Mostly about a mid week update...

An excerpt from Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery.

"What is the name of that geranium on the windowsill, please?"

"That's the apple-scented geranium."

"Oh, I don't mean that sort of a name. I mean just a name you gave it yourself. Didn't you give it a name? May I give it one then? May I call it - let me see - Bonney would do - may I call it Bonny while I'm here? Oh do let me!" 

"Goodness, I don't care. But where on earth is the sense of naming a geranium?"

"Oh, I like things that have handles even if they are only geraniums. It makes them seem more like people. How do you know but that it hurts the geraniums's feelings just to be called geranium and nothing else? You wouldn't like to be called nothing but woman all the time. Yes, I shall call it Bonny. I named that cherry tree outside my bedroom window this morning. I called it Snow Queen because it was so white. Of coure, it won't always be in blossom, but one can imagine that it is, can't one?"

This was a conversation between Anne and Marilla, but it got me thinking. Maybe that is why some of my plants don't grow well! If I named them, they might do better. Feeling the love and all. Only time will tell. 

For this Wednesday, I thought I'd take you on a short walk through the garden, knowing how much you've been wondering how it growing. 

Lucy can lead the way.

First, step into the garage, these are the (from left to right) Cucumber starts, Summer squash start (some didn't germinate, so I started more last weekend) and Starship summer squash. 

Here are Lucian, Heather, George, Godfrey, and Kevin

Out front we'll pass the bird feeder, so you may as well see that the gold finches have arrived. Also our Flicker is back. He likes to hang onto the bird feeders tipping them over and the food falls all around him. In the picture, he's trying out the suet squares we made.

Now to the garden. On the right you can see our strawberries. They are growing well, but no flowers - and therefore no fruit quite yet. 

This is Phyllis, Horace, James, Jim, Redwood, Scarlett, George, George II, and George III.

The raspberries are only in their beginning phase of transplanted life, but each are showing signs of growing and that sure makes mama happy. Within a few years we'll have more than we can keep up with.

The herb garden is only beginning, but growing well. There is garlic, chives, chocolate mint, parsley, oregano, and thyme.

Now to the main garden. The first bed here, is red leaf lettuce, green leaf lettuce, spinach, green onions, broccoli, bush beans (nothing showing quite yet) and peas in back. 

Say hello to herbert. 

Here is Lillian

Jeffery, alice, and Jamie.

In the second bed, we have carrots, radishes, beets, more broccoli (these are transplanted starts), and storage yellow onions.

Red, Balmy, and Phillip

these transplanted broccoli seem to be doing alright in this mild weather. 

A clump of storage onions (Margery, Megan, and Michelle

Walla walla onions in a side 4X4 frame

The poor asparagus isn't doing well, but hasn't handed in its dinner pail yet.

I love how the water drops lay on the flower right after a nice refreshing rain.

The last stop is the back yard cold frame. We planted everything here last winter, and have been eating from them since march 16th. We are through all of the radishes, but the lettuce and spinach is doing very well. Most of the Pac Choi bolted, but one plant is still producing. 

One side of our cold frame. Carrots, radishes, and beets. A stray red leaf lettuce is also growing. I call him Lost.

One side of our cold frame. Beets, Red leaf lettuce, green leaf lettuce, Spinach, and pac choi

 Well, that's the grand tour. I hope you have enjoyed yourself! We hope to see you around here again soon.

early garden indoor planting

Here is a little update on the indoor planting we did on Jan 28th. Well, first is another photo of Mt. Ranier. Tuesday night was supposed the be the last nice day for a little while, so I got a few photos of the pink sunset on the mountain. I still think it's nice living close to the beauty of a mountain.

Back on track now, here is the heat mat with the grow light. I learned (the hard way as usual) that if you have the grow light too high (I had it about 18") the plants get long a spindly. You can see I lowered it to 4-6". The damage is done, but they should bounce back (or fill out). 

The broccoli has sprouted up and is off the races. I may have to move them into the cold frame if they fill out the 2" dirt square early. The opposite is the asparagus seeds. They all seem to be thinking that life is real; life is earnest, but not earnest enough to show sprout up and take a look around. Should I just buy asparagus crowns and forget the whole "I've known you when you were a mere speck in yer mother's eye" business?

Broccoli

Early Lettuce and spinach for the cold frame. Some are a bit top heavy though. 

The asparagus have all gone on strike.

I must have dropped a seed in the tray, but it started growing anyway.

And, last of all we bought a few more primroses. Do you think you can have too many primroses? I do wonder at times, when I'm trying to decide where to put them, but I sure like them as they add some color into the dull grey of almost spring.

So, you can tell all is quiet on the western front for now. I'm am ready, and willing, and impatiently waiting for spring beginnings and beauty.

A Prayer in Spring by Robert Frost

OH, give us pleasure in the flowers today;

And give us not to think so far away

As the uncertain harvest; keep us here

All simply in the springing of the year.

Oh, give us pleasure in the orchard white,

Like nothing else by day, like ghosts by night;

And make us happy in the happy bees,

The swarm dilating round the perfect trees.

And make us happy in the darting bird

That suddenly above the bees is heard,

The meteor that thrusts in with needle bill,

And off a blossom in mid air stands still.

For this is love and nothing else is love,

To which it is reserved for God above

To sanctify to what far ends he will,

But which it only needs that we fulfill.