First Garden Video for 2011

Happy Birthday President Lincoln

I look forward to Abraham Lincoln's birthday. Peas can go in. I know, February peas do not get ripe any earlier than mid March or April peas. I don't care, I just want to get something going. So happy birthday Mr. President! I put Fava beans in too. I played with the idea of planting radishes and salad in the cold frame but decided to wait until St. Patrick's day for the rest of the cold weather veggie friends.

Then Noah built an altar to the LORD, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. And when the LORD smelled the pleasing odor, the LORD said in his heart, "I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I ever again destroy every living creature as I have done. While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease." Genesis 8:20-22 RSV

Things are getting serious in the world. Wars and rumors of wars. There is something comforting about pushing a seed into the soil, waiting to pluck the fruit of it from the vine, tasting the miracle of creation. Living in the moment, remembering that there is more to life than the little things, like sinking seed into soil. But there is still great strength that comes from joy and YHVH, the LORD does not despise small things. While there is still time I am grateful for moments of joy while poking seeds into the ground, looking for the rainbow, the sign of the covenant between God and all of us who have come since Noah. I want to remember the souls who call troubled lands home, to pray, to watch. I want eyes to see the soul right next to me, needy and in need of I friend (I've been there a time or two)

Just for today though, I want to remember President Lincoln, who is known for greater things than pea planting day. I want to remember my gram'ma who taught me about this day. A wild day that began with sweet spring breeze and progressed to wild wind and pelting rain. Sweet dreams little seed, Lord willing, I will be watching for you.

Strawberries in my window.

Most of my Asparagus bed has been cleaned up for spring. I used raw compost on the beds. The result has been all sorts of interesting things coming up, most of which I pluck right up. But in one portion of the bed there are strawberries. I have no idea what sort they might be.

Years ago I saw a project in Sunset Magazine to make a living ball of strawberries. It is not looking like a bio-mass of berries yet, but I'm hoping for the best. The project needs to be start in January. I know it is already February, so I am behind the eight ball.
The ground today is frozen still, so I did not get very far. This little patch of strawberry plants (and moss) are all that I have left to clean up. I managed to get enough to to put a few into the mat pot without damaging the plants but the rest will have to wait until the ground warms up. Hopefully that will happen before the asparagus comes up.

Ground Hog's Day

It is still early but it looks like there will be shadows. Here in western Washington it can be difficult to tell which 3 hours was spring. Blooming daffodils are probably a better tell than a rodent who may or may not crawl out of bed to see his shadow. Maybe daffodils are no better than Phil at letting me know when it is spring. I have had to put on a heavy coat for my daffodil walks.

The garden looks like such a wreck today. The dopey mess in front of box 2 is supposed to be killing grass for the next box that will be going in this spring, but all it does is look junky. I should care, but I am into what can be done with the carrots (I need the squares for peas and fava beans) and the new range (stove with oven) that will be delivered to my house tomorrow. WooT! The old one simply will not brown anything, baked or roasted, though Ray has changed elements, timers and thermostats. (he tried to reuse and refresh, not because he is green but because he really is Scottish) Ray wanted to put down new flooring first but the stove came on sale at a price that was too tempting. Carrot cake anyone?