We Are Deep In the Heart of Texas

Nomadic seasons of farming adventures with nature thrown in to include; a pinch of family, snippets of friends, counting our blessings, paying IT forward, home school, and the spicy things I decide to rant about.















Thursday, January 20, 2011

Crystal Garden, Broccoli Flowers, Banjo Super Dog!

Hour 5 we have a few more to go. 
 Hour 7, I can't wait any longer off to bed.
 YEAH! It was full grown this morning when we checked on them.  Thanks Mr. Larry you are the best.  We always have a great time using the items you send for our experiments.

These are really puffy, and can be reused just by adding water and putting the pieces back on the water soaked cardboard cut outs.  Mr. Larry has sent us a finger printing kit and we will use this later today or tomorrow.  The weather is so icky that I did not take the boys out.  I had wanted to take them to Story Time at the Three Rivers library but, both woke up with a cold.  That is the breaks when you go out in public; someone seems to always bring home some kind of crud. 

 Next, we will try Ms. Judy's experiment with sugar water in a dixie cup and string.  I am going to add some food coloring to watch sugar crystals grow.  I bet the boys will get a kick out of watching the crystals form on the string over a few days.
We left this one broccoli top to flower so the bees in the area can have something to pollinate.  We don't have to weed very much since, we use the leaves from the one tree in our front yard to keep the weeds from growing next to the cabbage and broccoli plants.  I have been sorting seeds to start for our early spring garden, I have picked out 20 vegetables to start with hopefully some tomatoes and peppers to boot.  Spring usually comes a month earlier here than in zone 7 so, next week will be a great time to start with seeds in dixie cups.
 MOM It is a little windy out here today.
WHAT WAS THAT NOISE?
I Can't See In This Wind.... 
STOP Pointing that camera at me.  THSSSSSSSSSSSPT!
Take this raspberry.

8 comments:

Jim said...

That looks like a pile of fun Mal! Even BIG kids would like that!
Fenugreek.....great eh? We use it for sinus congestion and digestive help. It works really well too. Did you know you can grow it yourself? You for sure with the weather you have. There you go....another crop to harvest!

Kids and Canning Jars said...

Oh my goodness. You have such awesome support for homeschooling.
Tell the boys I love the pictures of the growth!
You are in an ambitious gardening mood.
Good luck..
PS I still have not made it out to the post office to mail your prize. I will send you a note when it is off. Maybe I will tuck a little something in for the boys school.
Hugs,
Melissa

Nekkid Chicken said...

Hey Jim, I may just try to grow fenugreek this year. I know we use lots of herbs and will focus on growing a lot more of our own. I can not keep enough cilantro on hand. Supposedly, parsley tea is ward off colds; I am going to try this. We have been getting one after another this winter; some kind of hyped up viruses I tell ya. I love alternative medicines. Thanks for stopping by,
Mal

Nekkid Chicken said...

Melissa,

Next to my hubby and I, Mr. Larry takes as much interest as much interest in our boys as we do. They love talking to their adoptive grandpaw (Grumpy Gramps) about MANSTUFF. We are so very fortunate and I make sure I say thank you as often as I can.

I love going into the garden and getting stuff to put on our table. Can't wait for the cabbage to plump up; I want to make a couple of your recipes by canning it. YUM YUM

No worries on the 'prize;" we are have super busy lives.

HUGS back to you,
Mal

John Going Gently said...

I used to love those trees as a kid mal!

Sharon said...

The trees sure came out pretty! All the lovely colors!

Maybe I could do some gardening if we had an early spring. Usually we have a week of spring and then it's summer!

I used parsley tea for a urinary tract infection - my cousin told me about it.

Have a nice evening!

Nekkid Chicken said...

I think they are pretty darn neat myself John. Loved your blog today; glad Andrew is getting a little better. It was a lovely story about your Mom.
Hugs,
Mal

Nekkid Chicken said...

Sharon, Don't I know it about a very short spring. I love spring and fall but, they last about a month around here. Take care, Mal