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!