The Experimental Garden - Stage One

Living in the midwest presents a series of difficulties to someone who grew up in the southwest.  Although there are many topics I could discuss here, I'll restrict myself to chile - a topic of great importance to any native New Mexican.  Growing up in NM where chile in all forms is ubiquitous, then moving to a place where it is unknown, provides an untenable situation.  At first, I tried growing it, but the mid-western climate and NM chile varieties just don't mix; the plants seem to need higher temperatures and less humidity.  After three years of failed garden experiments (tiny fruits with none ripening to red), I gave up.  My sister, who lives in WY, has a similar similar situation (i.e. no chile), but caused by a short growing season.  Enter the crazy long distance chile solution! 

Before the vegetable garden - just native grasses and "stuff".

Just north of the orchard and east of the house is a perfect spot for a veggie garden.  Because the orchard is just 10 feet away, it would be simple to add a drip line over to the veggies.  I had my contractor, Kenny, deliver a load of sifted soil (fantastic - no rocks!) and I built three raised beds with rock walls.

Wrapped and ready for the suitcase

The next step was to start the plants.  I purchased five varieties of seeds and started them at my home mid-March.  At the beginning of April, I loaded all the young plants into a suitcase (yes, you read that correctly!) and flew them out to NM.  I packed them as carefully as I could and surprisingly, they survived without any squashed leaves.

Plants with drip irrigation system on

The chile children were planted along with some corn, beans and pumpkin seeds. Everyone was watered well, the automatic drip system checked and re-checked, then I left for home! 

Chile bed #1 - note the cage to help protect the plants

The beds were covered with hogwire to deter deer predation.  In the end, if the deer want in,there's not much I could do.  The plants were checked during a visit in June, but I don't know how things look now. The whole chile thing is an experiment, so if I get a reasonable harvest, I'll consider a sturdier fencing system next year.  I'm going for a visit soon, so we'll see how everything did.  Updates coming soon.

The Kitchen

Although all rooms of the house were in similar shape when I took over the project, the living room seemed the most finished because the windows and floors were installed.  The kitchen and bath were pretty depressing in comparison.  The floors were still dirt - actually a very fine dust that magically moved and coated everything with the barest glance.  The window frames had plywood nailed up and the rooms were very dark.  The walls were bare adobe and seemed to be more eroded than those in the living room, an illusion created by the overall dingy atmosphere. The plumbing was roughed in, but that's it, no water to the house.

The kitchen before construction.

For the past 20 years or so, when staying at the house, most time was spent in the living room (with floors, a fireplace, and light!).  However, most of our gear always ended up being stored in the kitchen "out of the way".  The big downside was the ultra-fine dirt from the floor ended up everywhere. Another negative was the constant cold draft (in the colder months) from the unsealed windows and backdoor.  I would hang a tarp in the archway, but still, it was a hassle.  On top of all that, many of the local rodents thought the house was perfect for a winter (and sometimes summer) hideaway.  My sister and I are convinced we are immune to hanta virus because of our years of exposure.

Last fall, my contractor Kenny, started work for finishing the kitchen and bath. Originally, the plan was to have a brick floor, but after researching options, I fell in love with stained concrete.   Kenny said he'd never seen someone so happy about a concrete slab, but I pointed out to him that he probably hadn't worked with anyone who'd been waiting 20 years for that slab.  The new floor made a huge difference staying and working in the house; the dust factor was reduced 95%.  I stained and sealed the floor myself and am very happy with the results.  The pictures don't do it justice.

My beautiful concrete floor

Right after the slab went in, the wall with the window and plumbing was framed out and drywalled to cover the plumbing.  The window to the sunroom was also installed. Immediately, the room took on a whole new look - so pretty!

Before drywall

After drywall and plaster

The plaster was completed on the north and east walls earlier this spring (compare this photo to the first).  My father did the work  himself using a traditional lime plaster.  It's hard to see from photos how wonderful the walls look.  The color is grey/white and the two walls have a real glow to them - like pearls.  The finish is not quite smooth; during a certain part of the day, you can see all the facets on the wall giving a lot of depth to the finish. The lower portion of the east wall (shown above) and the entire west wall are burnt adobe; the bricks will be cleaned and left as is.

The cabinets are being installed so all the stuff that migrated from the kitchen into the living room, will now migrate back, but have new homes.  No more boxes!

Who is The Ghost Dog?

Darwin's first day at home

Seventeen years ago, I adopted a tiny puppy from the shelter. I didn't want a big dog, and this guy fit into my cupped hands; I thought he would stay small.  Well, he must have been taken to the shelter with his sisters at the earliest possible time; he may have been barely five weeks old.  In any case, Darwin (the best dog on earth!), grew into a lanky, but muscular, very handsome fellow.  Based on his physical and personality characteristics, my husband and I deduced he must have been a basenji/shepherd mix.

Darwin was an amazing dog. I could spend hours describing his talents, intelligence and personality; just take my word for it, he was a one in a billion dog.  I know everyone says their dog is special, but even non-dog lovers were struck by Darwin's intelligence and his presence.  My sister described him as "creepy smart."  He had an extra dose of charisma that could not be ignored.

Happy days with Darwin

About five years ago, Darwin went blind over a period of three to five days.  He was diagnosed with SARDS - untreatable.  For a sight hound (like a basenji), the loss of sight was devastating to his world.  It was heart wrenching to see him trying to understand and cope with his new world, but failing again and again.  Perhaps if he were younger, it would have been easier.  His frustrations were vented in a variety of ways, but the most difficult was Darwin's new obsession with chocolate.  After one last, horrible bout with desserts, he died November 1, 2007.  Almost Dia de los Muertos, how fitting.

The orchard was named for Darwin (my ghost dog, the best ghost dog on earth!) because he is there with the trees.  The roots of each apple, pear, peach, cherry and plum were dusted with his ashes when they were planted.  So, some of him is alive again, part of each stem and leaf.  Each time I visit and tend my trees, I am visiting Darwin.  Each time a tree does something contrary or something spectacular, I am reminded of Darwin who did both with regularity.