ILUVWEEDS's Blog
ILUVWEEDS's April 2008 Entries
Last Post 14 days, 22 hours Ago
Apr 27, 2008 | 7:52 AM PST
Yesterday was planned in advance as schedules had to be made and kept. We planned to install the post and beams in the main living area (Imagine I planned to stay indoors on a Saturday!!!???). We enlisted the help of my Father in Law (he wouldnt have it any other way) and would start once we got back from the supply run. Sooooo off we go to Home Depot for the post and beams and every other thing we would need to compete the job. We are early birds and were there when they opended the doors. We quickly went about filling up the akwardly shaped rolly cart-I dont care if Leonardo DaVinci himself designed these things they dont hold 26' lengths of timber, so I had to enlist the help of an orange apron--which ended up being way beyond the scope of Customer Service! We gave him a list of timbers we needed and he set about getting everything we needed. During the time he was shagging the list full of items I noticed the garden center had opended (you cant tell because the doors open and the birds fly into the store--its like a call of nature--the birds are in and I'm headed out to see whats in stock!) Well there was plenty to look at, smell and work into my garden plans.... They had so much so I figured I would run back in and get ANOTHER rolly cart (just in case). They had 1 Gal Arborvitae for $6--I needed 4 for the front yard anyway.....Then I passed the Herbs and Veggies--since its too early to plant the vegs I focused primarily on the herbs. They had all my favorites! So in they go. Ok this is crazy I did not plan to come and buy plants and what would I do work in the garden on Sunday - its gonna rain! Drats why did I plan Saturday indoor work?!?!?! Well as I conemplated my fate the orange aprons cordened off the grass seed/brid seed section--leaves my only exit to be the annuals, ughhhh in they go. I was partial to the yellows, purples and oranges. These will surely lift my spirits while planting the rain ....tommorrow.....
We wrapped up the excursion and headed out to the truck, securing the load, tied on our neon pink flags when my husbands phone started rining. Hmmmm who could that be? Its way too early for the kids to be up? It was my Father in Law. Wanting to know if we could reschedule the post and beam work for Sunday?!? Heck YES we can! He must have been on the radar as me - he was wanting to take full advantage of the gorgeous day ahead. He had to reseed his lawn (the grounds!!) and prepare his veg garden plot for planting in a couple of weeks. I am sure we can find something to do today!
Well the first Herbs hit the dirt. A row of Rosemary and one or the pot, I love the pine like scent so clean and fresh and it does take me to a Christmas place for a moment-then a readjust my sunglasses and move on...
The bed of Basil that makes me excited to tend it as I know I will be sharing the harvest all summer long with my boss who frequents Italy and cant Basil as good..A bedful down and two for the pot....
Now my favorite smelling herb--Marjoram. So dainty, delicate and yet so pungent--it is pure perfume. I actually place these in groups of three in all corners of the yard so it is readily accessible. I like this in sauces. This herb gets potted in a little cauldron cuz I think its "Wicked Awesome"!!!
Ok now time for Thyme. I plant with exceptional care due to its magical properties. This gets spotlight placement in my fairy garden - love the dainty flowers and misty appeal. On May 1st you should collect the morning dew from the thyme leaves and pat your face with the dew--this will bring a year of prosperity to you. Why chance it--not to mention it smell sreally good and its a wake me up. no potting of this herb--I let her tear it up in the flower garden!
On to the Sage--I mixed varieties in the sage bed, Purple, Pineapple, Lemon and good old fashioned "sage" sage. I am intoxicated by this herb, you cant help but be transformed to Thanksgiving. I smell sage and I want to cook! The "sage" sage went in the pot!
Finally - As I always save the best for last--I plant the Oregano. This is the herb we planted as kids--even in the early 70's we had pizza gardens--if it went with tomato's it was worthy of planting. At the first smell I am taken back decades to tending the little garden we had with our old rusty hoes and trowels, hey we tried. Not only is this permeated in my brain with memories of outdoors, I remember being a brownie scout and going on a field trip to make pizza--and taking handfuls of oregano to top off our masterpieces - it was bliss. I cannot escape that memory everytime I come in contact with this, my favorite herb! This gets planted on my sunny walkways and a pot of its own and it gets deadheaded everyday!
I even found Catnip at Home Depot so that got planted up under my Japanese Maple a favorite spot for the kitties to frolic.
I finished planting the rest of the lot and went about mowing the grass--this was the first mowing this year--that smell is pure ecstacy, combined with the sweet smell of freshly planted herbs it is pure XXX-stacy!!!
What a day - one I did not plan on thats fer sure. I wanted to share so I went out after clean up last night and snapped some pics--during the day while I was so caught up in the planting bug--mother nature was hard at work and I had a few surprises at the end of the day....
OK I had to put the pics in my photo album as every time I tried to post the blog I kept getting an error--so please feel free to look--I left the captions on this blog but the pics are in my album-sorry bout that!
These are herb pots that I placed right off the kitchen--this is where two paths meet and as they get bigger you have to turn sideways to meander--that big ole' Hosta doesnt help that either! These are the Pink bleeding hearts that suddenly appeared when I wasnt looking. This is the first plant I every purchased and it has given me about 20 offspring, I have also planted some White ones. This plant I share the most.
This is a random white tulip that just came up this year in my Lilacs--I cant imagine where this came from or how it came to be as I have never purchased or planted a white tulip! I am wondering if this might be scared like the "white bull"! I guess time will tell--I hope it doesnt come back black next year!!!
Well I know I planned on doing the post and beams today! But I dont feel like it--good news is that it is about 50 degrees and FINALLY raining--it smells good. We havent had rain since April 14th!!! We need this and now I need to get to work on those beams!!! Have a great day no matter what you are doing!
Apr 23, 2008 | 6:26 PM PST
Finally Spring has sprung! We have nothing but warm and sunny all week long! We reached 80's here today! Its been so warm and dry that I ihave to start my regular watering schedule. I didnt dare not water after I planted new summer bulbs and translanted so many perennials over the weekend--they needed a a good watering every day...
In fact it has been so warm and dry they had "wild" fire in Boston--that just doesnt happen around here!
I took full advantage of the summer like weather today and left work early--wanted to get home and spend some time in the back yard--did that! Not only working but I also grabbed my camera and snapped some of those first blooms that we have been waiting to see. I posted some of them and will share one here....
These are the dainty darwins that grace my front walkway. Yes I have to ward off the overwhelming feeling to just swipe em and stick em in a vase to enjoy all night! But lets face it-I have spent the last few weeks watching the inch out of the ground just for this kodak moment! I will enjoy them on groundleven as long as possible--I give em' one week then that Hosta is going to eat them!!!
Once Spring arrives its like something new is blooming everyday! I look forward to posting more pics as that happens--I am also creating a Garden Journal that logs each plant in order of chronological bloom. I will also keep a side journal of the variuos wildlife species that visit and how the two affect each other. I am filling my hummingbird feeders this weekend and will hope for an early arrival....
See ya! Jo
Apr 15, 2008 | 4:52 PM PST
I'm not complaining about my job which I actually love very much....I'm just saying how difficult it is to go into the office when the spring peepers are heckling you! We have a little brook out front of our office and it is packed with wildlife, from spring peepers to bull frogs, from chikadees to hawks--it runs the gammet. I have been finding myself taking a long pause in the parking lot to take it all in. I am constantly looking out my office window (that doesnt open!!!) to see what else has stationed themselves there. I can be heard at any given moment yelling "WOW theres a red wing blackbird" or "Hey look a pair of yellow finches" everyone's gotta stop and look....Tonight as I was leaving the peeper raucus was soooo loud I had to call the staff (from the parking lot) and give em a listen--they were amazed, they came out to give a listen and we had to yell just to hear each other--it was wild kingdom. I think the peepers need a bigger bowl....Needless to say it is hard to stay focused on WORK when there is so much nature going on without you!
Apr 13, 2008 | 8:29 AM PST
Well the weather folks have done it again! We have yesterdays forecast today! Cold, Grey and Gloomy! Yesterday we pulled one over oon them though--this was their forecast for yesterday and we ended up with SUN / 70's!! It was such a delight. Warm sunny breezes that no-one predicted.
I had to offset the gray glooms by popping some cinnimon buns in the oven--It Worked!! :) I chuckle while looking at the temps in the low 40's and the fuzzy cold mist in the air (gross!!) - My morning glories and Moonflower are crawling out of their peat pots - I only planted them last weekend and they sre sooo leggy. Looking to underplant the clematis' and other flowering bushes that loose their color early--hoping to extend the garden color well into fall!
Being so gloomy outdoors opens up opportunities indoors. I will spend the day reviewing my notes from last year - making those changes I founjd so necessary to make when the gaardens were blooming and I couldnt move anything--I will plot those changes now. Mostly just color coordinating and choreographing the symphony of blooms.
Update on the second most important thing in springtime. RED SOX 4 / Yankees 3!!!!! Celtics 99 / Hawks 89!!!!!YEAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!
Boo that Bruins lost to the Canadiens again! Habs 3 / Bruins 2 (in O/T).
Jimmy Johnson (#48) won the SUBWAY 500 in Phoenix with awesome fuel conservation. My beloved Dale Jr (#88) finished with a solid 7th place finish (he didnt fare so well on the fuel calculation--but not a bad finish)
I will be cheering on the SOX and BRUINS again today--GO BOSTON!!!!
Apr 12, 2008 | 1:30 PM PST
Spring is springing all around in the northeast! The urgency I feel when I watch all of my plants bursting from their long winters nap--come on, BLOOM already!!!. This overwhelming feeling coupled with the sound of Joe Costiglione calling my beloved Red Sox vs. The Damn Yankees as I listen to the BoSox game on the radio as I flitter about the back yard--BLISS! So much for the weather reports that I have watched all week that said we were going to have a washout weekend--Chya Right! Sunny/70's I'll take it, I just wish I could convince myself not to fall under the weathermans spell since they are mostly guessing in these parts anywho! See, if I knew it would be so gorgeous out I would have made plans to reseed the lawn this weekend and get to getting on the flower beds! I still managed to get all kids of dirty and did some preliminary deviding and replanting, totally impromptu--I cant wait to see how it turns out in a couple of months!
GO SOX!!!
