Handicap Access For the Boonville Cottage

About our cottage…OK…So we’ve met with the county planners, Building Department and Health Department of Mendocino County.  I have to say, as county officials go, these guys are pretty nice to deal with.  They all have gone above and beyond their call of duty to help us with this project.  That being said, we are going to have to revise our project and probably call it something else besides a “B&B,” or “One bedroom residence,” to make it fly.

One of the biggest obstacles is making the place ADA friendly.  (That’s access for people with disabilities act for those of you who are wondering.)  On first thought, this seems like a big pain in the arse.  We are going to have to change our plans to make everything more wheelchair friendly, which costs more money and time…and of course, effort.

BUT, on second thought, I love the idea of creating a space that is not only ADA friendly but chic and stylish, as well.  Both, my husband’s mother and my own mother were in wheelchairs a good deal of their lives before they passed on.  I think about how my mom struggled to make dinner for herself in a regular kitchen.  She almost burned down her home on two occasions because she could not see what she was doing on the stove while cooking.  She could not cut vegetables and fruits on the normal height cutting board, she couldn’t reach her dishes, or glasses and even the microwave was out of reach for her.  She usually just gave up and resorted to eating pre-made junk food, rather than trying to make her own meal.

The irony is that we could have made those adjustments in the kitchen, bath and hallway easily when we were designing my mom’s new mobile home.   I have to admit, there was some pride involved on my mom’s part that blocked our way.  She would never have approved grab bars near the toilet, or lower kitchen counters that are more wheelchair friendly, but I still, could have overruled her.  After all, I’m the one who designed the building for her.  Sad to say, I failed her miserably.  I should have recognized her gradual decline in her physical abilities, but I didn’t.

So, I now look at this cottage as a challenge and perhaps retributions for my errors in the past.  Although my mother passed away several years ago, I’m hoping that I can make things right, by creating a cottage that is totally handicapped-friendly, easy to move around in and without any compromise to making the whole place look chic and stylish.  Hey…even  people with disabilities like a little glam.

So, I’m scouring Pinterest, as well as the rest of the internet for cool looking bathrooms that are ADA friendly, kitchens designed around wheelchairs and rose gardens that people on wheels can enjoy.  I’ll let you all know how I fare.  More to come soon…

 

~ C

Cynthia Alpers

Ordering Plants On The Internet – Some Tips

It’s that time of year…spring planting.  This year, I have 2 gardens to plant. ( Well, actually 3 if you count the veggie garden,)  The first is a flower garden at my home.  It was started about three years ago, in a crazy attempt to frantically get the yard in shape before my son’s wedding.  It was a beautiful success that first year, but unfortunately, a huge storm came in the night before the wedding and we had to move the whole shebang to an indoor location at the last minute.  Not a single guest saw my flowers…oh well.   Since then, I’ve made a lot of changes and more than a few errors in that garden.  The annuals are now slowly being replaced by perennials, those lovely bushes I planted the first year are now past their prime and annual seeds keep popping up in all of the wrong places.  So really, it’s like I’m starting all over this season.

Most of my plants for this garden are coming from just two places: Annie’s Annuals and Perennials and Breck’s.  In the past, I’ve also had good luck ordering from One Green World for our unusual berries that are now establishing themselves in the yard. I’ve ordered from all of these places many times with good results, so I know I can trust them.

The second garden is at our property in town.  It’s a brand, spanking new, rose garden, created only on paper, so far.  It will live next to a new cottage that we are planning to build there.  I’ve ordered the roses as well as a few hydrangeas for the back yard.  David Austin Roses is the ONLY place that I will ever order roses from again (see my previous post,) and the Hydrangeas were ordered from White Flower Farm, a new vendor for me…fingers crossed.

Buying plants from a brick and mortar plant nursery is always best, but the problem is, I don’t have many of those close by.  In fact, two of the three closest ones just recently closed their doors.  Too bad. The selection from the remaining nursery is very limited, so ordering from an online plant nursery is my only real option.  However, that can be hit, or miss.  There are places that I won’t mention that I would never order from again.  Plants from these places arrived weak and spindly, late, half dead, all dead, or not at all.  (One company actually sent my plants a whole year later than expected!)   When things arrive too late in the spring, then I have to pot them up, baby them through the hot summer, cross my fingers, pray an swish some sage smoke over them, then delay planting them in the ground until late fall.  What a waste of time and effort.  Finding nurseries that you can completely trust to do things right is so valuable.  Here are some tips to do just that:

1. Read the comments.  I realize that plants are perishable things and not everyone has that magical green thumb, so there are bound to be some negative comments.  That being said, if you see a LOT of negatives, back slowly away from the computer screen.  If you see a lot of positives, keep reading!

2. Carefully read all plant descriptions and planting instructions.  You don’t want to buy something that only grows in zones 3-7, if you live in zone 9, or 10.  Nor, do you want a plant that eventually reaches 25 feet tall, when the description told you that it will only get about 8 feet tall.

If you want to get your new plant off to a good start, then definitely read the company’s planting instructions.  I would also suggest that you research the plant online and look for other companies’ instructions and growers’ comments too.

3. High price does not necessarily mean quality.  Just because their prices are up in the stratosphere, that doesn’t mean that they are selling you a “super plant.”  Same goes for bargain basement prices…those are usually left overs at the end of the season and not always in tip-top shape.  In other words, don’t go by price alone.

For example, David Austin Roses are only a dollar, or two more than a few of the other rose growers, but the quality and size are so much better.  I once ordered roses from one of those “other, online, rose nurseries.”  Their roses were more expensive than the DA roses, but the roses arrived weak, covered in black spot and three months late.  I planted them anyway, stripped them of all of their leaves to get rid of the black spot and hoped for the best, but they are still spindly and at least a year behind.  Actually, I think one of them has recently died.

4.  Check to see if the nursery has a promised a precise delivery date for your area.  Most will try to give you some idea, but the really good ones will tell you the delivery date within a week, or two AND they will stick to their promise.  David Austin Roses and Annie’s Annuals and Perennials are absolute experts at this.  I have never, once had a late shipment from them and they always ship at a practical time for my area.  One time Annie’s delivery person could not find my house, so they even called me several times to make sure that my address was correct and acted as a liasion between me and the delivery company.  The really wanted to make their delivery date and I appreciate that.

5.  Ask what soil medium your plants grow in at the nursery that you are buying from.  Boy…I’ve learned this one the hard way.  My virgin soil in my own garden was contaminated with horrible  Devil’s Grass from one of, “those other nurseries,” several years ago.  I’m still pulling the stuff out and probably will be for the rest of my life.  Give the nursery a call and just ask what medium they grow their plants in and if they have any safeguards, or guarantees against pests and weeds showing up with your plant purchase.

6. Make sure that your plant order is trackable.  You would think that this is a no brainer… but no…not all nurseries will track your shipments.  If there is a hang up on the delivery service’s part, at least you can call them with a tracking number and find out what’s up.

7. Ask how they pack your order.  You want to know how the plants will stay fresh and undamaged during shipping.  The great nurseries will take exceptional care in how they pack the plants, carefully making sure that nothing gets jostled about, adding moisture pellets and wrapping, if necessary, and possibly misting them before sealing up the box.

8.  Check their return policy.  It’s tragic when dead plants arrive on your doorstep.  I’ve tried to baby them along, because frankly, it was a hassle to send them back and try to get a refund.  The really good places just credit your account, no questions asked.

That’s about it.  Get out there, have fun!  Garden on!

~ C

 

Cynthia Alpers

The Boonville Cottage Rose Garden

First, I would like to say that sadly, David Austin Sr., acclaimed rosarian and founder of David Austin Roses, recently passed away on December 18th, 2018.  He was 92 years old and he left behind a huge legacy in the world of roses.  He spent much of his life creating an amazing array of romantic, “English Roses,” at a time when the trend was going with the more common, (dare I say boring,) Hybrid Tea Roses that can be found in any big box garden center.  He definitely changed the way that many people appreciate and use roses in their gardens. His family will be carrying on with their wonderful roses, but he will be immensely missed.

So, with that being said, if you love growing roses, you’ll know that David Austin Roses are simply the most beautiful and healthiest roses available.  Their old world charm, wonderful fragrance and hardiness make them my only choice for the new, rose garden at the Boonville cottage.  While it is still too early to plant a majority of the plants in the main garden, I did order a couple of, “Wollerton Old Hall,” climbers this season to grow over the shed.  The flowers are a pale apricot that fade to cream and I think that they will look nice next to the “salmon red” walls of the shed.

The rest of the rose garden will probably have to planted next year.  There just won’t be enough time to get the lot graded and the hardscape done before the heat of summer sets in.  However, I may go ahead and order the roses this spring, pot them up and leave them on my porch, where I can carefully watch and water them.  Of course, buying in bulk is the way to go.  David Austin offers several collections that are so enticing.  I’ve also got a 15% off discount because I’ve ordered from them before.  Nice!

Surrounding the rose garden will be hedges.  Right now, I’m thinking of using a cultivar of Thuja Arborvitae for my hedge plants.  They grow tall and will maintain a lovely, conical shape if left to grow naturally, or they can be clipped into a tall, boxy shape.

I plan to use smaller hedges closer to the cottage, most likely some sort of boxwood cultivar.  The backyard will be lawn, rimmed with white Hydrangeas (arborescens Incrediball®) and already established trees.

There’s a lot of hard work ahead.  I will have to get some help with the soil preparation and planting.  These old bones just can’t take it anymore.  Still, it is what keeps me young.  Garden on!

~ C

Cynthia Alpers

Designing and Decorating the Boonville Cottage and Gardens

So…OK…we don’t even have our plans approved yet, but I’m already chomping at the bit and ready to sink my teeth into this new project.  After all, one can never start too early with creative endeavours… I’m so excited!

I’m really hoping that the entire, “Boonville Cottage,” project will reflect a sense of place and history.  Even though it is going to  be a new building, I want it to feel like it’s been there forever. It’s important that it has that, “Anderson Valley,” vibe, and not look like it came out of some showroom in NYC.  On top of everything else, it has to be welcoming.

I’ve decided to decorate the cottage in a similar way that my own home is done…simple, used, vintage items that have lots of soul and casual comfort.  Nothing too fancy, frivolous, nor overly trendy; just a, “feel-good,” kind of decorating.  I’ve been completely inspired by designer, Molly Hyde English’s style and her book, “Camps and Cottages.”  Her style is so similar to mine and I’ll love looking through her website and reading her newsletter for new ideas and products.

I already have several furniture pieces that I have in mind to use. They’ll all need refurbishing…that will keep me busy for awhile.  I’ll definitely be heading over to Miss Mustard Seed’s  for her wonderful milk paints and new ideas. I’d also really like to create my own fabrics for some of the upholstery projects.  Spoonflower is a fabulous resource for doing that. If I don’t have time for that, then it’s Brick House Fabrics for their amazing collection of traditional prints and yardage.

It’s also time to get out my paints and create some wall art.  It’s been a long time since I’ve done any serious painting.  My DIL is a very talented artist and I hope to get her involved in this project.  but, if her schedule doesn’t permit that, then I’ll have to wing it on my own.  The DH is willing to make me some custom, art frames out of old growth redwood and knotty madrone.  (He’s also willing to make a unique dining table for the cottage. Boy…am I’m a lucky girl!)

The gardens will be trickier.  It’s plants will need time to grow and mature, so the first year, or two, will look a little stark, I’m afraid.  I’m going to have to come up with some strategies for filling in the bare spots until the foundation plantings take over.  There’s nothing a few packets of flower seeds can’t solve.

Building a new garden can also be an expensive venture.  I’m hoping that I can clone as many hedge plants as possible over the next couple of months to save on plant costs. I’m always on the lookout for little snips and cuttings of plants as I walk my dog, “Lucy,” through town.  (I never take anything that is in their yard, only what is growing on the public parkway.)

I can also draw from my own collection of plants that have been lovingly passed down through the generations, such as a Clivia plant from my late mom’s house, giant callas from Gramma’s, scented geraniums from a friend’s yard and several plants that were gifts from my son and daughter.  All of these can be divided and multiplied to be used in the new place.  Spread, err…plant the love, I say.

As far as the roses go, I’m certainly not going to scrimp, or cut corners here.  They are the center pieces of the garden.  I will only order from a company that I trust to give me superior plants and that’s David Austin Roses. Over the years, I’ve tried several companies for ordering roses online for my own, personal residence I have to say, and David Austin is by far the best in their selection and quality of products and service.  Even today, as we approach the winter months, my David Austin roses are still lush, green and still blooming, while the other roses look tired, leafless and weak.  There’s just no comparison.

There will be other garden elements needed. I’ll be hunting for free compost, garden benches, birdbaths, etc.  You never know what we’ll find.  I’ll be making my own planters for the deck out of old, used redwood, downed logs, or possibly clay or cement.

All in all, I’ll have my hands full.  I love it all!  I just hope that my energy level can keep up with my imagination.  My fingers are crossed!

I’ve decided to add a new category in the index just for the Boonville cottage, which will be where I’ll be continuing the writings on this project, so please look for that when you revisit.

~ C

Cynthia Alpers

Finally…We’re Starting the Boonville Cottage and Garden

I know…it’s been months and months since my last posts.  We’ve been so busy.  That’s my only real excuse and I’m sticking to it. 

:::sigh::: 

I won’t go into all of the details, but I can say that it has been a busy year.  The great news is that at last, we are moving forward with our beautiful house and garden plan in Boonville!  We have had the property up for sale, but there were no takers, so we’ve decided to take it off the market and proceed with our original plan to build.  My “Old Woman’s Garden” will finally be happening!

It’s not really a, “house,” but a charming, 1-bedroom cottage that will be rented out to vacationers.  It’s going to be perfect for our guests visiting our beautiful area for wine tasting, cheese sampling, hiking, relaxing and taking in the annual music festivals.  Everything is within walking distance…wineries, brewery, restaurants and music.  The Mendocino coast is only a 30 minute drive away with plenty of vineyards to visit along the way. 

The cottage will be old-fashioned and traditional, clad in creamy, white siding and featuring a bright, red door.  There will be privacy and a beautiful, outdoor space, (I’m hoping for a screened, sleeping porch, budget permitting,) and of course, lots and lots of flowers. 

Boonville Cottage Floor Plan as it stands now.

The plans have been submitted to the county and we don’t foresee many problems with the building department.  The only thing is that they are extremely busy right now, due to the 2017 &2018 fire victims rebuilding.  We certainly don’t mind waiting in line for them to be taken care of first.  We expect to break ground in the spring and it shouldn’t take too long to build. The septic system is already in and we have a well for water and public utilities readily available. 

I’ve already started ordering the plants for the garden, which will probably take several years to take shape.  Various hydrangeas and roses will be the main foundation plants.  Hedges will provide privacy and there will be the proverbial, white picket fence and trellis. The 20, old, apple trees will remain on the property, as will the large shed that we recently painted a soft, barn red. 

Boonville Vacation Rental Garden Plan

The inside of the house will be very traditional with a playful nod to the past.  Of course, there has to be a perfect bed…big and lux…the kind that you never want to get out of.  I plan to make a couple of quilts for that.  I’ll also have lots of furniture redo projects, including some old chairs and a Victorian settee that will need repairs and reupholstering.  We’ll need some interesting artwork too.  Who knows what else I’ll find on Craig’s List and at the antiques fair between now and then.  I’ll keep you posted about those.    

Pictures…I’ll be posting those soon.  (I know, I know, I KNOW!  I’m so bad at taking the pix in a timely manner…my apologies.)  I’ll get the “before” pix up ASAP and will bring you progress updates all along the way. 

Wish us luck!  Building can make, or break a marriage.  This will be our 4th house project and we are still going strong, so it must be a good thing.

~ C

Cynthia Alpers

Secrets to Seasoning a Tofu Scramble

I love tofu scrambles! They’re low in fat, high in protein and a great way to add a ton of veggies to my diet. My recipes are always changing and evolving depending on my mood that day. Besides the wide variety of veggies that go into my scrambles, some of my other favorite, add-in ingredients are:

Nutritional Yeast for a cheezy flavor
ground flax seeds, for extra omega 3s
turmeric, just a little for color and nutrition
smoked paprika, it’s just good
garlic powder, for earthiness
cumin, again, earthiness
black salt, for an eggy flavor

And the best ingredient that really changes the game is almond cream cheese such as kite hill, (really good stuff,) or homemade, (still good, but way cheaper.) The cream cheese makes the scramble soooooo creamy…very much like perfect scrambled eggs. In fact, I served my tofu scramble to my SIL, who swears that he doesn’t like tofu, and afterwards he thanked me for the, “delicious, scrambled eggs.” I didn’t have the heart to tell him that it was tofu.

What do you put in your scrambles?

~ C

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Happy Summer Solstice!

I love Summer Solstice!  Maybe it is because of the wonderful celebration on this day in Santa Barbara each year, when there is a fun and colorful parade down State Street and a raucous party in the part at the end of the parade line.  I rarely missed it when I lived there.

This is also a time when my gardening chores are at their peak and the results of my months of toil and labor are starting to show.  The flower garden is beginning to bloom and most of the summer veggies are now either in the ground, or still in starter pots and waiting to go in soon.

We have a few bumper crops this  season…grapes, blackberries…blueberries, honeyberries, aronia berries,  just to name a few.  I also really went overboard on the tomato plants this year.  I must have over 70 plants started!  I have a lot of great, hard-to-find varieties such as  Pink Furry Boar, Pink Berkeley Tie-Dye, Pineapple Pig and Black Cherry.  (All bred by  Brad Gates, of Wild Boar Farms, in the nearby, Napa Valley.)  My husband started his own veggie garden this year, so I gave him a lot of my tomato starts, since he has more garden real estate than I do.  We had to order more tomato cages, (actually, sheets of concrete wire that  we roll up into cages,) to accommodate all of the plants.  Needless to say, there are going to be some serious harvesting chores this fall!

Now that summer garden plan is wrapping up and I’m looking ahead to fall plantings.  We’ve ordered a few plants for fall that have just arrived: landscape roses, (Heirloom Roses,) olives, sea berries, blueberries, autumn olive, goumi and gooseberries, (from One Green World, in Oregon.)  I’ll keep them in their pots until we get past the hot weather and the rains start again, then they’ll get planted in our edible display garden, next to the already established, heirloom roses (David Austin Roses,) pomegranates, and Cornelian Cherries (again, One Green World.)

I know…you want to see pix for all of my posts.  I’m way behind in getting those to you.  I promise to have them up in the next few days.

~ C

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Vegan Sushi, Part 2

So…as promised, here’s part 2 of this recipe. Making a Maki sushi roll is pretty easy. You can use a fancy bamboo mat, made specially for sushi making, but it is not necessary. Just make sure that you don’t over fill it, or it will become unmanageable when you go to roll it up.

 

Some recipes call for a small amount of sugar in their rice. I don’t usually put that in, so I’m guessing as to how much you would need. I suppose it depends on taste. I do like to add sesame seeds though. Again, you be the judge as to how much you would like in yours. I put a 1/4 cup in this recipe, but you should add, or subtract, as you see fit.

Ingredients

2 cups white, or brown sushi rice
2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1/4-1/2 cup rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
1/4 Cup sesame seeds (optional)
wasabi paste
pickled ginger

Nori Seaweed sheets
Fillings of your choice

Rinse the sushi rice and put into a pot with a tight lid. Add 2 cups of water and salt, cover and cook over medium-low heat for approximately 25-35 minutes, or until rice is cooked and all liquid is absorbed. Put cooked rice into a bowl and allow to cool until just warm. Mix rice vinegar with sugar and sesame seeds, (if using) and pour mixture over rice. Stir the rice and vinegar gently. You don’t want to mash the rice and break up the grains.(I use a flat, bamboo paddle for this, but a large, mixing spoon or wooden spoon will work.)

Construction
Before starting, prepare a large, flat, clean surface to work on and fill a small bowl of water to set by your work space, so that you can wet your fingers from time to time.

With dry hands and surface, lay out a sheet of nori with the long side facing you. Scoop up some warm rice and very gently, spread it out on the nori sheet so that it is about a scant, 1/4″ thick across most of the sheet. (I knew you quilters would like that measurement.) Leave the last inch of the sheet empty, so it can later be moistened (like an envelope) and the roll can be sealed up. You can use your wet hands to help spread the rice around.

Put the fillings of your choice evenly, in a line along the lower 1/3 of the sheet. With dry hands, roll the sheet up, trying to keep it tight as you go along. When you get near the end, moisten the top edge of the nori sheet with water, then finish rolling. The nori will stick to itself and create a “seal.” You should have a nice, tight sushi log when you are done. Set the log aside and prepare the other sushi rolls, while keeping your work surface clean and dry.

When you have rolled all of your sushi logs, use a very, sharp knife and carefully cut each log into 3/4-1 inch slices, depending on how you like it and what your fillings are. Lay the slices flat on your serving tray. Garnish as you wish. Serve with wasabi paste and pickled ginger.

If you have any questions, please post and I’ll try to answer.

~ C

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Spring Vegetable Sushi…Totally Vegan! Part 1

Sushi comes in all forms, but the most widely known types are made with seafood. However, when the spring veggies start coming in at the garden, I go for veggie sushi, made with whatever is going off at the time, plus a few extras. I usually make Maki rolls (filling, seasoned rice, nori seaweed, all rolled up and then sliced.) You could also get creative with other kinds of veggie sushi like Nigiri, or Temaki, but for this recipe, we’ll just go with the more popular Maki roll.

You can find sushi rice in many supermarkets, or Asian grocery stores. If not there, then surely online. It’s different than regular, long grained rice…more sticky and starchy. I like to use brown sushi rice, when I can find it. Nori sheets are paper thin and made of pressed seaweed. Nori can also be found in the places mentioned above.

Many of you probably already know how to make sushi, so in this part, I’m just going to give you some ideas for the fillings. Since I’m, personally, focused on a plant-based diet and this thread IS about springtime veggies, I’m just going to mention the NON-meat/dairy/seafood fillings. Feel free to use other fillings that aren’t plant-based, if you are so inclined. Also, please add to this list!

I’ll post part 2 in the next couple of days, which will tell you how to put it all together. (I’d post now, but my dogs are insisting that we get out for a walk in the beautiful, morning sunshine.)

Possible Fillings:
Fresh asparagus, lightly steamed
sliced, peeled, seeded tomatoes, marinated in kelp powder and soy sauce (tastes very fishy.)
dill sprigs
spring onions
cucumbers
baked, sweet potato strips
Burmese tofu, cut into strips
Teriyaki grilled, regular tofu, cut into strips
avocado
carrots, julienned
smoked, sliced eggplant
par-boiled kale, or chard
crisp lettuce
Sautéed wild, or domestic mushrooms, drained
softened, dried seaweeds
peanuts, chopped
sesame seeds
sweet, pickled veggies of any kind
kimchi, chopped
sriracha
gochujang (Korean chili sauce…yummm!)

Gosh…I could go on and on. What are some of your ideas?

 

(Pix coming soon!)

~ C

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Burmese, Chickpea Tofu, Made From Scratch

I realize that some people might be super sensitive to soy products, so I thought that I’d share a recipe for homemade, Burmese, chickpea tofu.  This is not my own recipe. I’ve borrowed it from the deliciouseveryday.com blog and adapted it to my own needs. I’ve made this several times and plan to make it again this AM. I love the taste and the color is absolutely beautiful. However, it is a bit softer and more delicate than regular, soy tofu, so keep that in mind if you decide to make it.

Ingredients

1 cup chickpea flour ( also known as garbanzo bean flour or besan flour)
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground turmeric (optional, I always add it for that gorgeous color and extra nutrition.)
3 cups water divided
neutral flavored oil such as canola, sunflower

Instructions

Place the chickpea flour in a bowl along with the salt and turmeric (if using). Whisk to combine. Add 1 1/2 cups
of water and whisk until smooth.

Lightly oil 8″X8″ square baking dish.

Bring the remaining 1 1/2 cups of water to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-high and add the chickpea flour and water mixture. Whisk over t the heat until the mixture becomes really thick and glossy. This should take about 8 minutes. Pour immediately into the prepared baking dish and leave to cool at room temperature for at least 1 hour. The longer it sits, the more water will drain out of the tofu and the firmer it will get. (I let mine sit for a few hours.)

Cut into whatever size and shape you like. This will depend on how you are going to use it. Store in an airtight container and use within 3 days. I find that it’s great cut up into cubes, seasoned with curry powder and put into a salad.

The WW SPs for this recipe is zero points. Nice!

(Pix coming soon!)
~ C

Cynthia AlpersLeave a comment