:::Winning, duh:::

The level of my anxiety is thus -- I've been having panic attacks for three weeks about the royal wedding.

Just like I had a panic attack over the inauguration, and just like I have panic attacks before and during the Olympics. Also, awards shows, season premieres, general conference, major sporting events, elections, eclipses, large natural disasters, parades, and sequels (books or movies).

Last minute suggestions for our Relief Society's service auction would be appreciated. My friend asked me what I was going to offer, and I said, 'Myself as a second wife in the celestial kingdom.'

*rimshot*

But seriously, I can't auction myself off yet, so I need some ideas.

:::Treasuries:::

My new favorite time wasting creative outlet is making treasuries on Etsy. I just finished my first one today, which was inspired by the weather + the scenery from the loads of Miss Marple movies that I've been watching lately/always. There's a little sneak peek below, but you can see the full collection here.

:::Strained:::

I'm lonely, tired, sick, scared, bored, confused, really worried, and staying home from work today. I wish one of you could come by and talk to me.

New plant is up.

Big Mama Lima Bean.

:::12 on the 12th -- April 2011:::

1. I've been really lazy lately about making my bed in the morning. I usually end up making it when I come home because it makes me feel more tidy that way.
2. After all of these years, I went back to Shroom. The MAC guy talked me into one more eye shadow plus a base.
3. There is a courtyard between our building and a church next door. At lunch I sat out there to enjoy the Spring weather, which I don't often do because the area is usually over run with smokers. The benches were all wet, but I hoard napkins so I was able to dry one off.
4. One of the attorneys walked past me while I was sitting out there and pretended like she didn't know me. Happens all the time. It's especially awkward when you're passing them in the halls inside the office.
5. My stomach has been weird lately, and all I could imagine eating for lunch was a chocolate shake.
6. There is a large South American organization near us with a good number of staffers who like to jog shirtless on their lunch hour. Very into peacocking, they are. Turns out the security guard in our lobby saw me taking that picture. Awesome.
7. Can't wait to show you what this bad boy is. I was so afraid these weren't going to germinate.
8. Baseball season has started. Crowded metro = bad. Friday home game fireworks = sweet.
9. Dyed Easter eggs. Still sitting on their drying apparatus. We'll see if I actually end up doing anything with them.
10. Pepperoni bread. Great nutrition day.
11. I'm on a knitting hiatus at the moment, but last night I was able to force myself to knit about 12 stitches. Go big or go home.
12. A bootleg evening of mystery with pale, skinny, White boy #1 (on the right). Good shoes, nice coat, and a swagger. Love it.

:::I Love Squash and Gardening Notes:::

I have decided that squash are my favorite seedlings of all because they come up so strong and hearty. I've had nothing but wispy little sissy seedlings for weeks, so I'm loving this change of texture.

After only knowing each other for a few hours, I'm in love with my squash plants. I couldn't tear myself away from them last night.

Oh my goodness, look at those vein-y things! I could die, I could just die! It's as if they start right off the bat as adult plants. All of my other seedlings look almost identical at this stage.

I think that plants do most of their growing at night, or at least it seems that way. When I woke up this morning one of my microgreen trays had completely exploded.

That soil was perfectly smooth yesterday morning, but now all of those little kohlrabi and chard and whatever else are breaking up the soil and pushing right on through.

In other news, beets and peas are up...

and so are cucumbers. And have I got a story that you wouldn't believe about tomatoes...


Reader: "Faye, I don't want to here about your garden anymore. It's boring"

Me: "Go away."


Here's the current setup --

 

This may look like overkill. Well, yeah, it is overkill. I read somewhere that you should plant multiple seeds because not everything will germinate. That didn't really happen to me. It seems like every single seed I planted eventually germinated and now wants to live. I don't have the heart to thin them out, which is why I currently have like 16 parsley plants going. What am I going to do with that much flat leaf parsley? Pesto? I hate pesto. Blurg.

In my first planting, I started all of my seeds in those clear takeout containers that you see in the background. With my online Burpee order, I just went straight for the styrofoam cups. Both have their pros and cons.

Trays
Pros -- Easy to move, use less soil, can shut the lid before germination to trap in heat, stable.
Cons -- Pricking out required, dry out more quickly.

Cups
Pros -- No pricking out, can put off transplanting longer, hold more water, slimmer footprint.
Cons -- Really a pain to move, wasted cup if nothing germinates, can fall over.

That being said, I will always grow microgreens in the trays, and I would always start 'big' seedlings like squash, beans, and peas in cups.

I still love this project. It has required some planning and a lot of work, but I am really enjoying myself. The only thing that bugs a little is moving a good majority of the cups and trays at night so that I can shut my blinds, then moving them all back in the morning so the plants can be close to the sunlight coming in through my window. Putting all the cups and some of the trays in box lids has helped make this process go quicker every day.


Questions were asked about...

1. My balcony size. I have a very large balcony. This is the only picture I have on hand, but it doesn't really show the true depth and length correctly.

Once all of the seedlings have turned into full blown plants, I'll be giving most of them away. As I said earlier, I wasn't expecting all of the seeds to germinate, so I over-planted quite a bit. Woops. But seeds are super cheap, and it's a lesson learned, so I can't complain.

2. Redemption Heap. Behold --

 

There's a seminary lesson somewhere in here. These have all been pricked out and are now living three to a Styrofoam cup. 

Well, that's all for now. I can't wait to go home tonight and see what else has happened when I was away. I'll bet the squash seedlings have more green to them and all the heads are straight. And maybe, maybemaybemaybemaybemaybe there will finally be some action with the carrots. Fingers crossed.

:::No Mas:::

My Burpee seeds finally came, so this weekend I had a marathon planting session.

That is the current setup, plus some other seedlings that are learning how to spend some time outside...

...but have to come inside at night.

I am running out of s-p-a-c-e + patience. I wish it would warm up already so I could move everything outdoors for good.

I also wish I could say that I was done planting seeds, but on Monday I realized that I haven't planted cilantro or basil, then I found a determinate tomato plant that I want to try. I also decided that I wanted to plant Borage because wouldn't it be romantic to sprinkle delicate blue flowers over my salads?

Help.

:::Nice and Smooth:::

Breakthrough of the century --

(Difference in color is due to lighting)

Smoothies keep over night if you use Greek yogurt.

:::Like a Greased Pig:::

How was your Saturday? Good?

Well, the highlight of my day was flying out of the shower bum-smacking nekkid because I thought I heard someone trying to break down my door, only to realize that the noises were actually fireworks, then running to my window (because I love fireworks) with wet, conditioner-soaked hair dripping down my back only to slip on my overly varnished wood floors, hit my head on the wall, stub multiple toes, take out my drying rack, and knock over my $1k air filter which I only saved from hitting the floor by tilting onto myself.

But the fireworks were nice.

I love a free show.


Hopefully the people across the street from me do as well.

:::Twinners:::

I'm so glad my little Molly was born. Now I know what my kids would have looked like.

She's my mini me.

I also love her because she's funny and a bit of a diva. Well, maybe we're the same in that respect as well.

Date: Friday, April 1, 2011
From: Sarah
To: Me, Elizabeth, Mom

Molly just saw me organizing my digital files and said, "Oh that's me and Rebekah."  I said, "You and who?!?" and she said, "You know, you call her Rebekah."