street? Once inside, is there an equitable means for participation? Are there firm, stable and slip resistant routes of travel throughout? Is there an indent left in the mulch or other surface material used when a person who uses a wheelchair travels within the garden? Are there raised garden beds with various heights? What percentage of the garden is accessible? Is there a sensory garden for someone who is blind or visually impaired? There is simply too much opportunity to provide for better inclusion and enjoyment of any outdoor space, beyond any regulation. We are, and I am the public. We are an integral part of any community.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/15581111@N08/3059563221

If your park provides a water feature for children to play in, can all children play in the fountain of water? Can a parent with a disability get to their child if necessary? A city close by has their beautiful Waterfront Park, unfortunately with a step going completely around it unnecessarily. The local county parks have done an outstanding job with their gradual sloped fountains. When it is close to 100 degrees for over 2 weeks, these features are necessary.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/beckyprn777/262607518/sizes/z/in/photostream/

With proper planning, and with a little consideration beforehand, everyone can be afforded an equal opportunity to play. We all know the health benefits from parks and community gardens, whether it is for exercise or diet, and we all should have the chance to benefit.

The therapeutic part of my own personal garden is the independence that it affords me. When I’m gardening, I’m somehow not a person with a disability. I am a gardener. It may take me a little longer sometimes, but I persevere. With the right tools, there isn’t much that I can’t do if I can get to it. In my own garden I only have to deal with my own mistakes and a lot of pests.

I am now happily married to someone who understands the significance and importance of me being able to maintain my independence. Because he is getting older, he too enjoys my elevated beds and containers. My son was one of my biggest advocates growing up and he will still speak up today. My friends and companions understand the real importance of what I do, and the encouragement to keep doing what I do is incredible.

There is a definite balance that must be maintained. I may retreat occasionally from the non-sense. I love my home and my own personal environment. My pool has a lift, and my garden has a walkway. Society must understand that not everyone has this within their home. Some people are literally house bound without ramps and transportation. When we think of any garden, or program within a garden, we must really think first to ensure inclusion and participation from the entire community. Parks and gardens are there for everyone to enjoy, and everyone should have the opportunity to enjoy them.

My companions are those who understand the importance and significance of all of this. It is easy for many to complain, but often difficult for many to make the necessary change. I love the saying, "If not you, who?" Plants in my garden also benefit from having the right companions. As long as we choose wisely, all will benefit.

www.growbetter.com.au

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_companion_plants