Two Frog Home

First, let me just say wow!  My apple spice cupcake post has garnered a lot of attention, the post was mentioned in a popular cupcake blog, and even garnered attention by WordPress (my blog host) in their food section.  I’m honored and a little overwhelmed.  I’m not used to getting so many visitors to this blog, thank you.

All the attention is a very uplifting thing, especially given the strange weather we’ve been having.  It’s snowing again today (after a weekend of snow and wind) and I’m tired of it.  I’m ready to start some serious planting.  However, perhaps the snow is saving me from planting in a garden where we won’t be in a few months.  There’s a potential house / property purchase in the works.  That’s all I’m going to say about that for now, I’m jaded by the whole real estate thing and I don’t want to get my hopes up too much.

Today has also been a good day because I had a wonderful massage.  Its amazing how good a body can feel after all that tension has been rubbed, pinched, and prodded out of a person’s muscles.  I adore my massage therapist too.  Her attitude and welcoming spirit is as uplifting to my soul as her massage therapy is to my body.  I love that when I get close to her office in the building she is in, I can smell all the aromatherapy oils, and as they waft their way up my nasal passages, the entire tone is set for a wonderful, relaxing, and uplifting experience.   I’m so thankful for these extravagances.  I believe a massage is so good for a healthy body, but I’m under no illusions that this is simply a luxury and I’m blessed to be able to have massages now and then.

• Thanks so much to everyone who responded to my not fitting in post, you all made me feel so loved.  I’m doing much better today and your virtual love and words certainly reached my heart.  I also realized that its not so much that I’m not a good friend its just my idea of friendship doesn’t include shopping trips to the mall or spa days but it does include me helping clean out chicken coops and going all out for homemade, gourmet birthday dinners.
• If you are a member of swapbot, I’ve started a homemade placemat swap.  Sign up, please, it should be fun.  If you’re not a member, maybe this could be a fun way to try it out.  It’s free and who doesn’t like getting packages in the mail?
• The Kitchen Gardeners Newsletter is full of great info this month.  Its a great read every month honestly, you should sign up for it.
• My seeds are sprouting in the indoor greenhouse and despite a forecast of weekend snow, I’m optimistic that soon we’ll have some springlike weather for more serious outdoor planting.

Last week one of our local grocery chains had their biannual case lot sale.  The sale is exactly what it sounds like, good deals on entire cases of goods, traditionally its things like canned veggies, bottled water, sugar, all purpose flour, canned chili, ramen noodles, etc.  Looking at our depleted pantry we decided to take advantage of a few of the deals - mostly we bought canned green beans, corn, peas, and mushrooms.  We also got some 4 gallons of distilled water for $2.50 (I only use distilled water for ironing and my new iron really puts out the steam hence the water needs refilled often).  We don’t buy things like canned chili or cases of condensed cream of mushroom soup.

The deal on canned veggies was good and a case of each gets us a long way until we can start harvesting some of our own again.  I do always feel a little guilty about stocking up on these non-local, non-organic goods, however my pocket book thanks me and it is always good to know that we have a well stocked pantry, just in case.  The purchase did remind me of how much further we have to go in producing and canning more of our own and/or locally grown goods.  

Our growing season is so short here, and I’m learning to do with it what I can, but oh I’m so jealous of all of you who are already planting outside.  We’re still getting snow.  Jeff and I canned a good bit of stuff last summer (check out my pantry building page), but we have a long way to go to get us through an entire Montana winter.  I need more jars, too (honestly I can’t believe I’m saying that - I can’t imagine how many jars a large family must need).  I’ll be on the lookout for those as soon as yard sale season begins in another month.  I like to can more than freeze simply because freezing requires a stable power source, and I’m not sure we’ll always have that, freezing also requires a lot of freezer space, obviously and that isn’t something I want to invest in (see my thoughts on not always having power).  I don’t dry enough foods and that is something I may start dabbling in again this summer.

This winter just seems especially long to me, and I’m experiencing my own version of cabin fever.  Cabin fever seems to be expressing itself in the fear of not being self-sufficient enough alongside the urge to just start digging in the dirt and getting my hands dirty.  The upside is the daylight hours are getting longer and longer (that is something that is so sublime about Montana summers).  Even more on the upside is that seeds are started indoors and soon, I’ll be canning again.  

PS: I’m starting to think folks who practice home canning have their own seasons - preparing to can, canning, and eating the canned goods.

#3 - I sing along, out loud, with the car radio.  I’m not a good singer, in fact I’m rather terrible, but when I’m alone in the car I pretend that I’m great.  I don’t tend to sing along at home or when other folks are around.

Jeff says he knows when I’m in a groove in the sewing room, because I do sing along to the radio/CD when I’m happily plugging along.  When I’m dealing with something that’s proving difficult or tearing out seams, etc.  he says I get really quiet.  He says he takes my singing to be a sign of happiness and contentment, even though I’m not that good (he doesn’t delude me in anyway about my singing ability or lack thereof).

101.9 is the Montana Radio Cafe and my favorite local radio station.  If you’re so inclined you can listen online no matter where you happen to be in the world.  It’s a low power station and I don’t have much luck getting it on my radio in the house, though I’m only about 20 miles away from the station, I do however; have a great reception in my car.  The station plays a great selection of blues, blue grass, folk, etc. 

Here in the Flathead Valley of Montana, the winters are very grey, overcast.  When we do get sunshine, everyone celebrates.  I had a meeting in Polson at the south end of Flathead Lake today.  The drive and views along the way were just so magnificent.  Is it any wonder, we chose to call this place home?

The Mission Mountains to the southeast of Polson.

Looking north across Flathead Lake.

for the beautiful place I call home.

for a loving partner, who says “ooh cool!” and means it when I answer bean burritos to his “what’s for dinner” question.