Digging In The Dirt

Or, How I Spent My Weekend

Dirt under my nails, dirt all over my feet, dirt all over my clothes, my face, my hair..........
it was all about being outside, away from the computer way more than I usually am, and working in the garden this weekend.

We started on Saturday morning as we went on a quest for more organic seeds and potatoes (to add to the four I found growing in the garden already from last year) and some organic tomato seedlings. We lucked out on both fronts finding our seeds at the local Agway just around the corner. The seedlings we found at a local organic farm stand where I was greeted by a roaming chicken.  They had a nice selection of tomatoes, except for one I always plant for freezing: Romas. So I am still on a quest for some Roma seedlings.

Once we got back to The Bates Estate we got busy outside in the vegetable garden.

We were 'one with nature'.

G had some some planting last weekend, beans, spinach, kale, radish, lettuce, and chard.

To that we added more green beans, peas, cucumbers, potatoes, butternut squash, buttercup squash, summer squash, arugula and peas.  Oh, and more radish because I didn't know G had planted some already until I was watering this morning and noticed he had radish popping up. Should be good for salads this summer to say the least.

It's a pretty big garden and in addition to planting I worked hard on mulching with cardboard covered with leaves between each row. On top of that, we hope to put some salt marsh hay (it doesn't have grass seeds and weeds that get into your garden bed like regular hay can) on top for extra mulch. I'm hoping it will do a great job at keeping the weeds down so all the veg can grow, grow, grow.   G needs to pick up some more cardboard for me and then I can continue on my merry mulching way in hopes of staving off the weeds. We shall see.

I'll take some pictures of what it looks like now so you can see along with us, how the garden progresses. Be prepared for a midsummer weed takeover picture if the mulch doesn't do what I'm hoping it will do.

All of that said, it just felt so awesome to be out in the sunshine digging in the dirt. There is something about working in the soil and earth that, although it it's hard work, it's also stress relieving.

So I challenge you to get out in nature this week and take it all in whether you're digging in the dirt or walking in the woods or through a park. Just breathe it all in.

What was happening in your world this weekend? Did  you get out and dig in the dirt or did curl up with a good book inside? Spill the beans.

Ciao for now,

Take A Walk With Us: In The Garden

 

Out The Back Door

The sun is shining for now. There is supposed to be some rain coming in for the next couple of days.

A walk around the flower gardens seemed in order.

Come along, won't you?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The blue birds have been busy eating grubs. Go bluebirds! I know you see one, but can you find the second bluebird?

If I had to pick a favorite today, it would have to be that big beautiful lush peony.  Did you know that ants love peonies? Apparently, they love the waxy sweetness of the buds and don't harm the blooms. Live and let live.

Have a great day in your corner of the world and I'll do the same in mine.

Ciao for now,

 

 

PS- if you heard me screaming all the way from here, it's only because were in the midst of the Stanley Cup Playoff hockey and my Bruins are rockin' it. Though last night was a nail biter against the Burgh. We won in double overtime. It was way past bedtime. Sorry to the Pittsburghians out there.

A Garden In Winter

To Prove My Point

Yesterday I told you that despite the fact that I don't have what I'd call a 'green' thumb, I am able to keep some things alive.  I also told you that I make my thumb look a little greener by keeping the flowers that work in my garden, and not trying to hard with the ones that put up a fight. If flowers like it in my gardens, they stay. If they don't, I just don't bother trying to force the point.

Since we are still in the midst of Winter here, I thought some Summer color might be in order.

These are some of the flowers from my gardens that require very little work.

Top Row:  left- Tiger Lily. I think some people call them ditch lilies because you might see them along side of the road in ditches. These are easy as they come. I got mine from my sister Dianne and she brought hers from her first home and transplanted them. They spread and grow like wild fire so you can keep splitting them each year and making more groupings.  right- Bee Balm. I love Bee Balm for a few reasons. Butterflies, hummingbirds and hummingbird moths love the stuff, and they bloom right at 4th of July and remind me of fireworks. They bloom for a good while too, and then have second lesser blooming, so they give me color July and August.  I will say this, I had one group that just up and disappeared one year to the next. I replanted new ones and they were good to go. Could just be the cycle of this plant.

Middle Row: left- Milk Weed. It's called a weed for a reason. It grows like a weed and most people pull it up. I think it's far too pretty. The flower are almost like they're made of hard wax and flower shaped and butterflies can't get enough of the stuff. If it gets where I don't want it, it's easy enough to pull out from where the stalk meets the dirt.  It smells heavenly. right- I was thinking this was aster, but now that I look at it again, I think it's Chamomile. I'm not even sure I planted it, it may have planted itself like the milkweed, but I just let it do it's thing. 

Bottom Row- left- a type of primrose.  I got it from my neighbor and my sister got it from me and so did my mother. My mother thinks it gets messy, but my sister and I have been able to keep it in groupings. Happy yellow flower.  right- Day lily. Wish I new the name of this one, but my neighbor bought it for me a plant auction fundraiser so I don't know. Love the ruffled edge. The day lilies are easy as pie and put on quite a show.

Top Row: left- Hosta is not only a great green foundation planting that can fill some big spaces as it grows. It also gets a pretty purple flower. You can divide it easily even though it might be a bit tough to get through with a shovel or spade. It recovers just fine. I think these were another that came from my sister's first house, to her second house, and then to mine.  right- Phlox. This is a plant that I tried before and didn't have luck with, but gave a second chance and it's done just fine. Depending on the flower, I'll do that, but if it doesn't take the second time....forget it.

Bottom:  Chive.  One of my prettiest herb plants and delicious in salads and soups. Think I got a plant from my Mom's yard have divided and divided over again to fill new spots in the garden. It requires just about no attention at all, like the tiger lilies.

Do you have go to flowers that make gardening more fun and easy, than toil and trouble?

Here I am, dreaming of Summer before Spring even arrives...............what's a girl to do?


Freeform Friday

I love how easily Melanie Pain sings this little song just sitting in her bed with her keyboard accompaniment.  Lovely. Click here if you're reading by email.




No big plans this weekend, though we might get together the neighborhoodlums tonight.  Supposed to be another storm coming in Saturday night that could bring 6-12 inches of snow- as least as of now. You know how that can change.

What are you up to? Hanging in the homestead or planning to be out and about?

I Was Right

All About Sunday

No. It wasn't a day of rest. At least not round these parts. We did go to my parents to pick up the newly removed hydrangea. I had to laugh because when we got there, my mother was on a cleaning frenzy on the porch and had my father pulling chairs out so she could Spring clean behind them.

When we got home from my parent's we picked a spot for the hydrangea, Gar dug a biggo hole and we planted that puppy.

"No Gar, a little bit this way please," said I. Well, simply because it's a woman's prerogative to do that when DH is moving furniture or getting a large tree situated in a hole for final planting.

Then, just to bug him a little more.....camera in the face. Couldn't resist expecially since he couldn't let go of the hydrangea yet to make me get away with the camera.

It took awhile to get it planted between the picking the spot, the digging, the situating......

....the covering of the roots, the standing back and admiring that the hydrangea looks good to go. Like it's always been there.

While we were in yard mode, we continued and started to clean out the flower garden that surrounds the pool patio.   We figured we'd do that instead of taking the trail walk we had planned on. It came down to one of the other.

We also did a wash and hung that out to dry- it was a perfect drying day with the breeze/wind. 

When we were done we prepped dinner. Pork roast with garlic ramps and beautiful sliced yellow beets.

Then we were back out to the line to fold the laundry.

I only mention all of this to point out that I proved my own theory about Sunday Rest Day. 

Sunday Rest Day is illusive. 

Sunset Meadows

I did find 10 minutes to sit in the adirondack and just enjoy the golden sun. Glorious.  Then it turned into this. It was a long, slow sunset and we thoroughly enjoyed the the day was long and full.

Hope your day is off to a fantastic start (or end depending on where you are).