My Favorite Books

In a universe long ago and far, far away (last year).  I remember talking about talking about books.  Well, best laid plans....so here I go.

I have just read the most thoughtful and thought provoking book published by Twelve Press.  This was a publishing company formed in 2005 with the goal of publishing one book a month.  A quality book, with some substance. 

The Evolution of Bruno Littlemore is one of those books.  The only thing I can say is that it is a true  philosophical treatise on what it FEELS like to be human.  Many books are written on what it MEANS to be human, but this is a marvelous work of fiction.  Must read for those wishing a thought provoking read.

My other recommendation is Divergence.  This is a fascinating futuristic novel that I could not put down.   There is a sequel that I haven't read yet...but it is on my stack.


A few of my favorite all time ones for your reading pleasure:

The Book Thief

Atlas Shrugged

My Sister's Keeper

Time Traveler's Wife

Lord of the Flies

Catcher in the Rye

Middlesex


These are just a few to get started.  I have so many books that I seriously could open a used book store.  There is only one problem...my books aren't for sale.  I have probably at least 3000 books.  I have tried to go through all these bookshelves and boxes and I can come up with about 2 or 3  each time I am willing to give up.  Jeez...the foundation on my house will begin sinking soon.

Please post any suggestions for good reads, or if you want to talk about a book...go for it.
I could spend all day discussing books, gardening and food.  I am always open for another suggestion for a good book.  I will read anything to see how it reads.  I read Fifty Shades of Grey, something I never would have thought I would do.  I enjoyed it too!!!   So please, suggest away.

I am going to research how to create a discussion format on here for book or food talk.  I don't know if that is possible.  Until then, we will have to make do with the posting option.

Hope to hear lots of feedback.

Karen

Weeds Again!

My lazy butt is still trying to find ways to beat the weeds.  I accept that they will always be there.  My struggle is that I am going to be eating this food and sharing with my friends and I don't want any toxic chemicals near the garden.  So I continue to go out and weed any time I see some coming up.  What that means is that between working, and working, and spending time with my family...I am weeding. 

Here in Washington we have such a short growing season, that I want to maximize the food.  So during the good weather when I should be playing I am in the garden.  I want to share a great recipe for weed killer that works quite well and is not scary bad.  It goes like this:  One gallon apple cider vinegar, 1/2 cup salt, 1 tsp. liquid Dawn dish soap.  Mix together, pour in a spray bottle, and Oila!  It will kill the weeds and grasses threatening to overtake the garden. 

Another thing I learned this week, and could have learned much earlier had I been not wrestling the weeds, is that it is recommended but not necessary to prune tomato plants.  Who knew?-probably the whole rest of the world.  Anyway, the tomato plants are growing like crazy, so I am going to go out and try my hand at pruning.  There is a great article with pictures at  www.wikihow.com/Prune-Tomatoes.  It is worth a look.

Since I am planning on producing enough tomatoes for all my tomato needs during the winter, I better get busy and brush up on all this stuff. 

Yesterday Gerard went out to till around the edges of the garden where the grasses and weeds are poking thru the fence.  The garden is near the edge of the designated backyard area, and then begin the trees and the woods behind the house.  So the wild stuff tries to creep through the fence.  It was about 75 degrees yesterday and it felt pretty humid.  So when he finished tilling he came crawling inside and said "maybe we should consider container gardening next year".  The man has wisdom. 

Something else I am noticing is that potatoes will grow any damn place.  I was following the planting directions about building a mound, covering the plants when they begin to wilt...blah blah blah.  Well that volunteer potato plant over in the corner of the garden is doing better than all the other potato plants that I have nurtured and kept alive.  Go figure. 

I love lettuce!!!  I have been harvesting it for almost 2 months.  I had no idea it was so good.  Last year's lettuce was good, but this year we have better weather, and I have thinned it , watered and fertilized it, and it is just delicious.  It has so much more flavor than the rabbit food you can buy in the store.  If you like salad, it is worth erecting some kind of small cover where you can grow your own lettuce.  It is truly amazing!!

The radishes are crisp and spicy.  I didn't get any last year, and this is my first taste of a home-grown radish.  They have quite a spicy bite to them.  It is really good in salad, but they are also delicious in stir-fry.  They add a very nice texture if you just warm them up and don't cook them into mush.

At the rate of my learning curve, I am guessing by the time I am ninety I will have this whole gardening thing down.  Hopefully I will still have my teeth if I am still around to eat. 

Try this stir-fry:

meat of your choice-I prefer chicken
celery
radishes
pine nuts
mushrooms
onions-green work as well as yellow or white
yellow bell peppers
bean sprouts

Cook these in your hot skillet, adding the longest cooking veggies first, of course

I use left-over meat so it is already cooked.  Cook the veggies in a small amount of veggie oil.  Then add some chicken stock after the veggies are cooked.  Into the chicken stock add lots of garlic, ginger, and salt and pepper and any other seasoning you would like.  If you like a thick sauce add a bit of cornstarch to thicken.

I am not big on highly seasoned stuff so I taste each time I add a seasoning to see if it tastes like I want it. Add the cooked meat last.

The secret in this is not to overcook the veggies, as in any stir fry.  Depending on how much seasoning you use, this sauce allows the taste of all the veggies to come thru so you are not eating a heavy sauce with some veggies thrown in.  You actually taste the veggies.

Yum yum.  Until next time.
Karen

Please post any tricks or tips or any ideas you have.  It is ALL welcome.