Been awhile since I've updated. I've barely been in my garden the last 2 weeks and it shows.  We finally got rain and now my front yard and herb garden are full of weeds.  I keep ignoring them although I know it will just make tihngs worse.

The Fall Festival by Seattle Tilth last weekend was amazing.  I spent the bulk of the day helping kids make herbal hair wreaths.  Everyone ended up looked like a beautiful little woodland fairy.  We were right next to the music, so I got to enjoy ladies singing about worms and ladybugs and this truly amazing trio of 5th graders playing bluegrass, Irish music, etc.  They blew my mind.  Later that evening, I helped move what seemed to be a billion tables and chairs and had pizza and beer with my fellow volunteers.  I haven't had that much fun in a long, long time. 

I also realized how painfully shy I've become some time in the last decade.  Funny, I vaguely remember myself as an extrovert growing up.  I used to not have a lot of anxiety in social situations, but I seem to have some now.  I've forgotten how to make small talk, really.  I loved volunteering. I still have no problem dealing with strangers on a one-on-one level if I'm helping them out in some way.  But just general "getting to know you" with strangers?  I suck at it. Badly.  I have no idea how to start the conversation when I'm in a group.  When I was partnered with a person to help break down, it was easy.  When we were all together?  I was silent until I got up the nerve to start talking.  :/  A little irritating, but I suppose that's who I am these days.  I guess I just don't like big groups and prefer to be around 1 to 3 other people at a time. 

Garden
Started FINALLY digging up the sod today for the new garden bed.  Permission has been granted and life has just been too hectic with previous commitments and now the High Holidays. 

Let me just say that digging up extremely thick and tough sod in a very rocky yard is terribly unpleasant.  I worked 3 hours today and got maybe 6'x6.5' done.  I have 10' x 6.5' feet to go.  It might take forever. I might be dead by the time I get it all up.  Once that is done, I still have to double dig the area.    The thought that I might get a ground cover in by mid-October seems like a total pipe dream right now and that soil is going to desperately need the green manure for spring planting.

Molly the Eggplant is going to be giving up 2-3 of her fruit for my dinner this week.  They are finally getting large enough to harvest.    I've been eating quite a bit of watercress and arugula.  I'm  picking tomatoes and going to hopefully have a few cans of crushed tomatoes next week.  I have been doing a very poooor job of keeping track how much produce I'm pulling out these days. Still not a lot.  I'm hoping to do better next year.

I figured out why my chard is looking burned .  I think I have a leaf miner problem.  I'm going to pull it all up. I got some starts from the Harvest festival that I'll put in for a different spot for fall/winter.

I've got to put down some more copper tape as something (I suspect slugs) is chomping my cabbage, some of the bok choi, and REALLY mauling the brussel sprouts.  2 of them look like swiss cheese at this point,  or worse.  I really need to get the tomato plants out of the ground so I can just put a row cover over everything.

The peas are already setting pods. The beans are flowering.  The parsnips that I tried to start with wet papertowels in a dark room have finally sprouted and I'll be putting them out tomorrow!  Same with the extra beans, rutabegas that I planted in the seed starter.   I've got to get them acclimated and out the door really, really soon as well. 

Misc
I really need a few more days off work. I would love to spend a week on a big Fall Cleaning and get rid of the stuff that we've needed to purge form the house for awhile now and just do a deep cleaning of everything. 

Actually, I'd like to stay at home forever.  Let's be honest here.   There is plenty to keep my occupied for a long time between the garden, cooking, sewing, etc.  I honestly don't think I'd be bored for quite awhile.   I'm sure I might feel differently if I was in a different job, but really--more and more I feel like I'm spending 8 hours a day doing things I don't want to do and trying to cram everything else in a few hours a night.  OTOH, really, how selfish is that???  Awesome Husband would much rather be spending the day writing than working.  Just because I tend to gravitate towards the "1950s housewife" doesn't somehow give me a better reason to stay at home.

It isn't an option and not because we couldn't afford it, but beacuse I don't think I could actually not bring in at least a little  money into the household and still feel good about myself. I'm just saying, I'd like to stay home, raise food, become an investment wizard and double our savings, have a tidy house, have a glorious dinner on the table, feel well-rested, be present, learn how to stretch a dollar even more than I do, get crafty with reusing things, etc.  Seriously focus on embodying that 1950s housewife that I feel so comfortable with.   I mean, I'm not the only one in this family who notices a huge difference when I'm not working for a few days vs. when I'm working.   I'm a completely different person when I can focus on the home vs. spending time earning a paycheck. 

Just sayin'.  That's all.