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Tuesday, May 28, 2019

e-i-e-i-o my aching back!

First, let me say that Advil is now my new best friend.


Oy.  I had started the holiday weekend with a grand proclamation - the garden would be planted by close of business Monday.  I am very big on grand proclamations, but very small on actually pulling them off.


However, at precisely 2:45 PM on Monday, I had planted everything. 
A tidy, enclosed garden.

Right - beans, melons and sweet peas.
Left - weedy bed.

Foreground - garlic, onions, scallions

Three kinds of kale, two kinds of chard,
golden beets

Pickling and slicing cucumbers, celery

PEPPERS! and eggplant

Herb bed (with weeds)

Elderberry

Tomato bed, dead ahead, squash to the
left.
There is still the weedy bed and the herb bed needs attention.  I still have flowers to plant.  But!  I planted:  red and green yard long beans, melons, sweet peas, three kinds of kale, two kinds of scallions, two kinds of chard, golden beets, way too many tomatoes, way too many peppers, eggplant, celery, pickling and slicing cucumbers, parsley, cilantro, cosmos, three kinds of dahlias, nasturtiums, and a bulb flower I forget the name of.  Before I planted, however, I had to prepare the raised beds.  It took, literally, all my energy.  I topped it off by installing my new fence around the garden (which, for some reason, made me inordinately happy) and found that I did not have enough to completely enclose it.  I am using a section of the sheep fencing, while waiting for the additional fence to arrive.  I did rally three times during the weekend (it's all about balance, right Mama Pea?) and got my hair cut, had a lovely visit with a friend, and socialized with a lively bunch of friends at a camp on Spring Lake!  Wowza! 


There was also some baking - I made rhubarb kuchen for the barn crew, my neighbor and my friend.  I have a bumper crop of rhubarb (which is why I felt impelled to plant yet another kind - what?!?) so I have been making rhubarb everything.  I mixed up a batch of rhubarb 'iced tea' to have in between my glasses of regular herbal iced tea.  I mixed my first batch of cold brew coffee.  I pickled more quail eggs (the bourbon pickled eggs were, meh.) and managed to totally ignore the messiness of my house and the largeness of my pile of ironing.  I knit to a preordained point on my wool shawl and stowed it away until fall.  Then I promptly cast on two summer sweaters.  I was a MACHINE, people! 


I was also happy to read the forecast of rain today (let's hope) and to get in the car and drive to the office.  Where there is no planting to be had.  Holey guacamole.  The sheep will finally be sheared this Friday - poor babes are uncomfortable in the heat (as I predicted, we virtually skipped spring and catapulted into summer) with their woolies and blubber.  I still have to consult with my vet about how best to get Apria sheared.  She needs it, but is impossible to handle because of her blindness. 


There is also (good) news on the job front.  I think.  I will report on that in further detail, once I am sure.





20 comments:

Sam I Am...... said...

Here I thought I did so good by planting a few things and cooking a bit and knitting and cross stitch. I am now ashamed after reading all that you accomplished on your weekend but on the other hand I am a lot older than you. I used to do that....Memorial Day weekend was always the big garden planting weekend. Good for you and how I miss my rhubarb plot.....lucky you! It's the same here...Spring was rainy and then when the rain stopped and the sun came out...whammo! Humid and 90 degrees F. I get out early as I cannot tolerate the heat anymore...another thing about getting older. So you are right to get things in order before you get to my age! LOL! Love your garden and all that you planted! You go girl!

Susan said...

I am with you on the heat and humidity! Once it hits, I am lucky if I can stand being outside for an hour. I have to limit my exposure to early morning and evening. Just when the biting flies are out!

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

That's great you had a dry spell to get it all planted. We may have to move if we want a garden next year. Still wet in our area.

Retired Knitter said...

Dear Machine! (You are too too funny.)

I can relate. Not on the gardening stuff but on the proclamation stuff, "I am very big on grand proclamations, but very small on actually pulling them off." I have decided that I am more of an "idea man" than a "get things done man." hahaha.

But I did have an observation about your gardening. At first I thought maybe the garden plot with the weeds was intentional. You know ... "You weeds, you stick to your area and let the veggies alone." Wouldn't be grand if that worked???? And now you know what a terrible gardener I would be. I'd be out there talking to the weeds trying to get them to play by my rules.

Susan said...

Honestly, you have been under siege from the rain for weeks! You can always move northeast.... :)

Susan said...

Were you listening in? I WAS talking to my weedy bed. More along the lines of, "don't get comfortable - I'm coming for you next. As soon as I can get my strength back..."

Susan said...

Well done you! My fingers and toes are tightly crossed re job news.

ellen abbott said...

holy cow! I managed to get the zinnia seedlings planted. and watered the yard. does that count?

Lynne said...

Again you are unbelieveable!I take my hat off to you. The garden looks great. That sure is a lot of work. Love to see how the sweaters are coming in the future. All the luck with you on the job front.Hang in there you're doing great!!

jaz@octoberfarm said...

i hope you gt good news about the job! we have tornado warnings right now. we, too had a very short spring and it looks to be another long, hot summer.

Nancy In Boise said...

Wow you are a machine!!! Could you sedate your blind sheep and shear?

Rain said...

You ARE a machine!!! :))) The garden looks great, weeds and all! :) My first gardening day had me suffering tension headaches and backache too..yeegods, I need to prepare my body for gardening season next year...Hmmm...what about the job situation??? I'll stay tuned!!!

Joanne Noragon said...

You had me at elderberry. Past that, I am staggered by the amount of work accomplished!

Michelle said...

Unbelievable! (I want what she's having!!!) My grand plan was to shear two sheep and get one ugly section of driveway weeded on Sunday and Monday, and didn't even finish the (backbreaking, slow and tedious) weeding. 😞 But your' last short paragraph lifted my spirits tremendous! Waiting for confirmation!

Debra She Who Seeks said...

You deserve Advil after all that productivity!

Ed said...

The only way we would be able to reach our garden this year is by helicopter. I just emptied another three inches out of the rain gauge this morning.

Goatldi said...

Well look at you gooooo!

I would die for rhubarb. I managed only tomatoes,squash,lemon cucumber, sweet red onions , carrots,radishes and bush beans. And in most cases only a plant or two.

I am being conservative with the impending move. I will however live vicariously through you super woman !

Leigh said...

You've been one busy lady and your garden looks great! I definitely have rhubarb envy. My summers are just too hot for it though.

wyomingheart said...

You have been Super productive, and there will be plenty of bounty for you and your fur babies! Your plantings look fabulous! Pray tell...what does rhubarb tea taste like? I have never heard of it.

Joy said...

Omigawd, it’s beautiful! You’re my hero!