The Armadillo Story
Good fences make good neighbors… … as do husbands with rifles… but that’s getting ahead of the story. eHEM…. The Armadillo Story, by Annie Gerber. At first, I thought Jack was digging in the flower beds. Not that I got mad, really, since it was just a couple flowers, but Drew and I thought that chaining him up at night might be a good solution. What a disastrous night! Apparently, Jack was keeping an evil, horrible, awful... Read More
Spring Garden Tour, Tools, and Tips
Happy National Day of Prayer today! Also, Mother’s Day is this Sunday. Our family has many beloved traditions, one of which is Mother’s Day. Every year, Dad would take us to the local greenhouse and let us each pick out whichever four-packs of annuals we fancied. Then, we would all go home and spend the day planting with Mom. It was a wonderful time of togetherness and loving on our mama. Anyway, on to the garden… I have had a busy... Read More
Covering Compost: Types of Mulch
This week has been a huge learning curve for me. Through a call to my local county extension office, short discussion with my agronomy specialist husband, flipping through lots of indexes for “mulch,” and, of course, trial… and error, I have learned a thing or two about different mulches. Actually, as nerdy as this may sound, mulching isn’t for the amateur. This year’s garden, with mulch pile waiting: garden There are several different... Read More
Trimming Roses (But Yet, Not Boring)
It was necessity that forced me to trim our absurdly overgrown roses this year. Drew is painting the house, and if I want him to paint the washhouse also, I was going to have to trim the rose bush that had literally overtaken the entire south side of the shed. Thank goodness roses like to be trimmed. This is like going into the barber for a trim and coming home with a buzz-cut. Sorry I didn’t get “before” picture. Suffice it to say... Read More
A Hike Through Sonoran Desert Flowers
Missed you all the last couple of weeks! Our family has been on vacation, and away from cell phones and computers, so I’ve had no contact at all with the blog. We live right by a mountain park in Phoenix, and I regularly hike the trails there. This is supposed to be wildflower season for us, and I thought I’d take my camera out and get a bunch of pictures. But with very little rainfall this winter–even by our desert standards–only... Read More
Patient Pansies
It happens every year during early spring. The temperatures temporarily soar up into the 70s and even 80s, and I spend a couple cheer-filled days outside, digging, tidying, and fighting the urge to plant tomatoes. Jack is NOT helping! These last couple of days have been a lovely mix of great joy, finally working on my OWN HOME, and horrible impatience, going crazy waiting to see what all plants I have. So far, peonies and lilacs have shown themselves,... Read More
New Seedling Growth and House Painting Preparation
These last few days have been a frenzy. Friday was my last day of work and when I officially moved permanently to my new home. Saturday, I spent unpacking while my husband power-washed the house to prep it for painting. The power-washer is a fantastic time saver since it saved us from scraping by hand (yuck!), but the finished product is hideous! I’m so glad these are the “before” pictures! Sunday, Drew and I went and picked out... Read More
Seedlings and Basic Carpentry for Cold Frame Prep
Happy Thursday, Everyone! Spirits are high in Central Kansas this week. Spring’s drizzling rains finally gave way to its cheery sunshine and everyone seems to walk around with a “spring” in his step. This week (and last) I have been living with my parents so that I could finish out state testing at the elementary school where I work. This Friday, I will move to our new house, which my husband has been in charge of in my absence. It’s a good... Read More
Seedlings at the Kitchen Table
I planned, prepared, and sat down to write my blog this week. I was ready to start the post with something along the lines of “Directions on How and When to Plant Indoor Seedlings.” It was designed to impart to my readers my vast (ha!) knowledge of the varying qualities of potting soils, proper moisture for germination, and even a few invaluable tips on window placement and transplanting. However, as I glanced through my carefully chosen, sequential... Read More
New Soil
This week marks the end of one phase of my life. Saturday, a moving van is showing up, so that my husband and I can load up our few belongings and transport them to our new home in small-town, south Kansas. This week has been crawling by, feeling much like one feels at the top of a roller-coaster, knowing the rush is coming soon. Paint colors have been picked, garden plans have been drawn (and re-drawn). Our new place is exceptionally modest, with... Read More
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