Cornucopia
Not a lot is going on at the House of Fred. I spend my days working at work and my afternoons/evenings/weekends working at home. In between the work, I run errands to Lowe’s to generate more work for myself.
When we were working on the house last year and winter was approaching, I built a cat house for the outdoor kitties because I worried about them sleeping outside in the cold:
Notice in the picture above that I had to put leftover trim pieces on the corners, across the roof, and around the door to hide all my ugly-assed joins. That’s what things look like when you don’t know what you’re doing. The cat house works, and the cats like it, but it was obviously a first attempt. It weighs about 50 pounds.
When my mom saw the cat house, she asked me if I’d build one for her outside cat (another show-up-at-the-doorstep cat like ours) once we got moved and settled in. I said sure.
Time passed, and we moved and got settled in, so I spent a couple of afternoons this past week working on the house I promised my mom. It still needs to be painted, but here it is:
This cat house weighs about 20 pounds, because it’s a little smaller since it’s for one cat and because I used less wood more effectively. Turns out that after you build a few things and buy yourself a table saw, you get better at making stuff. I’m no Norm Abrams, for sure, but I’m almost proud of this cat house. Everything mostly fits (there’s one little gap on the back that I need to take care of), and I think it’ll look downright spiffy when it’s painted.
Also, having a truck to bring home the 4′x8′ piece of plywood kicked ass.
Earlier this week out in the garden, I found a scalloped squash that had been hiding from me. I named it Squashzilla, and it was eaten over the course of three meals.
It was quite tasty.
And now we come to the real reason for this entry: a chance for me to show off my mad gardening skills. This was yesterday’s pickings:
Bigger version here.
We’re having eggplant parmagiana for dinner tonight (there’s another eggplant waiting to be picked), as well as stir-fried squash and fresh corn. We’ve got a ton of corn ready to pick; I only picked the one ear last night because I wasn’t sure if it was ready for picking yet or not, being a beginner and not knowing what the hell ripe corn looks like.
Turns out it’s ready, and we will probably get somewhere in the neighborhood of a hundred ears of that fine Silver Queen goodness over the next week or so. Then, in a couple of weeks, the other row should be ready.
I could really get used to this whole “providing our own food” thing.
I wonder what it would be like to actually get a red tomato off the vine. All mine are green and I pick them to make ya’ll recipe for Fried Green Tomatos before they even have a chance!
Carol: Obviously you need more tomato plants.
(we have 30(!) for two people)
Beautiful! You and Robyn should be so proud of your accomplishments!
Sell that corn 3 for a buck and you’ll make your seed money for next year… how are the melons doing? You said you were going to sell those too.
Looks like you’ve got a nice green thumb there, Farmer Fred
Your vegetables look awesome!!!!
Silver Queen rocks the entire world. I also saw that you planted Kentucky Wonders — my dad, who has been divorced from my mom for 30 years, still askes me to get him jars of those from my grandmother’s basement.
I’m so envious! I’m moving in to your guest bedroom, I really am! I’ll even pay to pet your cats, like Robyn said I’d have to!
I want fresh vegetables now! (that last sentence should be read with the same tone and inflections of Veruca Salt in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory when she demands an Oompa Loompa)
Oh wow, I can just see the health radiating from you guys as you eat your fresh garden vegetables… oh, and Fred, will you build me a wardrobe cabinet?
Farmer Fred, the cathouse builder! I love reading about all of your success. Next year I know your garden will be even more awesome because you always learn from previous experience.
Enjoy your bounty.
Love your vegetables and the cat house you made. All look good. Can you clone yourself and come live at my house? Seriously, I am so impressed with all you and Robyn have done with your new house and garden!