Accomplishment!

Yes, you read that right.  I actually accomplished something today.  And just what was it that I accomplished?  Well, I'll tell you. 

I finally, at long last, finished this book!

Yay me!  Next time I go into town, I'll put it back into the Little Free Library and see if they have something else I want to read, though I still haven't read the book my brother gave me for Christmas.  I might even take it in tomorrow, if I can get myself dressed and moving.  Then, once I've dropped the book off, I can run by Walmart and pick up some more bags of garden soil.

Which segues nicely into my next accomplishment.   Ever since I've lived in this house, I've collected up twigs and small limbs that fall, and over the years, I've built up quite the collection of them.  Even using them to start fires in my wood stove, I still had a lot.  So, what better use for them than to fill my new garden beds?  

The best part, after getting the majority of the twigs up, I found a nice, thick layer of compost underneath them!  Once I added that to my beds, it filled them up quite nicely.  

And there was enough to fill both beds about halfway up. 

I'm going to let it all settle a bit, and hopefully get rained on a few times, then start adding soil later on in the year.  I'm well aware that these probably won't be ready to be planted this spring, but they weren't really intended to be part of this year's planting anyway.  

Speaking of rain, we are nearly 5" below normal for this time of year.  It's so bad, we're under a burn ban and red flag warning.  In fact, there is a massive wildfire in the county just to the South of us, covering some 3000 acres.  I sat outside by my fire pit a bit, but didn't light a fire -- not even in my wood stove this morning.   It got down into the mid 40s last night, which would have made a fire feel good, but I didn't feel like fooling with one. 

But as I was saying,  I got this entire section of the old chicken coops cleaned out, ready to start re-filling with whatever I want to put into it. 

I don't yet know what that will be.  I do know it won't be chickens, though.  I might move my potting table here.  With this one being on the end, it will get more light than where I have the table now.  At least, I'll be able to see when I'm potting stuff.  

Moving right along, I'd brought all of my plants inside last night even though it wasn't supposed to frost, just in case.  As soon as the sun came up, I put everything back outside, including the zinnias.  

They do need thinning again, but I'm debating on whether to try to separate the seedlings instead of just snipping one off.  I've got some pots I can up pot them into, so I may try to do that.  Then again, in just two more weeks, I'll feel safe enough to plant them into their permanent homes, since it'll be past the danger of frost.  According to Grok, it's probably safe to plant now, but I think I'll wait anyway. 

I recently watched a YouTube video on pinching zinnias, which I'd never done in the past -- probably because I'd never started them from seeds before.  I think I'll pinch these when they get big enough.  The video says to wait until they have at least two, and preferably three, sets of true leaves before doing it.  As you can see, these have just started getting their second set, so it's too early to pinch these.  We have such a long growing season this far South, so I have plenty of time.  

I might go ahead and plant some of my bachelor's button seeds, and save some back, just in case.  Oh, and look at this!  As I was taking photos of my bluebonnets to force you to look at, 

look what I found!  It's a baby bluebonnet!  

It looks like some of the other seeds I'd planted might germinate after all.   I know it can take a few years and several freezing and thawing cycles sometimes.  

Now, if you'll excuse me, House Of David season 2 is up on Prime Video, and I think I'll go watch an episode or two.  

Laters...

Next Project Up!

After thinking about it for several days, I suddenly realized I actually did have a couple of those long beds that didn't have any dirt in them.  By golly, I'm going to get out there and dig out the red clay before I start filling them!  First I had to pull the liner out, and at this point, I'm kind of wondering why I put it in in the first place. 

I didn't know what I was doing.  That's my story and I'm sticking to it.  Now that I know some plants need a deeper root structure, I won't be putting that liner into the rest of my beds.  And I will be digging the red clay out before adding compost and dirt.  

Anyway, I had to shift the bed a bit to get the liner out, and once I got it back into place, it didn't take long at all to get the clay dug out, even with the copious amounts of breaks I took.  

I don't know what it is with this corner of the yard, but it simply will not drain.  We haven't had any rain in 10 days, and all that red clay was still soaking wet.  I'm going to put down a lot of compost before I start adding dirt to these.  I'm not in any big hurry, because I only bought these so I could better gauge where my 4 x 4 beds need to go.

I mean, that's not the only reason I bought them, but it is the reason I bought them now.  I don't even know what I'm going to put into them yet.  I'm considering moving the dirt from the other two beds on that side -- which are currently empty of plants -- into these two beds, then removing the liner and clay from under those.  Then I can re-fill them and they'll also be ready for whatever I want to do with them. 

OK, I'm rambling now.  Let's move on.  

Today was also the day I took on the somewhat unpleasant task of thinning my basil.    

 They're all down to one plant per cell, except for a couple of the smallest seedlings.  I've notice some of the larger plants have flopped over.  I'm hoping it's just because they were leaning on their cellmates and will perk up in a day or two.  But, even if I did accidentally kill them, I've still got plenty more.   So many more, I'm wondering where I'm going to put them all.  

Eh, I'll find a place for them.  

You know, someday something that is blogworthy will happen and I'll write an interesting and fascinating post once again, and stop boring you with my garden news. Today is not that day.  

Thus, you get boring garden drivel.  And I'm going to go knit a bit. 

Laters. 

I Remembered

I remembered yesterday. 

I remembered to go get the garden soil.  I just didn't feel like doing it, so I didn't.  I have been so tired lately, I didn't feel like doing anything, so I came on home and watched TV, and knit a bit on the next sailor hat.   I tried to sit outside for a little while, but the mosquitoes found me in next to no time.  I really need to dig out my citronella candle now that spring is here.  

Anyway, I went to bed last night at a little after 6:30, and though I didn't fall asleep until sometime around 8:00, it was so nice just laying there not doing anything.  

Even so, I felt much better this morning when I woke up, so right after work, I zipped on in to Walmart and picked up four bags of garden soil.  

I put two bags into each bed, and it got them just over halfway full.  

I'll put a couple more bags in each one before I plant, but to be honest, it's probably got enough dirt in it since I dug out the clay.  I did some figuring and I can put four tomato plants into the one bed.  Now, I just need to decide which kind of tomatoes.  I'm leaning towards Roma tomatoes, because I've read they make the best soup.  

Don't get me wrong, I love me a good 'mater sammich, but there's no way I could eat that many tomatoes before they all go bad, so I'm thinking I can make tomato soup and put it into the freezer for next winter.  Tomato basil soup mostly likely, since I'm going to have a garden full of basil, too. 

While I was out there, I decided my green onions were ready to harvest, 

well, past ready, really.  I cut them, then chopped them up and put them into the freezer for whatever I might need green onion for.  I'm thinking omelets for one.  Maybe I can toss some into that soup while I'm at it.

By the way, I pulled up my little celery plant. It really wasn't doing anything, and the leaves keep dying off.  Unlike my bluebonnets, which are more gorgeous than ever. 

In other news, I watched the first episode of that new show on FOX, The Faithful:  Women of The Bible.  It was pretty good.  This one was about Abram and Sarai, and it got to the part -- spoiler alert -- where Sarai sends her handmaid Hagar in to get pregnant by Abram, and I'm literally shouting at the TV, "Don't do it, Abraham!  You have no idea the absolute hell you are about to unleash on the world!"  But of course, he didn't listen...

Well, it's already past my bedtime, so I guess I'd better get off of here and go get ready for bed. 

Goodnight, all. 

Feeling It

All that work I did in the garden over the weekend...yeah, I'm feeling it today.   Even so, I'd thought about running in to Walmart after work and picking up a couple more bags of garden soil.  Alas, I was nearly home when I remembered, and wasn't about to turn around and go all the way into town.  Eh, I'll go tomorrow.

If I remember. 

Instead, I simply dumped the one bag I already had at home into one of the beds and called it a day. 

Even that took more energy than I thought I had, so now I'm inside watching TV, which is my plan for the rest of my all too brief evening.  

I know there's a bit conflict over making Daylight Saving Time permanent, and while I'm all for stopping the time change, I'd rather have standard time permanent, for two reasons.  One, it's natural time, and our bodies are more naturally in tune with it.  Secondly, I already feel like I have to go to bed in the middle of the day.  DST just makes that feeling worse.  

OK, now that that is out of the way, my little zinnias are really coming on.  Even the one cell that I planted a second set of seeds has one growing. 

You know what the best part of that photo is?  See those little things that look like worms?  Those are oak tassels.  Yes!  The oak trees are dropping their tassels!  The Great Pollening is almost over!  Woo Hoo!  

You know it wouldn't be a gorgeous spring day if I didn't bombard you with yet another photo of my bluebonnet bed.  

And finally, someone in one of the veterans groups I'm in posted this today, and it was too funny not to share. 

 Now, if you'll excuse me, I know this is short, but my arms feel like noodles, so I'm going to get off here and just chill until bed time. 

Laters.

What Is This?

What is this?  Any guesses?  No?  OK, I'll tell you.  

It's the empty spot where my compost pile used to be. 

And just where exactly is all the compost that used to be in that pile?  It's here, in these two beds.  

Yep, I got out after church and moved the rest of that pike into my raised beds.  I was a bit appalled at how much trash was in my compost, though.  Weird trash, too, like I found four art gum erasers in it.  Art gum erasers!  How on earth did those get there???  I also found a lens cap to my old DSLR camera, which I'm also not sure how it got into my compost.  The rest was stuff like weedeater string, old plant tags from the store, and stuff like that.  At least that part makes sense.  

In the end, I think I got it all sifted out.  Now my beds are ready to start adding the garden soil to them, 

but by the time I got done, I was too hot and tired to start doing that.  

Not only that, I think Snoop Dogg has moved into my neighborhood, because every time I step outside, I'm bowled over by the stench of that skunk weed.  When did marijuana become legal in Mississippi anyway?  I don't remember voting for that.  

Anyway, I got all of the compost moved, then came inside and just rested for the rest of this day of rest.  I watched a few episodes of The Great Pottery Throwdown, and what I love about that show is the judges.  Your pottery could completely fall apart and you present them a pile of rubble, and they're still going to find something positive to say about it and tell you, "Good job." 

And finally, I remembered why I stopped doing Eye Candy Friday.  It's because my DSLR crapped out, and I just wasn't getting the quality shots with my phone camera.  I'm tempted from time to time to buy a new DSLR, but can't quite bring myself to do it.  It's not a practical purchase, but think how good my little bluebonnet photos would look with a better camera...

 

Done! —ish

I might not be able to move tomorrow, but by golly I'm done -- ish.  

This morning, I finally put the last raised bed together and got it into place.  It went a bit easier this time since I had already done one and kinda knew what to do.  Then I got the old tape measure out and made sure everything was nice and symmetrical, and I think it looks really good the way I have it set up. 

  

That's all I'm going to do for this year, but when I get it all into place, the other half will look just like this half, only in mirror image.   

After a bit of a break I dug out all of the red clay and I'm telling ya, it went so much faster using the shovel.   Of course, if I had known how thick that clay layer was, I'd have done that the first time, too.  Nevertheless, they both are done now, and ready to be filled. 

By the way, those stakes are only there to mark where the corners should be, just in case I bump them while working around them.  I'll pull them out once I get the beds filled, which I started doing after another break -- I'm at the age where I need a lot of breaks.  

This is a trick I saw on several YouTube videos and gardening sites for cutting your costs when filling a lot of raised beds, to use compostable bulky stuff like twigs and limbs.  I filled the bottom of this one with storm debris, 

and the other with pine cones. 

Since I'm going to be re-planting these beds every year, I can do this, because this stuff will eventually compost down and, as it does so, I'll have to add more soil on top of it.  I'll have to top up my perennial beds, too, but not as much.  Fortunately, my state tax return has already hit my bank account: $13 whole dollars!  Woo Hoo!  I'm rich!

Still, that's enough to buy three bags of garden soil.  I just have to convince myself to go to the store and get it.  It won't happen today, that's for sure.  Before I do that, I'm going to put in as much as I can of the compost pile that I've been saving for years.  In fact, after yet another break, I already started doing that.  I got a couple of wheel barrows full transferred, then decided I ought to knock off for a while, because I'm not as young as I used to be and I'm already feeling it. 

I was going to mow the front yard, but I'm not sure I'm going to get around to that.  Eh, I might here a bit later when it's cooled off some.  In the meantime, I got my hummingbird feeders filled and put out. 

And I decided that my little zinnias needed to be thinned. 

Even though the plan was to put three seeds into each cell, apparently, I spilled some and a couple of them had six or seven seedlings in them.  A few moments with my scissors and they're down to two plants in each -- or one if only one seed had germinated. 

In a couple more weeks, I'll thin them down to the strongest seedling in each cell.  Two weeks after that, we should be past the danger of frost, so into their permanent home they'll go.  

And what would a blog post be if I didn't show you my bluebonnets.  

I can't tell you how tickled I am that they've done so well this year. You know what?  I think I'm going to go mow that front yard anyway.  Can't have weeds blocking the 'bonnets, can we?  
 

Eye Candy Friday

Back in the day, when blogging used to be much more widespread, Eye Candy Friday was a big thing.  I really enjoyed seeing the photos different bloggers posted of things that were pleasant to look at.  It's kind of fallen by the wayside, though.  Only one of the blogs I follow still does it.  

I'm a might tuckered today, and don't really have much to share with you, so I thought I'd do an Eye Candy Friday this week.  Here, for your viewing pleasure is my bluebonnet bed. 

Like I said earlier, there's not much to report.  I finally got all of the red clay out of  my raised bed, 

but once I got done with that, I was too tired to start filling it up or even to put together the other bed.  Those will be my projects for tomorrow, along with getting the hummingbird feeders filled and put out.  I think when I put the second bed together, now that I know how thick that layer of clay is, I'll skip the stirrup hoe and start with the shovel. 

I tried to sit in my chair for a little while, but the mosquitoes found me pretty quickly, so I came inside and took a shower.  Then I sat down and watched Sidekicks in memory of Chuck Norris. 

By the way, I received confirmation today that Inspector Gadget will be in the assembly area for the foreseeable future.  One of the supervisors back there is leaving and IG will take his place.  Sucks for them.

He he he...

Progress!

Today was such a gorgeously beautiful day, I couldn't stay inside.  It was absolutely perfect for getting outside and piddling in the garden, and that's just what I did.   

First thing I did was to check on my little zinnias, and they're doing fine. 

There is one cell that didn't seem to have anything germinating, so I planted a few more seeds in it.  I'm not sure if the ones I planted didn't grow, or if I somehow overlooked that one.  Either is possible, I suppose. 

Then I got a wild hair and decided to start hardening my little basil seedlings. My reasoning is that we're experiencing a warmer than normal spring, and they'll do better outside in the sun anyway.  If we have a late frost, I can still bring them inside for the night and put them under the grow light until it warms back up.

While I was outside enjoying the day, I said to myself, "Self, those little basil plants are going to need a place to live.  Might as well get those other beds put together."  I got one done today, and will probably do the other one tomorrow.  Now that I've got the hang of it, the next one ought to go much faster. 

It wasn't that hard to put together, but it was a bit annoying because there weren't any screw holes pre-drilled.  And I couldn't find my rubber hammer.  I finally did, but that part took longer than putting the thing together.   The kneeling bench my sister gave me for Christmas really came in handy, as well.  It made it so much easier than squatting. 

The 4 x 4 beds are made of resin and came pre-colored.  If I had have remembered that they beds were this dark, I might have painted my other beds the same color.  On the other hand, that might just make that whole corner too dark.  Nah, I'll leave them as they are.  

I think I'll leave this bed right where it sits.  There is plenty of space on this side for me to get between the beds and work, 

as well as on this side. 

Then I got another wild hair and decided to dig out all of the red clay and get back down to regular dirt.  My reasoning for that was if the plant needed to grow deep roots, that clay might be an issue.  So I got my stirrup hoe and scraped and scraped and scraped and scraped.  And I got my dirt rake and raked and raked and raked and raked and I was asking myself, "Just how much red clay did that land scammer dump here?"  

I would have kept going, but I was already getting sore, and I had to caution myself not to over do it, so I stopped.  Before I came inside, I got my shovel and dug straight down to see how much further I had to go, and it's not that far.  Only about an inch more.   

I'll take care of that tomorrow evening, then I can start filling the bed.  

The last thing I did before coming inside and taking a shower was to mark approximately where the rest of my beds will go.  

That way, when I do get the dirt guy out here, I can show him where to stop clearing, and this time, I will point the flags out to him.  I guess I just assumed the land scammer would know, hey those flags must mean something, and avoid them, but no.  He plowed them down like they weren't even there. 

I would have loved to sit outside and enjoy the day for a while, but alas, I have to get up way too early in the morning.  Yes, we're back to going in at 4:00 AM.  I wish they'd just pick a time and stick with it.  

With that, I will bid you good night.  I'm going to bed. 

Laters.

Can You See Them Now?

Can you see them now?  My little zinnia sprouts!  

They are so much bigger this morning, so as soon as I got home from work, I moved them to the bed where they will live the remainder of their lives.  I'll probably bring them back inside at least for tonight.  They're saying we could get down into the upper 30s and better safe than sorry.  Sometime tomorrow, I'll put them back outside for good.  Or until we have another frost, at least.  

On a similar note, I gave the basil their first thinning this afternoon.  As you can see, some of the cells have quite a few seedlings in them. 

It would appear, I spilled the seeds into some -- or else I forgot I'd already put some into them and added more.  Whatever the reason, I chose the strongest two in each sponge and removed the rest.  

In another week or two, I'll thin them down to one.   I reckon I ought to get their outdoor bed put together and filled, too, or they won't have anywhere to live once they outgrow the starter tray.  I was going to plant them as companion plants to my tomatoes to try to keep the deer away, along with marigolds to keep the nematodes away  -- or whatever it is marigolds keep away.  Then I'll have to find some way to keep the slugs away from the marigolds...It never ends, does it?  

By the way, it didn't get out of the 40s today, so I built a little fire in the wood box this evening.  I guess I was more traumatized by the ice storm than I thought, because I kept having flashbacks to sitting on that couch in the dark, by myself.  Of course, now that I have a generator, I'll be able to keep my phone charged and will at least be able to watch TV.  Provided the cell towers don't go down or anything...

OK, let's move along to something less maudlin.  Look, I found protein coffee!

Nah, it's just coffee flavored protein shake, but it does have caffeine in it.  I was kinda bummed when I read that, because I won't be able to drink it in the evenings.  But then, now that it's starting to warm up a little, I can take it to work and drink it in the morning.  It tastes pretty good, too.  It doesn't have that slightly sour whey taste like the chocolate does.  

And finally, it being St. Patrick's Day, I couldn't let it pass without an ode to my Irish heritage.  Well, slightly Irish...but it's there.  

I Couldn't Stand It

In the midst of all that went on last night, I decided I just couldn't stand it any more.  Yes, I'm talking about that scarf.  I wasn't enjoying knitting it, and needed something that I could relax doing, so I cast on another hat. 

Yarn:  Mainstays

Colorway:  Blue Blend

Pattern:  Basic Beanie

Needles: US 8 / 5 mm

I am going to finish that scarf eventually, but I think if I do another one, I'll choose a much more fun yarn to knit with.  Maybe that Neon Stripe yarn I like so much. I think it would made a really sporty scarf.  

And when I say all that went on, of course I'm talking about the weather.  I do love me some Ryan Hall, but when I'm in the path of the storm, I want the local guy in my ear.  

Ryan is trying to cover the whole storm system, but Matt, Caleb, and Gabe cover what is important to us.  It's ...when you hear him talking about "This is headed toward my house"  or "My cushions just flew off the porch," or "I've driven this road many times," and you see your own little community on his timing list...that's what you need when it's coming your way. 

All that to say, we came through the storms all right.  A lot of the storm chasers were saying it was a bust, but all of the local meteorologists had said that the most dangerous part would be the damaging straight line winds, not tornadoes.  Again why you need the local guys.  

I didn't even get any damage other than twigs and small branches down.  The south end of town got it a bit worse, with a lot of power outages, and some even lost water.  I had my lights flicker a couple of times, but they never went out.  

Now, tonight it gets cold.  I went ahead and moved my basil back onto the heat mat just in case it got a bit chilly in the house.  

They're having to share with the zinnias for the time being, but once the temps warm up, those zinnias will go outside.  I'll only bring them in if there's another frost in the forecast.  By the way, they're predicting nearly 90 by next Sunday.  That's springtime in the south for you.  

I don't know if you noticed in the photo above, but do you see what I see?  You may have to zoom in a bit.  OK, a lot...

OK, I'll help you out.  In one of the little cells -- far left, second from bottom -- sprouts!  I know they're hard to see, but trust me they're there. 

Well, I was up pretty late last night -- the last of the storm didn't pass until sometime after 10:00 PM-- and yes, that is late when you get up at 3:30 AM, I'm going to head for bed a bit early.  Before I go, here are some more bluebonnet photos. 

Once they're all opened up, I'm going to have me a nice little bed out front.  

I hope they re-seed themselves and I get a stand going.