Random happenings

I have a carrot! Possibly two, or three. It's a Christmas miracle. Mind you, I planted like 50 of the things. And I accidentally pulled up two radishes while I was weeding. Those seem to be doing well. However, something horrible has happened to the cucumbers. The tops look great - flowers, ready to bloom and set fruit. But the vines coming from the ground are all shriveled and dried out. And they haven't gotten any taller than when I planted them. This is not a good sign and it's way too late to replant. We'll see what happens.

I am so sick of picking raspberries. What was I thinking? Well, I was thinking that I only got a few raspberries last year and they were easy to keep up with. I finally went next door and told my neighbor to bring a bowl and start picking. Heaven help me, I planted that second bed this year and they'll start producing next year.....



I finished the Lemoncello! And it turned out exactly like it was supposed to - it will take the paint right off your innards. Whew! But the flavor is perfect. I packaged some up for a brave friend, kept a small jar in the house freezer for sampling, and ended up with a quart in the big freezer for sharing and cooking. Even the Sicilian in the house said it tasted right. (after some gasping and wheezing, which oddly enough is the normal reaction) I think next time I'll make it with Vodka instead of Everclear. Knock down the potentcy a bit.

My next door neighbor finished building his fountain and left to me his unused rocks. Not one to turn away free stuff, I accepted. I have two wheelbarrows with no wheels(they are currently flower planters). I'm going to need a wheel. But I should have enough rocks to create the little walls and plant beds for my English garden next spring. For the cost of a wheel. And then I'll actually have a functioning wheelbarrow - what a concept.

Alas, that is all the more excitement I've had this week. Sometimes boring is a nice change of pace.