mudpies's Blog

Gardening on hold because of rain
Jun 1, 2009 | 5:10 PM PST
Tags: Cleaning , pickerel , Asparagus , japanese painted fern

Five whole days since my last entry!  That's because I don't have much gardening news.  We've had either high winds or rain or both since then.  I WANT TO PLAY IN THE DIRT!!

Oh, well!  At least I put my 'down time' to good use.  I went at my van with a commercial vacuum cleaner and found that it was carpeted under an assortment of loose soil, empty pots, garden implements and just plain junk!    During the process I discovered a novel I began to read last year and enough coins to make my wallet very heavy.  Now, when I set out to drive, I have to double-check to make sure I'm in the right vehicle.

Then I tackled my basement, otherwise known as the dungeon.  It was even worse than my van.  Some people have lovely family rooms in their basements.  Not this family!  I'd like to say that the dungeon is strictly utilitarian, but that would be a gross over-statement, maybe even a big, fat lie.  What it is, is a repository for our local library's Santa Claus parade float decorations including an artificial tree, stuff we're storing for one of my daughters, toys for the grandkids, all kinds of gardening stuff - pots, various ornaments, potting soil, stakes, etc., an assortment of tools and parts for C's business, some life-sized manequins for Hallowe'en, leftover bits and pieces from building our house (lumber, siding, nails, etc.), C's fishing equipment, a dog crate filled with stuff our dog, Clyde, had gathered up here and there - toys, bones and whatnot,   two freezers, a washer, dryer and laundry sink, a washroom and a large furnace, among other things.  It's been a long time since I did a thorough cleaning down there and I'm afraid I'm not 'a place for everything and everything in its place' sort of person.    (Well, I seem to be 'a place for everything' kinda gal, but absolutely NOTHING had an appropriate place of its own. )  In fact, it was difficult to make my way from the bottom of the stairs to the door to the garage.

I've got a long way to go, but at least everything's sorted into some kind of logical order and the floor's been swept and scrubbed.  I still need to get a lot of laundry done and scrub the bathroom.  (I may get at that tomorrow.  It's raining as I write, so another 'no gardening' day.)  And, YES!!  I can actually walk in a straight line from the stairs to the garage!!  Wonders will never cease!

C had fun on his fishing trip and came home with some pickerel for tonight's dinner.  I made potato pancakes and steamed some fresh asparagus to go with it.  Mmm  mmm  mmm!

During one of the few breaks in the weather, I moved my Japanese painted fern down to the farm.  I hope that wasn't a mistake.  It was getting crowded out here, but the wind has taken its toll on it since I moved it.  I've been especially proud of that fern.  It was one of my 'foundlings' - an end-of-the-season bargain - broken and wilted when I bought it.  It was very beautiful before I moved it.  I can only hope that it will return to its normal, robust self when this darned wind finally decides to settle.