Posted on

One step at a time. One project at a time.

Every year since we bought our first house in our early married years (a real honest to goodness fixer upper), we’ve kept to a plan of home improvements as we could afford them. Limiting ourselves to two projects a year, helped motivate us without overwhelming us. It also kept it affordable. Over the years, we’ve stuck to it in every house we lived – even when it was a low income rental when Dan went back to school. It kept us thinking, planning, and making things better for ourselves, while keeping projects in perspective and manageable, All these many years later, we still follow the same formula. One inside project. One outside project.

Some have been big projects – like 2015’s kitchen, and the 2021 greenhouse.  
Some have been smaller projects – like planting a tree, painting a wall, replacing a fixture or a single window or laying some reclaimed brick in the garden paths. The outside project is in the warm months, the inside project is reserved for the cold months. No one wants to waste beautiful summer days working in the house.

hard to see the glass brick patio in this little bistro area off the kitchen door, but this is where it is. To the right, you can catch a glimpse of a 45 gallon rain barrel hooked up to the rainspout

One year we scored some glass bricks from a friend’s reno project. I was so happy! Dan – not so happy. They sat around for a year or two, Dan trying to talk me into getting rid of them, (hoping they’d break so I’d have to) and me just ‘knowing‘ they had a higher purpose in my life. LOL.

In 2002 a big bush winter killed and had to be removed. Just outside the kitchen door, which was very provident! I had the boys chop it down and dig the roots out. We could have planted another tree, but I had visions of a little bistro-type area. Zack and Joseph were willing to make my vision come to life. Dan was not convinced it would work, and didn’t like the idea of the glass bricks being a floor, so he kept his distance from what he was sure was a doomed project. The boys created a base out of sand from the sandbox, and laid the glass bricks as if they were ‘bricks’. Truth be told, I only expected those bricks to last a year or two. None of us were very hopeful about what the winter might do to them, but we had nothing to lose by trying, and everything to gain.  So we did it anyway.

These pictures were taken 14 years later. We’ve had to replace a brick or two from time to time, but not more than 6 or 8 in total. They’ve sunk a little bit, owing to our amateur job of packing the base layer in. But they’re still wonderful, and I still love the spot on our east side, just outside the kitchen door. The perfect spot for a summer breakfast, or a dinner in the shade.  In the picture above you can see the strings from the hammock (on the left) strung from this tree to the one next to it.

In 2016, our inside project was a big one that took 10 times longer than we anticipated. We created a bathroom downstairs adjoining a room that we call “Gramma’s room” for my mom. This was the first big project in preparation for my mother coming to live with us, hence the name “Gramma’s room“. We used to call it Uncle Luke’s room, but things have changed. It was a very big deal. The first project quite so all inclusively complicated. When it was done, we considered having a “Bathroom Done Party” to celebrate. If you came to visit in the months after it was finished, we probably invited you to come see it. LOL. We rejoiced for months and I found myself going down to look at it several times a day for the first few weeks.

We had started the bathroom in January and finished the end of June. When I use the word “WE”, I am of course referring to the “royal WE”. Meaning Dan, although I do the clean up when things get done. There were lots of domino projects that had to get done simultaneously to make it possible. It was a big project that impacted every room downstairs before it was done, and our grandchildren couldn’t play downstairs for so long, they forgot we had a downstairs.

The adjoining bedroom “Gramma’d bedroom” would be the next year’s inside project, but that was a subject we avoided discussing for a very long time. Not surprisingly, the outside project that year was a small one. It was tempting to not do anything that year, but we had made the decision long ago, and that meant we would make one improvement a year outside and one inside. And sticking to it was important.

We painted the fence panel behind our bistro area in the backyard. I know. Big deal. It only took me one day. (We needed easy because the bathroom sucked all our energy.) But easy doesn’t mean ‘do nothing‘. It is important to be flexible with our energy and our expenses, and to not bite off more than we can chew, or afford. Some jobs are big and some are just small. But each one moves us forward, and brings with it a sense of accomplishment. It is just as important to stick to the plan, and move forward. Progress means forward. One step at a time.

Do you have a plan for fixing things up in your little world? I’d love to hear it.


Warmly,

Cindy Suelzle

Posted on

CHIVES your garden’s best neighbour

CHIVES are one of the first plants in your garden to come up – even before the garden has dried out, and well before the cold is over, their bright, cheery green spears say “spring is around the corner” – the words I wait months to hear.  They are the easiest herb to grow and are a valuable addition to every summer kitchen.  They are low maintenance and high yield – my favourite combination. 

No matter how much of a novice gardener you might be, CHIVES make every gardener look good.  They are nature’s confidence builder.  Simple to grow, drought and cold resistant, will tolerate too much rain, they thrive on neglect, and are very forgiving.  They love sun, but will tolerate partial shade like the good sports they are.  As perennials they grow back every spring.  When other plants let you down, you can always count on CHIVES. 

CHIVES have a light onion flavour, and their brilliant green hollow, grass-like leaves are are the perfect addition to salads, soups, sandwiches, baked potatoes, almost anything that calls for a mild onion flavour.  Although its usually the leaves we eat, the entire plant is edible.  That’s right, even the blossoms and the roots.  Try adding the blossoms as garnish on the plate.  Better yet, eat the blossom with your potato salad.  The black seed which are hidden inside the ripe blossom have a wonderful peppery-oniony taste to sprinkle over top scrambled eggs, potato salad …. the sky’s the limit. 

It is a well accepted garden fact that bees are attracted to the colour purple, so the vibrant purple blossoms of CHIVES is the perfect garden attraction for pollinators. I have my biggest chive plant as a centerpiece in my herb garden, but I also have it in a few other spots throughout the garden among perennial flowers and vegetables.  Grow them in your vegetable garden as a friendly companion. They are great neighbours.

I cut the purple flowers throughout the season to add them to summer bouquets.  My house is full of fresh bouquets from May through October.  Chives are often in them. 

Hint: the black seeds are IN the flower heads.  If you don’t pick them, they’ll ripen – going to seed and drop to the ground. You will get a hundred little baby chives next year – which is alright as you can dig them up to eat the onion like bulbs.  You will also have some to transplant to other areas, and plenty to give to friends.  Cutting the flowers keeps the population under control. 

Growing:

You can start CHIVES from seed, but why would you?  Yes, they’re easy to start indoors in the spring for later planting, but how many plants do you want anyway?  Or you can simply take a ripe flower head from a friend and sprinkle the seed in your summer or fall garden to start themselves next spring.  That’s the way nature does it. 

The most common way is to simply get a division from a friendly neighbour.  Gently loosen the soil around the clump and pull away a smaller clump from the main plant.. The smaller cluster should have at least five to ten bulbs. Transplant this smaller plant into your desired location, or into pots to give away.  Where I live they can’t be overwintered in pots, but you can try bringing them indoors.  If you have a nice sunny window – you can use them all winter long.

Although they’ll grow in almost any soil conditions, CHIVES prefer good fertile well drained garden soil.  As a special treat, work compost into the soil of new plants, or into the top soil around existing plants.  They love the sun and will reward you abundantly if they get lots of it, but if sun is at a premium in your garden, partial shade is alright too. 

Companion Gardening:

CHIVES are your garden’s Best neighbours.  Plant them in your vegetable garden as your first line of defense (along with Marigolds). They repel carrot flies, aphids and cabbage worms (my mortal enemy).  I sprinkle seed among my garden vegetables and let them grow at will.  If there’s a spot I don’t want them for some reason, I’ll pull those up.  Its not like you’re gonna run outta seed when nature keeps you abundantly supplied in those gorgeous round blossoms. 

CHIVES don’t have much for natural enemies.  They say aphids can be a problem sometimes, but I guess I’ve been lucky as its never been a problem for me.  Their strong onion scent seems to deter pests.  In a strawberry bed, their scent screens the sweet smell of the berries, deterring slugs and other pest that are attracted to the sweetness.  Chives adds potassium and calcium to your soil through their dropped leaves, so let them grow, mature and die in your strawberry patch or vegetable garden.  Add any discards to your compost pile, or better yet, leave them as mulch around the plants. Another benefit of growing chives in the strawberry bed is the mulch.

Remember that their purple flowers attract bees which is what you want more of in your strawberry and vegetable gardens.  Pollinators of all kinds will be drawn by the purple flowers. Plant CHIVES among your other herbs, flowers, and among your vegetables especially your tomatoes, carrots and strawberries (yeah I know strawberries are not vegetables). 

Chives in the Kitchen:

I cut a handful of CHIVES with a kitchen knife to bring into the kitchen just before I’m gonna put them on the table.  Actually ‘I’ rarely do.  LOL
Usually, just as I’m putting the final touches on dinner, I ask one of my kids or grandkids to go cut a handful of chives.  Simply grab a handful and cut one or two inches above the soil.  In the kitchen, pull the hard flower stems (put them in water as a cut flower) and brown leaves out and then either chop on a cutting board, or cut with scissors into little pieces about 1/2 centimeter long.  Sprinkle over your mashed potatoes, steamed vegetables, omelettes, salads, potato salad, stir fries, … limitless potential for use in your favourite dishes.

Once in awhile – if you’re not using them often enough, the plant gets too big and straggly with too many flowers going to seed.  If that happens – when that happens, take a serrated kitchen knife and cut the whole thing down about two inches from the ground.  Relax.  It will grow back and give you another chance to stay on top of it.  A good reason to have more than one plant. Sometimes your plant simply needs a little haircut. A gentle trim will do. Just to keep things tidy.

GARLIC CHIVES

Also known as Chinese leeks, garlic chives grow in the same areas of the garden as regular chives, and most of the information is completely transferable.  The leaves are a little larger, longer and flat.  The flowers are bigger than chive flowers, but more flat than globular.  They attract pollinators and other beneficial insects.  Full sun is best. 

As with chives, the entire plant is edible, the roots are especially ‘garlicky’.  The flavour has a distinct garlic overtone to the ‘oniony’ taste you’re already familiar with in chives.   Use when you want that extra punch that garlic offers, like in soups, sauces, omelettes, and in all Asian dishes. 

I’d love to hear all about your CHIVE story.
How do you grow them and where?
What are your favourite ways to use them?
Any tips for the rest of us?

Warmly,

Cindy Suelzle

Posted on

Feverfew – the garden herb you should know

FEVERFEW is a biannual herb that grows very prolifically in our region – Edmonton, Alberta.  Bushy, ferny even. Drought resistant, will grow well in full or diffused sun. Very hardy.

By the end of June, you’ll get profuse amounts of compact little gorgeous daisy like flowers that are perfect for fresh bouquets in the kitchen. Don’t pick them all though because it self seeds. I always have dozens growing throughout my garden so I am in no danger (anymore) of not having some come back next year – no matter how many I cut for bouquets.

 

Using FEVERFEW 

Feverfew leaves are used to treat migraines and lesser headaches. You simply pick the leaves and eat them in which ever way you find most suitable. They can be chopped up and put in salad or a sandwich.  They have a bitter taste so best to disguise them by eating with something else. They say that a few leaves daily is sufficient as a preventative.  

I got my first plants from my mother in law more than 20 years ago. She made a point to eat a few fresh leaves every day and was convinced it helped manage her migraines.  That is what interested me initially in Feverfew, and I subsequently did quite a bit of reading about it over the years.  I noted when I worked in a health food store that many people purchased feverfew for headaches and they swore it made all the difference.  It is not a pain killer.  It is a ‘preventative’.  When asking many customers how it helped them, they would universally tell me that by taking a small amount every single day, their migraines were less frequent and much more manageable when they did come.  That sounded pretty wonderful to me.  There is also compelling evidence that feverfew is helpful for menstrual cramps. 

Personally, I am not prone to headaches.  Good thing, because I have a very low tolerance for them.  Lucky me I haven’t had a headache in years and I have never had a migraine in my life, but I like the idea of growing an herb that has so much respect medicinally.  Since I have some members of my family who are prone to migraines I decided years ago that I would always have some in my garden.  If you are not able to grow your own feverfew, you can buy it in your favourite health food store, or if you grow it, but want some during the winter, dry it and either make it into a tea (with some pleasant tasting mint because it doesn’t have a great taste itself), or powder it and put into capsules to swallow.  Be smart about quantity.  One should do it.  

The ferny bushy plant flowers pretty much all summer long!  Because it is a biennial – meaning it grows for only two years, going to seed the second year in late summer, I allow some flowers to ‘ripen’ and go to seed.   I then take the seed and sprinkle them generously throughout my flower garden and herb garden.  They come up profusely and I simply pull what I don’t want.  After all, a weed is only “a plant growing where it doesn’t belong“.   If you don’t let the plant go to seed, or then sprinkle the seeds around, you may find yourself with none the next year as I did.   A mistake I only made once. 

It deserves an honoured place in my garden, and it is a pleasant bonus for me that the flowers are so pretty.  I highly recommend growing feverfew in your herb or flower garden.  At the very least, it will be a pretty little flower.  And if you’re prone to migraines it has the potential to become your best friend.  

Total Win / Win 

I’d love to hear your experience with Feverfew. 

Warmly,

Cindy Suelzle