Motivation and obsession updates

Yeah, well, my plans to create a compost bin hasn't been going very well.  I opened up the lid yesterday after nearly a week of rain (which meant that I wasn't going outside to do anything other than going to the car or store), and found little flies flying around.  Perhaps I'm wrong, but I don't think my compost bin is doing very well.  

I did go up to the hill where our garden has been and where are strawberry plants are now to check on them.  I've got berries!  They're still greenish-white, but they are a nice size!  We're expecting a possible stretch of warm, sunny weather, so they may ripen nicely!  Strawberry jam, pie or shortcakes in the future?

As for my motivation for working out....let's just say that hasn't existed while we've had a long stretch of rain.  I know it's not an excuse, especially since I have a treadmill in the basement I can use.  But having the sun shining makes a lot of difference.  

I'm writing this blog post while waiting for my supper to digest.  It's a beautiful, sunny evening, not too hot and not too cold, and not even humid, so I'm planning on going for a nice walk in a few.  I've been listening to audiobooks that I borrowed from our elibrary, so I can listen to them as I drive to wherever I'm going, walk/run, or clean around the house.  I just need to remind myself that I have a limited time to listen to the book.  Perhaps that can be my motivation to at least go walk.  Time to get my sneakers on and head on out....

The Sun!!!

We've had the sun for two days now and it's awesome!! We've had temperatures in the high 40's (yes, this is a good thing) and it's so motivating.

Yesterday, Hubby and I went out and purchased our seeds to start our garden plants. We bought those little greenhouses with the peat moss packets that swell when you add water, and started our seeds. We took the leaf out of our kitchen table and put a small table near the windows where they'll get the most sunlight. We planted both Roma and beefsteak tomatoes, Honeydew melon and pumpkins, and green and rainbow colored peppers, too. Ever since I learned last fall that I can freeze tomatoes, I've been so excited for this summer's harvest. I had found out after we had lost many of our tomatoes that I just had to wash the tomatoes and freeze them as is. I so enjoyed making soups with the fresh-frozen tomatoes I froze in the fall. They were so yummy! I also love chopping and slicing peppers and freezing them just like that so I can throw in sauces, chili, and on pizza. The only thing I don't know what do to do with is cucumbers. We're not big pickle eaters, so we just have to eat the cucumbers when we have them and share with our family and friends. Unless anyone has any ideas. (hint. hint.)

We're in zone 3, so we can't plant anything until June after the last frost. Last year Hubby and I invested in a greenhouse and we loved it! Our tomatoes and cucumbers grew like crazy! Our regular garden, however, didn't do so well. Our green beans were meager, our carrots were too snug in the dirt that I had to use a pitchfork to pry them out, and our corn didn't do well at all. The goats we had at the time enjoyed eating the tender stalks and they made great decorations. I also love fresh spinach, but last summer it didn't grow at all. In all fairness, though, many people in our area claimed to have meager harvests from their gardens too. Hopefully, things will go better this summer.

Hubby and I have this dream to be as self-sufficient as we possibly can. I feel so much satisfaction having a full freezer of veggies from our garden, fruit that I've picked, and meat that we've hunted. It certainly made things easier having all of that already available rather than having to go to the store and buy our supper, if you know what I mean. With the economy the way that it is, we have to do what we can to take care of ourselves as much as possible.