I am reading a book. (WOW!) Well, I read books all the time...but this is a sit down, concentrate, re-read & check the footnotes kind of book. I'll tell you what it is another time...for now I'm on a quest for some input:
What is your definition of femininity?
Another way to phrase the question: What does the word feminine bring to mind?
So I realize hitting that comment button seemingly strikes fear into peoples' hearts, but no worries, you can even be anonymous if you like! Your input will be much appreciated...I'll update you later.
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Planting Time-4/15
Today I planted the remaining 8 squares of strawberries. Each with 2 plants of the "All Star" June-bearing variety. I purchased them at the new Premier Farm & Ranch store outside of Raymore for a surprisingly great price of $3.75 for a container of 8 plants. Way beats the $2.75/plant I paid for the ever-bearers at WalMart. After closer inspection, I think each of those containers probably had 2-3 plants, but since they were in peat pots that I could just stick in the ground, I didn't notice. Most of them seem to have survived the heavy frost and snow, just look like they need a little time to perk back up. I'll get some straw to mulch this bed this week.
In the vegetable bed, I planted the first round of lettuce, spinach, carrots and onions. I'm staggering the planting of all of those seeds (except the onions) for a longer harvest time (i.e. 2-4 seeds per week or two for several weeks). Now that I have the "All New Square Foot Gardening" Book checked out from the library to look at the planting schedules, I could have started all these seeds sooner...but that's okay. BTW, how cool is it that the only tools I need to do all this are a little trowel and a pencil to mark my squares and poke holes? The planting medium really is a nice texture and has a great feel to it.
Eric and I have been brainstorming ideas to keep the bad bunnies out of the gardens. He used live traps a lot last year...we caught numerous bunnies and a few possums--yuk! We are going to try lining the picket fence bottom with chicken wire. Over the last 2-3 years (since we've had the wood fence) the bunnies have actually chewed portions of it off to make for a clean in/out escape to our back yard. We'll be replacing those posts when we put up the wire. Next time one of us gets our hair cut, we may save the trimmings to sprinkle around too...sounds bizaar to me, but guess the little varmints don't like hair. I still think I'll have to build 4x4' cages to surround the beds...have a feeling birds will be liking the berries too.
Tra-la-tee-da. Good to be out in some warm sunshine and seems amazing that the whole yard was blanketed in snow yesterday...only remains of that are a little mound in front that used to be a snowman--he was holding tulips, by the way.
In the vegetable bed, I planted the first round of lettuce, spinach, carrots and onions. I'm staggering the planting of all of those seeds (except the onions) for a longer harvest time (i.e. 2-4 seeds per week or two for several weeks). Now that I have the "All New Square Foot Gardening" Book checked out from the library to look at the planting schedules, I could have started all these seeds sooner...but that's okay. BTW, how cool is it that the only tools I need to do all this are a little trowel and a pencil to mark my squares and poke holes? The planting medium really is a nice texture and has a great feel to it.
Eric and I have been brainstorming ideas to keep the bad bunnies out of the gardens. He used live traps a lot last year...we caught numerous bunnies and a few possums--yuk! We are going to try lining the picket fence bottom with chicken wire. Over the last 2-3 years (since we've had the wood fence) the bunnies have actually chewed portions of it off to make for a clean in/out escape to our back yard. We'll be replacing those posts when we put up the wire. Next time one of us gets our hair cut, we may save the trimmings to sprinkle around too...sounds bizaar to me, but guess the little varmints don't like hair. I still think I'll have to build 4x4' cages to surround the beds...have a feeling birds will be liking the berries too.
Tra-la-tee-da. Good to be out in some warm sunshine and seems amazing that the whole yard was blanketed in snow yesterday...only remains of that are a little mound in front that used to be a snowman--he was holding tulips, by the way.
Saturday, April 14, 2007
Gardening 101?
It's not supposed to snow in the middle of April, right? THEN WHY AM I LOOKING AT 3 INCHES OF WHITE STUFF OUT MY WINDOW???!!!!!
This has been a rough two weeks on my poor flower plants and trees. I'm most concerned about my peonies and I think last night may have got me beat. See the "t-pee" structure in the picture? The peony below it was just as tall or taller than it yesterday. Just snow may have been fine, but the cold rain before the snow probably did the beautiful little buds in. I'm seriously considering hooking up my hair dryer to an extension cord and using it to defrost the flower bed.
Sigh.
Nevertheless, it was priceless to see my little munchkins dancing with joy and trying to catch 2" snowflakes on their tounges before bed last night. This morning's activities will include some snowman making!
This has been a rough two weeks on my poor flower plants and trees. I'm most concerned about my peonies and I think last night may have got me beat. See the "t-pee" structure in the picture? The peony below it was just as tall or taller than it yesterday. Just snow may have been fine, but the cold rain before the snow probably did the beautiful little buds in. I'm seriously considering hooking up my hair dryer to an extension cord and using it to defrost the flower bed.
Sigh.
Nevertheless, it was priceless to see my little munchkins dancing with joy and trying to catch 2" snowflakes on their tounges before bed last night. This morning's activities will include some snowman making!
Saturday, April 07, 2007
Friday, April 06, 2007
Then comes the freeze...
Half our strawberry patch is now full! 8 ever-bearing strawberry plants...4 are Ozark Beauties and 4 are Quinalt. The other half of the bed will be planted with June-bearing berries.
Of course, I didn't listen closely to the forecast and we've had a week of overnight freezes...starting the night I planted the strawberries. I'm pretty sure they can handle it, but I haven't been taking chances...covering them up each evening. Also blanketing my peonies and pretty tulips...hoping not to loose the first good year of peony blooms since I've moved them around.
Plueeeze come back Spring!!!!!
Friday Night Excitement
So Eric and I have plans to watch "The Illusionist" tonight...but he discovered that we have a free preview weekend of HBO and has spent the last hour watching snipits of movies we already own! Geez! Okay with me as I've spent some time downloading new photos.
Elena turned 4 last Saturday so we have a lot of new cute pix of her--they'll be up on Silly Rabbits soon. I tried to take some "portrait-worthy" shots--and a few did turn out nice--but I let her choose her hairstyle and I don't like it in the pictures...ahhrrgh! Will have to re-do those with some curls flowing down rather than a ponytail.
I'm putting this one up of the two of us...she was really in to taking pictures herself after watching cousin Naomi use her mommy's camera last week. BUT, I'm not putting those in as they were all of me in strange poses that she specifically arranged--nice.
Ah, the first bouquet of the year! My favorite excuse for all the time I spend flower gardening is having fresh-cut bouquets on a regular basis. SOMEDAY I'll be able to have flowers inside all season PLUS enough to keep the garden looking full...at least, that's my dream.
Enjoy this sunset...from our backyard to yours...Peace and Happy Easter...HE IS RISEN!!!
Elena turned 4 last Saturday so we have a lot of new cute pix of her--they'll be up on Silly Rabbits soon. I tried to take some "portrait-worthy" shots--and a few did turn out nice--but I let her choose her hairstyle and I don't like it in the pictures...ahhrrgh! Will have to re-do those with some curls flowing down rather than a ponytail.
I'm putting this one up of the two of us...she was really in to taking pictures herself after watching cousin Naomi use her mommy's camera last week. BUT, I'm not putting those in as they were all of me in strange poses that she specifically arranged--nice.
Ah, the first bouquet of the year! My favorite excuse for all the time I spend flower gardening is having fresh-cut bouquets on a regular basis. SOMEDAY I'll be able to have flowers inside all season PLUS enough to keep the garden looking full...at least, that's my dream.
Enjoy this sunset...from our backyard to yours...Peace and Happy Easter...HE IS RISEN!!!
Monday, April 02, 2007
Grids are In
Kai and I worked hard to put our grid system in place for the veggie plots. "Resourceful Resa" that I am used left-over blind slats for the grids and wired them together with those nasty little cables used to secure every child's toy in its packaging. (AHEM, please note, dear friends and family that have MOCKED me for saving those wires...I TOLD YOU they'd come in handy!!! Not to mention that they are excellent at holding up my living room sheer curtains too.)
With Elena out of town at Grandma's, Kai and I had lots of time to shop for plants today. We visited Suburban and Rosehill nurseries...he liked riding in the golf cart and wagon as we toured around. We found one blueberry bush at Rosehill and finally reasonably priced strawberries at Wal-Barf.
With Elena out of town at Grandma's, Kai and I had lots of time to shop for plants today. We visited Suburban and Rosehill nurseries...he liked riding in the golf cart and wagon as we toured around. We found one blueberry bush at Rosehill and finally reasonably priced strawberries at Wal-Barf.
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