You don't really know Ollie...

...until you know that he's all about lacto-fermentation. Lacto-fermentation is a process whereby special bacteria transforms sugars and starches into beneficial acids.

Pickle, anyone?

Bounty

These are pics of a typical daily harvest. They are a thing of the past. Last night was the first hard frost in my area. All the summer crops, ripe or not, were brought in. And now you can barely walk in the kitchen and there's certainly no room on the counters. Because there is food EVERYWHERE.

And that is what cheers the soul.

The Hip Garden

*Garden #3 in a series about local gardens. Click here for the Serving Time Garden, and here for the Well-Tended Garden.

Gardeners: Scott & Katri
Size: .3 acres
Location: Maeser Neighborhood

Katri & Scott, both young artists, live in the grooviest-magazine-ready brick pioneer home. But it's their back garden that has captured my heart and held it ransom. "Back Garden, you had me at Hello." The entrance is a long gravel lane which leads to a two-story barn that they converted into beautiful studio space. There are courtyard areas with potted plants; arbors and patios define separate places to party (which they make use of a lot!)

and overlooking it all...

This 10-foot long rhino made by Scott is the coolest garden ornament EVER. It lights up at night.

My first visit to this amazing garden was years ago in the dead of winter. We were invited to sit in their sauna. Thanks Scott & Katri for having a sauna! p.s. Katri is from Finland, AKA saunaland.

The Haycocks have an orchard of fruit trees, and their veggie patch is HUGE. Momma Mia came with me to take pics and she was impressed. And motivated to grow even more.



Their entire property is wired with lights on a timer. At dusk when it all turns on it's a sort of Bellagio MAGICK, only much classier.
studios at night...
Last night at their Harvest Party they served food made from their garden's bounty! Laid out on the grass was extra produce and the Haycocks gave us bags to take home whatever we could use. We took beets and carrots.

Sneak peek inside the studios. Scott is part of "Puppet Grinder" which opens for the "Monkey Grinder" show every Halloween at Velour. Talking skeletons and much more.Short of seeing it with your own eyes, this place deserves a more thorough treatment. Andi Andi Andi, do you want to bring your camera? And pitch a piece to a magazine?

Thanks Scott & Katri! You're wonderful hosts!

Bartering 101

Sometimes i like holding a dollar bill and wondering about all the people who have touched it. It makes me feel closer to humankind to share germs.

but other times, like when i have a hankering for a Raw Melissa dessert and Real Foods Market is closed, who needs filthy lucre??? Not me!


hmmm...what else to trade...

Three Things

Some experts are warning that unless we bail out wallstreet our economy will "go Argentina on us." That's news that has my Argentine Momma Mia planting more fruit trees. (Ok, she would have planted them regardless, but uncertainty about the economy is the current excuse...)

Anyway, for what it's worth here's three random things about Argentina for you!

1-This recent picture of Tio Chiro reminds me of good times playing cards and drinking our yerba mate and of how there are NO cob webs hiding in those plants because almost everyone in Argentina has a maid. Even maids have maids. And even if you don't have a maid all floors are mopped every single day. Other people cleaning other people's dirt...it's a brilliant concept! 2-Houses are made of brick all the way around. I think they'd find it "curious" that in the USA houses often have brick only in the front. This is a typical wood front door.
3- Dear Fragrance Department, Argentina has a distinct scent; one that you can revel in. Is there a perfume out there that smells like leather, citrus, paraiso trees, jasmine, and yerba mate with an underlying hint of moth balls? I'm not kidding, is there?

BONUS: Below are fotos of Parana, Entre Rios (where Momma Mia is from and a place I dearly love.)

Up on the roof...

...planting strawberries. Growing space is at a premium and you can never have too many strawberries. Plus my LEED certified husband recommended it; plants and soil act as great insulation for the greenhouse.
The strawberries will send out tons of runners that will carpet the entire roof, holding the soil and gravel in place. Want to see pretty pics of roof planting around the world?

p.s. Props and a nod to this lady's mom who planted cantaloupe and corn on their shed's roof and no expert had to tell her if it was a good idea. =)

In a Different Light...

...Provo seems more mysterious. O'lover and I love walking at nightfall and passing dark houses with lit up windows. Everyone's having dinner or getting ready for bed. It's time to wind down after a busy day.

But the favorite part of our walk is coming home to the cottage and treehouse aglow.

Home feels like home.

Don't you love it that there's now a chill in the night air...and you look at the place where you live and know warmth and comforts are just inside?

Goodnight everyone! Pleasant dreams!

xo,
quel

p.s. here's the ladder to the first floor of the treehouse.

and the ladder from the second floor to the sleeping loft.