Elbow deep in...manure

HA! In honor that we actually have spring-like weather today here in Cincy (it's is 68°C!)-- I am going wax poetic about all things garden! Woo!

The cold frame and mini green house have been assembled. Someday I will have an awesome greenhouse and not just the pretend toddler sized one. But a gal has to make due with what she has. All the seeds have been purchased along with 2 new pair of garden gloves.( Haha-- ok not really-- because there is ALWAYS room in the garden for just a couple more plants).


All the garden stuff has been hauled out of the shed to my pathetic little corner of the garage for me to work.(Translation--what the hubbs did not mangle or throw away has been retrieved and been begrudgingly placed in the the 4ft x 6ft space carved from his man land)

Pansies have been potted in the planters flanking the steps to the front door. Nothing shouts SPRING like the garish yellow and purple pansies. Additional river rock has been poured around the front porch beds-- this is replace the rocks removed my by a few toddlers that have been known to frequent my house.

I have replentished my supply of peat pots, yogurt cups and egg trays (and whatever else I can use for all my seedlings). I mixed up a batch of of super- grow happy garden soil, so all of my green babies blossom into yummy veggies and" y'all are green-with-envy" flowers.

I began the draft grid for plantings and my 2011 garden journal. YES--I am THAT person. Lettuce and carrot seeds have been sown in containers because I am a greedy and do not like to share with the ravenous zombie bunnies that roam our woods and fields.

Next, begins the tedious steps of seed starting--labelling and monitoring the germination. Being ruthless when it is time to thin the seedlings. And agonzing on when I can harden off the the wee delicate shoots of green and plant them into their seasonal home. Ohio weather is so unpredicatable and overnight you can lose 6-8 weeks of work.

I try to mimic the planting times of the old-timeys in town. Grandpapappy Farmer Emmet and Granny Mildred know a thing or two about working the soil. Anyone that says gardening is boring just doesn't realize what a gamble it is. Weather, insects and wild creatures are all the wildcards in this game.

True it is a lot of work. But is it worth it? You bet your sweet corn it is! When everyone is paying $2.99/ lb for anemic no- flavor tomatoes, bitter skin cukes and woody carrots from the mega Chinamart-- I will be nomming on big red juicy 'maters, cool crisp green cukes and sweet as sugar carrots from my garden. Knowing they are pesticide free and proudly grown right here in the ole' USA. Not to mention there is something just--soothing--about touching the earth. Nothing is better for my peace of mind than digging in the dirt. All the cares and worries just drift away with every shovel-ful of soil.


Yes I realize the season is early, but I am daydreaming of of the goodies yet to come. And for any of you that want some of the bountiful harvest--I say--grab a pair gloves and pick it yerself!

Let the gardening season commence!

Gonna be a rock star!

Okay well not really a rock star (as in a musician). The extent of my musical talent is confined to tuning the radio, singing in the shower and in the car when the other drivers don't notice me. No, my green-o-philes, I am gonna be a rock star as in I am lady-gaga over creek rock!

Let me explain...I am on a budget, my flower beds need edging material because my husband is a little to weed whacky -hacky and my once prized flowers beds now resemble the confetti covering the streets after a parade.

What is budget conscious gardner gal to do? Then it hit me. Actually I hit it when digging a spot for my Red Prince Wiegelia. Rock! Ka ching! OK, it was more like a dull clunk and scrape. Well I am far to lazy to dig up my entire yard, but there is a creek that runs the border of our property. So out of necessity (and I mean cheap) I began the arduous process of digging and hauling rock from Dry Run Creek.

The digging part wasn't so bad. It was the prying, lifting, moving part that sucked. In my eagerness to gather the rock, I apparently failed to calculate the mass of the material I was moving AND how I was going to move it. I like to think of myself as a fairly clever girl so I improvised.

Little red (rust is a red color, right?) radio flyer wagon to the rescue! Sorta. Since there is a 20 ft.slope down to the creek I had to get the rock up the hill. I ended up throwing the rocks (shot put style) up the hill. I climbed up the hill. REPEATED the process. Twice. Until the rock was near the clearing where my wagon was sitting.

Once the rocks were assembled in piles I began hauling my wagon load (I felt so very Laura Ingles at that moment!) to my yard. 5 trips later I had enough rock to lay the 1st course. As I relayed the details of my adventure to my husband, he asked my why didn't I use the lawn tractor and garden cart? What?! Needless to say I will-- the NEXT time!

As of now, it is the only the first course of rock. I will finish it- just not this week or month. The goal is to complete it in the late summer/ early fall after the garden grows in. I will tag, dig up and move all the plants. Regrade the bed, add the final 2 courses of rock and replace my plants. I will. I swear. But now I am gonna sit back enjoy what I have done so far, watch the plants (grass and weeds) grow and dream of my someday beautiful garden.



UPDATE--This is my garden a mere year later (ok--actually 14 months later. Isn't it lovely?!)

Project De-Uglify Bathroom underway

Without further adieu say goodbye to the 60's and hello shiny new bathroom...okay not hello, but I can't wait to meet you.

Behold all the ugly! Plastic floral paneling.

Sidesaddle loo and ugly sink-gone!

Buh-bye ugly plastic tub!

Hmm I new it was always cold in here. Barely there insulation. And plywood walls. Stellar.

Can't wait to see what else we unearth.