crazy garden lady

I was getting called crazy garden lady by my family today.  It is okay.  I am growing vegetables and flowers for both the addictions.  The bear seems to always want some roasted veg with his "sauce" at most dinners.  I like roasted veggies too.  And flowers.  I love flowers.

Last year, I did not really get the garden in I wanted.  Most of my garden stayed fallow except for what reseeded itself.  The torrential spring rains did not help anything either though.  

This year, I decided to change a bit of what I am doing.  I am making beds so I can get to my vegetables and flowers.  I might even get a chance to weed!  What an amazing idea.  So far there have not been torrential rains so I am hoping that I will get some plants established before that happens again.  I also have Koda Bear and my Beloved helping most mornings.  That is a major surprise because usually I am the only person in the garden.  

Flowers.  Vegetables.  I am keeping my fingers crossed!

digging

Koda Bear was under the weather the end of last week.  Which made it very hard to get anything done.  Especially sitting at the computer.  He wants to help and it does not work.  He started feeling better but then he gave it to me.  Oh well.  My Saturday and Sunday did not go as planned but I am better.  I was good at taking it slowly.

I have noticed that as much as I love to walk, my body seems to work with the arthritis better if I do yoga and work in my garden.  I have been digging out the dead plants from last year.  Pulling weeds.  Seeing what is left.  I have been moving some of my flowers that have come up.  Blanket flower reseed themselves which is one reason I wait until some of my flowers are up to dig.  I know what is a weed or not and I can move the plants to someplace I wish.

Inside I am making lists.  What seeds am I going to plant.  I have been requested to plant a bed near where the boyos are most of the day.  The request is so that they can have snacks.  Since I grow organic, they just go into the garden for snacks.  Currently, they are digging a pool.  It is what it is.  But they said they would break the sod for the snack garden . . .  

time in my garden

After traveling so much this summer, I came back to a garden that needed weeding.  The heat and the amount of water we have had means that everything that survived is out of control!  Mint and Tennessee sweet potato pumpkins are taking over my garden.  I found my two newly planted tea plants.  I have a few flowers left but they have really petered out.  The fig is doing well.

The weeds and grasses, that I do not want, are also doing well.  I read a report that the reservoirs our finally back to the April preflooding stages.  Every time it rained since mid-April, there was the possibility of a flash flood.  

Because my flowers have petered out, I did buy myself some.  I like the structure of this bouquet but I would not have purchased it if the roses did not smell good.  They did.  I have been reading that you can order peonies from Alaska this time of year, my other favorite flower.  I actually like the garden roses.  Peonies and garden roses have similar shapes, very different fragrances but lovely.  On the mountain I can grow roses and peonies and I am looking forward to it.

I think there will be more weeding this coming week.  I can break my newly modified gloves in.  But I may need a bit of rain to soften the ground.  I can hope.  There are seedlings out there and I have a feeling that those seedlings are zinnias.  Fingers crossed!

i need new garden gloves

I have been spending time in my garden almost everyday since we got back.  It is a jungle.  From my top step, it looks better but the amaranth hides much.  My neighbors say the amaranth and sorghum give my garden a Dr. Suess feel.  But then I have zinnias that are as tall as the amaranth.

I do admit to not weeding Sunday or today.  Really, it is pulling out the grass. Grass that cuts like paper.  Especially when I am going after it with exuberance and I need new gardening gloves.

Bandaged is the bits that bled.  Oh well.  It is supposed to be 97 or 99 tomorrow.  Maybe the heat will heal my hands as I beat them up more!

By the way, I thought the computer was going down.  It still may.  I have not figured out how to do anything on my phone yet.  It would require changes and there are enough other changes currently.  Maybe someday.

quiet weekend

It was a full but quiet weekend.  I did not finish many tasks but I did a lot.  There was spinning and sewing, errands run.  I actually got some time in the garden.  Between all the rain and heat I will never get caught up but that gardening currently.  Letting the garden get away from you at all means many hours weeding.  I just do not have many hours.  Especially in the morning when it is cooler and less insects.

I am enjoying the zinnias and there are turnips to add to the fish and chips I am planning for dinner soon.

If I could get into the garden soon, I know it would help with the worry about my Grandmother.  She took a fall or falls this weekend.  She is hospitalized and the is that there is brain bleeds.  If so, the action taken will be bringing in Hospice.  At 104, that is the best decision but it does make me sad.  In many ways, I would love to be like her when I "grow up."  Either of my Grandmothers truly.  So prayers, good thoughts for the best path please.