Back to Life
I'm going back to a format we used to use in an online group I belong to. The group recently revived and I'm inspired to create goals for myself and keep a record of what I do. After four surgeries in 12 months, I am moving slower than usual, but getting all the help I need from my husband.
Researched: How to use my
pressure cooker. I’ve had it for three years and haven’t used it yet.
How to plant blackberries and build a proper trellis for them. When to prune lilacs. I have a “secret garden”
of ornamentals and herbs that is privacy fenced. Lilacs grow there. We also
grow a lot of fennel, roses, Greek oregano, rosemary, sunflowers, and other
herbs. It’s where we sit in the evenings.
Harvested: Beets (we use the greens for salads), carrots, romaine,
mesclun, strawberries. One more harvest then I’m letting the rest of the
lettuce go to seed. We’ve also harvested some giant green tomatoes to fry. As
always my garden tomatoes have escaped their cages and are running rampant all
over their “boxes.” I’ve not found an effective way yet to support them.
Planted: Dill, cilantro, okra, and two ornamental hot, hot peppers aptly named Explosive Embers and Chilly Chili. I’ll pick and dry them for winter’s cooking.
Food storage: Our backyard blackberries are ripening; what we don’t
eat, we freeze. We also pick berries along a country road nearby and have done
so for six years now. The berries are small and full of flavor. We don’t get a lot out of either venture,
just a small steady stream. This year we plan to expand the blackberry area in
the yard into a BLACKBERRY EMPIRE! Also
checked my jars and lids for annual pickle making with my mom. Bought cukes at
Farmer’s Market this week.
Reused, recycled, repurposed: Worked on stuff for the new composter. It’s huge. I have some compost maker I plan to use. I added some shredded newspaper and dried grass cuttings. It’s located in direct sun so I have to wet the compost down good. My plan is to plant some butterfly bushes around it to shield it from sunlight.
Our kitty enjoying one of the garden benches. Enormous blackberries! And one of our little French intensive garden beds.
Watch for updates! I'll be sharing our method of tranplanting blackberry bushes, keeping the birds out of the strawberries and defeating the dreaded hornworms.
Caroline
