It has been brought to my attention, by myself, that I have not left the reservation in over a week.
A week!
Did you know I live on a reservation? Have I shared that bit of nothingness with you?
It’s true. You know I wouldn’t lie to you. Anyways, I am starting to get a bit weird and creepy. Good news! I have plans to go to the big city on . . .
wait for it . . .
wait for it . . .
FRIDAY!
My husband is still not home for the day. This means I am in dire need of adult communication. And since everyone has a life except me, I am going to blog.
Lucky you.
Pop Quiz Hot Shots:
What on earth am I growing out there? It appears to be of the green, leafy vegetable family? I, being the fool that I am, threw away all my seed packets. I know I had some lettuce, maybe multiple lettuce types, some green onion and perhaps basil?
I cannot be certain.
I grabbed some of the stuff on the right and used it as basil the other day, but now I am not so sure . . .
Yes! I am the woman my husband has entrusted the education of his fine children with!
Pray for them.
So. I’m thinking I will make a salad to go with dinner. Because some of that is bound to be lettuce. And I have an abundance of it. Whatever it is.
So, I told you about the bear warning neighbor.
Do you remember? Do you?
Well, he just called. On the phone. Yes. We have exchanged phone numbers with two, count them TWO, other humans who live on this dirt road of ours. Anyways, bear-warning neighbor is now warning about deadly moths.
Deadly moths! Who knew?!
Turns out some sort of plane will be dropping off some sort of deadly-moth poison to kill the moths who are killing the trees. The tree killing moths are irking the neighbors (of whose phone numbers I have because I am IN the club now).
Another neighbor, named Jungle (Jungle has not exchanged numbers with me. I hope to someday have this connection with him) is worried for the safety of my children and is asking me to keep them indoors ALL DAY.
Me and Jungle are gonna get in a rumble.
Yes. I have a neighbor named Jungle. Don’t you?
Anyways. Bear-warning neighbor is turning out to be a bit of a naysayer, a bearer of bad news, if you will.
Total downer, if you ask me.
So. My mom just called. Right as I was typing this very post you are reading right now. She called because she misses me.
Remember? I haven’t left this place in OVER A WEEK?
Anyways, as I was speaking with her and walking in my dangerous bear/deadly moth ‘hood, a snake slithered right by my toes!
A snake!
Moths! Bears! Snakes! Bison! Elk! Deer! Rabbits!
It’s like I am living on the island from Lost. David and I are watching Lost right now. We are in season 3. Don’t tell me what happens at all, because I am totally into it and it’s all I have to look forward to in life.
Don’t steal my joy.
Good news! My husband might be home soon. So, now I must make the dinner. No. I had no dinner planned out. Have you met me? But I am making a salad. And chicken alfredo with penne because who has time to remember to buy fettucine?
But. I think I am going to start freezer cooking!
I’m sure I got the smarts to handle that.
Sincerely,
Taylor from the Land of Bears, Bison, Snakes, and Mysterious Neighbors named Jungle.
So, are you going to freezer cook that bear after Jungle and the other neighbor kill it? You can season your meal with the green stuff you are growing.
BTW, Lost ROCKS!! I would figure out a way to tie in your lesson plans with the show so you could plow your way through the episodes.
I am pretty sure that the plant on the right is leaf lettuce. I only think this because we grew lettuce in our garden this year and it looked a lot like that!
oh, my!
I don’t know what it is your growing. But living off in the deep woods like you do, it might be marijuana.
Your sister, being hip and cool, might refer to it as “weed”
But of course, I doubt weed can grow from basil seeds, so you’re probably in the clear and are not a drug grower.
But Jungle might be.
Because his name is Jungle.
I got into LOST, had to download the last two seasons because our PeasantVision didn’t get good enough reception, and yet somehow I never watched the final episode. I didn’t want to watch it on the computer and then our video store burned down. We did get to keep our rented final season of Monk out of the conflagration, though.
It looks like a mutant lettuce/spinach combo to me. I’m calling it lettach. Did I mention my thumbs are not-so green?
Definitely not basil, and the one on the left almost looks like a red leaf arugula’ish green. Does it taste peppery or mild? The one on the right does remind me of a spinach. I bet the stores package them up and call ’em “mixed greens”. Hmph.
‘Tis not weed. Not that I know what weed looks like. Ahem. But, we have hired MANY a convict and former felon, and they can spot pot growing a MILE away.
On time you said you made pot coffee. Do you remember that? This is not looking good for your resume.
It looks like bib lettuce to me although I am hardly an expert in these matters.
You should try the fix it and forget it freezer cookbook, I got mine from the library. Wonderful make ahead recipes in it. I found the fix it and forget it for the crockpot for 5 dollars at a discount store. Oh man I love this cookbook, I think, been awhile since I have seen it. My parents “borrowed” it for a year and the weekend I stole it back my sister in law “borrowed” it. Been two months now, still havent seen it.
I love, love, love Lost. It’s my favorite show in the whole wide world, but I never watched the last season? Why? Because I had a night class when it was going on and now I’ve never gotten around to it. I’m not sure I really want it to end.
And I’m going to add Jungle to the list of future baby names for our family.
Marla @ http://www.blueskiesphotoblog.com
That is definitely lettuce, both sides! I know because I envy it in all of my friends’ gardens; my garden doesn’t even have enough sunshine to grow lettuce (which means it’s a particularly sad and hopeless garden). But! You’ve just (inadvertently) inspired me to grow lettuce in a pot. There’s hope!
If anyone (like Jungle) spots a polar bear in the vicinity … you might want to start packing.
Step away from the Res.
I repeat, step away from the Res. At least for a time. It’s for your own good.
Definitely no basil nor green onion in your jungle (not to be confused with Jungle), but on the left you have Bronze Arrowhead (which is apparently considered the most delectable lettuce for the home garden) and on the right… I’m not positive, but I’m going to guess Romaine/cos.
I’m kind of jealous of your lettuce. I had one stinking head actually grow, and then some critter ate the whole top off of it. Critters should be eating YOUR lettuce, not mine in the middle of town. At least it grows back. I was able to offer everyone a little leaf for sandwiches the other day.
Sorry, I can be of no help with the garden queries as I am not able to grow or keep alive any kind of flora. 🙁 BUT, I do looove Lost… except for the last season, then it just got weird and confusing. Also, I did the freezer meal thing so we would have home-cooked meals after my son was born. It worked out great for us and I think that’s a great idea for you and your brood. One of the recipes I used was Spicy Freezer Chili and it turned out really good. You can find the recipe here: http://busycooks.about.com/od/hotsouprecipes/r/freezerchili.htm.
Good luck!
Spinach lettuce
I’m so glad to see that otheres think it is all lettuce. Maybe, just maybe I’m beginning to know something about plants. Yeah! It’s not basil anyway.
I used to live somewhere far from a town – I got out about every 6 months, and we only got mail every 6-8 weeks (yes, it’s a while ago, we didn’t have email then) and it was in Africa. By the time I came back to ‘civilisation’, I couldn’t remember how to get cash out of a machine and stood for 20 minutes in the cereal aisle becasue there were over 100 different types (yes I counted them) and I had no idea which to buy!
Go to town! Enjoy!
Sarah
Basil tastes like basil and lettuce tastes like lettuce. That’s how I know the difference : ) I am growing basil and it is dark green. Your crop looks like lettuce to me and is very impressive!
I’m glad you’re getting out on Friday : )
Glad to know I am not alone in not marking my garden properly mark my garden. There is something growing that I have no clue. Then again it could be a weed for all the farmer I am!
Have fun off the reservation!! You’ll be amazed at how much the outside has changed since you’ve been away from civilization:)
I cannot identify your greens. I get mine in a bag like an other civilized individual.
tsk tsk.
I do think you night be a candidate for a History channel to make a new show. Swamp People… Woods People…Critters and Folk.
I like how your unidentified plants aren’t brown and sickly looking like my plants (except mint, I haven’t killed that).
I love how all your kids are smiling in the new header!
I love the concept of freezer cooking. In practice it’s a lot of work and cleanup. Good luck 🙂
I never missed an episode of Lost whilst it was on tv. The earth could end and I had to catch the episode that Tuesday.
I think you just may be living on that island. We have bear sightings here too as well as moose. Our snakes and moths are quite small however.
Holla! 🙂 🙂
As one who lives in West Nile land and is sprayed from helicopters, I’d say it would be nice to thank that naysayer and not only stay indoors, but get the heck out of dodge.
Those chemicals they use are not to be toyed with, no matter how people safe they claim to be. My dad was in pest control and when you read the official stuff, lets just say run, run far far away. As for your garden, cover it up with a big tarp or harvest it all before the spray. Your bunnies? They should be brought inside the garage. Your kids’ toys, bikes, etc? All that too or it will need to be washed down with soap and water. Oh, yes, it’s great news I bring you but the other news you’d like a lot less.
First, I LOVE your blog! Second, I can sincerely sympathize with your living conditions… allow me to explain… I was a perfectly happy suburban wife with friends, and gyms, and zoos, and pools, and all of the other joys that suburbia has to offer when my husband came home to report that he had found his “Dream Job!” I was excited for him! I really was… until he drove me almost two hours away from the life that I LOVED… up in the mountains… WAY up in the mountains… so, being the obedient wife that I am (Ha!) I moved myself and my children from a brand new 2,200 square foot home with a 3 car garage, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, and an office to a home built in the 1950’s that was a whopping 1,000 square feet, with one bathroom, no garage… at all… and ONE bathroom…
We had snow… sometimes 6 ft in one weekend storm… bears, racoons, mountain lions, and yes, rattle snakes. How did I survive you may ask? I didn’t… we moved a month ago… Holla!
By the way, I’m not sure if you read my comment to your last post, but I think you should write a book… seriously…
It is seriously time that the members of your extended family suck it up and make the drive to hang out with you.
While they’re there they can help paint the walls.
Mindee,
You deserve the COW! I like the “while they are there, they can help paint the walls”.
I am sure that on the left is Arugula, and am pretty sure that it’s a “spring salad mix” that you have going on there… SO… take
5 strawberries
Juice of a 1 lemon
1 tbs olive oil
1 tbs balsamic vinegar
honey or maple syrup to sweeten a little
Throw it all into blender or I use my magic bullet
Use all your beautiful mixed lettuce, was and put in a bowl with 3 or 4 sliced strawberries, and candied almonds or any candied nuts and VOILÀ, it is sooooooooooooo yummy even the Lumberjacklings will love it. It is a hit with everyone when I make it anyway.
Lions and tigers and bears OH MY!
Not basil for sure, my basil WAS growing leaves off a taller stem, until the kids ate all the leaves off it, and killed it. And then there was the lettuce in the garden. I couldn’t figure out where it was all going, until I saw hoof-prints in my garden yesterday. Apparently the deer are eating it down to the ground. Hmph!
Regarding freezer meals, I just took out “Fix, Freeze, Feast” from the library, and it is wonderful! I have too many post-it bookmarks in it marking meals that I want to make, but I have to return it to the library next week.
I don’t live out in the country, but sometimes I don’t leave my house for close to a week. I’m too lazy to pack up all the accoutrements for my gang of kids and haul them out. ;o)
I love your post, and you really have a great sense of humor. You should write books. The green is lettuce, so you are fine with that for a salad. I really enjoy your blog.
Ok this is coming from the woman that battled wits with a Bobcat for her chickens and ducks over 4 months before he was finally shot by a neighbor trying to steal her turkeys….GET OUT OMG RUN DO NOT WALK…you have way to much close contact wild life….I hate snakes and freak whenever anyone even mentions a sighting…get goose bumps just driving by them on the road (yes I know I moved to FL I never did claim to be smart) and oh the day the Gator crossed the road in front of my car I thru up a little in my mouth…oh and gave my mother who was with me a great story for the rest of her life….but bear sightings, killer moths and snakes by the foot….that is just too too much.
Stay safe
Kelsie
OH PS: Both look like they would do great in a salad….and nope I did not see any Basil that I recognize….though that goes great in salad too.
nice POT garden. 😉
all this chatter about writing a book – I’ll concur.
You just read ‘the Help’, did you not? So right there are multiple examples of *writing* that may end up in book form. Write an e-book, self publish, voila! Author. Though your blog counts, too.
Holla, Taylor the Lumberjack Writer!
Go Vickie B. Yes, thankful ye should be. All these blogs and not one about the actual growing of food. Do ye not have bugs eating your plants?