Where the Deer and the Antelope Play - Living in the USA (visitors welcome)

[SuperBunny]

East Coast
MaNanny - Boston
Twinmommytobe - Boston
MuminCT - CT
Greatgooglymoogly - NY State
Yesthereare4ofthem - NY State
Brooklynmom - NYC
alarkaspree - NYC
MKG - New Jersey
Mummimamma - PA
Poetmum - PA
Twirl - MD

South
Earlybird - TN
jabberwocky - AR
Sunchowder - Florida
Marls001 - Bentonville, AR
Tinpot - NC
MadameDeathStare- AL

Midwest
SuperBunny- Chicago
Dodgykeeper - Dayton, OH
Chocchipcookie - Ohio
MonkeyLover
KickAssAngel - Ann Arbor, MI

Rockies
Alipiggie - Boulder, CO
Ribena

Northwest
AnnieLaurie - Seattle, WA
Dooneygirl - Oregon City, OR

California
SittingBull - nr San Francisco
Califrau - Milpitas
loopsngeorge - Brentwood, LA
Syd - Manhattan Beach, LA
SofiaAmes - LA
LATyke - Redondo Beach

Texas
Texan - Dallas
Tiggyhop - Houston
Vixie78 - Houston
BananaPudding - Austin
Cosmicdust - East Texas

Canada
Hellish - Ottawa
Shouldlistenedtomymum - Hamilton
Nooka - BC
Jacksmama - Langley

Exotic Islands
Anorak - Bermuda
cp - Trinidad
Barefeete - BVI

Brazil
Albert

No probs, kickass, there is plenty to do here I will be happy to make lists advise.

Dooney, you are a wise one.

I can only make sweet potato and thyme wedges.

I love sweet potato fries. The kids love to eat them, and it is an easy thing to have around for going toward my veggie intake.

it's a nightmare when they stay, i have to go out & buy 1970s food, e.g. white bread, potatoes etc. other than a good old roast, there's almost nothing that he & i agree on to eat.
now i'm a SAHM, i hope to get good at buying fresh ingredients & making yummy, healthy, cheap food. actually, my dad did grow loads of veg. apart from the fact he insisted we ate it whatever state it was in, and there was a horrendous ritual at dinner where he would say 'lovely dinner, well cooked pamela', and mum would say 'well grown douglas' without a glimmer of irony, it has left me loving my veggies, for which i'm genuinely thankful.. i'm even considering putting in my own veg garden here, but have no idea how to start that.

I got an allotment last year Kickass and I love it.

"Well cooked, Pamela" and "Well grown Douglas" is lovely. I want to say that.

if dh REALLY wants to annoy me, he'll do something like pick up a shirt, and say 'well ironed xxxar' in just the same way my dad does. he has this way of stressing the 'a' of 'pamela'. it SOO sets my teeth on edge.

i may pick your brains about what/how to grow in this climate. we have an acre plot of land, so plenty of space, but the previous owners put trees too close to the house & we need to think of how to 'expand' the 'garden' part (rather than just mowed grass) without it looking odd!

We had a lot of success with tomatoes, peppers, leeks, spinach, lettuces and herbs. Other people grew broccoli, zucchini, squash, peas & beans.

And there are communal plants that have been there for 2 or 3 years:
rhubarb
raspberries
grapes
mint
strawberries

do you have a green house? grow from seeds? are you organic or use pesticides? does it actually save any money. or just taste better? how much time does it take up each day? (am worried i won't manage if i get a job)

i fancy trying to mix flowers & veg, would also like to have some herbs. will need to keep reasonably close to house - i won't be trecking down the garden for fresh parsley if it's too far away. would like it to look pretty too! i've seen some middle ages garends where they mixed plants, & they look lovely, but have practical things too.

gosh, have a sudden rush of homesickness for my old garen, and i'm not that much of a gardener, just feel it would be sensible, healthy etc

perhaps i shold just buy a book!

do you compost? where do you keep it & do you still go out to put things on it in this weather?

I live in a tiny apartment and have an allotment across the street.

From seed, I grew:
Lettuce, spinach, peas (but they didn't grow well), sunflowers

and from seedlings/ small plants:
strawberries, leeks, tomatoes, celery, peppers, basil, coriander

and self-setting tomatoes, flax and dill.

I do compost - I have an indoor 'stealth' compost bin which I fill up and then take over the road every few days/ weeks but I really want a bokashi or something similar.

Put Marigolds near tomatoes (companion planting)

Thinking about gardens makes me homesick too! Go to the library.

OMG!! just googled 'bokashi', and then looked at an indoor composter from williams - sonoma. i know it's an expensive store, but they have an indoor composter that costs $300 to make about a thimbleful of compost each fortnight!!!!!

bokashi looks cheap in comparison.

i have the space to build the kind of outdoor composter my dad had - pile it up & let it rot for 6 months. i could have one to pile onto, one rotting down & one being used. just need some old planks to build it with.

That's the system my garden has - 1 heap to add to, 1 to put semi-rotted stuff onto and 1 for composted material ready to put on the garden.

I would love a nice little counter top composter but $300 is a bit much. I think lakeland do them but that's obviously no help here.

We should have a gardening thread - Madamedeathstare grows things too.

i've never done it before. as i'm a SAHM i thought i might try, but a little unsure. i fancy having some raised beds near the house, with flowers & veg/herbs & fruit in. i think it's pretty much the same as gardening in the uk - although i haven't done it, both parents are keen, and dad grew almost all our veg, so i've picked up lots by osmosis.
not sure what would happen if i suddenly got a work vias & a job - i used to teach for about 40 - 50 hrs a week in the uk, though i get the impression things are less intense here, so could work out. somehow my dad always made doing the garden seem such a chore, and there's so much stuff you can buy for it that i'm not sure it saves any money, although does taste nicer. perhaps my dad just liked to make himself sound virtuous whilst escaping from the kids & having a nice sit down in the potting shed?

I want to do a little plot in the side part of the front yard. It's the only place that gets sun. Has anyone ever thought of red worm composting?

Oh no. Failed my practical driving test today!!

Am completely useless and very

Woman was an old crone - the spitting image of Pearl from 'Last of the summer wine'. She was wearing a tea cosy hat, fingerless gloves and a really, really grumpy expression on her face. I couldn't understand her accent, so had to keep checking her directions and it totally knocked my confidence.

And the worst of it is, I couldn't hold back the tears so was starting to sniffle as she got out the car - mortification. Advice - do not ever go for a driving test when 39 wks pregnant.

Got to resit on 28th - 3 days after my due date. If I can't pass now, what chance have I then?? Better start researching public transport in Seattle...

Sympathy required please

Worm composting looks very interesting. I don't think I have enough space but I'd love to give it a go. I'm itching to start planting but can't do a thing til May.

Think AL is Alabama.
Thanks for the lovely recipie ideas SB. Sometimes all you need is the titles! I have a new solution to my weight issues and also a new job. I am now the personal assistant to a lady who teaches pole dancing and part of my payment includes personal training twice a week (Im doing yoga for now as I am a coward). I can work from home for the most part and I get to read emails much more interesting than my own inbox!

Oh know, AL. I nearaly failed mine, despite 8 yrs driving experience. And I almost blubbed too and I wasn't even pregnant. Good luck next time, AL. And good luck with the baby. Am waiting for news

...and I am 2cm dilated too!!

What a cool job, Dodgy!

Ohhhh, exciting, AL.

No, Dodgykeeper - AL is 'AnnieLaurie, the worst driver in the NOrthwest..!

Oohh Annie!

Lots of hugs coming your way. I was sick with worry about my test and put it off for far too long. I think the day/time of day has a huge affect on the score you get. First thing on a Tuesday was good for me. Also the lady said she loved my accent which was good as I talked all through my test out of nerves! I think she may have passed my just so she never had to listen to my voice again! At least you don't have to pay for the tests here like in the UK.

Are you all set for the birth?

Poor you!! It has been almost 20 years since I did mine, and I still remember how awful it was. I almost cried the whole way through. I think driving test people all have to pass the intimidating test before they get hired. I bet it won't be so bad next time. You know what to expect.

Annie, unless the driving in the northwest is significantly better than here (and iirc it is certainly better but not a great deal) I strongly doubt you are the worst driver there