Monday, March 18, 2024

speed seeds

A busy spring week!  Daffodils are blooming everywhere and I love my first spring bouquets.


I realized, belatedly, that it was mid-March and I still hasn't gotten my winter sowing started.  Many winter-sown seeds require a good freeze to help loosen the seed coat, and our weather has been so contradictory.  A few 70 degree days will get things really popping in a greenhouse, so I needed to time my sowing for a chilly stretch.  After several too-warm days, I lucked into a really cold week - 20s overnight, 40s during the day.  Perfect!  I've worked for hours in the barn to get these greenhouses out.

Each mini greenhouse holds at least 4 varieties of seed.  There's quite a bit here!  I've been really hampered by my shoulder tendonitis - I can barely lift my arm - so Todd has had to drill air/water holes in the containers and heft water jugs and soil for me, which he has done cheerfully.  He also found another bag of seeds in the barn, so I'm going to be really busy this year!  

Besides the winter sowing outside, I've got seed tests going on inside.  I've got at least 50 of tiny baggies of old seed.  I don't want to waste time/supplies by planting it if it isn't any good, so I put a few samples of each questionable seed in a damp paper towel, which I inserted into a plastic baggie and arranged on a heat mat. In about a week, I'll check and see if any seeds are sprouting.  If so, they'll be planted.  Bum seeds will be tossed - finally!  I'm especially curious about the zinnias.  How did I end up with over twenty varieties?!?


Barnabas loves to sit on the sorting table while I work.  I have to watch him - he's very interested in everything gardening-related.  Last year, we had to run him to the vet after he ate some sweet pea seedlings!  He was fine, and his vet experience didn't deter him a bit.  He's always looking to sneak a nibble!   


Yesterday was St. Patrick's Day.  I love holidays and our traditions, so as usual I made our slice-and-bake rainbow sugar cookies.  This year, though, I gave myself a little challenge.  Did we really need 30 cookies sitting around the house?  Probably not.  I reduced the recipe to 1/4 of the original, which made a tidy 5 cookies.


Perfect...and delicious!


I also made Irish soda bread and a cabbage, sausage, pepper, and potato dish.  Hooray for holidays!!


Otherwise, we've been taking our short walks and longer hikes...somewhat less pleasant when the temperatures dip into the thirties!  Noting new growth...

American Elm

Ornamental Pear

...and enjoying the fresh air.  The kittens, too, are enjoying having the windows open when weather permits, and when not, at least taking advantage of the sunbeams.

Awwww...they love each other!

A very comfortable nap

Looking forward to slightly warmer days ahead.

Have a great week! 




Monday, March 11, 2024

and I dream I'm an eagle

 More signs of spring!  First, the GREEN.

Cursed Crowfoot

Ceratodon Purpureus

Cinquefoil

Hairy Bittercress

And the most exciting...the first spring ephemeral!!!

Cut-Leaf Toothwort

Lots of trees starting to bud...


Redbud

Green in the garden, with no help from me.

Shasta Daisies

Parsley

And insect life!!

Sawfly

Millipede

Aquatic life...

Gastropods (freshwater snails)

Our porch possum is more active too!


Lots of beautiful birds, including this grackle...


...and even an eagle!  I'm convinced one is nesting in our woods...I saw several flyovers last year but never seemed to have my camera.  This time I had it, but the wrong lens.  Still, his identity could be made.


Wood ducks have returned to our front pond, too.  A nesting pair!


I love doing daily checks for new signs of spring.  Our morning walk is still fairly brown...


...but it won't be long now.  The mantle is decorated with flowers from the yard...


...and soon we'll celebrate the first official day of spring!  Claudia is loving the warmer temperatures.  She's great company when I poke around in the yard.


The indoor cats are loving those rays of sunshine, too!


This is such an exciting time of year.  Last week I started sweet peas indoors...next week I'll fire up the grow lights and start agrostemma, sugar snap peas, radishes, bachelor buttons, and a few other cool-loving annuals!  Big plans for the garden this year.

Have a great week!







Monday, March 4, 2024

more tracks at BBB

Mid-February, we finally had snow...about four inches.  And now, just two weeks later, it's sunny and 76 degrees.  Indiana spring!  

I don't know why we draw so many cardinals, but I love it...especially in the snow!  They make such a beautiful contrast.




It was really coming down for a while...


...but as usual, our post-snow weather was bright and sunny.



A few bird tracks...


...and a peach splash of urine marked the progress of these deer.


Even with snow and colder temperatures, the daffodils were pushing through.


Just a week after this snow, more signs of spring.  Red maples were dropping buds...


...and we started seeing more green on our hikes.


Lots of animal tracks told us that these little guys were getting more active!


raccoon

Even in the brown of late winter, I love Bean Blossom Bottoms. 




Borga has trodden these boards for the last time, though.  She used to be a pretty intrepid hiker...







...but now she can't walk for more than five minutes without needing to be carried.


So we're hiking without her this spring.  She's staying home, catching some ZZZZZs


She's got good company.


Have a great week!