Garden Days

Hello, friends.  Last week, our native Atamasco lilies and fringe trees began blooming.  I hand washed several wool items, hoping I won't need them again until Fall.  I contacted Swagbucks about points I didn't receive for a purchase, equivalent to $3.69, and they made it right.  I took photos and listed an item in my shop.  With several days in the 80's, I closed up the house in the morning until it began cooling off in the evenings, and haven't used any a/c yet.  We're supposed to hit 86 a couple of days next week, and I expect it will be turned on then.  I mulched four of the garden beds with hay.  J worked up the rows, and planted sweet potatoes.  I mended 3 wool sweaters.  I got my summer clothes boxes down from the attic, and wanted to be sure those sweaters were ready when I packed up the winter things.  For a business purchase on ebay, I went through Swagbucks for 1% back.  

The chicks were moved into the little broody area of the coop, where on warm days, they can get outside.  A hen or two showed a little interest in them, but didn't want to mama them, so we've pretty much given up on that hopeful idea.  For salads, I gathered lettuce, chickweed, catbrier tips, and dandelion greens, which I was recently reminded is possibly the best plant source of probiotics.  I went to a free Excel class offered at the library.  I knew some of the basic things, but wanted to expand my knowledge, which this did.  Thanks to a reminder from Patsi, comfrey was harvested, and a bucket of "tea" was started, to be used as fertilizer once it works a bit.  I melted soapmaking oils on the woodstove, saving propane, probably the last time of the season.  Our daughter sent a beautiful early Mother's Day bouquet.

Thirteen of the lettuce started from seed were planted in the garden, and wintersown poppies were planted around the new crabapple.  The two wintersown artichokes were planted, along with parsley and cilantro.  Before throwing away a well-used sponge, I wiped down baseboards and the trash can with it.  J tilled up another row for tomatoes, and planted them, including some I had started from seed.  I provided minimal help in moving our trellis to another spot in the garden, as the tromboncino didn't do well in the somewhat shady spot it was in last year.  I planted squash seeds, our own and store bought tromboncino seeds, and cucuzzi seeds, which is a Sicilian variety and one my Mom used to talk about.  The bed with dye plants was cleaned up.  Strawberries were weeded, and some runners were chopped from the mother plant.  Shortly after I was working in the strawberries, J saw a large king snake in them, which we both watched slither away.  

Doing my best to make sure we don't have food waste, we had a meal of leftovers on Saturday.  Wintersown cilantro, parsley and artichokes were planted in the garden, using some of our compost.  I enjoyed free music on Pandora, and listened to podcasts while working in my studio.  Laundry was dried on the line.  Paper and cardboard were shredded, and a pan of crushed egg shells were added to the compost bin.  Much of Sunday was spent gardening.  J planted cucumbers and hoed the sweet potato rows, and I planted many things in anticipation of rain. These included yarrow, spilanthes, blue sage, coleus, thyme, stevia, and maxima rudbeckia.  J grilled a yummy meal, the first of the year, using our potatoes and asparagus.  From our gardens to yours, happy May!