Before I get into the growing things part of this post I have to share that my niece, Lauren, graduated from high school today! I can remember so clearly when she was little. I have a picture of her sitting on the stairs in her home holding a doll. She had one sock on and one sock off and I remember thinking what a Kodak moment that was. I would love to post a Senior picture of her but I have not yet received one...hint hint. Congratulations Lauren!!! May God bless your future!!
We have been busy busy around here lately. A gender reveal party, a beautiful wedding, another bounce house day, new bikes and bicycle rides and lots of gardening! The rose bush at the top is very special. Last summer Grace brought that to Liam when she came to visit. It is Liam's rose bush and it is doing really well.
So the next few posts will be catching you up on all those things. Today I will share the garden with you.
We have been busy busy around here lately. A gender reveal party, a beautiful wedding, another bounce house day, new bikes and bicycle rides and lots of gardening! The rose bush at the top is very special. Last summer Grace brought that to Liam when she came to visit. It is Liam's rose bush and it is doing really well.
So the next few posts will be catching you up on all those things. Today I will share the garden with you.
The first strawberries of the season. Three pounds! There would have been more but Liam eats them about as fast as he picks them! It won't be a very large crop this year. One of my beds is 75% new plants. But I do still have a lot of frozen strawberries from past years that I can turn into jam.
My Mother's Day blueberry bushes. We have planted lavender in this spot twice in the past three years. Last summer they were huge and gorgeous and this spring they were dead. I have officially given up on lavender outside of pots. But blueberries do really well and this year all but a couple of my bushes are loaded! Pretty happy about that!
The peas seem to finally be taking off...today I saw two pods while I was watering! I had these extra lettuce plants and know where to put them...so I thought to myself...by the time these peas are ready to be harvested the lettuce will have been eaten. Viola! And Lance...those rhubarb will be turned into a pie when you get here.
Here is my lettuce and cabbage bed...and potatoes. You can never get all the potatoes dug up I have discovered...there is always one or two or in the case of this bed, four, that allude you. So I just let them do their thing and work around them. You can barely see the freckled romaine peaking out from between all this. So far this spring the lettuce has been yummy!
The cherry trees are looking really good as well. Liam wanted to go out this morning and pick some. It took a little time to convince him that not only would they not taste good but he would probably get a stomach ache from eating them. He will try to be patient. You can see there the purple Lupine that volunteered. And on the other side of the tree is a half barrel planted with orange zinger. They were heirloom seeds and make a wonderful tea. The neighbors tree behind the fence has become a monster. Areas that were never shaded are now in shade until about eleven in the morning. I am not happy about it but they are good neighbors who used to attend our church. Funny how we both ended up out here.
Last but not least one of the potted pansies that line the patio. They are just so bright and cheerful! That plant below it has been with me for many many years. It was given to me by a dear lady at a church I used to go to. And each time I have moved I dug up a chunk of it and brought it with me. It has the sweetest little pink flowers and soft green clover shaped leaves. It is not at all picky about its soil which is good because I did nothing special when I plopped it in the ground here. And I have never fertilized it. It is also very drought tolerant. Sure wish I remembered the name.
I am hoping within the next week to get the seeds planted. Dry and green beans, kale, chard etc. Craig will be building one last raised bed tomorrow in an area by the cherry trees that has been my nemesis for all these years. Just when I think I have conquered it it takes over again. Well no more!
The Honey crisp apple tree is loaded again this year and this year I am going to spray so I don't lose so much to bugs. Craig picked up wood to make more limb supports for it. The grapes will also be in abundance! It is shaping up to be a banner year in the garden!
I have been having a lot of upper back and neck pain with some pretty stubborn headaches the last couple weeks. And just about the time I get over all the aches and stiffness from weeding it is time to weed again. Why oh why do I do this to myself year after year!? I guess gardening is in my blood. I couldn't imagine not planting. I love knowing where at least some of our food comes from. And I love seeing Liam's delight as he discovers yet another food miracle in the gardens. Can I say gardens? Since we have food growing in the front and back it seems right.
I will leave you with a Liamism: These are not something he said, but something he did. He had gone into the bathroom and after a couple minutes I am hearing a sound like quick bursts of running water. I, in all my wisdom, ignore it thinking he is washing his hands...or more likely playing in the water. But this continues until I finally ask him what he is doing. "Nuffing mommy" he says. I inform him that it doesn't sound like nothing. Then I go to investigate. I about pass out from the heady aroma of rose bathroom spray! You can literally see it in the air and the floor is wet from it! He smelled so rosey for the longest time. And now the rose spray is empty. Later that same day....yup, he was busy, I walked past the bathroom to see him on the toilet, shining a flashlight between his legs. What are you doing I ask. "watching the water" he replies. Okey dokey.
I am hoping within the next week to get the seeds planted. Dry and green beans, kale, chard etc. Craig will be building one last raised bed tomorrow in an area by the cherry trees that has been my nemesis for all these years. Just when I think I have conquered it it takes over again. Well no more!
The Honey crisp apple tree is loaded again this year and this year I am going to spray so I don't lose so much to bugs. Craig picked up wood to make more limb supports for it. The grapes will also be in abundance! It is shaping up to be a banner year in the garden!
I have been having a lot of upper back and neck pain with some pretty stubborn headaches the last couple weeks. And just about the time I get over all the aches and stiffness from weeding it is time to weed again. Why oh why do I do this to myself year after year!? I guess gardening is in my blood. I couldn't imagine not planting. I love knowing where at least some of our food comes from. And I love seeing Liam's delight as he discovers yet another food miracle in the gardens. Can I say gardens? Since we have food growing in the front and back it seems right.
I will leave you with a Liamism: These are not something he said, but something he did. He had gone into the bathroom and after a couple minutes I am hearing a sound like quick bursts of running water. I, in all my wisdom, ignore it thinking he is washing his hands...or more likely playing in the water. But this continues until I finally ask him what he is doing. "Nuffing mommy" he says. I inform him that it doesn't sound like nothing. Then I go to investigate. I about pass out from the heady aroma of rose bathroom spray! You can literally see it in the air and the floor is wet from it! He smelled so rosey for the longest time. And now the rose spray is empty. Later that same day....yup, he was busy, I walked past the bathroom to see him on the toilet, shining a flashlight between his legs. What are you doing I ask. "watching the water" he replies. Okey dokey.