Happy Spring Equinox!

('Bout freaking time it got here!!)

The Spring Equinox is the time when the days and nights are of equal length, and soon the days will continue to lengthen until the longest day of the year, the Summer Solstice, is reached. The three days around March 20/21 are celebrated as Ostara or Alban Eiler (aka "Light of the Earth"), and is the time of the triumph of light over darkness, and when the seeds of new ventures should be planted. This is the time to sow the seeds of hope and change for the coming warmth of summer. May your hopes and dreams come into fruition as the year progresses.

Speaking of seeds...

As I mentioned yesterday, I received one of my SSE seed requests in the mail, containing a vast multitude of heirloom bean seeds. Here is exactly what my $4 bought me:

Amish Knuttle

Snowcap

Blue Coco

Purple Hyacinth
Tucomares Chocolate Runner Bean
Black Soy Bean
Blue Lakes Special (a dry bush bean developed by a fellow SSE member!)

Potawatami Lima (Pole) Bean

Borlotto Stregonta
Haricot Rouge Du Burkina Faso Cowpea

Can't wait to plant them all! Still more heirloom bean seeds on the way, including the beautiful and elusive Flagg (aka "Chester" or "Skunk Bean" for its unusual black & white markings).

Cobwebs and Crinolines...

(My husband made a special request that this be the title!)

Ryan and I went out and about today, running errands all over town. He did unbend enough to take me into the Sally Store along the way, where I discovered a multitude of pretty crinoline slips (I have been in desperate need of some!) and a gorgeous vintage 1960s dress by "Miss Elliette of California." The brown dress goes well with my coloring and fits like a glove, and I LOVE the hand-beaded belt!

Getting the uber-poofy crinolines home was VERY interesting, considering that we were in our tiny pickup truck! I was basically buried in crinolines for most of the day...which prompted some strange looks from other drivers. Teeheehee.

Anywho, the title of this blog is "Cobwebs and Crinolines" because those poor crinolines were in DESPERATE need of some love and cleaning! They were covered in cobwebs and dead spiders, which of course prompted a great joke from Ryan: "That doesn't speak well for previous wearer's love life!" SNAP! *laughing* I think it's safe to say that there will be no cobwebs in the crinoline(s) of MY love life!

The outing (and wonderful vintage items) were a great pick-me-up after yesterday's NOT FUN last minute doctor's visit. They finally managed to squeeze me in yesterday afternoon, and I was run through numerous not-fun tests to try and determine the cause of my problems. Of course, being me, I have them stumped. SO, there will be lots more tests and general merriment in store for me in the near future. Awesomeness. NOT. On the bright side, one of my SSE seed requests arrived! I got a bunch of heirloom bean seeds! This is what $4 will get you:

My favorites out of this package are the Amish Knuttle and Snowcap (pictured):

THINK SPRING!!!!!!

Bean Buying Binge

I received my copy of Fearing Burr's 1865 edition of , "The Field and Garden Vegetables of America," yesterday! I was very happily surprised at the book's excellent condition, given the fact that it's about 150 years old!! It has the beautiful pressed-type and old woodcut drawings...I LOVE IT!!

Now I am just waiting on my uncirculated, mint-condition, 1931 copy of "Beans of New York" (aka the much-flawed but oft-quoted "Bean Bible.").

I've spent a small fortune (and given my husband a large aneurysm) on heirloom pole bean seeds from my SSE member yearbook/catalog. There are just so many beautiful and fascinating heirloom beans, and pole beans can be easily grown along a fence without taking up precious garden space!!! Yay!

You can read about the varieties I will be growing in this year's garden on our new "Kitchen Gardens" page of our B&B website. That just shows a sampling of what's available, not everything that we actually grow.