A very recent April SNOW surprise!

From overcast skies, torrential rain begain pouring down, followed by sleet and hail, and suddenly, very surprisingly- SNOW fell for just under two hours then...

The skies cleared, and the sun shined upon us, for thirty minutes, anyway.  Then, back to overcast skies.  Even for here, this was a Sybil-like weather day!

That is the topic, the weather, which has made gardening work outdoors challenging.  Those of us die-hard PNW Gardeners, a little rain won't stop us.  This led to the work accomplished today...

My friend, Marilyn, came over to do gardening work with me today!  Despite cold weather and a bit of drizzling, we enjoyed ourselves, chatting away, while we pulled out weeds, dug up E W Onions, Garlic, and even moved some plants.  There was a break for lunch, my homemade hearty chicken soup, served with hot Chai Tea.  Afterwards, Marilyn took over the final prepping of the 4th upper main bed, while I worked to plant E W Onions and Elephant Garlic.  This work turned out to be more time consuming and challenging than I had anticipated, but thanks to Marilyn, it was also a lot of fun!  I also found out, LOL, just how many E W Onions I actuallly have.  Way more than I thought, in the hundreds, even after I sent quite a few off with Marilyn.  In ending, I am feel very blessed to have a friend like her...  This woman literally rocks!  No, you can't borrow her.    

Chickens Released and Garden Calling...

Here they are, some of the naughty chickens, who have been released for good behavior:

 

They were set free in our garden area to weed for us, and they did a good job!  Of course, I did cover some plants I didn't want them to eat, but forgot about the Saffron.  That they did eat 50% of the tops off of.  

This Saffron is recovering.  Since they were planted last Fall, I should have some blooms this Fall!

Bee Balm bravely emerging, looking forward to tea...

Rhubarb w/some Elephant Garlic I missed. My goal was to move it all out of this bed!

Since work calls, and I have more to relay, I'll be posting again later today!

Chicken Garden Massacre OR Partying Down...

Earlier in the week, Len & I discussed letting our (16) chickens out to "free range" as their chicken yard was mostly mud.  The chickens were set free Wednesday morning.  They happily dispersed, staying in our cleared areas, yet exploring them all. Our dog, Sam, guards them, so he enjoying visiting with them.  They were all raised with him except the Speckled Sussex Hens.  What was new to them were our adopted cats, Bella, age 5, and Dora, age 3.  Of course, the cats were rather surprised to see the "inmates" freed.  The major threat, "Baja," the 105# dog on the nearest property, was no longer any thread (her invisible fence worked).  So, chickens enjoying their nirvana, at least for two days before I discovered the MAHEM!

My lovely chickens didn't get in the main garden area, due to it being fenced off.  I hadn't considered an obvious temptation, the ultimate for them, my 4 new raised beds.  These beds weren't fenced, no, because they were planted with Garlic, which deer don't eat...  The temptation proved too much; the chickens succumbed, ravaging all they could eat of the "wheat or oat" growing up through the straw (had tackled just one of those 4 beds...).  These girls made short work of those luscious greens, in fact, they "partied" at the same time, trampling all through my Garlic, hence the "massacre."  Yes, my Garlic will recover, as it is very early in the Season, but those chickens are GROUNDED!  Of course, at the same time, they saved me a few hours of hard work...LOL :)
 This is what the Garden Beds looked like before the chickens got in them:

Now, above back right bed...see what looks like grass?

Yes, it was thick like this throughout most of the bed w/Garlic growing up through it...

 Sigh, okay, this was the thickest matted bed, now to recover from the chicken "assault."  The area where these raised beds are will be fenced with chicken wire, how appropriate!  Then, the chickens' sentence will be served and free they shall be!

We will now change the subject to my little greenhouse.  The work has begun.  I have moved a bunch of Comfrey, Choc Mint, and some Lady's Mantles into the greenhouse.  There will be a steady stream of traffic moving plants out of my living room and enclosed porch as everything grows larger or germinates.  It is still a bit cool out for planting the garden.

I have begun to clean it out, will probably leave the straw on the ground.  The beds will be cleared out and planted this weekend (all 3 of them).  Comfrey is on the top shelf, with some Choc Mint on the 2nd shelf, and Egyptian Walking Onions to the right on that shelf.  Below that shelf, there are Lady's Mantles growing in a bin, temporarily.

Tune in for more regular updates!

Spring is soon upon us...

This is the latest little project Len has completed for me.  With our last frost date predicted for March 10th, I am playing it safe by waiting for another two weeks to use my unheated greenhouse.  That reason, and the fact I am growing hundreds of Comfrey Plants, Choc Mints, and Lady's Mantles, is why this project was done.  It was built simply to be functional, sturdy, and to be portable.  This is my enclosed porch, open to my office, heated, and a wonderful place to germinate seedlings, grow plants, and propagate cuttings.

There will be more regular postings for my Lair, so stay tuned for what comes next! 

From the Wood Stove to the Passive Solar Setup...

On Sunday, July 4th, the temperatures were in the low 60s.  We drove our older Lebaron convertible down to the Seabeck waterfront, parked it, and drove our other car back home.  Later, early evening, we took the motorcycle down to the waterfront, parked it right behind our car, and then took a walk to go visit some of the locals we recognized.  This is a big event for our little town!  There was a singer/guitarist at Barbie's Waterfront Cafe', and multiple bands playing the entire evening. From on top of the rear seat, with our convertible top down, we enjoyed the fireworks set off by a few waterfront homeowners also the main event fireworks.  A beautiful array of sparkling  bursts...  It was quite the happy event!

It doesn't seem like that long ago, just three days, yet our weather is now reaching 90F!  From using our wood stove to heat our home and also our hot water?  We are  now using our ceiling fans, have the windows open, and are heating our water with our passive solar heat exchange set up (on the roof of our home).  A single water pump is used for both systems, and is switched with valves.  We turn on the pump inside our home, where the switch is mounted to our wood stove.  I look forward to eventually adding Solar Panels here to generate the electricity needed to cover some of our needs.  In addition, we have discussed adding a wind device, which Len can also build (still considering different plans for them).  Since today was the hottest day this year, we were able to determine how hot our water would get just using the passive solar setup.  120F!

While outside, taking care of my plants in the garden cabin, I see sudden movement.  A baby chipmunk comes darting out, running along the window sill, behind the pots.  He would strike a pose and stare at me, sizing me up, then play peek a boo from behind a nearby pot.  Here he is:

I was on the phone, talking to my daughter, when this little chipmunk darted out.  Since I have last been on to update my blog, my garden has grown.  Here are my favorites of my recent pics:

This is my Golden Weeping Willow, just planted this Spring, seemingly in an endless sea of blossoms...  She is growing very well and I'll need to water her tomorrow.

Ever thought of a Dill as beautiful?  The intricacy of its green finery, feathering out and upwards, growing in contentment and size.

The tree, sacrificed for our garden, has left its remnant, now teeming with life and adorned with Foxglove, Huckleberry, and Ferns.  It has become a sanctuary for the small critters hiding inside.

Your eyes are met with the contrasting foliage, blooms emerging, blooms spent...  This is a nurtured garden, intended to abundently produce, but it also is the planned haven for many beneficial insects.  My honey bees find ready sources of pollen/nectar within the confines of what is their garden, too. They forage next to bumble bees, and other bee varieties, too.

If you were to sit down in my garden and peer through the garlic bed, this is what you see.  Garlic scapes curling into interesting spiral shapes, seem to be in an endless procession.  Propagation is my goal this year, so these scapes will be allowed to mature.  I am sacrificing my Walla Walla Sweet Onions self-seeding from last Fall, to allow them to bloom, and set seed.  In another bed, I am growing them to eat. 

The very first zucchini of the year!  It was just enough for Len & I- battered in fresh egg, dipped in flour/parmesan/spices, and fried golden crisp.  Excellent!  There are just four plants in this bed, but I've counted five more soon to be ready.  That number is multiplying fast, as tiny little zucchini are forming.  We are both so fond of steamed or fried zucchini slices, that we typically eat all they will bear.  I may be able to dehydrate some this year...

It is late, has been a long day.  I am turning in shortly.  When I return, I'll write a bit about what I learned about Comfrey.

"The Assignment" for the Past and the Present Reality

During a phone conversation with my 22 yr old daughter, she surprised me with a request, "I have an assignment for you.  I would like you to write all your hopes and dreams over your lifetime and email this to me.  I want to know a lot more about you."  This request choked me up a bit.  It wouldn't be an easy task.  This is a request that can't be met with just great positivity, but it will be laced with my life's realities, some tragic.  I began this writing today, willing to meet the challenge.

I feel so at peace when I enter my garden.  There are chairs placed throughout, which should be used more, some flowers where you wouldn't expect to see them, and volunteers happily stretching upward, their lives spared because of aggressive growth, and the promise of a bountiful harvest.  The weather has been cool and drizzly, encouraging peas, yet discouraging green beans.  The mist hovered over the tops of our evergreens, and the cloudy sky let not in a single ray.  As I looked over the planting areas, I smiled.  Watering wasn't a concern, and hasn't been since last week.  There were respites of sunshine that broke though.  That enabled me to photograph the garden.  I'll share them with you:

You are peering from the East lower garden area, through the West upper garden, in this first picture.  The second is a Mountain Bluet with a busy visitor, one of my honey bees. 

Below, you are looking past a Comfrey plant, blooming, towards Elephant Garlic, Egyptian Walking Onions, and also Romy's Heirloom German Purple Striped Garlic.  Then, you are under a pergola, peering out from under Marionberry vines, above Martin's Kitchen Garlic on the right, and a Hot Garlic variety on the left.  Beyond lies our forest.

Each morning I awaken to the smell of fresh coffee, pour a cup, with a bit of half & half, then walk into our living room, and gaze at this scene:

I 

I walk out into my greenhouse, secure the screen, and open the vent.  While in there, I check the progress of all I am growing inside.  Many plants were moved into my garden cabin, until I address the slug issue.

I then enter my garden cabin, greet my cockatiel, and check on all the plants growing inside.  The light exposure is excellent inside, as there is a partial clear roof and large windows.  Today, I glanced at everything just cluttering its porch, and I am now determined to clear it off, and add some floral beauty.  More tasks rose into view, with each turn of my head.  It was like awakening from a dream today, facing reality, and the inventory of chores increasing.  Not undaunted, but with determination, I committed myself to each task, one somewhat large one each day, until this list was exhausted.

In the Blink of an Eye!

Have you intended to do something, put it off, gotten side-tracked, and just never got around to it?  I found myself in this position when my computer screen monitor faded to BLACK.  I first suspected the backlight of my monitor, but tested it, and it wasn't the monitor.  I quickly determined my computer had C R A S H E D.

There was my 500GIG external drive, sitting next to my computer, waiting to be put to use.  Next to my desk chair, there was the new package of DVD's.  I had planned to use both to have an extra back up for my hard drive and also have multiple copies of thousands of pictures I had taken...  Yes, that sick feeling in the pit of my stomach.  Not a good feeling, and I faced the possibility all my data could be gone.  I was encouraged to be positive, so I was able to go to sleep that night.  What was important were the photos.  Everything else could be easily replaced, nothing else really mattered that much.  There were many pictures of my children.  These were the most important ones.

I was referred to a young rather gifted young guy who works on computers when he isn't in college classes.  I took my desktop and also my laptop (it was less than a year old and appeared to have some software issues- wouldn't hook up to the internet, although systems checked out).  The laptop was fixed fairly quickly (software glitch).  The desktop hard drive was checked out & worked fine.  It was a Windows Vista
C R A S H, and I was very pleased the outcome wasn't worse!  All the data was transferred to my external hard drive & will be reinstalled on my desktop after I get Windows7.  In the meantime, I have had to set up my laptop to use for business and personal use.  It will be a busy couple of days, but there will be a backup regularly done, and also I am getting mirror image software!  I don't want to be in this position again.

Once I deal with my computer issues, I am going to order more honey bees!  I miss them buzzing around our garden and especially our orchard...