Diary 5/10/11

Sorry, took a blog break.  I meant to post on Mother's Day and didn't get it done.  Hope it was as nice for you and yours as it was for me. Took a quick trip to Eugene to see grandson before serious surgery. Eugene was in full bloom with gorgeous rhododendrons and azaleas everywhere.  I saw a pink dogwood that could not have been fuller of blooms. Beautiful day today.  Watered and made big plans for tomorrow!  Put netting on strawberries so that we are not providing delicious berries to every critter on the hill.  When I went out to close doors and turn off waters there were three does munching this and that.  I have started chasing them off as I don't want them comfy and thinking they might stay for the summer.

Diary 5/7/11

Found three morel mushrooms while gathering firewood on our property.  It has to be just the right combination of moisture and warmth. I wasn't really looking for them, but I have developed an eye for seeing these "gnome's caps" rising above the forest floor.  Just three, but still fun. We ate some a couple weeks ago from forest fire area.  That is the best place to look; where a fire was the year before.  It sterilizes the ground and eliminates the competition so that the tender morels can come up. It is best to soak them in a little salt water to get rid of any mites.  The three I picked today are super fresh, but I will still soak them ~

Diary 5/6/11

After three busy days of trying to catch up, I can say I appreciate the break the rain is going to give for a couple of days.  We did get the soil opened up initially with the disk yesterday. The soil was on the edge of too sticky and was caught in between the disks, a bit, but we had to start somewhere.  I don't think it was too wet.  Too wet makes clods that it take a full season to break up. The driest beds got tilled today, so I have someplace to plant.  Yea!  The top greenhouse is tall enough that the roll bar on the blue tractor just fits under it.  So, the bottom row in that greenhouse got tilled by Mr. Tiller, also. I will have to amend the beds with compost and reshape, but it if fresh soil and that is exciting to a gardener, huh? Planted Medford and SuperTasty tomatoes in the upper greenhouse.  The plants are ready to get out of their 3 5/8 inch planters.  I think we are past the coldest nights.  I started pumpkins, Delicata winter squash, watermelons, and cantaloupes with my friend, Cheryl's, help.  She also helped get 8 bags together, nine total this week.  Alan helped get the strawberries cleaned up with another friend who stopped by.  It is turning into a community garden all by itself!  Time to hit the hay. Zzzzzzzzz...

Diary 5/4/11

Turned a bed that had over-wintered broccoli in it to make a place for the second succession of beans.  Kinda makes me nervous not to have any broccoli for a few weeks.  Boy, is there asparagus, though.  It has been waiting under the surface for some dryer, warmer weather.  It arrived yesterday and today, so it is coming up with gusto. The orchard is in bloom.  The plums and cherries are full on.  The apples are just starting.  The flowering quince is just on the brink.  Last year, I actually got some quince despite neglect.  I am going to pay better attention to it this year.

Diary 5/3/11

Perfect day, perfect weather.  Not too hot, but nice and sunny.  Getting lots done.  Cleaned up one of the five strawberry beds and shoveled a skiff of mulch onto it.  Planted tomatoes in the lower greenhouse, looks like warmer nights ahead, so I got brave.  Gopher ate one of the early tomato plants.  That and a delphinium have been victims.  I have a plan.  I will let you know if I have any success.  For now, I have put the hose down the hole and yelled.  Not sure the gopher cares, but it worries Garden Dog and makes me feel better. I also yelled at Gopher Getter as he was thinking a swallow would make a good breakfast... Yoga tonight, ahhhhh!

Diary 5/2/11

Deb's garden

Suffice to say it was a weird day.  Was supposed to help my friend with her flower plants and ended up in hospital ICU working on saying good-bye to a dying friend.  Lesson of the day: Don't waste any time in anger that you could spend with the ones you love.

Diary 5/1/11

Wildflower Show went well, though less money for fire department than last year, but every bit is better than nothing.