Two Silent Evictions

Well, I suppose I only say there were two silent evictions because I didn't see or hear them. For all I know they happened while we were at work/school and there was a stupendously epic calamity that would shake us to our very core.

We have a small overhang over our front door, kind of like a porch with columns. On the inside, the corner columns are flush with the street side, so that means there's a bit of exposed column on the house side. For three years running, birds have set up nests in the two corner columns. We've always enjoyed watching them with their babies. We always thought it odd that they came back to the old nests time and time again.

Until now.

Apparently it's time to lay eggs again and the new family wasn't too stoked about the floor plan. We picked up this nest and showed it to the boy. He loved how tightly it was woven and how sturdy it was.

Then, we saw this:
This is the nest from the other column. See that white fluff? It's fur from our old dog Vladimir who died last year. Those birds would dive bomb him for the fur and we'd always throw the fur in the yard after brushing him. Seems like we're always finding something around to remind us of him. This was a special treat as when the nest was on the column, there was no telling it was stuffed with Vladimir fur.

Whomever the new tenent is didn't waste any time. He's already picked out his carpet and cabinetry and gone out to fetch the paint.

This year, the girl will be old enough to understand watching the birds feed the babies. They always put on quite a racket.

The morning comes early. Sweet gardening dreams.

Crisis Averted

Since potting up, my tomatoes have all been outside braving the elements. It's only gotten down to the 40's at night, so I figured it wasn't so bad, but I dropped the ball. Last night it was 38. Major tomato faux pas. I came home today to find some of them just completely wilted. they were gone. Gone, gone, gone, gone, gone. Gonner that in Carol Burnett's Gone With the Wind sketch. (Gone's a funny word when viewed in seclusion, isn't it?) I gave them some water on the off chance they'd bounce back. Perhaps they were just thirsty...perhaps they just needed love...

I just went back to check on them and I found myself singing this song. I don't think I've heard it since I was a kid, but you can seem to find anything on youtube!!



I'm stoked.

The morning comes early. Sweet gardening dreams.

The Inadvertent Lettuce Bed

I know what you're thinking. No, I didn't build another garden bed....but I will next week. Two, as a matter of fact. No, this is something else entirely.

My neighbor came over a few weeks ago enquiring if I would help him with a garden. I made him some lettuce and cabbage starts and called yesterday to say they were ready to go in the ground. Problem was, he never built his garden, so in my garden they went. Thinning seedlings is one thing, but these were bonified plants by this time and I couldn't just toss them.

I had one of my 3x3 boxes that I was saving for an early squash plant, so I threw them in there and I'll start the squash inside and transplant it later.
I didn't transplant the cabbage as I don't have room for it to mature before they'd have to come out, but I haven't thrown the plants out, either. I'm thinking to go dig up a spot in the vacant lot across the street and just see how they do in the bare ground.

So, I have one more lettuce bed. I wish there was some other way to preserve the lettuce harvest as come a few more weeks I'm going to be swimming in lettuce. I'll give as much to my neighbor as he can take, but there's still going to be more. An overly plentiful harvest is a good problem to have.

The morning comes early. Sweet gardening dreams.

EG Has Georgia On His Mind!

Today a wonderful "little talking box" arrived at my door courtesy of EG! Granny once got a little talking box that had quite an adventure and whereas I knew to expect a box from EG I was so excited to see it was a talking box as well!.

I only wish I could have seen the face of the postal worker who delivered it
Inside was a jar of EG's blackberry jam which we can't wait to try. We're going to bust into it after we finish up Granny's strawberry jam which is just delectable. Also in the box was a CD of what I believe are PDF's of gardening manuals. These are going to go a long, long way into helping me gain some valuable knowledge. I'm most hopeful for the info on fruit trees/bushes that will help me diagnose the problems with my blueberry bushes.

Yes, that little box had a lot to say; lots of jokes, songs and quips about Georgia covered the package. But did the box really have to mention having to drop a load, EG? HA!

For all of the wonderful, things EG was so gracious to include in his box, I don't think he realized what the true gift inside it was....

Packing bubbles are every kid's dream. I must admit to popping a few of them, myself.

Thank you for your thoughtfulness, EG.

The morning comes early. Sweet gardening dreams.

Playing the Odds

I'd say six out of seven ain't bad.

Six out of my seven potato projects have either sprouted or are showing signs of beginning to sprout.
They get limited sun since I've had to tip the pots to allow me room to hill them as they grow, so I'm happy any are doing well and certainly six out of seven pots is a great average. There's one that got mushy and a bit foul. It has most assuredly rotted in there, so I'll dump it this weekend and wash that pot really well.

The morning comes early. Sweet gardening dreams.

Potting Up the Tomatoes

This past Saturday was the most beautiful day we've seen in a long time, seemingly across the country. Seems like everyone was outside stretching their gardening fingers in the soil once again.

I took some time and potted up the tomato transplants. I hadn't counted on all of them germinating and growing so strong. I'm very excited about this first round. I used a variety of left over peat pots and other gardening containers to pot them up
You can see that one mammoth Brandywine in the green pot below. That sucker grows while you watch him, I swear he does.

They all look so happy in their new homes. The temperatures should be in the 40's at night for the next week which is the same temperature as the basement they've been staying in, so I'm going to leave them outside for the next week or so, or until we get down to the 30's at night again. Which it will undoubtedly be before long.

My Big Momma and Yellow Pear that I planted last week still haven't germinated, so I've put those outside as well, hoping that the warm sun will help. I've run out of containers and students are sick of seeing me coming and standing over them while they finish their cottage cheese or yogurt at lunch so I can snag those containers to transplant the rest of the tomatoes in. Some have even taken to collecting their friends' containers and bringing them by. It's great!

The morning comes early. Sweet gardening dreams.

One Down!

19 more teeth to go!