The White House

The White House

Saturday, May 7, 2011

The Five O'Clock Post

What is it with me and sleep?! Slept in again today, made a blog post, swept the plant room and it was 1:00 before I finally went outside to work.  Eeeek!!

What a miserably cold day.  I don't think it has gotten over 37* today.  I was pretty frozen, but worked non-stop until 4:30 PM when I just had to have a hot dog. :)

I didn't water the newly planted rhubarb last night because it was supposed to rain/snow.  It missed my house so I watered first thing.  I swear they grew last night. Or maybe I want them to have, but either way I'm pretty darned excited about it all.
I cleaned and tilled the beds in the Fall, but I like to stir them up again in the Spring. Four more beds to go and a whole lot of "stuff" that needs to go somewhere.
Beds all done and ready for compost.  Actually, the compost isn't completely broken down, but that's the way I add it to the beds.  I've read things that say it will burn the plants, but it seems to work for me without problems.  Also, got all the stuff packed to where it needs to go (with some help from Nicholas) and raked around all the beds.
Homer  brought this home from the dump.  I took off the wheels and have a new planter!
This is my "good" soil that cost a lot.  What I did last year was add the "half" composted compost to it and planted.  It continues to decompose all summer making the beds full again.  Now I am taking bucket loads into my plant room to mix with moss and perlite to use in my hanging baskets.  I'll add more from the compost bins and keep the cycle going.
First thing and all throughout the day I water the grass seed that will probably never grow.  It's old seed, but for as much as it cost I was willing to give it a try.  If it doesn't grow I'll pull back the straw and plant with new seed.
The one slab of concrete seems to be the catch-all for junk and drives me nuts.
Emily asked Homer for her own greenhouse.  Of course, he told her yes and brought home some PVC pipe to construct it.  I asked her to drag it up on the hill.  She did it, but not enthusiastically. Apparently, wanting a greenhouse and wanting to help with the work are two different things. So much like her brothers!
Nick finally put away his tires (third day of asking) and I got him to put away some of the stuff on the concrete.  His motivation is purely so he can skateboard on it.
This has to be one of my next projects so they have more room to run around.
Nick helped me with wheelbarrow repair so I can haul compost to the beds.
Hello Daisy.

Lots of work to do in her pen still, but at least now it has really dried up.
I raked around the pool.  Even with it being "wild" a little raking sure makes things look better. 
Now I've had my hour of sit down it is time to go back out and pick up those piles.  I'm going to start bringing the compost to the beds and if I have any energy left I will work on the chicken pens. It's so darn cold out I can't get anyone excited about giving me a hand.  Of course, if it was hot out they wouldn't want to either! lol  That's okay.  This is "my thing".  Now picking up their stuff in the house...that's another story. They can do that!

4 comments:

Gail said...

What a day!!! You accomplished a lot and it is looking good.

Enjoy your day of honor.

Tink *~*~* said...

You make me tired just listening to you, Gayle LOL :D I really do look forward to seeing the magic you make each year. Pretty soon those beds will be bursting with color.

*~*~*

Tink *~*~* said...

PS - you know you can make compost "tea" for your planters, right? Put the compost in a burlap bag and then put the bag into a pail of water. Leave it there a few days until the water turns tea-colored. Add some "tea" to the watering can every time you water your potted plants. They leach nutrients out the bottom and never get them back unless you add some, so this helps and it won't burn your plants.

*~*~*

Queen-Size funny bone said...

your going to have lots to plant in those good looking beds. when do you start filling the pond?