But now I have a pair of virtual red shoes, actually only one red shoe. I am waiting for the other shoe to drop… something like that. What does that Mean! Where did that expression come from? Don’t you ever wonder about some of these sayings? What other shoe? And where is it dropping from?
However, I was awarded the Red Educational Shoe Award by Katherine Ingrid whose poetical charm has been gently seeping into our subconscious as she very quietly takes over the world with words and art.
Thank you so much Kathryn. This is an exciting one to pass on, though as usual it took some thinking about. You see there is an element of teaching and learning in each of my carefully collected blog buddies who have carefully collected me in return. The Kitchens Garden comments section is where an enormous amount of information lands and I am endlessly impressed by how much I can learn from your comments. And wonderfully, a person’s comment is my introduction to their blog. So first I need to thank you all for taking the bull by the horns and just putting in your tuppeny’s worth. And this is where I began my search for just a few of the many deserving pages.
I would like to pass this Red Shoe Award to:
Maggie from Mehaffey Farm who is a stand out gardener who feeds many families from her farm, and always adds information to her comments. I have learnt piles since she found me.
Linda. from Savoring Every Bite. I have been looking for an award that would suit our Linda and I know this is the one. Personally I think she would look great in red shoes. Also she is a Midwest girl (now in Florida) and cooks with an Italian flair that teaches me non- stop! I listen to her and just know that she really does savor every bite she takes! A lovely generous supportive personality.
Rumpy Dog speaks out about animals from all walks of life but mostly about dogs and cats who have been abandoned and found. There are many happy endings on these pages and much to learn. All dogs like red shoes!
Audrey from Minnesota Prairie Roots passionately loves the little towns that surround her and takes her camera along. She is a writer. She is always informative and kind. She is another one who is unstintingly generous with her helpful comments.
Sharyn from Kale Chronicles is on a mission to cook and eat seasonally and has a very special ability to illustrate her work. Pop over and you will see what I mean. Also she is kind enough to pop in with info and help when she thinks I need it which is often. She is new to the farmy pages and a wonderful find.
Charlie from Hotly Spiced. When I read her About page I laughed out loud. You will see why if you have time to pop in. She has taught me that writing a blog IS Writing!
So hang this cool award on your walls and pass it along whenever you feel like it.
While we are on the subject of awards- Two Big Hearty Thank You’s.
I need to thank the lovely Gretchen for tagging me to answer a few questions that I answered in this post. She blogs in between writing (which means she writes in between writings!?) and also lives out on the land. Or I guess it would be better to say the land lives around her.
And also I thank Natalie from What we Ate Today for mentioning me again in conjunction with the Versatility Award. I have received this a few times already so I am beginning to feel very versatile indeed. Thank you so much Natalie. Pop over and visit as she has some stunning food over there!
Now if you are anything like me you are feeling desperate to start growing things. Spring is coming but we have to get through half of February before sowing the brassicas. Also as you remember I like to eat what I grow, avoiding imported so called ‘fresh’ vegetables and foods. My freezer food is getting low and I have more empty jars than full ones now and my gardens are covered in snow, so to combat the scurvy, here is what I am growing:
I put a bed of rocks in an enamel basin for drainage, filled the basin with potting mix and sowed thick lettuce seed. This is sitting in a bright South window in a cool room, and I pop it outside anytime we get above 38F. I water it with a mister so the tiny plants do not get knocked down by heavy watering. You can eat them at the microgreen stage but I like to let them go a little further and get a bigger mouthful.
So in a few weeks I will get a pair of little scissors and I shall cut a salad of baby lettuce leaves! If I am careful to only give the wee plants mini haircuts then the plant will keep growing greens for me. It may be a small salad but it will be delightfully tasty and it gives me something green to take care of until I can start seriously sowing seed. Until then I am forcing myself to sit on my hands. Of course John is already way ahead of me. He very carefully cleans and stores his little pots every year and has them filled with tomatoes and cabbage already, but soon he will run out of his orange pots and he will be begging me for paper ones! 
It looks like it will be a warmer day today with a high of 47F forecast, so the plants will get to go outside this afternoon. The sun is coming up and will peek out before disappearing behind a heavy cover of clouds. So I had better scuttle back down my ladder and rug up and get out into the barn. TonTon and I have another flock of chickens and cats to look after for a while as my neighbour has been called away, so it is busy busy (my favourite!).
If the light is good I shall collect some farmy shots for you today. I look forward to that.
Good morning!
c
The Kitchen's Garden 
88 responses to “I didn’t have a pair of red shoes! The award post.”
Oh Dog! Thank you so much for thinking of me! And I DO love red shoes…. preferably made of leather.
Just as I suspected. And you teach us lots Rumpy, your are our doggie conscience.. c
I’ve never heard of shoes dropping, is it like pennies dropping? 🙂
Oh, interesting, It is a NZ expression then which means that it is almost certainly a british one! Hopefully we will find out more as the morning progresses.. yes i have heard of the penny dropping too meaning you understand. c
Have you never slept in a room in a flimsy building below another bedroom? The chap up there takes off his first shoe – clunk on the floor. You cannot sleep until the second one drops, and you’ll wait a long time if he only has one foot!
I like the idea of eating infant lettuces. Do you do bean sprouts? I love them and they are so easy to grow, in a lidded jamjar of water which you shake from time to time until the beans start to sprout. You can do it with all kinds of pulses.
I’m about to make your lemon curd cake for my sewing ladies coming tomorrow.
yes I have a jar of sprouts on the bench all winter, we eat them with every meal and THANK YOU, for the answer to our quest about the other shoe dropping.. it all makes perfect sense now.. let me know how the cake turns out, I am dying to make another one but all the lemons from my friend are gone! c
I hadn’t either – and I’m British….
well as viv and paul said it is all about waiting for the other shoe to drop to the floor so you can relax, all over now kind of thing. What a great expression isn’t it Pseu.. c
Goodness me, you still have time to look after the neighbours farmy – you are beyond remarkable dear Celi! Congratulations on your awesome awards! No guessing that I love your pics of your seedlings. I am learning more and more about my camera and having loads of fun taking pics and deleting and taking more.
🙂 Mandy
It is a wonderful skill being able to say No that is not good enough. Good for you Mandy! c
Congratulations on another award! Lovely pictures of the seedlings. I cannot wait to get mine started.
I know natalie,m we are all sitting on the edges of our chairs waiting for the spring now! c
So excited to win this award, and from YOU who I admire ever so much!! Jumping up and down here in Massachusetts! Thank you for the encouragement! Sometimes the blogging gets to feel like you’re just shooting the words out into the black hole of cyberspace. Nice to know someone is out there to receive… The classy red shoe is so ironic in a way too, as I have always been a flats kinda gal, but have been known to stuff poor feet into a torturous pair of deliciously unstable heels now and then in my former corporate life. Whew! Glad that’s over! My feet get stuffed into my muck boots these days…
Oh boy am i glad not to have to dress up each morning either, I am with you on that one. and you are a mine of information Maggie that you are gloriously happy to share, I loved passing the red shoe onto you. c
I am honored to be a recipient of your Red Shoe Award, C. So honored. Thank you for starting off my day in such a fine way. Truly. I am humbled.
And you, my dear, are most deserving of this award for all you bring to us, your readers. Your ability to create a strong sense of place through your words and images is truly a gift. Thank you.
You have a fantastic day, I am very grateful to be able to thank you publically for your support and encouragement in my quest to write better and More! c
You’re so kind to mention me. Thank you! The Red Shoe award is perfect for you. You are a teacher at heart – one whose students are always glad to read what you have to say!! Have a lovely day in your spring-like temperatures!
You are very welcome gretchen, i hope you are having a great day of good writing! c
Mon/Wed/Fri. mornings are my book-writing times…because my four year old is in pre-school. two and a half hours is never enough, but it’s better than nothing. I guard those hours as if they are gold. 🙂
It is great to have a organised time though. you probably get more done in that tiny bite just because it is such a short period.. c
I’m trying to picture you hopping around in one red shoe and one work-a-day boot:) and I have no idea about things dropping, I’m hopeless with expressions and proverbs. But I do envy you your salads. I’m off home in a week and I know that after making a cup of tea and lighting the fire the first thing I will do is to get my seed stash out and start a few tentative sowings. Congrations C, it’s a lovely award for a lovely person.
I am sure you will be sipping on the tea, reading each paper before you use it to light the fire, dreaming of your gorgeous allotment this spring. You have a little glasshouse don’t you.. that will get you ahead! c
Congratulations on your most deserved award, Cecilia! i constantly learn fun and interesting, as well as useful, things from your posts. I think there also needs to be some sort of “Entertaining” award as you’d top the list for that one, too! Your seedling pics remind me that I need to finish up those paper pots and get cracking this week. Good morning!
Yes i am making paper pots this morning too.. no rest for the wicked! c
Congratulations. You are absolutely deserving…I have learned so much from your blog and you.
..bask in the glow.
Jess
You are also a great teacher, isn’t great how we all learn from each other in this cyber space! c
Congratulations! This award seems perfectly tailored to you and your interests. 🙂
Thank you Ms Misk.. we all love to learn i think this is the most wonderful thing about the blog world.. c
Congratulations dear Cecilia, you are amazing writer and photographer and cooker, You deserved this award. But to be honest I was expecting a fairy tale when I read the title, 🙂 I love red shoes too, but it’s been such a long time I don’t wear… I remember this now… Thank you, have a nice week and day, with my love, nia
Have a lovely evening Nia, and thank you.. c
Congratulations on your well deserved award – I´ve certainly learnt a lot from you and I know that I will continue to do so. Love your little seedlings, so small yet so strong 🙂
Yes, fingers crossed for my first mini crop! c
Congratulations and nice looking seedlings too 😉
Morning mad! Are you having a warm day as well? c
Thankfully here in South Africa our winters are short I am making the most of our lettuce and salad produce from our little vegetable garden. Well done on the award.
fantastic to have fresh food all year round.. must be wonderful