Monday, March 19, 2012

March notes



A week with the g'kids for spring break (they went home last Thursday), finally getting the garden turned and planted, and working in the store last Saturday left me feeling a bit sluggish Sunday. Stayed off the computer (mostly) and read, took a nap (something I rarely do), and went to bed early.

Today, I'm not feeling that much more energetic. It's extremely windy today, will be for the next couple of days. It's pushing everything around. We put cans around our tomatoes to keep them from being totally beat up by the wind but the peppers seem to be holding their own.

We expanded the garden this year and this will be the last time I try to turn the garden by hand. Oy. They were swollen, bruised, and every joint ached by the time I was done. But the garden is turned, the dirt crumbled, and it now measures 9' x 27'. So far we have put in tomatoes, bell peppers, jalapenos, zucchini, white squash, cucumbers, japanese eggplant, pole beans and bush beans. We still have some space in the big garden that I'm not sure what we are going to fill with. I want to put in another small garden or two out by the one. I was looking at some blackberry vines earlier. Not going to put in strawberries this year I don't guess. None of my plants made it through the summer.


The poppies have really come into bloom now with some of the doubles and pink ones starting to bloom. A yellow iris just appeared in one of the front flower beds that I didn't even know was there. I have never even seen the foliage before much less a flower. And in the same bed, a gerber daisy that has never bloomed before is now sporting a flower. Whatever else the long hot dry summer did, it sure seemed to jump start the gerbers. I have never seen them bloom as profusely as they are doing this late winter and spring.




I feel like I haven't accomplished anything this month and it's already almost over. Several days in the city doing home repair followed by a week with the g'kids and turning the garden and working in the store on Saturdays, well I guess you could say that's accomplishing a lot, but I have made no progress whatsoever on the new set of models, and I guess we'll be heading into the city again this week for more home repair.





13 comments:

  1. i LOVE your poppies! such a pretty flower garden! i don't know how you have the energy to have a veg garden. i can imagine the house repair/remodel is taking all of your time and energy to help your kids...

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  2. Turning that garden was enough accomplishment for the coming year in my opinion. No way could I do that, even 10 years ago.

    I guess you all are missing out on all this rain we have up here on our horizon. It has me rather anxious, to say the least--flooding, hail, tornadoes... and I actually thought we were done for the year. Silly girl that I am.

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  3. When we were weeding our small strip out front this weekend I found several zucchini plants that had taken root there. They were from my next door neighbors' back yard! The plant was a darn monstrosity [and huge nuisance] growing and filling half of our backyard through the fence last summer, but I was hesitant to cut it back and she didn't care.

    This year I am chop, chop, chopping that thing as soon as it even hints at coming through our fence. It is so weird how it showed up in our front yard when we live in townhomes that are 3.5 stories high. Maybe the dogs tracked the seedlings around, who knows. I just don't want to see it again.

    [Sorry that was rambly, but your errant gerber reminded me of it. :)]

    Your garden looks fantastic. I am so jealous of all the wonderful veggies you are growing. I know it is A LOT of work, but it is SO worth it, isn't it?

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  4. Can't believe you turned a garden by hand. Your poor hands. And you don't even mention your shoulders, arms, backs and legs. My theory of strange bulbs is their transplation by squirrels who lost their treasure maps.

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  5. Seeing all that fresh-turned soil of the garden makes me look forward to planting mine in May. We do have ours tilled, but there's still work raking it all out, cleaning it up, picking out the rocks, that sort of thing. Hope your tomatoes survive the wind.

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  6. Lots of time before planting here, except a few cold weather crops.Tomatoes around the end of May.

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  7. Your poppies look beautiful. Nothing like that here yet.

    I'll keep an eye on your veg plot.

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  8. The poppies are gorgeous!!! The wind was extremely strong here yesterday too. I had a few things to do in the yard but was constantly fighting the wind.

    I hope you are feeling better today after getting snake-bit yesterday. I'm not terribly afraid of snakes but I am concerned about them hiding out in the pine needles and me sticking my hand or foot in them & getting bit. I told the G-man last night, after reading about your bite, that I'm raking out all the needles & replacing it with mulch... it packs down better & I think it would make it harder for the buggers to hide out in.

    Take care... I'll continue to check on you on FB.

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  9. Poppies are one of my very favorite flowers - gorgeous! Well, & your freshly turn earth & the other flowers are gorgeous too. We had a random snapdragon bloom between the hedge & the wall in front of the house last year - I'll have to remember to look for it in another month or so :)

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  10. The poppies are certainly a crowd pleasing flower- LOVE that photo!
    And, by the way, how are you ? Worried about the bite- and the snake that got away!

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  11. Oh Ellen, just enjoy the fresh scent of spring and all that gorgeous color!! My goodness, you're already accomplished enough. Though I know you've plenty more to do, and will in due time.

    Happy spring! :)

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  12. Well I can see why you are tired. You have been busy girl. Cut yourself some slack. G'kids can tire anyone out for sure.
    Love all the flowers and your planting bed looks great.
    Hugs
    SUeAnn

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