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    T Tuesday: 2020 garden edition

    May 18, 2020 - By 

    Hello! I totally missed last Tuesday. I had intentions of posting but alas, it never happened. Unfortunately, that has happened more often than I’d like to admit. Instead of dwelling on failures… let us move on to something more celebratory.

    I’d be remiss if I didn’t thank the lot of you for all the birthday wishes. It amazes me how much a tiny gesture, a word from a friend, Facebook friend, or even a casual acquaintance can put a smile on my face on my birthday…especially during this crazy time. So, thank you!

    I received a text from a friend and former coworker the morning of my birthday telling me she may or may not have left something on my steps out front.

    Clearly she did…a fun little basket of goodies for me.

    Now fast forward to Friday of last week… Mr. G came home a bit early and tilled the garden for me. The forecast said a rainy weekend ahead so we were in a time crunch. While he tilled, I mowed the lawn…except for the patch of creeping charlie…ugh…allergies stink.

    The shed garden or big garden is fully planted.

    Like the new top on the gate that Mr. G installed last weekend? Much better than the crummy one I bashed together last year after a deer jumped the short gate.  The crabapple trees were stunning this year.

    So much so that I had to use the smaller one as a backdrop to my trio of containers on the deck.

    I’m so excited that everything seems to be sprouting.

    It was a super busy day. I had taken a walk before I started work for the day too since all the sitting I do isn’t doing my body any good.

    Check this out!! Almost 20,000 steps in one day! That is just crazy to me. Remarkably I was hardly sore at all on Saturday morning. I even got up at 6am and went for a walk to loosen up…which I think really helped too. Now if only I could do that every day!!

    I can’t remember if I had mentioned this in a previous post but this year I am taking a cue from my MIL who always had lovely, prolific gardens. Both veggie and flower.  I am keeping a record of what and when I planted, harvest dates, etc.

    I’ve added the potential first harvest dates to my calendar so I’m aware of those as they come. I am hopeful this will help me in the long run. I plan to note what did and didn’t work. Throw out any old seeds that didn’t germinate or that we didn’t like the product. Every stinking year I forget the kind of green beans that we like vs don’t like. I hate the green beans that are “fuzzy”..ick. It’s a texture thing. I feel as if they get stuck in my throat. Gross.

    After all the seeds have sprouted I’ll share another overview of the garden. Right now it’s a little boring if I’m honest. I still have a few containers I want to plant but I simply ran out of time and energy. And then the rain came…we got over 5inches. Not sure how much more than 5 because that’s all our rain gauge holds.

    Just a little bit of coffee before starting the day…13 days left of distance learning for the school year.

    T stands for Tuesday
    What are you doing today?
  • Around home - Blog - Outdoors

    T Tuesday: outdoor weekend edition

    May 4, 2020 - By 

    This past weekend was beautiful for weather. Just perfect temperature, no humidity and no bugs! Amazing!!! I spent a good share of time outside getting my hands in the dirt. Still not the full garden but more containers and prep for the in ground planting.

    I transplanted my tomatoes into larger pots to further develop a strong root system before planting in the ground. I’ve been setting the tomatoes along with the pepper and cucumber plants outside in the shade each day to acclimate them to the wind and fluctuating temperatures. Fingers crossed that they do well. 

    I have my ever watchful supervisor while I’m outside. 

    I planted a few containers as well plus the bare root rhubarb plants that came in the mail. It says that it takes two year before you can harvest anything. Bummer…I was really looking forward to some rhubarb goodies. (the bottle greenhouses will be serving as my drink reference this week)

    What do you think of my bamboo trellis? I was just planning on a standard tepee like structure but then I got the idea to plant some radishes in the pot as well as snow peas. I came up with  this design so the climbers should stay in the center and the radishes can be on the outside edges…in theory at least. I wanted to plant snow peas but then realized I didn’t have any…they are still in transit so I went with pole beans. The next morning I found the stupid snow pea seeds. So I planted a couple of those as well. I figure I’ll keep whatever flourishes the most.

    You know how I’m always repurposing things, saving stuff forever, trying to live a greener life. Well Mr G gave me a challenge. He wanted his “garage shoes” repaired since the back seam had completely come part. Other than that, they are still decent especially for outside working shoes.

    Look at me….I’m a cobbler. The repair turned out WAY BETTER than I had ever hoped.

    This year I decided to buy myself a little something for my birthday. Have been wanting a dot grid notebook for a while. I love making daily lists and wanted a little something prettier than the kids leftover spiral notebooks. Plus this is about half the size.

    I started using it right away. I will likely make it a bit of a hybrid notebook/journal. Such as the page with the cupcake. I cut it from the birthday card my in-laws sent me. I wanted to remember the card but didn’t need the entire thing…plus my to-do list will be pretty short that day. Something needs to take up that space. 😉

    I also ordered these washi stickers just because they were so cute. I’m sure they will make their way into my journal, cards and art.

    We are getting takeout for my birthday. I do have to work (from home) and wash a load of clothes but other than that…I’m calling in lazy.

    T stands for Tuesday
    What are you doing today?
  • Around home - Blog - Outdoors

    T Tuesday: left the house edition

    April 27, 2020 - By 

    Welcome to this weeks edition of T stands for Tuesday…the one where I left the house.

    After weeks of working from home and only venturing out to do a quick curbside pick up of groceries or take out, I was pulled from my normal distance learning position to support our districts frontline workers childcare. We had been told when this all started that we may end up in the rotation but had been spared until now. Most of the workers who generally fill the childcare positions have been furloughed. That leaves us to pick up the slack.

    Murphy was definitely having fun with me today… check it out.

    I did not sleep very well at all because I was worried I wouldn’t wake for my alarm…like that has ever happened. I got up at 5 am had a bit of coffee, gathered my things and headed out to the door. Turned the key in my van…click, click, click. Dead battery. Great. It hadn’t been driven in weeks so I guess its not a huge surprise.

    I head back inside to regroup and figure out what I’m going to take to work only the handle doesn’t turn. I’m locked out. Swell. I found the right key on my ring…wasn’t even sure I had one for that door… and got back in.

    Mr G told me to take his car since his trunk was empty and I was planning to go to Home Depot BEFORE starting childcare at 6:45am. Ok…all is good there. As I pull into the Home Depot lot at just after 6 am…the sky opened up and a deluge of rain came down. Since my plan was to get mulch, compost and potting soil…from the outdoor garden center…that was a big no thanks.

    Since I now had some time to kill and I realized I never ate breakfast I drove to Starbucks. As I’m waiting in the drive thru for the drink and muffin I realize my phone is at home…on the arm of the couch. UGH. I quickly drove home, grabbed the phone and made it back to the childcare site by 6:40am.

    And now I get to start mt actual day of work….

    I wore one of my homemade masks during my time. I had 10 littles in my charge….kindergarten and 1st graders. Herding cats is all I can say. I am exhausted. I definitely know that I do not want to work in elementary school again. Middle school is great!!!

    Gosh, I’m even more tired reliving that…LOL

    On Saturday I moved our compost bin to a location that makes more sense. It’s old location down by the neighbors chain link fence just wasn’t working for me. It was often half under water and I had to walk through a patch of creepy charlie to get down there. Did I mention I’m allergic to creeping charlie? And I often…most of the time…am barefoot.

    So here it is….relocated and edged with flagstone veneer from a fireplace. I traded a friend for it several years ago thinking I’d be using it to ring a firepit. That never happened but this as an equally good use of some of the stone. I trenched the pieces about 2 inches down. 

    Not bad for a mornings work.

    Mini-me is all set to go do some target practice. We discovered the back seats of the Jeep folded down super easy so now she can transport it herself.

    Lastly I leave you with a bit of humor I saved that made me laugh this past week.

     

    Tuesday finds me back at distance learning from my livingroom. I’m not complaining one little bit. Our governor has extended distance learning for the entire state for the remainder of the school year. I know its the right call and am thankful he did this. But I’m not going to lie…I felt like crying when he said the words. So many emotions.

    T stands for Tuesday
    What are you doing today?