We Have a Winner!!!!!

According to random.org it's post #10 and that makes Bannahleigh the winner of the drop spindle. Bannahleigh will be planting lots of sunflowers, I love sunflowers and we're going to have some midget ones in the monkey's little garden.

Bannahleigh, just PM me on Ravelry (BratKnits) with your address and I'll mail out your spindle.

Now that the fun is over there's some bad news. I found this growing by the area where we want to put the new vegetable beds. We're going to have to pull it out because you can't grow food if you use the uber herbicides. More later when I've stopped twitching and swearing.

It is April Right?

I mean I look at the calendar and it says April but it felt like late June today. It was over 90 degrees today. Even in the house it hit 80 which is a tad uncomfortable when it's supposed to be more like 65. Even the little monkey thought it was too hot and kept trying to get away with stripping down and running around bare assed.

The lettuce and radishes I planted on Saturday were confused as well. They sprouted.


At this rate we'll be having salads before it's safe to plant out the tomatoes.


The thought of fresh salads is very exciting especially after a long winter.


This weekend we'll be putting in the large beds so I can start hardening off the seedlings as they're ready and the last frost date approaches. I did manage to get some carrots, beets and onions seeded before it got too hot this morning as well as a couple more pots of radishes with the little monkey. Tomorrow will probably be more potting up various things, I inherited a lot of nice plant pots from Papa's basement, so I plan to fill the deck.

Don't forget to leave a comment to my April 19th post to get a chance at a drop spindle. I'll be picking at random on Thursday during the monkey's naptime.

Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot

We had some unseasonably warm weather this weekend and it did two sort of unpleasant things. First it made working in the yard suddenly more like work. Second it made for some sweating which in turn made the last dregs of the poison ivy rash WICKED FRIKKEN ITCHY. We still managed to to get quite a bit done.


My niece's two little beds got made. My mother brought a surprise for her, a shepherd's hook and her own bird feeder. Seems the kid fell in love with the bird feeders at the Maine house when she went for Easter weekend with Nana and Papa. She was very excited and promptly started to plant the bird seed when they came over this afternoon to pick up her puppy (we were dog sitting this weekend). She started some flowers last week and I have more for her as well as some Easter Egg Radishes to sow in a large pot tomorrow. I'm not sure what to put under the bird feeder but we'll come up with something.



One thing the warm and wet was good for was the hosta. They're coming in fast and looking great now that they have tidy mulched beds to live in. Even the transplants are doing great.


We also finished tilling and cultivating the large area for the big beds this weekend. Hopefully we'll have good weather next weekend to build them. After that the hard work is pretty much done. All I'll have left is to harden off the seedlings and get them into the ground over the next few weeks. Just a couple more days to enter for my spindle giveaway. All you have to do is leave a comment to my April 19th post.

Tons of Fun... and Dirt... and Cement... and Work

So the material to build my garden beds arrived today, on a pallet, on a flatbed truck. It's amazing but when you think about 80 cement blocks and 30 bags of topsoil being well over a metric tonne but it is, trust me. If the groaning of the forklift didn't tip me off, unpacking it certainly did.

I decided on cement blocks for a couple reasons. First off they're cheap, cheaper than wood or stone certainly. Secondly they last a lot longer than wood in New England where the weather is freaky and hard on materials. Finally, carpenter ants, my husband is obsessed with them and the tree next door got infested with them and then came down in a storm. Without some fairly toxic treatment wood wasn't going to be ant-proof.

As an added bonus we can plant in the holes. Some of the companion plants we're putting out can be a tad invasive and the holes will keep them contained but close. We almost finished the first bed today, it's the small one we're calling salad central. It's for spinach, lettuce and in the holes a few radishes (if they can go inna pot they can go inna hole) and some herbs. The other beds on the side of the house will be about four times as long.

Tomorrow the frost tolerant stuff starts going into the ground. I'm going to start some of the lettuces but not all and some of the radishes. Since it can, and has, snowed here in mid-may I'm still going to play it pretty safe. On the bright side seeds are cheap.

Don't forget to enter my give away under my April 19th post. Less than a week before I pick someone at random for the drop spindle.

Outside Progress

OK, I know it looks like big wads of dirt but it's actually some major progress. Before I can build the beds the tilling has to be done. It's not hard and I didn't feel like renting a machine plus shovels, rakes and elbow grease are free. We got most of it done in just a couple hours with breaks to take the little monkey across the street to play in her friend's new mini bounce house.

While sis and I were digging the hubbies went off to Home Depot to get some of the other supplies. We're going to need a lot more topsoil to fill the raised beds but this will get us started and 4 bags of manure ought to be more than enough. I've changed a couple things about the raised beds but I've got some pricing and thinking to do before I make a final decision.
The seedlings are coming along nicely. The tomato seedlings are starting to get the first sets of true leaves so they'll need to be transplanted in the next couple days into their own little pots.
My sweet peppers FINALLY germinated and started to sprout. I'm going to start these a couple weeks earlier next year. They're healthy and happy but I would prefer they were further along than they are. I'm not sure why peppers have a reputation for being difficult to grow from seed they're really just SLOW.
This Jurassic looking thing is a spaghetti squash seedling. I hadn't planned on growing them this year but my mother brought down two peat pots with seeds so I'll find a spot for them somewhere. I like them but hubby isn't a big squash guy, if nothing else they may be tempting to my niece who's on a no veggie kick right now.
The leeks are super happy and due for haircuts soon. They can go outside before a lot of other things along plus they're shade tolerant. I'm going to stick them into the smaller bed with the lettuces and beets.I started my cukes inside rather than out because I want them in planters out front. They're odd looking things but we eat a LOT of cukes and we didn't get anywhere near enough in the CSA last year.This is my basil, well some of it. We're planting 3 varieties an Italian, an Asian and Lemon. We use a lot of basil around here and it's a good companion plant so lots and lots of it around the yard is not a problem.

Don't forget to let me know what you're doing in your garden and enter to win a drop spindle just leave a comment to my April 19th post.

Everything Old is New Again

I love Arlo! Click it, you know you want to...

More garden stuff tomorrow, it rained all day.

A Spring Giveaway to Celebrate the Garden

I've been working my butt off in the garden lately and poison ivy and sprained wrist aside I'm loving it. Now this is my first garden, at least the first one that's all mine, but my grandparents had a huge garden my whole childhood that even included grape vines for making wine. So when hubby asked if we really needed 30 tomato plants I gave him a very loud YES!

I've gathered my Nana's old canning equipment and I plan on putting up a lot of tomatoes this summer. Plus I started plants for various family members as well. I figure 24 roma plants in two varieties, some cherry tomatoes and a couple of good ole Burpee Big Boys (requested by Papa for his planters). With the exception of some chile plants I ordered, everything is starting from seed. It honestly it never occurred to me to buy plants, it's really outside my experience, but I'm told most first timers go that route.

In addition to the tomatoes we'll be planting lots of herbs, bunching onions, leeks, eggplants, squash, zucchini, carrots, radishes, beets, lettuce, pumpkins and sunflowers. We're doing at least 3 large raised beds totalling almost 200 square feet plus pots and smaller beds around the yard. Hubby and BIL have the assignment of picking up over a half ton of topsoil and a good amount of manure tomorrow so we can start building and prepping the beds. I really enjoy working in the yard and my niece is still at the age where it's fun and not work for her so she's having a blast over here while sis and BIL are at work all day. She's even going to have her very own small bed of flowers to tend.

Now the fun part. I want to know what everyone else is planning on growing this year and I have a little incentive for you. Leave a comment telling me what you are growing this year and you get a chance at this peach quartz whorl drop spindle. It weighs one once so it's better for fairly fine spinning, it's about 9 inches long and the hook is sterling silver. I started making these this past winter, I just love them. I hate to do this part but money is tight so US and Canada only please, the shipping overseas is just not in the budget. I'll pick the winner at random on April 30.

Warning : Gross Photo Ahead

OK I warned you and yes it is G R O S S. It's my incredibly itchy poison ivy rash and it's slowly making me insane. I wouldn't be so bad if it were anywhere else but behind my knees.

Now before anyone goes into how to avoid poison ivy, I already know, I didn't get it myself but second hand from the hubby. Well not directly from hubby but it was indeed because of hubby. Hubby was doing some yard work in the way back of the yard and broke my cardinal rule. He didn't strip naked at the door and toss his clothes into the basement the very second he walked into the house. I have this rule for a very good reason, we're fighting a never ending war with poison ivy while we clear the back and it's been going on for years, even before we met an married it was a problem (this used to be Mom and Dad's house) and it was and it a big problem.

So when hubby came back in the house I was still asleep and he decided to check his email. He checked his email but sitting with his poison ivy oil covered jeans on the fabric chair at the desk. The chair now had a lovely supply of poison ivy oil right on the edge where the back of your knees touch it. So the next morning when we were in jammie shorts we both sat on the chair and three days later we had an itchy surprise. We both have it right on the backs of our knees.

On the bright side I figured it out fast enough to wash down the chair several times with lots of soap and while wearing gloves so we don't get exposed again. Still I'd like to strangle him with a poison ivy vine for the brain fart that made him forget the through the door drop trou rule.

The other thing, while not gross is still annoying, that is my sprained wrist. See the cool brace? All the cool kids are wearing them. I somehow sprained it while sleeping, I suspect it was by hooking my thumb in the blankies then rolling over or something else equally as odd. This one is all my fault because instead of taking it easy, as soon as it would feel better I'd be out in the yard working and the next day it was hurting all over again. I finally decided to put a brace on it and not do any yard work for a few days until it heals up significantly. Everyone has orders to stop me if I pick up any yard implements because I'm not so good at "taking it easy" and this thing has gone on too long.

It looks like we found a used car, it was my Nana's car before she passed away last summer. We'll be taking it off my Papa's hands tomorrow and while it's more than we wanted to spend it's a good car that I know has been meticulously maintained and has very low mileage. My only worry is that I know it's going to smell like Nana's perfume and I'm afraid I'll start to cry. Hubby said he'd clean the upholstery so the scent isn't there as soon as we get home, so I guess he's sorta forgiven for the poison ivy because that's very sweet and wonderfully understanding of him to do.

I see, I see.....Dead People!

OK, got me, I don't see them but I DO SEE .... TOMATO SEEDLINGS!!!!!

They're coming along under the lights and I think I may have overdone it a tad. When I learned to garden you always put several seeds in case some didn't germinate but I'm batting 1,000 here so far. Either they're VERY good seeds or I've made them VERY happy or a combination of the two. (They're not yellow-ish as they seem in the photo, the grow lamp is screwing up the colors on the camera and I can't seem to fix it, they're a happy bright green in real life.) Either way I'm going to have to move them into pots sooner than I'd like or they'll get crowded fast. I'll probably do it Saturday if I have time or Monday when it's raining and they'll be no outside work to do.

My mother also sent some seedlings she'd started WAY TOO EARLY. I'm not sure how I'm going handle them, they really can't go outside for another 3 weeks minimum but they're getting big. I think I'll grab another set of grow lamps for the shop lights we keep in the basement and move the lights so I have two over the table. If I move things a bit they can have tiers and they can all be happy until it's time to go outside.

There's news on the car front. It went to the crusher. I might have a line on a used one we can sorta but not really afford, we'll see. I hope we get a little good luck for a change.

The Yardwork Continues

So I finished cleaning up the hosta on the other side of the stairs today. My niece has so much fun "helping" I wish she could stay 3 forever. Even carrying the raked up leaves to the wheelbarrow in little handfuls is very fun for her, she always has a great big smile with each trip.

This yard work and garden are on a budget and that budget, considering the car is on it's way to the crusher, is seriously ZERO. So what can you do for zero?

Those aren't pricey flagstones folks, look closer.

Those are old cinder blocks I found an smashed with my handy dandy 4lb baby sledge hammer. Yep, old nasty cinder blocks and smashing them was fun. My niece laughed through the whole process while shouting "smashie, Auntie, smashie".

She also enjoyed lining up the pieces to make the border, she was quite proud that she could follow the shallow furrow I made as a placement guide. The whole front of the house has happy hosta in new beds and they're tucked in with fresh mulch. Next step, raking the yard and filling up the compost bins.

Flipping Fate the Bird

I really want to, really, really, really want to tell fate, God, what have you, to take a long walk off a short pier into a steaming pile of sheep sh*t. I've had enough this year, seriously, ENOUGH, and if you don't cut it out I'm going to find you and kick the living cr*p out of you.

Anyway, just when we we getting ahead, and ahead enough that I was comfortable loaning my sister a couple grand to move (she always has to wait on HUGE ass security deposits thanks to 3 kitties), the MOTHER FU*CKING C*CK SUCKING EXHAUST SYSTEM FELL OFF THE CAR ON THE HIGHWAY while hubby was on his way to work. Oh and the bearings are shot and also it won't pass emissions. It's 12 years old with a quarter million miles on it but why oh why couldn't it have just lasted another 6 months.

Now add in that thanks to Crapmerce insurance and the ice storm last winter we don't have a backup car. So hubby has no way to get to work. Well he has a way for a few days after some serious shuffling with other sister and BIL but we're going to have to raid the savings and find a used car quick. Not good. It makes it harder to shop smart and we had hoped to squirrel away a LOT more money and get a better car than we're going to have to buy now. So not only do we have to put off the plumbing repairs but now we have to budget even tighter. Good thing the seedlings for the garden are doing well, at least we'll have food.

Speaking of the garden, we cleared some more sunny space and took out our frustrations at the same time by killing a tree. It was too close to the deck anyway and it cast a shadow where I want my tomatoes and ....... it looked at me funny when I was ranting about my car. It had to go.
The part that sucks the most? I had actually managed to put away a few bucks to get a couple paperbacks off my Amazon list and to buy some spinning fiber, now I'm going to have to use it to buy a POS. If you're so inclined please feel free to aim you middle finger at the sky and give 'em the bird for me.

Yes I DO LIKE Being the Neighborhood Freak

...and the hubby man is starting to like it as well. Fact is, I'm just cooler than the rest of them so ummmm suck it you old coots.

So I built be some compost bins while hubby was at work with some old shelving I found in the basement.

And then we found some ancient half buried bricks and I played with the hosta in the front.

Next week we plant the vegetable garden, in the front yard. See my little leek sprout?

I refuse to live in a little box with pretty trim.