One Half Buddhist, One Half Christian, One Half Pagan

Given that we're actually starting to take baby steps towards homeownership, I decided that I should actually write down some of my thoughts and the things I want to do once I have land to do them on. Some of these are realistic, while others are pipedreams or things that will take a couple of decades to pay off.

- As soon as possible after we move in, I want to build a dozen raised garden beds. I think 1 yard by 2 yards will be the optimum size for me, but I still need to figure out how high to make them. I'll start planting in one or two of them right away if it's the right time of year, and the rest I'll fill with scrap wood, brush, and soil for the hugelkultur method. I figure I'll add one or two beds to cultivation each year until I reach as many as I can handle.

- In the first round of planting I'm going with onions, garlic, green peppers, tomatoes, zucchini, and maybe potatoes and hot peppers. Not sure what I'll add to later rounds.

- Stay organic. What's the point of growing my own food if it isn't going to be any better than what I can get at the store?

- Use local heirloom varieties whenever I can find them. Again, what's the point of growing my own food if it's no better than from the store or if it's not well suited to local conditions?

- I'd like to end up with 6 apple trees, 3 tart (pie) cherry trees, 3 sweet cherry trees, an edible crabapple tree, and a pear tree. This may take a few years.

- A strawberry bed.

- A grapevine.

- A raspberry/blackberry patch.

- I hate lawns that are cut so close to the ground that they look shaved. I like grass that's long enough to move when the wind blows.

- I'm also not fond of lawns that are solid blocks of green. I like multiple shades of green, and even some color.

- I'd like to make a mix of native grass seed, violet seeds, clover, and a few fragrent herbs, and use that to fill in any bare patches on the lawn. I'd have no objection if the entire lawn ended up being things that smell lovely.

- A few chickens

- I'd like to grow the majority of the vegetables we eat, using saved seeds as much as I can

- a peach tree or two. I know it will take more effort than the other trees I have listed.

- a fruit salad tree, but only if I do the grafting myself.

- a patio and fire-pit that are comfortable for large groups

- interesting sculpture in out of the way corners

- a milk goat

- a rose garden. All varieties choosen for 1)their hardiness, 2)how well suited their blossoms and hips are for making food or cosmetics, and 3)how fragrant they are.

I also have a yard and garden board over on pinterest.

This list will get edited and added to, and the individual items will get changed and expanded upon. Some things might even get deleted.

uawildcatgirl asked me "What is your favorite thing to do in your spare time?"

That's a really easy one: I read.

I read books, my Kindle, LJ's, blogs, fan fiction, and magazines both physical and online. I read packages, instruction manuals, encyclopedias, dictionaries, web comics, newspapers, and online forums and discussion groups. I read anything I can get my hands on. I've been known, when there was nothing else around, to read cereal boxes.

I usually have one book going on my Kindle and a couple of dozen tabs open on my computer, each with a different site on it.

A close second would be making things. I knit, embroider, use both a lucet and a kumihimo to make cord, collage, cook, bake, and make my own liqueurs. I'm learning to tablet weave, finger-loop braid, garden, and make my own household and personal cleaning supplies. I have the bad habit of making something because I think it would be cool to try out, but then either getting bored and leaving it 90% finished or finishing it but not having anything to do with it once I'm done. Or I buy lots of tools and supplies but never do it enough to justify them.

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I'm trying to post more often, and am looking for writing prompts. You can help by asking me a question or giving me a topic. Anything you want as long as it's safe for work. No promises I'll actually be inspired by your idea, but I'll do my best.

Tom got me this for Christmas. I was absurdly thrilled by it.

I've spent the last week and a half reading up on how composting with worms works. The stuff everyone seems to agree on is that fruit and veggies are almost all OK, although I should go easy on onions and citrus. Most seem to agree that bread products are fine as long as I don't add too much at once and that eggshells are OK as long as I rinse them out and crush them up small. The things that there seem to be the biggest disagreements about are meat, dairy products, and fat. Some say that dairy is OK in moderation, but that meat and fat should never go in. Others say that all of them can be composted, but you have to be twice a careful about covering them up or they'll attract flies. I'll probably start by adding them in very tiny amounts and see what happens.

Edit: I forgot to talk about paper! The consensus seems to be that any ordinary office paper is OK as long as it's shredded. Some sites suggest that it's useful to soak the paper in water overnight and squeeze the water out before adding it. They claim this will get rid of most of the stuff that would make the paper inedible to the worms. Newspaper is apparently OK as is, and can be useful if the bin gets too wet. End Edit

If I can find a place around here that will sell them to me I'll buy the worms this weekend. If not, I think I can order them off of Amazon.

If I do this right I'll have more good compost that I'll know what to do with by spring. If you garden, want some, and are local-ish to me I'll be happy to share. I also plan on trying some container gardening this year. Herbs at least, and maybe some tomatoes and onions. Maybe some catnip too. :)

Is it sad that one of the highest priority things on my Amazon wish list is this compost bin? The 5-tray version would also be great, but this is the one I'm more likely to buy for myself.

One of the things I really like about the new place is that it has a raised garden bed already set up that I can use.

The problem is that I have no idea what to plant in it.

Does anybody have any suggestions for vegetables or herbs that can be planted this late in the season and that do OK in the shade?