Monday Garden Club

I sure hope that last week's little snow surprise was really the last for the year. Seriously, I don't know if I can handle another blow like that especially with a basement full of plants that could migrate outside very soon.

The weather over the weekend was gorgeous and a perfect opportunity to get started on an outdoor project. When we bought this house, almost 4 years ago now, a new mound septic system was installed and we never got around to doing anything with the dirt that the excavator pushed around the tanks. The weeds would grow up around where ever the Gardener couldn't get in with the lawn mowers. Beautiful. We tilled it up last year but never planted anything in the space. Finally, this spring I decided that come hell or high water, I was going to get that poo tank flowerbed done. Just so happens some friends of ours are taking out a giant flowerbed and had some spare plants. FOR FREE! How sweet is that? I filled up the back of the truck Saturday afternoon and had them all planted before any of them even started to wilt. The plants were all at a great size to move (not too big yet) and the roots were very healthy looking. Binny came along and was occupied with finding and collecting worms as I would dig them up or as they would crawl around in the back of the truck. Good times. Thanks L for the plants!

Stella d'Oro Lilies

Shasta Daisies

The tulips are almost ready to pop

and the trees are finally starting to grow some leaves.

The inside plants are continuing to grow very well.


Some of the veggie plants are kind of scraggly and a few are even growing sideways but otherwise they seem to be very healthy.


Most of the tomato plants have straightened out and are growing like crazy. I can already tell that I'm going to have many more plants than I'll need.
If I'm going to start putting some of the veggie and flower flats outside, I'll need a place to put them. Good thing I have a guy that can build anything. He started yesterday by looking through our stock of old storm windows (I sure hope he didn't mistake those for some we still use...) and dissembling an old go-kart for the wheels and an axle.


One side will hinge down to access the plant shelf and it will either move like a wheelbarrow with a stand in the front or it can be towed by the ATV, all depending on what other parts and pieces are readily available.

Hopefully by next week, it should be ready for use. You know I'll have pictures!

This week 2 of my wonderful readers have joined me in showing off what's growing. Check them out!

Ma Vie Folle

Out In Them Sticks

Overkill?

We have at least 3 perfectly good trailers, but instead the Gardener used the kids' wagon to transport his tools around the yard yesterday. USING THE TRACTOR.

Thursday's snow melted rather quickly and the sun decided to come out so we could get some yard work done this weekend. Full gardening wrap-up tomorrow...

Not Necessary, Mother Nature

Wardrobe Wednesday

While I don't have any terrific (new) photos of the girls playing dress-up and no one accidentally tucked their skirt up into the back of their tights, I have some photos from our impromptu spa weekend at home.

Sunday afternoon, the girls were hell bent wanted to paint their fingernails and toenails and Mae also wanted a haircut. The girls convinced the Gardener to be their manicurist while I took pictures washed dishes and cleaned up the kitchen from lunch.



After their nails were dry we decided to go over to my in-laws' house for an afternoon of Wii. By the time we got home AND moved a peach tree, it was time for bed. That's when Mae all of a sudden remembered that I promised her that I would cut her hair TODAY. If she were allowed to swear, I 'm sure she would have added a dammit at the end of her foot stomping, crying, whiny complaint. It was much too late on a school night to start a haircut (and we try not to give in to such temper tantrums) and at this point we were all too tired to do anything but crawl under the covers and sleep. After standing in the corner for 10 minutes cooling off, she finally went to bed. Monday morning, I woke up bright and early and hauled out all of the hair cutting tools, so if she was willing to cooperate, I was willing to cut her hair in time for school.
At the end, after she checked out her new do in the mirror, she gave me a hug and thanked me.

Random Tuesday Thoughts

Wow, has it really been 2 months since I last participated in Random Tuesday Thoughts? Well, according to my archive it is! Goodness, where do I start?

It's rainy and cool here today. Not a good day to get any outdoor gardening done but maybe a good opportunity to continue some Spring cleaning inside the house. Last weekend we rearranged (and cleaned!) the whole upstairs to find a home for a sofa that some friends were getting rid of during their recent move. (The sofa happens to be an exact match to our living room furniture and with kids and dogs in the house I thought a couple of extra cushions would come in handy.) We managed to get the giant sofa up the stairs and around the turn of death and finally situated it up in the sitting room after relocating some other furniture including moving most of the houseplants into Mae's room in front of her south facing window. Hopefully she will remind me to water them...

Binny brought home a bunch of Easter projects from school (public school) yesterday including this Easter egg craft. She beamed as she told me about the Ts in the middle. Ts huh? I asked her why Ts and she said that the teacher's helper laid down the glue in the shape of a T and she glittered it. Ts huh? For Easter??? It's not the crosses that bother me, it's the lack of respect for any religion other than Christianity, or no religion at all (from our experiences with this school district, at least) and the thought that all kids must know that Easter equals Jesus died on a cross for us.

Baseball officially started yesterday! I listened to the Brewer's lose their first regular season game of the year. Go brewers!

I talked with my grandparents last night. Grandpa was in the hospital again last week but is home now and regaining his strength once again after a nasty bout of bronchitis. They called to tell me they are sending me a 'VCR' (I swear that's what they call a VHS tape. Don't even try to convince them otherwise.) from their Anniversary party last month. There is even footage of me waltzing with a sweaty old man they all call Shorty. Now I need to dig out that old VCR that we no longer use to watch the tape...

I started a new blog! I know crazy right since I barely have time for this one. The new blog is all photos and very few (if any) words. I figured that if I am going to seriously pursue photography in an effort to make a little money, I should really have a website with sample photos that has nothing to do with this little rantbox. Check out the new blog here. I still have some tweaking to do, but it's up and running!

That's it for me today. Be sure to stop by Keely's blog for the whole Random Tuesday line up.

Monday Garden Club

All last week we were promised warm summer-like weather but it turned out to be very windy and cool. I had big plans to do some major yard work over the weekend, and I did, but I didn't stay out for very long. All of sudden last night around 6 pm the wind stopped and the air turned very warm. Like 70 degrees warm! The Gardener decided to go outside and work up the dirt around the fruit trees.
He also moved a peach tree to a more sheltered location behind the barn. Have I mentioned that it's really windy here?

The rhubarb have started to grow. I'm thinking that by the end of the month, I'll be picking rhubarb.
Strawberries.
Even if the Spring weather is unpredictable, gardening in the basement is a great alternative.

Last week I noticed that one of the light fixtures was not working. Good thing I happen to a have a full time electrician with a lot of extra time on his hands living right in my house. His expertise comes in handy more often than you would think. Anyhow, he swapped out the bad fixture with a spare he had in the barn. He also altered the chains so that I can move them myself without fear of the whole setup falling from the ceiling.
Everything is growing nicely. Over the weekend when the weather was terrible, I thinned out the tomatoes and pepper plants and ended up transplanting most of them into a spare tray I had. I also learned that it's a good idea to take my cell phone down to the basement with me. The gardener came down to tell me something and as he left the basement, out of habit and totally accidental, he locked the door behind him as he left. An hour later when I was ready to come upstairs, I couldn't get out. I banged on the door a few times but I knew that was pretty much useless. Once I discovered my cell phone in the back pocket of my blue jeans, I gave him a call and he came down to let me out.

Tomatoes

Bell and Jalapeno peppers



I have also been getting a peek at some other gardeners' seedlings. My in-laws were out of town last week so we stopped by a few times to water their seedlings and feed the fish. Also I saw a friend over the weekend and checked out her indoor seed starts. She has radiator heat in her house so she set the seed flats right on top of the radiator in front of a sunny window. Perfect location and no need for a heat mat.

Now for all you gardeners out there who wish to participate, either leave a comment on what's growing in your basement yard, or post a Monday Garden Club update on your blog. Don't forget to drop your link in the comments and I'll add it to this post.

Participating Bloggers

Out In Them Sticks

Deviled

Before we could dye our eggs earlier this week, we had to use up the eggs that the girls colored with Grandma and Grandpa last week. Why they were sent home with the girls instead of staying at Grandma's house, I have no idea. Anyhow, we had a carton full and another batch cooking on the stove for dyeing, so I had to think fast one afternoon before lunch.

As a child I absolutely loved deviled eggs, especially when Grandma Dee would make them, but as an adult with a skepticism for mayonnaise, I limit my intake of these potluck favorites to only ones that have been expertly prepared and appropriately refrigerated. That's why it was due time to teach Binny how to make them.



A rite of passage of sorts, although we didn't make them old lady style by sprinkling the tops with paprika.