Catching up with our garden

When we first planted our garden we posted some photos.  I thought that it would be a good time to update you on how things are growing and share some more photos.

We harvested our first batch of brocolli last week.  It is amazing how much stronger fresh brocolli tastes.  Katrine loved it raw or cooked which is the ultimate test in our household.

All of the carrots and beets were eaten by local wild bunnies before they had a chance to grow, but they didn’t eat our leeks.  In another two months we might have enough for a pot of leek soup.  Yum!

The potatoes are growing really well.  So are the cucumbers.  Thank goodness both Katrine and Glenn eat them because this year they just keep growing.

Our tomatoe plants have gotten so big and heavy that they have broken a few of the cages.  One has turned orange and we are keeping our fingers crossed that others will follow.  Otherwise I will be making a big batch of I don’t know what with green tomatoes.  Anyone have a salsa recipe for green tomatoes?

Our corn has finally got some height and has begun to grow actual corn.  If you look closely at the photo you can just see the brown tassle of a baby corn cob!! Keeping our fingers crossed that the raccoons will stay away.

Events of Canada Day

Once again we spent Canada Day at the Highland Games in Embro.  Katrine did really well.  She actually won a first and second!!  She also did a great job on her fling, which she couldn’t do at all three weeks ago, except that her feet got tangled up during one turn and she fell.  But, she got right back up and started dancing again.  We were really proud of her. She was really upset that we were not able to stay around for the medal ceremony (more details below) and I am not sure that she really understands where she ranked only that she won two medals for good dancing.

Did I dance?  Well, technically yes.  I did the full first step of the Irish Jig and on the second side of the second step I hopped and ended up with a sharp pain in my insoles.  I managed six steps off of the stage and then sat on a bench while the Saint John’s Ambulance people put my foot into a splint.  Then it was off to the hospital in Ingersoll for x-rays.  Nothing is broken but I seem to have sprained it yet again.  So it will be back to physio for me and this will likely mark the end of my Highland Dance career.  Can you say hello Scottish Country Dance?

More rain means a better garden

All of our recent rain has meant a lot of weeding but also quite a bit of growth in our garden.  We have lost two cucumber plants but the third is going strong.  We also had one brocolli plant go to seed but as you can tell from the photos, another seems to actually be growing a little brocolli for us.  The local wild rabbits ate our first batch of tender corn sprouts so we had to break down and buy a flat of sprouts.  This batch is growing nicely as Glenn made small wire fences that enclose them so no more bunny snacks.  The potatoes are by far the best though.  They just keep on growing.  I am seeing a lot of roasted potatoes and potatoe salads in our future.

Corn sprout, Part II
Corn sprout, Part II
The baby brocolli
The baby brocolli
Monster potatoe plants
Monster potatoe plants
Puny little tomato blossom
Puny little tomato blossom

Katrine gets down

A lot has happened this month, not all of it positive.  That said, I thought that I would post a video of Katrine dancing at her daycare’s Father’s Day party.  The girl really gets down.  I hope that you find it as amusing as we did.

The Rain Came, The Garden Grew

Two days of rain, and the garden is looking quite nice. The onions (thought they were the beets at first) are up and going gang busters, the tomatoes, and cucumbers are looking good. Of course, first in Katrine’s heart, the corn is starting to come up. Here are a few macro-ish shots:

Red Onion
Red Onion

Corn
Corn

Broccoli
Broccoli

Chive Flowes
Chive Flowes

The Attwood’s Vegetable garden

Spring is here, and the second incarnation of the Attwood Family Garden(TM) is upon us. This year we are trying hard not to over-plant, although we did end up with lots of potatoes last year. Also off this year’s list are radishes, done so because the homegrown ones have quite a bite. Instead we are trying golden beets, and contrary to my oft stated belief that they are just coloured mud, I am looking forward to trying them roasted under the broiler. The other exciting vegetable is corn… providing we can keep the raccoons out, it should be interesting. Finally we have prepared more for our potatoes this year by leaving a small mound of dirt on either side to earth up the plants and hopefully give us a bigger crop with fewer individual plants.

Newly planted corn
Newly planted corn
Main Garden
Main Garden

Welcome to May!

Let me begin by telling you that we ended April with a trip to Great Wolf Lodge in Niagara Falls for a reunion with Katrine’s orphanage “sisters”. It was amazing to see how all of the children have grown. This time they really played with each other and interacted. For us adults it was the perfect time to reconnect with the other families who shared the birth of our family with us. As you can see from the pictures it was also a time for Katrine to get some serious crafting in. She was unimpressed with the water slide but really enjoyed the lazy river and wave pool. My favourite part was stopping in Niagara on the Lake for lunch. They have a store called the Irish Shop that has a little cafe at the back which sells gluten-free lunches AND desserts. This time it was salmon cake, cauliflower soup and lemon pie! I was full to bursting but it was heaven.
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Now I must tell you an interesting Katrine story. All of last week Katrine and I played school. The game would still be going on but when I lost my voice I made her tidy up. Anyways, she had taken every Barbie, pony and stuffed animal out of their box and arranged them around a variety of books to form classes.(Check out the first picture below) These classes covered every inch of floor in her playroom. The other photo shows the class who went on a field trip to the professor’s house, a much loved dishwasher box. The professor is the monkey in the lab coat.
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April – What a month

April has been an emotional month thus far. As you know, Glenn’s dad passed away at the beginning of the month. It wasn’t completely unexpected but hard nevertheless.
Since then we have been busy with previously made commitments for Katrine. She passed the First Steps level of her Highland Dancing exams (Actually, my mom and dad took her to her exam while Glenn and I went back to work).
This past weekend was her fifth birthday. In spite of everything we decided to go ahead with her party because she had been so looking forward to it. Thank goodness Glenn had convinced me not to have the party at home this year. We went to the local community center and used their gym and party room. Thirteen little kidlets running around in pirate hats and fairy wings. It was a fun day for Katrine. My favourite part was dinner out with my parents and Glenn’s mom. Spending time with family builds the sweetest memories.
Sunday was her actual birthday. We made pizza at Glenn’s mom’s and ate cupcakes while enjoying eachother’s company and her HUGE collection of teddies. Katrine loves arranging them into a school or piling them up to make a store. I prefer using a bunch of them as a pillow. Quite sqoushy and comfy. The morning was spent at her second skating competition. She skated against five other skaters this time and had to do five moves as compared to last competition’s three. I was really nervous as she has been quite up and down coping with her recent loss but she was on. She even managed to get her two footed turn (although she had a pretty nice spill on her first attempt). The best part was watching her do her gliding jump. Man she got some air. She was so proud of herself for trying her best and then she got a medal.
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Look at that air!
Look at that air!

Oops!
Oops!

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Katrine’s Skating Competition

Katrine skated at her first competition this past Saturday. She did really well. Followed all of the instructions. Did everything she was asked. She was happy to be out there but thrilled with her new pink costume with the “pretty” skirt. She came in second in her group which was nice. She is already asking if she can do another(little does she know that we have signed her up for one in April at the suggestion of her coach). I hope to have the video soon.