Veggie Report...

Last Sunday, we got somewhere in the neighborhood of 8 inches of rain in one 24-hour period. The leaves are turning. And we've been frosted this week (a tad earlier than usual).

It's all good!

But, with all the fuss I made about the garden last spring--all that unbridled Hope residing in the rows of seedlings nestled in my makeshift cold frame--what's happened since, now that low temps have called "time!" on most of my summer efforts?

Let's just say I'm glad for Safeway.

It wasn't really all that bad. However, there was that very late frost in the spring and it's clear we still have some nutrition issues. The red rock we live on can grow pines and oaks and manzanita, no problem. Veggies and other plants need quite a bit more help. I guess Peaceful Valley's Soil Builder mix will be my next crop. I skipped a year, thinking I could, but now I know...

Basic rundown:
*Tomatoes (always the priority)--First one ripened in mid-September--about two months late. That's because I stubbornly started over from seed (12 varieties) after that June chiller. I just harvested the last ripe ones from the loaded, but frostbitten vines today. I left a lot of greenies. In a few days I'll pick 'em and use 'em for frying! Best this year were the Sungold minis and Costoluto. I'm dropping the Black Krim, Black Tula (both enormous and heavy producers) and Marvel Green Stripe. Pretty, but not my favorite flavors. Gardener's Delight was also nice. Don't know why, but the Persimmon and Brandywine--stars last year--didn't fare so well this time 'round. I'll give them another chance.
*Tomatillos--Well, they sure are fun to look at. Haven't grown them in 30+ years. So pretty, with their little paper lantern-husks. Hm. I might have enough for one batch of green enchilada sauce.
*Carrots--We're building steam, here. Better than last year. Bunches of short, fat orange roots.
*Red onions--Small, but beautiful and tasty. Will try again.
*Garlic, shallots, leeks--Biggest disappointment. Planted last fall, they rotted before getting big enough to pull. More organic matter (air) in soil is needed, since they overwinter in wet conditions. I had visions of braided garlic hanging all over the place.
*Chard--Beautiful! Second year in a row we've grown lovely Bright Lights (multi-colored stems)--and not eaten any. Don't know why. Never quite makes it to the top of the list for dinner. Maybe this week.
*Lettuce--Planted last fall, we had nice mesclun (variety) all spring and early summer.
*Corn--We don't really have the space, but I planted a little block of yellow/white. Yield=3 yummy ears. Rethinking.
*Beans--The corn, however, served as the support for the pole beans. Worked fine until bean-picking time, when it's almost impossible to find the beans in the tangle of the corn and bean stalks. Best beans this year=Yard Long green beans. Very fun and very tender to eat. My longest measured 27 inches. Next year, for sure (shooting for actual "yard long"). Blue lakes did fine, too, but were not as much fun.
*Sunflowers--Always fun, always awesome. We just let the birds have them, though.
*Zucchini--We grow it because, well, out of habit, I guess. We don't really like it that much. I may have "grown" the only zucchini plant in North America that didn't produce a single zucchini, but we weren't too unhinged by it. Unfortunately, our neighbor grew far more than she could use, so I still have a whole bunch of zucchini bread and grated zucchini in the freezer.
*Watermelon--Also disappointing. Tiny leaves. Not enough water, perhaps, and some soil problems, too. Cute (softball-sized) miniatures, though.
*Cantaloupe--We'll never know. Some hungry critter (raccoons?) ate them all when they were small.
*Cucumbers--The "Muncher" variety did great. Beautiful, fat, tasty. We got one "Armenian" and no "Market". No explanation. They were side by side.
*Pumpkins--One. It's still out there, just starting to turn orange. Maybe a pie's-worth.
*Delicata and Butternut squashes--Zilcho.
*Peppers--A few jalapenos, which is still better than last year. They were planted all near the tomatoes that didn't do well, either. Suspicious.
*Eggplant--Again, better plants than before, but nothing to show for them.
*Asparagus--We have a couple more years before we can cut any.
*Artichokes--One, very small, very cute artichoke. But that's OK, because it's still a year before we should get any at all.
*Berries--All the berries are also still in "building" mode. We got a few strawberries. Blackberries, Blueberries, Boysenberries and Raspberries seemed to need more water, though the birds made quick work of what little harvest there was. Adjustments to be made in feeding and irrigating.
*The trees are doing very well. Cherry and apple trees might produce a little next year. The peach (four kinds on one tree) will need a couple more years.

I think I want to get a couple of grape vines and a feijoa bush next. Bare root, this winter.

That's one thing I like about gardening. There's always next year, so even when there are disappointments, planning has already mentally begun for the next chance to improve or overcome the previous efforts. Another part of the appeal is the cyclical nature of it. Soon, the garden chores will be over. Period. Nothing to do. And that is what makes it so much fun to start up again in the spring.

And next year, we'll need Safeway just a little bit less than we do this year.

The Welcome Center

Mike
Michael
John
Shyla
Bill
Chips
Kevin
Andy
Marianne
Amber
Sheri
Elias
Danny
Bob
Zuri (aged 4--today!)
Sophia (aged 6)
Rebecca (Zuri and Sophie's mom)
Jackie (Rebecca's mom)
Tammy

I believe that to remember a person's name signifies the value of that individual. "Hey, You!" doesn't seem to connote, "You're important to me!"

I'm just terrible with names. 10 seconds after an introduction, I've usually become fascinated by something else about a person and the name tiptoes quietly out of my brain unnoticed until I suddenly realize, with great chagrin, that it is as gone as though it had never been there. No footprints. I used to try to cover for this little problem (coughing fit). No more. Sometimes I even apologize ahead of time--in effect, "yes, I'm pretty sure I'm going to have to ask you again about your name, even though I truly believe that you are a precious and unique individual whose parents spent great time and effort to find the perfect and unforgettable name for the shining star you clearly are--but I can't remember squat. Sorry."

Mnemonic devices haven't helped.

But these days I'm putting my mightiest effort into remembering the names of the folks I meet on Monday afternoons. Those at the top of this page are some of the names I've learned so far belonging to the guests at Hospitality House. HH is an organization that tries to address the needs of the homeless folks in Nevada County. There are many more names attached to many more individuals--much work to do.

HH is not an overnight facility, per se. It's a small house in downtown Grass Valley--the parsonage of the Methodist church next door loaned to HH as a Welcome Center (pictured above). The WC is open from 1-5:30 pm 365 days a year. It's a headquarters, really. Each afternoon, there is hot meal (and unlimited snacks) available, access to social services and medical referral, bathrooms/showers, laundry, storage and a safe hangout. There are two to four trained or professional staff on site to counsel and manage the operation, plus two or three volunteers to supplement the staff and handle the food. I trained as a volunteer in August.

During the colder months, about 30 different churches in the area provide space for the mats and blankets on a rotating schedule. They also usually fix up a dinner and breakfast. This part of the program has generally run October through April. Due to some extra grant money, this year it was extended to include September and May. A bus transports the folks from the WC to the designated sleepover for that evening and brings them back to the Center in the morning. After that, they're on they're on their own until 1pm.

I joined up because I like all the folks I've met who are involved and because I love the stated commitment to preserve the dignity of each guest (our official term for the clients). And now, of course, I'm enjoying the interaction with all the different people I meet and hang out with from week to week.

There are two basic categories of volunteer at the Center: foodies (lunch bunch) and everything else. I'm an "everything else" vol who works the kitchen after the foodies have left for the day and who carries the key to the "bin room" where all the personal items of each guest are stored (in numbered bins), and performs any other little job from providing towels for showers to greeting a donor at the door to just hanging with the folks and keeping an eye out for any issues that might pop up.

So far, I've observed anywhere from 20 to 30 guests on site on any given afternoon. I've heard it can rise to as many as sixty. It's a small house and while the weather is good, we're at least able to use the little patio as a gathering area. Obviously, there's a dream for a much larger facility.

I don't know everything about the problem of homelessness and I certainly can't prescribe a general solution--the complexity is deep--but I like having the opportunity to plug into such a positive effort to help some local starfish (you know that starfish parable). I'm just a little piece of the big puzzle, but I like the picture.

It should be a place where "everybody knows your name".

Over the Top?

Sometimes one just can't predict.

A few days ago, I thought I would be writing ad nauseum about the fabulous Celtic Festival I had planned to attend at least one whole day this weekend (I know you were anxiously anticipating this). It's one of my favorite events all year.

Instead, with that very Festival playing "live" on the radio above me as I type on a damp and cloudy Sunday afternoon (which morphed into Monday, by the end of this entry), I have a different adventure to report.

The chorus in which I sing is part of a larger organization, Music in the Mountains, which sponsored its annual Designs for Living Home Tour fundraiser this last weekend. The plan was to wallow in Celtic music and pagentry on Saturday, and tour fancy houses (to support my own organization) on Sunday.

At choir practice last Wed evening, during the course of some casual conversation, I may have let slip that, even though I had months ago volunteered to help with the Tour, no one had contacted me with an assignment. I figured they had plenty of help. Plus I had already bought Tour tickets for us and we planned to go on Saturday. It apparently attracted some attention.

By Friday, I had agreed to work as a docent at a "big house" on Sunday, instead of attending the Celtic Festival.

Tom and I did, indeed, tour on Saturday. There were eight houses scattered around the South Nevada County area. It was enjoyable, and some of the grounds are quite nice (I'm always on the prowl for garden ideas), but there was only one house that suited our tastes very well. No worries, though. We explored some new (to us) areas of the county plus we were supporting MIM.

So, this morning, I drove past the Fairgrounds and reported to "house #8" for duty (it was the last house on the Tour). No photography is allowed, so I can't show pictures, but, as one of the tour guides who took several groups of people through this amazing shelter, I will try to paint you a bit of a word picture.

--It's a modern style house, built into the hillside on 215 acres overlooking a spectacular section of the Bear River and well beyond. The living-room windows soar 30' to take full advantage of the landscape.

--There is a small sandy beach on the river, a volleyball court, a driving range, a picnic area with full kitchen, half bath and 15 picnic tables, and lots of hiking/equestrian trails. The infinity pool and deck area accommodate a resort-sized bar, an outdoor kitchen, a fire pit, waterfalls, ponds, etc.

--The house, itself, has 13 bathrooms, nine of them with showers of different sorts (steam/side-spray, etc.). And saunas. And giant tubs. And laundry facilities. One bathroom has three showers. Another, a sauna, steam shower and a jacuzzi. If you can't get clean in this house, you'll never be.

--Kitchen: Four fridges, four dishwashers, two identical stoves that can switch out burner units for deep fryers, steamers, woks, griddles, etc. Extra crisper drawers. Warming drawers. Well, you get the idea. If you can't cook in this kitchen, give up.

--There's a master bedroom, a master guest area (with living room) and three other guest rooms, each with it's own giant bathroom.

--A game room, a giant sports bar room w/billiard table and juke box, a full, four deck theater w/10 barca lounges, surround sound and 10' screen. A library (w/wet bar behind a secret panel), an executive style office.

--Oh, and a gym. Not an just an "exercise room", a gym.

--One huge laundry room and two "satellite" laundry areas. The master bedroom closet has those dry-cleaner-style carousels for the hang-ups.

--And I haven't mentioned the flat-screened TVs in all the rooms (even laundry), the water features, the elevator (three floors), the wine cellar, the enormous wine tasting room (with matching huge fireplace and bar), the dramatic, curving staircase, the dining room that seats 30. Well, let's just say that it's amazing what you can cram into 14000 square feet.

Hm. I see I need to wrap this up, now. I'm scheduled to report to my weekly shift at the local homeless shelter...