Demolition time!

The walls came tumbling down, and the plaster, and the ceiling and the dust….even with plastic covering the doors, there is still a layer of fine dust throughout. Progress!

  

 

Goodbye 1936-era kitchen

While my small kitchen has worked for many years, it’s time for a change.  And so begins the Helios Kitchen Renovation Project.

We’re making it as green as possible. The sink and cabinets are original and still in fine shape; Community Forklift will take what might be re-used in another home.  The trim and door frames will be saved to use here in the new kitchen and for a new closet. No real use for old bits of plaster so that will go to the dump, er, trash transfer station.

Here’s the before:

      

 

What’s blooming in December?

Lots! We haven’t had a hard freeze yet and so although very tender annuals (basil, impatiens) have expired there’s still plenty of bloom around. Like verbena, geranium, petunias, pineapple sage and more.

Even though it will be winter for awhile, soon it will be time to start flowers that need cool temperatures to germinate for future December blooms!

 

Blue eggs and ham

Although the other new chickens have been laying for awhile, Muffy the Ameraucana took her time to get started. But she finally started producing – and she’s laying Easter ready sky blue eggs.

But Easter is quite a ways away, so until then we’ll be enjoying blue eggs and ham for breakfast.

 

Summer’s bounty – the late fall edition

Finally, just after Thanksgiving, I finished with the last of the summer’s produce.

Tomatoes picked green had [mostly] turned red and peppers picked green had turned yellow and orange and red.

The tomatoes were roasted with olive oil and thyme and incorporated into a “beans and greens” dish. The peppers were roasted and used to make this white bean and red pepper dip (with the rest of the peppers frozen for later use).

And the remaining green tomatoes were made into green tomato chutney – great for Thanksgiving and more. Using fresh spices makes a difference.

Now it’s time to enjoy fall’s bounty – arugula and mustard greens that self seeded and chard in a rainbow of colors.

 

Coming home to roost

Buff Orpingtons have been the chicken of choice for a number of years but recently the family farm has expanded the diversity of the flock.

First Guinea fowl were added, then New Hampshire Red and Delaware chickens.

And this year new chickies have come home to roost – Ancona, Ameraucana, Marans – all laying eggs in a beautiful range of sizes and colors including blue.

Yes, blue. Muffy the Ameraucana will lay Easter ready blue eggs.

Great pictures & info on the heritage breeds here, and excellent chicken blogs here and here.

     

 

A stand of serviceberries

The neighbor on my right had a huge conifer that was removed as it was diseased (and dying).  After some deliberation (and gentle encouragement from me), they decided to plant another tree.

Although I thought it was too late in the year, Casey trees just planted an Amelanchier laevis just like mine – only bigger.

Now we have a stand of serviceberries here on my street.

 

Assault with salt – it’s a crime

This is unbelievable – someone is apparently trying to destroy a tree in my neighborhood by drilling holes into the trunk and pouring salt in and around the holes.

I counted 36 holes drilled into the trunk of this tree. My guess is that the tree will survive these wounds, but really – who would do this?

And if the perpetrator is caught, what would be the charge? Aggravated assault?

     

 

Kale chips – bet you can’t eat just one

Who would’a thought baked kale would be so delicious? With just a bit of olive oil and salt, the leaves turn into mellow crisp goodness. Kale is highly nutritious and this is a great way to get your greens.

Making kale chips is simple as can be. From a bunch of kale, cut out the tough stem and middle rib, tear into a few pieces then wash the kale and spin as dry as possible. Add just a bit of olive oil and a grind of salt (other spices optional – try toasted cumin,  chili powder or Old Bay). Use your hands to massage the oil into the leaves and arrange in single layer on a cookie sheet

Bake for about 20 mins at 300 – they should be crisp but not browned.

For a nutritional boost, you can also crumble them into flakes to sprinkle on food  such as a salad, popcorn, scrambled eggs.

 

The annual plant migration

The annual migration of houseplants from the back steps to indoors is well underway. The last produce is being picked and tender bulbs are drying outside in preparation for winter storage. And perennials and a few spring flowering bulbs are being planted.

No rush, all in good time.

Until reading the weekend weather forecast. Although the average first frost is November 15th for DC, average means just that – some years the frost will come earlier, or later. This year it looks to be sooner.

So it’s been a big push to get everything indoors that needs to be protected in case we do get the 4 – 6″ of snow predicted for Saturday.