tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41203108435116653322024-03-05T07:22:38.392-08:00Garden Shades Megshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07754413875673666389noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4120310843511665332.post-26056036280868698502015-01-12T11:45:00.001-08:002015-01-13T09:12:10.866-08:00What are GMO's?As a whole, our society is always looking to jump on the next trending idea without fully understanding why they are doing so. One of the more recent trending ideas is the aversion to GMO's or Genetically Modified Organisms. Avoiding GMO's is a personal choice that should be made based on actual facts and understanding of what these things are rather than simply jumping on board with another trend. Hopefully after reading this, you will be able to answer the questions posed to the individuals in the video below!<br />
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<b>Genetically Modified Organisms</b><br />
<i>Definition:</i><br />
A GMO (Genetically Modified Organism) is an organism or microorganism whose genome has been altered by genetic engineering. This puts genes into organisms that would not otherwise be found within it.<br />
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Thousands of plants have been genetically modified to overcome issues that humans deem a "nuisance". These include:<br />
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<li>Injecting strawberries and tomatoes with fish genes in order to protect them from freezing.</li>
<li>Salmon and chicken that are engineered with extra growth hormones to allow them to grow larger.</li>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="File:Genetically modified corn.jpg" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9e/Genetically_modified_corn.jpg/399px-Genetically_modified_corn.jpg" height="640" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="426" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #f7f8ff; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-align: start;">Courtesy of Keith Weller, U.S. Department of Agriculture</span></td></tr>
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The <a href="http://www.centerforfoodsafety.org/issues/311/ge-foods/about-ge-foods#" target="_blank">Center for Food Safety</a> reports the following percentage of Genetically Modified Organisms.</div>
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85% of U.S. corn</div>
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91% of Soybeans</div>
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88% of Cotton</div>
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And an estimated 75% of processed foods in a supermarket contain GMO's.</div>
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This introduction of a different strand of DNA is done by various methods but one of the most common methods utilizes DNA from viruses such as E Coli in order to convince the host to accept the new parasitic DNA.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="File:Sacramento 2003 GMO USDA protest'Resist' flag.jpg" height="640" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/30/Sacramento_2003_GMO_USDA_protest%27Resist%27_flag.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="488" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Resist Sacramento 2003" Courtesy of Daniel Mayer</td></tr>
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Originally the companies behind this gene splicing were under the impression that only one new trait would be introduced. However, we now know that many different traits can be altered in the host plant by changing just one gene. Hypothetically creating plants that can continue to have new DNA sequences and cause harm to both the plant strain and the people consuming them!</div>
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References:<br />
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http://www.examiner.com/article/genetically-modified-organisms-how-they-are-made-and-why-they-aren-t-labelled<br />
http://gmo-awareness.com/all-about-gmos/gmo-defined/Megshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07754413875673666389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4120310843511665332.post-72029619148650236192014-12-16T09:09:00.002-08:002014-12-16T09:09:33.914-08:00Winter FunWhy is it that just when we are getting the most enjoyment out of the great outdoors that the weather turns on us and forces us back inside? Well this year I am putting my best foot forwards when it comes to getting fresh air! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We recently moved to another area (still in the great state of VT) but I am now struggling with the confinement of an apartment building... After our summer of outdoor living it is a huge adjustment but hopefully all will pay off in the end. The perks of our new abode: Heat (really you can't ask for much more), a yard, and a great Class 4 road to wander down with the dogs. As long as we are happy and healthy we can make any place our home.<div>
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Critter Update-<br /><div>
Charlie the rabbit has been relocated to my family's dairy farm and is enjoying life alongside of the cows. </div>
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Thelma & Louise have been misnamed! Apparently the reason they were not laying eggs is that my lovely girls are actually male mallard ducks! They are loving their first snow fall and plunge into their icy water dish with vigor every morning!</div>
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Ratchet the cat disappeared for a full ten days after moving into our new place. Just when I had given up searching for him a wonderful neighbor stopped in to tell me he had been sighted! We hurriedly went about a quarter mile up the road and found him lurking under their porch. Upon seeing it was us, he bounded up out of the snow and came home! His journey took quite a toll on him and he lost a little over 8 lbs! Thankfully he has made up for it with eating and sleeping constantly since he got home.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Happy Holidays All!</div>
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Megshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07754413875673666389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4120310843511665332.post-15033544603416889112014-11-03T13:42:00.001-08:002014-11-03T13:42:01.365-08:00Apple ShenanigansWell Hello All! <div>
Again I know my postings have been infrequent over the last few months but I will continue to do my best to bring you some of the latest highlights before winter! First off, fall is my absolute favorite time of year. Gorgeous fall leaves set the backdrop for bright orange pumpkins lining front porches while the kids are fast asleep after their busy days of apple picking. Not to mention the smell of that fresh apple pie sitting on your kitchen counter! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Although fall went by quick this year I was ecstatic to spend at least one day apple picking at Douglas Orchards in Shoreham VT. After picking a 1/2 bushel of Macintosh for the low low price of $3.50, I had enough apples to make everything imaginable. Pan upon pan of apple crisp disappeared from my kitchen over the weeks without time enough to even snap a picture! Another fabulous dessert I tested this year for the first time was apple cake. Extremely easy to make, this cake was fluffy, moist, and used up the last of my soft, somewhat rough looking apples! If you want to take a gander at the recipe follow the link below. </div>
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<a href="http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/easy-apple-cake/5427daa2-21ac-4b09-bb6e-4c24437500ce" target="_blank">Easy Apple Cake</a>. <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Another awesome idea I had, Apple Chips! Slice your apples and gently pick out any seeds, the stars in the center are edible. Put on a peice of parchment paper and sprink the slices with cinnamon and sugar. Preheat your oven to 225F and forget about them for awhile. They can cook in 45 minutes but can take as long as 3 hours!</span><br /><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">This year was also my first attempt at homemade applesauce which came out perfectly! I started by peeling and coring all of my apples- I use an apple corer and am left with 8 slices. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: small;"> I then combine the apples, cinnamon, brown sugar, and I utilized apple juice.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">I let these apple slices cook for about 15-20 minutes until the apples were tender. I then put them in my handy dandy food processor (compliments of my parents) and pulsed for about 1 minute. This made about 5-6 servings of apple sauce and did not require any canning! </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>Megan's Apple Sauce</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Ingredients:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">4 cups of apples, peeled and chopped</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">3/4 cup of apple juice or water</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">1/2 cup packed brown sugar</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Combine all ingredients in saucepan. Stir regularly for 15-20 minutes on medium heat. Put through a food processor until desired consistency.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">I hope you can try some of these quick and easy recipes this fall! Good luck!</span></div>
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Megshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07754413875673666389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4120310843511665332.post-83952691329922392752014-09-16T09:05:00.004-07:002014-09-16T09:06:23.276-07:00Backyard VisitorsMore often than not I awake to the sound of barking dogs in the middle of the night. Standing tense at the door, hair bristled, waiting for the chance to patrol the backyard as soon as the door is open. After months on end of this endless routine I decided to do a little inspection of our backyard and was shocked to find several deer trails leading right to the meadow on the far side of the property. I immediatly set up our infared game camera on the apple tree and was simply blown away by the results after only a few days!<br />
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Whitetail fawns are usually born in late April to early July and can be singles, twins, or even triplets. They generally keep their spots until late October in the same year they are born.I get such a kick out of watching the fawns graze while their mother keeps an eye on the treeline.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Notice the spots still on the fawns!</td></tr>
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Usually soon after this family leaves, another doe sneaks in for a late night snack! I have yet to see her on camera with another deer but you will notice she looks slightly thinner than the doe above.<br />
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Occasionally the deer brave the sunlight and the busy activity of our house to snack on the fallen apples...<br />
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That is until the turkey flock chases them away!<br />
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The turkeys have not yet grown fond of the ducks but often times you will see them intermingling with the chickens. Roaming the lawn in search of food and I have even caught them in the chicken coop trying out the roosting box!Megshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07754413875673666389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4120310843511665332.post-36691171679841175522014-09-09T13:29:00.001-07:002014-09-09T13:29:49.358-07:00CrittersHello All!<br />
Sorry that my posts have been somewhat sporadic lately. I am currently starting up a new semester of college and am a little more swamped than I had planned! It seems that any free time I have had lately has been consumed by my critters (along with any extra money) but I can honestly say I would not trade a one of them!<br />
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~My Boys<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cole</td></tr>
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So in case you are just tuning in, I am the proud co-owner of two Labradors Cole and JD (No, JD does not stand for anything). Cole is a chunk of love that just hit 2 1/2 and has just started disappearing when he thinks we are not looking. Three mornings in a row I had to truck to the end of the driveway in my pj's to holler at him to get back to the house. As always, he comes right back wagging his tail ready to play. Since his recent excursions we have put a lock down on his "free time" and have been putting him in his kennel whenever he wanders too close to the driveway. Fingers crossed, it seems to be working!<br />
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Unfortunately this trick does not do any good with JD and we have had to pick him up from doggie jail at least three times (Ch-Ching!). Since his love for running does not allow him to stay close by he is generally on a leash or hooked to a run when he is outdoors. That way we can still bring him for a swim at the pond every few days.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">JD</td></tr>
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Over the past week we started to notice that he would cry whenever he shook his head and continued to rub it on the ground whenever he went outside. After taking a peek in (N.A.S.T.Y) we figured he had some sort of infection. After a $70 vet bill we found out that he had the doggie version of "swimmers ear" and can no longer go swimming! However he is allowed to go to the pond and chase frogs around the edge which seems to be his favorite activity anyways.<br />
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~My Girls<br />
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Next on my list of emergencies is my poor little ducklings! Thelma and Louise have grown substantially since I last posted photos and have even laid one egg... Minus the shell part.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thelma</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Louise</td></tr>
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About a week ago my boyfriend got home just in time to catch them in the act of pecking at the dirt around the garage. Somehow Thelma managed to pick up a fish hook through her lower beak and was in quite a bit of pain. After stripping the comforter from our bed, he managed to get the ducks in a corner and captured them in the blanket. With a pair of pliers and a lot of quacking he got the fish hook out and the girls are back to normal! Some days I think pets are equal to if not more work than children!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They think they can fly...</td></tr>
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Megshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07754413875673666389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4120310843511665332.post-47691897764532564102014-08-25T08:46:00.004-07:002014-08-25T12:32:11.945-07:00The difference between Blackberries and Black/Red RaspberriesWhile I am fresh on the subject of berries... I have gotten a few emails asking to discuss the differences between blackberries and black raspberries. The difference is actually quite simple!<br />
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<b><span style="color: #351c75;">Blackberries</span>:</b><br />
A Blackberry has a white fleshy core that will stay within the berry when you pick them and overall larger cells than a raspberry. Although blackberries are more tart than a raspberry they are an added treat to any desert recipe!<br />
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Black/Red Raspberries</span>:</b><br />
In a raspberry, red or black, they are hollow in the center when they are ripe. Raspberries are also smaller, and covered with tiny hairs (although both can have some hair attached). These little fruits are also harvested earlier than blackberries; ranging from June to August but can tolerate a little cold if the weather changes quickly.<br />
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Get out there and pick as many as you can of either kind!Megshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07754413875673666389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4120310843511665332.post-71119895742086123932014-08-25T08:27:00.003-07:002014-08-25T08:47:37.228-07:00Blackberries Picking & CookingWell.... I officially have 1 Green Pepper!!! I did not take pictures of it this week because, quite frankly, it is the saddest green pepper I have ever seen.<br />
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With the plant only reaching 11 inches high the green pepper is just pushing 1 inch in diameter and did not look overly delicious on camera! Although my garden has not produced a bountiful harvest this year I could not have been more tickled to see this tiny vegetable beginning to grow!</div>
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While I was out inspecting my garden I came upon a large cluster of wild blackberries just waiting to be plucked from the vine! The more I looked around the more aware of these plants I became, until I was stumbling across them in every thicket and hedgerow on the property. After picking for about an hour I had gathered about 4 cups of delicious blackberries with a few late blooming raspberries thrown in.</div>
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I decided to whip up a small recipe to test them out and I froze the other half for future uses. </div>
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**A great tip for freezing any vegetables or fruits that tend to clump together: Flash freeze them first in a single layer on a cookie sheet (I use a plate) before putting them in a bag. This allows you to dip in to however much you need per recipe!</div>
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For the other half of my blackberries I made an Arkansas Traveler's Cake. </div>
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This recipe was Extremely easy and tastes delicious served warm with a large dollop of Vanilla ice cream! </div>
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Naturally because this cake was so good I have no pictures to share-It really did not last long out of the oven! If you want to give it a try I have included the recipe below! </div>
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Arkansas Traveler Cake-Megan's Version</div>
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Ingredients</div>
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1/2 cup Butter (Less is absolutely fine!)</div>
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1 cup Sugar</div>
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1 cup Flour</div>
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1 cup milk</div>
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2 teaspoons Baking Powder</div>
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2 Cups Blackberries</div>
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Directions:</div>
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1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place 9x13x2 pan inside with butter. (I used a 9x9 pan and came out with a slightly thicker cake although it takes some changes to the cooking time). Allow butter to sizzle; generally 2-3 minutes.</div>
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2. Mix flour, sugar, milk, and baking powder until creamy; No lumps!</div>
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3. Pour blackberries into mix, stirring lightly. (The original recipe called for blackberries to be placed in the middle but I have had better luck mixing them into the cake batter before pouring in).</div>
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4.Pour the batter into the hot prepared pan.</div>
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5. Allow to cook for 1 hour until crust is golden brown on top.</div>
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6. Serve warm with Vanilla Ice Cream.</div>
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Happy Cooking!</div>
Megshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07754413875673666389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4120310843511665332.post-58465448542699393202014-08-15T12:49:00.003-07:002014-08-15T12:49:40.406-07:00UnwindEvery week I go through the normal paces. Get up. Drink coffee. Go to work. Come home. Cook dinner. Go to bed. But I think I speak for everyone when I say the weekend is usually the time you get to unwind, do what YOU want to do, and enjoy some of the freedom we are all meant to have. Whether this means sleeping until 1 o'clock in the afternoon or getting up at 4 am to go on that epic hike you have been planning all week it is completely up too you. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Although my weekend generally consists of the same activities as other days, I try to make a point of setting a little time aside to just think. This may sound silly, but after a week of monotonous encounters it is an absolute necessity to have some "me time". Many people fulfill this need with weekly nail appointments, or a monthly outing to get their hair done. Me? I take to the woods. <span style="text-align: center;">Some days I just walk, picking up deer trails and tracking them through the woods.</span></div>
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Other days I bring my camera and take pictures of every thing that catches my eye. It doesn't matter if I never get them developed or download them to a Facebook account. I enjoy the simple aspect of capturing a creature or a plant in the exact form it was when I saw it. This past weekend it was mushrooms that seemed to entice me. Every shape, size, and color was vastly different from any I had passed previously. Please note, I did not eat or touch any of them as I am still not 100% on their identification but just taking the time to stop and look at them was the highlight of my day.</div>
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Oftentimes when I find a lull in weekend activities, I will sneak off for a few hours and tuck myself away at the riverside. My river is nothing extraordinary; more like a stream flowing through the woods that occasionally gets deep enough to sit in. But sitting on that riverbank; surrounded by effervescent waterfalls and the sunlight peeking through the leaves. I am in absolute heaven. </div>
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Lately I have been devoting a lot of my time to building a small swimming area and the least effective dam in the world. </div>
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I managed to raise the water level a few inches but my dam building skills leave a bit to be desired. As you can see,the water still continues to pour through with an animal ferocity.(Not this animal below).</div>
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A day to yourself is a day to think or to not think. A day to do whatever comes to mind and simply be free. I hope everyone is able to spend a little time to themselves. After all it is what keeps us sane!</div>
Megshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07754413875673666389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4120310843511665332.post-28111909445425253582014-08-08T08:51:00.002-07:002014-08-08T08:52:29.907-07:00Notes for Next Year: Radish & Potato growing 101So hopefully everyone's garden is getting closer to maturity and you are all seeing the fruits of your hard labor! Unfortunately my garden has not produced in quite the way I had hoped due to some late planting and a few key errors I will be careful to avoid next year!<br />
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First off my radishes are ENORMOUS! Well, at least the greens. Some blooms and stalks are over 4 feet tall and still growing! After consulting with several different gardeners, and hearing many different opinions on the subject, I decided to do some research on my own. Radishes do not generally get quite as large as mine, and should be pulled when the top of the radish is poking through the ground above. Occasionally this will take some poking and prodding from your fingers to see if you can see the actual radish. Do not let these root vegetables get overly large or they will begin to crack and lose flavor. Each seed is different so be sure to pay attention to the packet you are planting! This process can take as little as 3-4 weeks!</div>
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Upon further inspection of my lanky plants I determined that I made one of the most common errors when it comes to radish planting. When these plants are small they need to be thinned out very well to prevent over crowding. The other option is to plant one seed per hole an adequate distance apart. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqeluQNFuxMHdZuEcHim2_eQtA66jFWiWSRLl-V5UsGhGlXb73hvClfO02-R72HBfoxptAgugPuR3FczC-OIMC5Xc6aq0qU4vSfmg_jSFuZ_-sBwwp62_oYy0j1d4tma90oZEdWw8A-3k/s320/Radish.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="230" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picture Credit: http://danosgarden.blogspot.com/2011_03_01_archive.html</td></tr>
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I did not do either! In order to save what crops I could (even if they do not taste good my rabbit Charlie will enjoy them), I separated the stalks and replanted with more growing room. I also went around and clipped the tops of everything to keep them at a more manageable size as I experiment. </div>
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I also made this mistake with my green bean plants. Luckily they are still thriving and producing about a handful of produce roughly every two days! After trying bush beans this year I think I will try my hand at pole beans next year in order to really get as much yield as possible in my small space.<br />
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I also spent some time in my parents award winning garden this past week helping to plant some fall crops such as beans and onions. After having a garden in the same spot for 10+ years the soil seems to grow the biggest, brightest, and best vegetables that I have ever seen!<br />
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They have separated their garden into sections in order to prevent cross breeding between the plants and yet some of the plants are so luscious they are spilling onto one another.<br />
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My dad has also begun a new potato planting method in all of our extra bins, barrels, and tubs. He started out with a normal potato eye wedge and buried them a few inches down in a tub of dirt.<br />
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As the plants grow he continuously covers them with a new layer of composted cow manure and soil.<br />
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As you can see the plants have responded very well! This method of planting keeps weeding to a minimum and will only require the tubs to be dumped out when harvest time comes!<br />
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Megshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07754413875673666389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4120310843511665332.post-40109885135594321982014-07-28T13:09:00.002-07:002014-07-28T13:09:24.111-07:00Fishing HoleSo we took a tour through Lincoln Vermont this week and decided to stop off and do some fishing. I have gone years without fishing and licenses skyrocketed! We dropped close to $100 on Vermont licenses so I am hoping I acquire a taste for fish! Our first stop was to Goshen Dam and ended after several hours of continuous casting and not a single fish! This spot was absolutely gorgeous, but much to our dismay has become fairly well known. As we continued travelling we were abruptly faced with a young white-tail doe in the middle of the road. Given it was a dirt road we stopped the car and watched the deer lick salt like a kid with a tootsie pop. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">Hopefully this doe will still be around this fall!</span></td></tr>
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I am able to disclose some non-specific land-markers for our next stop but I have been sworn to secrecy regarding its actual location. On a small dirt road in Lincoln we pulled to a grassy pull off and pushed aside a veil of vines to find a small footpath. The foot path was a little steep but opened up onto a river bed with plenty of different levels for swimming. We bypassed the swimming spots and went directly to a 7 foot waterfall that dropped into a rock canyon (also a great swimming spot). After spotting a small hole that looked just right for a photo-shoot, I waded the river and scaled the large boulders on the other side of the river.</div>
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Although it was a little scary climbing down the rock-face it was an amazing view of the waterfall I would not have gotten otherwise! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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After a bit of wading and picking up interesting rocks we started hooking our worms and dropping lines directly into the waterfall. No sooner did we drop our lines than the fish started jumping out of the plunge pool as if they were trying to jump back upstream! Each time the line was dropped it was literally less than a minute before a fish was on the line and we were reeling them in as if they weighed 100 pounds! We only kept one fish that I learned was a brook trout. These cold water fish are relatively forgiving when it comes to the type of bait you utilize(we had worms) and can be found in many spring-fed rural brooks throughout Vermont. </div>
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Unfortunately for the fish and much to my dismay I have not yet found a way to prepare fish that I enjoy. Some habits are hard to break and red meat is one ;) </div>
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Megshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07754413875673666389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4120310843511665332.post-18733521218258837822014-07-23T12:22:00.003-07:002014-07-23T12:22:39.939-07:00A Straight Up Climb<div style="text-align: center;">
This past weekend we had an interesting experience with a local hiking guidebook that did not quite meet our expectations. The book we had was all about hiking with kids and outlined a great trail on Pitchfield Mountain in Keene, NY described as moderate with a round trip of 3 miles. </div>
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Unfortunately for us, the book must have been written in the 70's when everything seemed wonderful and beauty was found around every corner. As the trail has been traversed by avid hikers the directions have somewhat changed and it is not quite as peaceful as it once was. </div>
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Our book described a "split" in the trail about a half of a mile in, the trail to the left, traveling up to the outlook (1.5 miles) and the trail to the right went up the mountain (distance unknown). Well. There was no split! Instead we followed the one and only trail, heading straight up! We quickly left the busy highway behind and sunk into the wilderness as we started our ascent. </div>
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The trail was marked fairly regularly with NY Trail Head markers but as we started to progress higher, the signs became less frequent.</div>
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As we walked we crisscrossed a small stream coming down the mountain fairly often with some spectacular waterfall views. Although they were fairly small falls they were gorgeous and added a mystifying appeal to the trip. All of my readers will soon find out that I am a Waterfall Junkie!!! </div>
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Unfortunately the higher we hiked the larger the rocks became on the trail until we were literally scooting from rock to rock on our hands and knees. A few members of our group were struggling with the altitude and decided to stop about two hours into the hike. I continued for another 45 minutes, reaching false peak after false peak. After such a grueling climb I relished the glimpse of sunshine through the treetops. Thinking to myself; it is just beyond this bend! No such luck. </div>
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Eventually I rounded a corner in the trail and was met with massive stones coming out of the mountain on both sides. These huge boulders were overlooking one of the most breathtaking views I had ever seen. I continued on the trail but at this point my legs were shaking uncontrollably and tapping out their own beat! After each disappointing false top, and now hiking alone, I became discouraged and decided to turn around. However, before I began my retreat down the mountain I climbed atop some of these large boulders and took these shots of the mountains and I am still speechless as I look upon them.</div>
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Megshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07754413875673666389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4120310843511665332.post-39175276221742560102014-07-17T13:31:00.002-07:002014-07-17T13:33:03.784-07:00Japanese BeetlesSo a friend of mine made mention of an influx of Japanese Beetles in her garden and how she was having trouble getting rid of them using only organic methods. Thank goodness I have not yet had this issue in my garden but it got me started on some research.<br />
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Japanese beetles have a metallic green body and copper wings. This chafer, or flying beetle grow to an average of 3/8 in long by 1/4 in wide. These pests feed on fruit and foliage as adults but start out feeding on grass roots as larva. These beetles overwinter roughly 8-10 in below the soil surface and begin to move towards the surface as spring approaches. In the beginning of June the adults begin to emerge and generally live for 30-45 days.<br />
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It is easy to spot Japanese beetles in the act of ruining a garden as they are not easily startled. You will also notice skeletonized leaves and defoliation in your plants. One beetle may cause damage to your garden but as these beetles grow in number the damage can become quite substantial.<br />
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If the infestation of beetles has not grown too large, you can simply pick off the beetles and drop them in a bucket of soapy water (soap breaks the tension and allows the beetle to drown).<br />
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Although not much help for current beetle issues, laying down mulch or hay will keep these chafers from laying eggs in your soil and cut down on the number of beetles you have next year.<br />
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Milky spore is a product you can purchase and spread throughout your lawn and garden in order to kill Japanese beetles. However this garden is recommended with a warning because it is ONLY effective towards Japanese Beetles and will nothing to combat the thousands of other flying pests in our area.<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BWY878/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000BWY878&linkCode=as2&tag=gardshad0c-20&linkId=DKQJG34RFH6WK2DE"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B000BWY878&Format=_SL110_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=gardshad0c-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=gardshad0c-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B000BWY878" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
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Sticky tape or stakes can be purchased and laid in strips throughout your garden however this process is not guaranteed to work as there is nothing in the tape to draw the beetles too it.<br />
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You can also purchase Japanese Beetle traps at your local hardware store.<br />
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If you have had a similar experience with beetles or have any tips please feel free to let us know!Megshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07754413875673666389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4120310843511665332.post-77741405347369467702014-07-15T12:34:00.000-07:002014-07-15T12:35:11.365-07:00Garden Time<div style="text-align: left;">
So this weekend I spent an absurd amount of time plucking and pulling every weed that threatened to break through my garden soil. Unfortunately I chose to take pictures before I spent all of my Saturday weeding so these illustrate the true extent of my laziness over the past few weeks! </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sweet Corn</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU0NOYezNbIHzArUBawH44HhYY9FTowNedOSU52TuDgVO6sLKlkJyT8BdMwMUs-4zSVSYeYIxnbYhvfmVoIDCUHuFJYzQFPMiEX3pYDu1stV_YLua9ShFE0QTlS5q7qZQb9NQ_o4f6wxA/s1600/CAMERA+71514+018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU0NOYezNbIHzArUBawH44HhYY9FTowNedOSU52TuDgVO6sLKlkJyT8BdMwMUs-4zSVSYeYIxnbYhvfmVoIDCUHuFJYzQFPMiEX3pYDu1stV_YLua9ShFE0QTlS5q7qZQb9NQ_o4f6wxA/s1600/CAMERA+71514+018.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Broccoli slowly recovering from the slug attacks!</td></tr>
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Overall my plants are looking quite leafy and green but my pepper plants are simply not up to par. <span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">Several
of my plants have lost their leaves as they dried up and turned to a black dust
on the top of the stalk. The stalk however, has remained green and I am in high
hopes that they will round the corner with a little TLC! My next step in combating the ever awful slugs and snails has been a fowl plan! I recently picked up two <a href="http://www.ducks.org/hunting/waterfowl-id/mallard#ad-image-0" target="_blank">mallard </a>ducklings whom I call Thelma and Louise. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6YSGOft1CzXn-U4WYRfkN5jAOg5zJlteC_FmehRTw0FSSKG0PjV4jf7w7McwxEBoPcZ-B3RUlSF9Hi7jAJzQN5X45FhLuEVSsI7RWlC9VsDBYDIFPi4GDs5FkGBLGiInY_harJcMnuQI/s1600/CAMERA+71514+011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6YSGOft1CzXn-U4WYRfkN5jAOg5zJlteC_FmehRTw0FSSKG0PjV4jf7w7McwxEBoPcZ-B3RUlSF9Hi7jAJzQN5X45FhLuEVSsI7RWlC9VsDBYDIFPi4GDs5FkGBLGiInY_harJcMnuQI/s1600/CAMERA+71514+011.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snuggle Time</td></tr>
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They have not quite reached a size where I feel comfortable letting them run free with the chickens so they are currently spending their nights in an dog crate and their days running wild! I have been filling up a sled with water several times a day and they are a riot to watch! Most evenings they put themselves to bed by snuggling down into a pile of hay and there they stay until I wake them up in the morning. </div>
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After my long day of strenuous work I fell into a deep, restful sleep and had the most amazing dream! I dreamed of walking through my garden behind a small ramshackle cottage. The sun was high and the plants were aching to get closer to the warmth of the rays. </div>
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Tomato plants, ripened to perfection, were bursting through the Azalea that lined the pathways and dandelion sprouts struggle to grow around the rock stones laid out. Sunflower's tower over Lily's at every turn and open up to a gazebo in the middle of this magnificent maze. </div>
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The circle was lined with evening primrose sprinkled a midst night gladiolus hanging low over a reflective pool. As I sat in the gazebo watching the bees travel between the blossoms, I envisioned how my paradise would light up at night and I could not think of a single thing I would want to change. </div>
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This is certainly not the garden I have now but perhaps someday....</div>
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So this weekend was so busy that I am already planning on breaking it up into multiple posts! Friday was a complete bust what with having to work and dodging raindrops but Saturday was absolutely amazing! We started out the day with a trip to my family's farm in Whiting Vermont and got a chance to snack on fresh snap peas and lettuce straight from their award winning garden. My mother has learned the hard way that weeding a giant vegetable garden is not conducive to raising 7 children and thus has laid out white plastic across its length. Now the garden only needs small holes cut and tucked under wherever she wants her plants. She uses old railroad ties to hold everything in place and create sections but I have also heard of using rocks, or piling dirt around the holes. Their sugar snap peas are overwhelming their section and have even begun to have some gorgeous little purple flowers!<br />
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My next stop of the day was too the Lemon Fair in Shoreham, VT to spend a little outdoor time on the covered railroad bridge. Although we spent a good three hours fishing, we have yet to catch anything over .5 lbs... But sitting on the riverside soaking up the sunshine is always a good afternoon regardless of what we catch!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shoreham Rail Road Bridge</td></tr>
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Our last outing of the day was a four-wheeler (ATV) ride out through Moriah, New York. My boyfriend and I jumped on the wheeler and flew through all of the rural trails in town. We stopped on one trail to take a gander at an old mine opening and the collapsing ground around it. However, while we were stopped I began looking around and noticed the most brilliant wild strawberry patch I have ever seen! We picked and ate for a good 15 minutes until our fingers were stained red and our bellies were full of our sweet treat! This little treat was a great reminder to always be keeping an eye out for wild edibles close by!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wild Strawberry Patch</td></tr>
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Our trails went from the strawberry fields to the top of a "tailings" pile left over from the Iron Ore mines in the 1850's. This pile has an EXTREMELY steep trail going up the side with literally inches of firm ground on either side and had me clutching on for dear life. But the view at the top was worth the trip! A small plateau looks over all of Mineville, NY and onto Lake Champlain with the bridge in clear view. We sat here and watched the sunset before heading for home and bringing our Saturday to the perfect close.<br />
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Megshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07754413875673666389noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4120310843511665332.post-63924179810000857162014-07-03T13:26:00.003-07:002014-07-03T13:26:54.976-07:00NY Hiking Trip!<br />
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Happy week of the 4th!<br />
Sorry I have not been able to post much this week but it has been a hot/humid one so my bottom has stayed in fresh water as much as possible! This past weekend I went hiking in upstate New York with my love, his son, and our two labs.<br />
<a href="https://scontent-b-lga.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpf1/t1.0-9/1546197_10202983317838208_7961607108541760965_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://scontent-b-lga.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpf1/t1.0-9/1546197_10202983317838208_7961607108541760965_n.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xap1/t1.0-9/10154521_10202983310238018_8775595305309526195_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xap1/t1.0-9/10154521_10202983310238018_8775595305309526195_n.jpg" width="200" /></a>We went to a great trail in North Hudson called Hammond Pond Wild Forest and it was absolutely amazing!!! There are four different stops you can make along the way including Trout Pond, Round Pond, Hammond Pond, and East Mill Flow. We did not make it all the way to East Mill Flow but Hammond Pond was simply gorgeous. It was roughly 2.5 miles to this pond and a very cool little man-made bridge crossing the lower end of the pond.<br />
There are also a few aluminum boats and canoes left on the pond for everyone to use. When we took the boat across we came to a rock-face with a cleared off area that would be great for a campsite! We used this opportunity to jump into the clear water (although it is dark) and came out only smelling mildly of beaver! The absolute silence that surrounded us and the still water made for a picturesque day and I can't wait to go back again.Megshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07754413875673666389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4120310843511665332.post-62606993593964457652014-06-26T12:33:00.002-07:002014-08-25T07:44:36.132-07:00Close Encounters and Miracle Mishaps<br />
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Sorry to keep everyone in suspense over the last few days! I have been down in the dumps with an upper respiratory infection and have certainly not been out enjoying my garden. In my sickly stupor however, I made a quick jaunt down in order to put out some miracle grow as my cantaloupe plants are looking pretty sad. There I go with a full watering can of miracle grow; stumbling around downed trees and through knee-high grass to get to the garden and wouldn't you know it. SLAM! To the ground I fall, miracle grow across my face, in my hair, and sticking to the side of my leg. Needless to say I was curled up in the grass hating my cold and myself for several minutes! </div>
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<a href="https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTxc3IdOy1wx3VQi2RK_PXrTU0piW15u_ZieiQ1DMRIiscmqAbQ" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTxc3IdOy1wx3VQi2RK_PXrTU0piW15u_ZieiQ1DMRIiscmqAbQ" style="cursor: move;" width="200" /></a>When I finally got out to my garden the snails were back three-fold! Silly me not too follow the directions and spray the plants again every 5-7 days! So at this point I am unsure how they are going to turn out =( If anybody has some suggestions please let me know! I will be updating y'all as soon as I am feeling a little better!!!!</div>
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P.S. On Saturday there was a deer about 100 yards from the house that our dogs were watching very quietly. I skirted the driveway and hid below the field line and army-crawled to the edge of the field. I got about 5 feet into the field and popped my head up to get my bearings. As soon as I did the deer caught sight of me and simply stared for what felt like hours! It probably only lasted a minute before the dog's growl sent her bounding away but it was pretty amazing!Megshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07754413875673666389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4120310843511665332.post-1701692006454458182014-06-17T11:06:00.000-07:002014-07-18T07:18:48.949-07:00Attack of the SlugsBREAKING NEWS! The Slugs have taken over my garden!!! These mollusks are insatiable and are slowly crunching their way through the leaves on all of my seedlings. The mucus they secrete allows them to slide up and over every plant in the garden as well as to defend themselves from predators. Now I have heard a lot of different rumors about what kills these beasts ranging from soapy water to a beer trap. No I am not joking! Apparently the yeast in beer is a major turn-on for slugs and an open container will have everything within a few feet trucking along in order to blindly throw themselves over the rim. Another long term option for removal would be to put in a small water area near your garden in order to invite natural predators into the area. These include ducks, snakes, salamanders, and turtles. Because I was not in the mood to get drunk in the garden last night or dig a pond this morning, I dug through my stockpile of gardening odds and ends and came across a natural soap spray that kills bugs on contact. This is an organic spray that you can purchase pre-diluted material but I recommend the concentrated soap in order to mix up however you see fit. I mixed up my batch and soaked those plants down on both the upper and underside of the leaves until it was dripping off! Let's see those slugs take chunks out of the leaves again!<br />
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~I added a link for the concentrated organic soap product as well~<br />
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<br />Megshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07754413875673666389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4120310843511665332.post-21470486813833341742014-06-16T12:39:00.004-07:002014-06-16T12:39:56.523-07:00<span style="font-family: inherit;">~My Garden Attempts~</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">So I have previously attempted several vegetable gardens ranging from mild to disastrous results. My most recent attempt brought me to a small clearing near my home that had been "touched" with a rototiller. (I say touched because the rototiller managed to clear chunks of grass and roots, yet left them in tangled rock-root filled piles throughout my garden bed). As my skin turned into a lovely shade of dirty-sweaty swipe marks I pulled each root bundle out of the garden and shook the dirt free from it's safe haven, slowly creating a soft bed for my soon to be green children. Now I have heard garden tips from everyone and their brother so I decided to throw together a combination garden this year in order to try my hand at multiple styles. So first off I started off making rows upon rows of mounded up dirt. (Trust me, seeds will grow if the row is straight or not!) In my mounded rows I planted an array of green beans, broccoli, radishes, and cucumbers. The next section of my garden I incorporated a raised bed and scattered carrot seeds throughout. Although I do not eat carrots(or really all that many raw vegetables) my little bunny rabbit Charlie certainly does! Last year I also found that Charlie LOVES sweet corn so I also threw in 5-6 straight rows of that. In the lower part of the garden I found that I was having a lot of trouble with excess water so I decided to use tires to plant in. So far this has been my favorite method because it reduces my back ache ten-fold. I chose to only do one tire high(filling them with dirt is way more work than I thought!), but I have heard of many people going three or four high! In my tire garden I have planted green peppers and </span>cantaloupe so far but I have been thinking of throwing in some pumpkins & onions. The last thing I did before throwing in the towel was to write the names of each veggie on a stick and mark the beginnings/ends of the rows. A few years ago I forgot to mark plants and I spent 4 months weeding and nourishing a lovely picker bush! I certainly had to spread this laborious activity out over a few days but I felt quite a feeling of accomplishment getting everything in the ground! My hands are now stained with dirt and my finger nails look as if I gnawed them to the tip but my sticks lined up through the garden are worth the price.<br />
~Until Next TimeMegshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07754413875673666389noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4120310843511665332.post-89655359677358147742014-06-13T11:03:00.000-07:002014-06-13T11:03:00.288-07:00Introduction<span style="font-family: inherit;">Hello All and Welcome to Garden Shades~</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">This will be my first attempt at a blog so please bear with me as I attempt to manage this steep learning curve! My name is Megan Quesnel and I am originally from a small dairy farm in Whiting, Vermont. Over the years I have moved around the Northeast and even settled in New York for a short time. However, after each of these moves I realized that being away from the farm left something missing inside me. As I strive to fill this hole, I find myself reaching out into the world around me and getting more in touch with nature. If anyone has ever sat peacefully on the forest floor and simply listened to the world around us than you know exactly what I am speaking of. Through this blog I have decided to document my love of nature as I strive to remove myself from a stuffy office building and become a free spirit once again. </span><br />
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Megshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07754413875673666389noreply@blogger.com0