Knittnkitten's World

As you know I’ve been unwell, however last weekend we did manage to make it up to Pacific Palisades for the LA chapter of the CRFG meeting. It was a presentation by the owner of The Papaya Tree Nursery who had a bunch of useful information about growing what you wanted. We may be getting some products from him.

This weekend was crowded, I had a training for work all day Friday followed by a doctors appointment, an acupuncturists appointment (thank you Puppy) and a math conference in the evening. Saturday involved me going to the math conference again all day while Puppy raised our fence a little, then I came home and took a nap for Earth Hour that lasted till morning. Today I worked on my math homework with Hai, my partner at the class. Then Puppy and I went off to a workshop on water harvesting and soil replenishment by a local permaculture group. Here are some new photos…

Fencing ala Puppy!

Our peach tree has begun to sprout, but they’re so small I cant get my camera to focus on them.

We were worried about this one as we got it the same time we got our apple….

And we grafted a plum on to the peach the same time as we grafted our avocado…

I think we’ve lost the plum, but oh well, maybe next year we’ll try again.

In other garden news…

Our Ladybug pupa are beginning to ripen (sorry about the quality, I just had to share).

I planted my potted sage and it bloomed for the first time ever!

Here’s a shot of what’s happening in the green house.

Our blueberries are in bloom,

As are our “native” fuschia gooseberries.

The news on the banana front is not looking so good.

Puppy took of a pup growing out of the base and then a wind storm came through and I’m not sure we’re gonna make it.

On the good news front…

Our fish are feeling a bit more relaxed (still no sign of the big koi).

Amen!

Looks like we had a raccoon raid on our garden pond. not sure how many lost, but I think we lost at least 1 koi + other assorted little ones (gold and mosqueto fish). Plants were knocked in all directions, luckily the pump was still working or that would have been a bunch of work.

Bad raccons!

I now have a pond full of traumatized fish.

I put some food out to comfort them and also see who was left, good thing we were almost at capacity before.

The Parkway is closing.

“Notre Dame Switchboard Overwhelmed,Grads Condemn Obama Decision 

Detroit/South Bend (March 20, 2009) – As of late Friday night, hundreds of callers had overwhelmed the switchboard at Notre Dame as news began to circulate that Obama had been invited to give the commencement address at Notre Dame on May 17th. Sources at Notre Dame as well as the White House late Friday afternoon confirmed the invitation had been extended and accepted. 

ND operators said the calls simply became too much to handle. Voice mails of the University President, Vice-President, Provost, assistant-provost and PR director were all full by 10pm EST. Operators were suggesting that callers try again on Monday when university officials would be back in their offices. 

All the calls were expressing outrage. None supported the decision. 

Two Notre Dame alumni who own and operate the world’s first Catholic internet TV station http://www.realcatholictv.com both immediately denounced the university’s decision to award Barack Obama honors and give him a stage from which to speak. 

Marc Brammer, ND Class of ’74 and MBA’76 and Michael Voris ’83 each called the move a disgrace and a smear on the University’s reputation of being a Catholic school. 

Voris discovered the news while live on the air with Relevant Radio’s Drew Mariana while he was being interviewed about the week’s news. “While I was actually on the air with Drew”, Voris said, “I shot off an email to Fr. Jenkins (ND President) expressing my deep anger that the carnage done to the Faith by Notre Dame is continuing.” 

Voris shared the text of his email – “It is beyond sinful that a University dedicated to the Mother of God, in whose womb the salvation of the world became incarnate, would give a platform to the biggest enemy of life in the womb this country has ever seen.” 

“This is a direct slap in the face to all who venerate the Mother of God. To be honoring a man who continues to do everything in his power to destroy the fundamental essence of motherhood through abortion,” said Brammer, “shows just how far the University has lost its moral bearings.” 

RealCatholicTV.com has pledged its support to encouraging protests and condemnation of the Obama visit. “

this…

This is sad.

But I’m working on getting better!

Thought I’d post pics of my favorite Caribbean Stew.

It’s originally from the Neal’s Yard Bakery Whole Food Book but I’ve made some changes in quantities to suit my tastes.

First collect your main ingredients

Peel and dice your root veggies.

Then chop your onion, garlic, and ginger, also add some chili.

Place in a pan with some diced red pepper.

And saute with olive oil.

Next add root veggies.

Next add coconut milk, tomato paste and pineapple juice.

Then simmer for an hour or two till it looks like this.

Serve with corn bread and honey butter.

Enjoy!

Thought I’d show you what’s in the yard.

Clueless as to who this is but he’s cute!

A standard, but still gorgeous.

Finally got around to planting beets, carrots and parsnips this weekend.

And, yes the bananas have bloomed, I have the happiest pup in the world!