I’m back, well temporary. Will be offline again when the kitchen and roof repair jobs start, hopefully soon.
By the middle of March all the snow and ice from the roof finally melted. Towards the end of March, the insurance adjuster came to inspect the external and internal damages. A week later his report arrived. The contractor is now looking over the report and need to contact the adjuster to clarify certain details. The contractor also needs to apply for the required permits from the town and to fit me in with his schedule. Waiting and more waiting. It is going to be a while before work starts.
If I knew the project was going to drag out for so long, I would not have emptied my kitchen cabinets. Meals making has been a challenge for the past few weeks and will be for many more.
As if I needed more stress, I have been down with a horrible case of bronchitis for the past 3 weeks. Still coughing, but at least I am now spending more time in a vertical position than a horizontal one.
There are, however, silver linings.
♥ I lost 10 pounds. Will these pounds stay away once I regain my appetite? Going to be a challenge.
♥ Being inactive for 3 weeks, my left shoulder (got hurt while I was emptying my kitchen cabinets) got some rest and is pretty much back to normal. I can now move my left arm freely but must be careful when lifting.
∞ ∞ ∞
Was having a “feeling better” day on Saturday and took a walk in my veggie garden. Not a good idea as it was very windy. My cough is now worse even though I stayed out only long enough to harvest a few leeks and parsnip. Hopefully I will improve in a few days.
Leeks
The above leeks were from my 5/21/13 transplant. Left in the garden to over winter and harvest as need (mulched heavily with leaves before the ground froze). Given the severe winter, I did not think they would survive, but as you can see from the above photo they not only survived they look good (a bit on the skinny side though).
∞ ∞ ∞
Parsnips
Parsnips were direct sown on 5/10/13. Like the leeks, I left some to overwinter in the garden (also mulched heavily with leaves). Aren’t they the best looking parsnips!
Making soup with both the leeks and parsnips together with carrots and celeriac in storage.
∞ ∞ ∞
Check out the photo below, it says S-P-R-I-N-G!
Daffodils
Look at all the buds, will be putting on a gorgeous display soon.
The clump is getting overcrowded, need to divide this year.
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Copyright © by Norma Chang. All Rights Reserved. Do not use/repost any photos and/or articles without permission.
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Garden to Wok 
So good to have you back, Norma. Sorry to hear about your bronchitis but the upside is definitely the weight loss. Your parsnips look gorgeous and so much better than the ones I see here in the stores xx
Hello Charlie,
Thanks, I am glad to be back. Hoping to get back into the garden soon to bring in the rest of the parsnips and leeks before they spoil.
Hope the repairs go smoothly and you feel better soon!
Hello Cheryl,
Thanks, what a delightful surprise! How is Mohonk?
Glad you are back and hope your work in the house goes well. I’ll be heading to the farm soon and anticipate harvesting lettuce in the hoop house. Just looked at my horseradish left in the garden over the winter. I must get up the courage to pull it soon!!!
Hello Wishfulthinking,
I am glad to be back, yep, I hope the house repairs go well, it’s being stressful. Cool that you are harvesting lettuce, I need to start my seeds as soon as I get my energy back.
Welcome back. Your parsnips look good. My neighbours have parsnips in their garden and they haven’t yet harvested them, I wish they would as it would go to waste and rot in the ground.
Hello Shaheen,
Thanks, glad to be back. May be your neighbor will let you harvest the parsnips so they do not go to waste.
Very nice parsnips and leeks! Glad to see you’re feeling better.
Hello Jenny,
Thanks. Feeling better but not yet feeling like myself, hope to get back into the swing of things really soon.
I hope that you will feel better soon! Your leeks and parsnips are beautiful! I will plan on planting some to overwinter as well although this is way too early to think about winter. Good luck with your roof repair!
Hello Nancy,
I hope so too, am so behind with my seeds starting and garden planning.
Yikes! I hope your house is all fixed up, very soon.
When we were restoring our 1940s kitchen, we had to move all of our pantry goods into the dining room. But of course, we were still cooking. It was pretty chaotic.
Hello Lisa and Robb,
Glad you understand. Stupid me thought things would happen as planned.
Hi Norma!
Hope this note finds you feeling better. It was very windy on Saturday. I gave up bagging leaves after I filled one bag. Back out there today with Burt trying to put a dent into cleaning up all those oak leaves that fall so late in the season…filled 8 leaf bags! I cleaned the leaves off the rhubarb at Locust Grove last week. Spring is here. Take care. Hope to see you soon.
Pat
Hello Pat,
Feeling a lot better this afternoon, hoping to make it to LG on Thursday. If you need to get rid of your leaves you can bring the bags over.
House repairs like that always take way too long. And sorry you are sick. I hope you get better soon. Your leeks look great though. I hope the soup helps.
Hello Daphne,
Soup is all that I have been eating these past 3 weeks, warm, comfy and easy to digest.
So sorry to hear about your illness ( be careful that it doesn’t progress to pneumonia), injured shoulder and home repair/renovation delays. Those were some very nice leeks and parsnips, and the daffodil buds promise that it will be spring soon. Best wishes for a speedy resolution to all of your issues.
Hello Lou,
Thanks for your best wishes. I am so looking forward to the daffodils in full bloom will post a photo.
How nice to see you update the blog again, Norma. Sorry to hear that you are under the weather, hope you get well very soon.
Happy Spring!
Angie
Hello Angie,
Thanks for your get well wises. Happy spring to you too.
Glad to see you back and in good spirits despite of all the hardships. Springs is indeed in the air and it’s about time! 🙂
Hello Ronit,
I am glad to be back. Hope we have a long spring.
Those parsnips look mighty! I hope your cough improves and that the repairs go smoothly.
Hello Siobhan,
I just have to be patient and not expect all to be OK overnight.
Welcome back. I hope that a great harvest this year. 😀
Hello Cocomino,
Thanks so glad to be back.
Welcome back my friend, I’m so sorry you’ve had such challenges. I am hoping that your light at the end of the tunnel is fast approaching. Yes indeed, I do like silver linings like that, congrats on your weight loss. Your leeks and parsnips are beautiful, I love roasting them in the oven, so tasty. We have not even had a poke from our bulbs as yet, everything is too frightened to poke up through the frozen earth…hopefully soon. In the meantime, I shall just come back to your photo and dream.
Hello Eva,
Thanks, good to be back. I was not been practical when I expected things to go as I had wished (was not living in the real world). All will eventually get back to normal and all the challenges will be forgotten.
Have you seen the special exhibit “The Forbidden City” at the ROM?
I will roast the rest of the parsnips when I bring them in from the garden.
Hi Norma, hope things go smoothly. Lots of rain here tonight. No we haven’t seen it yet but it’s on our list of things to do.
Hello Eva,
I hope so too. We had lots of rain last night also.
I’ve thought about you so often but didn’t realize things had gotten worse rather than better. At least your snow is gone, most of ours has melted from heavy rains. It will be a winter must of us won’t forget. Hopefully, each day finds you in better health and spirit. Your parsnips had to be extra sweet from being overwintered. It looks like you will have beautiful flowers soon…they will be like a nice ray of sunshine in your life.
Hello Karen,
I am so looking forward to a stretch of nice weather, had a few nice warm days intermingled with cold windy and wet ones. Yes, the daffodils are going to put on quite a display, definitely a nice ray of sunshine in my life. Thanks.
How lovely to have you back Norma. So sorry to hear you have been so sick – not fun. I am sure it was brought on by the stress of your renovations. At least you will have your lovely garden as a sanctuary.
Have a super day.
🙂 Mandy xo
Hello Mandy,
Thanks, I am very glad to be back. Yes, the stress from the renovations contributed to my illness. Waiting for the weather to settle down so that I can get out to my garden.
Hi Norma! Sorry to hear you have Bronchitis – if I lived near you, I would drop off a big pot of soup!! Hope you feel better soon!
Hello Alyssa,
How I would love a huge bowl of your soup. Thanks, I am feeling better, slowly but surely.
I hope you feel better! One heck of a way to lose weight! Your flowers are popping up nicely!
Hello Sandra,
Thanks, I am feeling better slowly but surely. This has been quite a winter, so looking forward to my flowers in full bloom.
I have to buy leeks soon. I hope the ones I find are as great looking as yours!
Hello YC,
I am sure you will find some great looking leeks at the farmers’ market.
Welcome back, love leeks, it’s such a carefree veg. Hope you kitchen is back to working order soon.
Hello Mac,
Thanks, I am so happy to be back. Once all the paper work is completed the job should go smoothly, I hope.
Sorry to learn of your recent troubles, Norma. Do take care. Bronchitis is nothing to take lightly. It is bad enough when one’s home is damaged. Having to deal with the repairs and all they entail — permits, contractors, inspections — makes it so much worse. I hope they can get started on it quickly so that things can get back to normal for you. Good to see that your leeks and parsnips survived the Winter. What a great soup they’ll make!
Hello John,
Could be worse, doctor thought I had pneumonia and sent me for chest x-ray and blood test, all negative, a good thing. Prescribed a cough med and I had a bad reaction. Just have to be patient and let the problem run its course. Same with the repairs.
I wondered how you were getting along. What I didn’t know was how sick you’ve been and that you hurt your arm. What a winter you’ve had. Now that spring has sprung maybe the contractor and the adjuster and the scheduling will have you back in your kitchen in no time at all.
So good to see you!
Hello Maureen,
It sure is a winter to remember. I am so looking forward to putting my kitchen back to order so that I can find my spices, sauces, pots and pans etc.
So good to see you back Norma, and glad to know that you are feeling much better.
I love to see your the harvesting…and it seems that the daffodils will be blooming really soon.
Have a beautiful week 😀
Hello Juliana,
Thanks. Yes, the daffodils should be blooming soon can’t wait. A beautiful week to you too.
Hello Norma, glad to see you back but saddened to learn you have not been well at all. Take it easy, stay out of your beloved garden (and how I like the look of your leeks and parsnips 🙂 look at your gorgeous clump of daffodils – they no doubt will cheer you up a bit, too. Get well soon, just don’t fret too much. Carina
Hello Carina,
Thanks, I am getting better slowly but surely, yes, the daffodils in bloom will definitely cheer me up.
That is really a hassle dealing with house damage and I am sorry that you are going through that Norma. I hope things get better and I’m sure it will. Take care Norma. 🙂
Hello Ray,
Thanks for the upbeat note and encouragement.
I hope you feel better soon! 😊 This harvest is pretty cool though! Yum Yum ! Good Luck with the renovations! 💐
Hello Sophie,
Thanks, I am feeling a lot better. Both the leeks and parsnips were delicious.
I bet, that are 2 veggies that I absolutely love! x
Those change of weather illnesses can really take a long time to clear out the dampness in your body. I am hoping your feeling up to making yourself some nourishing Chinese soups. Beautiful harvest but take care of yourself and rest….
Hello Bam,
Your first sentence sounds like something my mother would say especially the phrase “… clear out the dampness in your body”. Are you into Chinese medicine?
Hello Norma, you made me laugh. I know it sounds so mom-like, doesn’t it?. Actually, I took TCM- acupuncture diploma course at HKU. But you do need to clear out the damp heat. Sending some sunshine and positive thoughts and dry weather your way. Take care, BAM
Hello Bam,
Actually it sounds very “Chinesey”. Thanks for the sunshine and positive thoughts, much appreciated.
🙂
Oh, Norma, you will have the most sensational daffodil display.. I’m green with envy! If I tried to create this in my garden, do you plant bulbs in any special formation? Also if I’m successful, once they bloom, what do you do with them for the rest of the summer months? Is there something you plant around them or do the leaves stay nice and green? I’d love to try this! Also, I’m so glad you are getting your kitchen done.. fingers crossed it will be soon!
And I forgot to add that my husband had that exact cough and he had to finally get a prescription for it.. take care, Norma, get well soon!
Hello Barbara,
Thanks, I am feeling better slowly but surely.
Hello Barbara,
I do not plant bulbs in any special formation, prefer instead to be random. Once the bloom fades, I deadhead braid the leaves and plant annuals around them, it is a bit untidy for a little while but I can live with that. When the leaves turn yellow I clip them and tidy up the area.
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So glad you are back, Norma, and those are some very healthy looking parsnips! I’m sorry this has dragged out so long for you. We had a similar experience and I guess that’s just the way it is with insurance companies. Sometimes I think they want to wear you down. Hope your bronchitis is much improved.
Hello Betsy,
I am glad to be back. Yes, the house repairs have dragged, I remember your experience with your damages and repairs and I believe it took quite a while before you had your house back to normal. I am feeling a lot better, not completely but getting there, thanks.