Gearing up to Garden with Keith Davitt and Kerry Mendez

Here in upstate New York, this is about the extent of what one can hope to do in the way of flower gardening in mid-February. In my family room, I have a left-over poinsettia (hey, color is color) three amaryllises in staggered stages, a pot of paperwhites about to bloom, and two "resting" African violets.

So it is no wonder that I eagerly hied myself over to the Ballston Spa Library Saturday morning to hear Keith Davitt and Kerry Ann Mendez, two local gardening experts.

Keith Davitt is a landscape architect and the author of several books . Most of his work seems to be for wealthy people who do not do their own gardening. Nonetheless, it was interesting to see his before and after photographs and hear him discuss how he tackled some very challenging garden overhauls.

Below, Ballston Spa resident Kerry Ann Mendez shows how she has developed her own garden over the past twenty years. She, too, has written a book which is due out soon. The title is something like: The Ultimate Flower Gardener's Top Ten Lists;

Money Saving Shortcuts, Design Tips and Smart Plant Picks for zones 3, 4 and 5. Bee Balm Gal is looking forward to buying a copy, since Ms. Mendez lives only a mile or two from here, and truly has an amazing garden on her modest village lot.

You can read more about Kerry Mendez and her business, Perennially Yours here.

Now that I am freshly inspired, I only need a spring thaw to get into action. In the mean time, I should probably re-pot those lackluster violets.

Saratoga's Chowderfest 2010

The Handsome Husband and I, ever the ne plus ultra of hipness, were on the scene at Saratoga Spring's Chowderfest 2010 Saturday afternoon.

At our first stop, we enjoyed a C-food chowder (it was allegedly celiac-friendly: vegetarian and no gluten) made by the folks at Caffe Lena. Upstairs, this hearty group was offering a free concert of (wait for it) sea chanteys.

Caffe Lena warmed us up and we soon pushed off to sample more chowder.

Below, the HH waited in a short line for some deep southern catfish chowder, which was delicious. Nice flavor with a little heat to it.

Short lines became our main criteria for deciding which chowders to sample.
Despite temperatures hovering around 22 degrees Fahrenheit with a slight breeze making it feel even colder, Saratoga was mobbed.

After a bit, we headed to The Parting Glass for a Guinness and a Davidson Brothers IPA to help us warm up. The band Celtic Session was keeping things cheerful ...

but The Parting Glass, too, was mobbed. We got our pints and sampled their chowder: a shrimp and crab chowder with Jameson candied lobster and Irish cream corn bread. For $1.00. Honest to God. Amazing.

Click on the photo if you don't believe me.

Saratoga's Chowderfest also offers doggy chowders so there were a good many furry friends along Broadway...

which was even busier than Phila Street.

Lillian's was offering an andouille chowder, which turned out to be our final sample of the day.

Alas, there were dozens we never got to, but seriously, how many chowders can one person eat in an afternoon?

We cast our ballots: I voted for that wonderful Parting Glass chowder while the HH picked Peabody's, also a seafood chowder.

We bought two souvenir long-sleeved tee shirts, the profits of which go to several local good causes.

I think this is the 12th year of Saratoga's Chowderfest and the folks who arrange it must certainly be pleased by its popularity. Despite the winter cold, throngs of people of all ages, families with babies, couples with dogs, were all happily trekking about the city. And best of all, we all went home with roses in our cheeks.

Hat Tricks and Helping the Homeless

I continue to work my way, slowly, through a stash of yarn that may outlast my lifetime.

After making two hats for a pair of teenage twins who belong to my church, I thought I'd try my hand at one more.

Since I will be spending Valentine's Day with my young granddaughter in central Oregon, a cap with hearts seemed like a good gift for her.

Above, I combined ideas from two different hat patterns with odds and ends of yarn from my basket. I don't know... what do you think? Too gaudy?

Last Sunday, my local newspaper was clearly speaking to me:

Have some extra yarn and hands that need to be kept busy? began an Albany, NY, Times Union story.

The story continues: The Times Union is launching a "Knit for Your Neighbor" project to benefit Shelters of Saratoga, a Saratoga-Springs-based nonprofit that provides both shelter and support to homeless adults.
Over the next three Sundays, the Times Union's Unwind section will publish simple knitting patterns for hats and scarves and ask all those Capital Region knitters to make them and donate them to Shelters of Saratoga's new Mobile Homeless Outreach Project.

You can read more here and read a related blog here.

Since I like to knit and like the idea of supporting Shelters of Saratoga(see my permanent blog link) surely this is a cause for me. The only question is, how fast can I knit?

Don't like the weather? Wait a minute.

A sudden and powerful snow squall hit Lake George this afternoon.

Above, looking out my classroom window at about 1:40 p.m. today....

Then below, ten minutes later...

It's good to be home now, safe and warm, with one Handsome Husband, two obliging lap dogs, a cozy fireplace, and a basket full of yarn to knit.

The Things We Inherit

Now that the Overdue Blue (afghan) has been mailed off, I have begun to whittle away at the stash of yarn lurking in dark closets upstairs. Along with the yarn, I seem to have acquired an ample supply of vintage patterns and books. Many of these I inherited from my mother and grandmother.

I love using the old craft books and cookbooks that once belonged to these good ladies. Many of the patterns and recipes have faint notes written on them. Coming across their familiar handwriting on a page always gives my heart a little tug. Both of these ladies have been gone for many years now, but I feel that they are still giving me loving advice when I find a recipe note to "chill longer" or "use less liquid".

The booklet pictured above was my mother's and has a 1953 copyright. It is from the Bernhard Ulmann Company and contains a plethora of basic patterns, a few of which I have used before. With its 30 cent price tag, I can safely say that my family has gotten its money's worth from this original investment.

Apparently I am not alone in my fondness for good old basic patterns. I found a web site that has the patterns from this very booklet listed for free on line. (I note that their edition cost a whopping 50 cents - such inflation!)

Shortly, I will begin making the Classic Mittens from the pattern you can find here. The directions give the knitter a choice of a two needle or a four needle version. I am going to try to duplicate the colors of the Kate Spade mittens I wrote about earlier. Of course, back then they were $75.00 mittens. They are a better deal now, reduced to $53.00.

I have some suitable pink and white yarn on hand for this project. Now I just need to locate a bit of that bright orange. Oh, gosh, I am going to end up buying more yarn, aren't I?

That's OK. Mom Coombs and Grandma Holmes have left me well-supplied with enough patterns to use it all up.

Happy Birthday to my sister Ruth Ann!

Today is my "big" sister's birthday. Here all three of us are: That's the birthday girl, Ruth Ann, on the right, partially obscured because she is holding the chubby infant Barbara (me). On the left is our sister Mary.

I think this photo was probably taken and developed by our father, John Coombs, who was playing around with photography as a hobby around that time. The location is likely St. Paul, Minnesota, because that is where I was born.

I have been very lucky with my older sisters. We have remained on good terms for lo these many years. They are both good, giving, supportive, and loving people.

As a small child, I was often the recipient of many creative and generous gifts from my sisters. I remember being delighted by a coconut bunny cake Ruth Ann made at Easter one year. Years later, she made my wedding dress when I was married (the first time.)

Tonight, we three sisters will gather again to celebrate Ruth Ann's birthday. We and my HH* and possibly my son Tom will be going to a nice restaurant nearby that Ruth Ann likes. It will be a small, low-key celebration.

But fair warning, Ruth Ann. Next year is a milestone birthday, so I think we're going to have to pull out all the stops for that one.

However, for sheer pleasure and delight, I don't think I will ever be able to top your Easter bunny cake.

My sister with her two sons and daughters-in-law and four grandchildren.

Happy Birthday, Ruth Ann!

Thanks for being a wonderful big sister.

Love, Barbara

* HH = Handsome Husband

Sunshine (Ahhhh)

Today, I drove to work in something less than pitch dark for the first time in weeks.

At noon, sunshine flooded into my classroom and I wanted to be a cat and bask in it. My boys dawdled with their assignments and gazed wistfully out of the window. Who could blame them?

After my work day at school was over, my friend and coworker Janine and I took a vigorous (for us) walk around the Village of Lake George. Too soon, the sun was slipping behind Prospect Mountain, but at least we got our walk in.

Driving home, away from the mountains, a bit more daylight lingered. And for the first time in weeks, I arrived home before pitch dark.

There is hope...