Still Plodding Away In the Garden

“A positive attitude may not solve every problem but it makes solving any problem a more pleasant experience.” ~ Grant Fairley

I am positive that it has been such a productive week that I was almost afraid to say anything for fear of that changing!!! 

Tuesday night the man retilled the empty area in the garden and around the tomatoes to keep the weeds down. 

Wednesday I raked the empty area and  planted the squash,  more tomatoes and Hidatsa Red beans.  I laid the black plastic by the row of zucchini and yellow squash and around the hills of cushaw and LI Cheese.  The heat of the day caught up to me and I retreated to the house. 

Thursday morning I weeded the parsley and dill, tied the blackberry canes up,

planted some more gladiolas and elf lilies.  By then it was time to take the dog  to the vet and he now has an appointment to be neutered on June 29th.  On the way home we stopped off at #1 son's lot and picked up a load of firewood.   After dinner it finally dawned on me the weatherman whom had preditions of rain/t-storms all week was a liar.  We got nothing so I watered half the garden.

Yesterday the kids and man left and I had tea and toast outside under the maple tree while a load of laundry was in the washer.  It seems the kids "forgot" they had any dirty laundry until  they realized they were going to their dad's for the weekend.  So before they left they for school they dropped 4-5 loads on me!  Realizing nothing was getting done with me sitting there, I hung up that load, started another and went to water the other half of the garden.  While the sprinkler was going I started laying woodchips on the permanent pathways. I remembered I had a gallon bag of thyme sitting in my fridge so I came in and put that in the dehydrater.  Just then the washer was done so I hung that load and put in another.  Back out to the garden to fill in missing spots on the peas.  Because the greenbeans did not look like they were amounting to much  I planted the old standby's...Blue Lake Pole right next to them.  I have to put the poles in and string up some fencing but I have to have green beans!  Before calling it a morning in the garden I hilled up the potatoes.  I came in, hung out another load of laundry, filled the washer again and made a bottle to take to Domino.  He has been moved out of the house (finally) and in with his breathren.  He was in the barn with Ayla (the bottle baby from two years ago) and made quite the noise when he saw me come in.  After devouring the bottle we went out to the field and sat in the shade of a tree to watch the other sheep.

 Watching them made me yearn to play in fiber so I grabbed Bozo's fleece and started picking thru that. 

The kids came home and I put it away to finish another day.  They left with their dad, the man and I left for shopping.

Since we didn't get any rain last night either I was back out in the garden by 6:30.  I priced straw at $7/bale and decided hay would be cheaper to mulch with.  It adds more weed seed to the garden but so does manure and I need too much to pay $7 a bale.  So far today I hoed, hilled, weeded around, papered and mulched the 30 foot rows of cabbage, brussel sprouts, green beans, yellow beans, squash and the few tomatoes I planted the other day.  All that still needs to be papered and mulched is the tomatoes I planted earlier.  There was a slight wind which made it so much fun...NOT!  I finally had the hose laying next to the row and would paper, wet it down, paper, wet it down until I finished the row and then I would mulch it.  My back is screaming and the sun is full on the garden so I am taking a break until later this evening. 

#1 daughter is up in a plane right now, flying down to Florida with her sister, her dad, and his wife.  As part of her sister's Make a Wish they are going to Disney.  I hope they have a great time together and that they get to know each other a little better.  I also hope that Sir T remembers to maintain their garden while she is away!

Now that I have cooled down a little I am going to wash the wool I picked out yesterday and then take a shower to remove the hayseed.  Then I am going to sit out under the maple and spin until the man gets home from work.  Shade, peace and quiet, fiber...what more can one want for?