Sunday, May 19, 2019

An Unrainy Rainy Weekend

At least so far, that's what it's been even though we were prepared for rain all weekend.  As I write this Sunday morning, I know it's not over yet and the sky does remain gray, heavy and cloud-covered.

Our temps continue to go down into the 30s and low 40s at night.  Our few sunny days have felt wonderful, but not as warm as might be wished for. 

Yesterday morning I took several items I've gathered in my recent cleaning and reorganizing to our resale shop.  On the way home I couldn't keep my vehicle from turning into a local greenhouse/garden center that opened this past week.  (Just to browse around, you know.)  A bit of a breeze (and the low temp) was keeping me and the several other customers hugging ourselves for warmth.  But all of us seemed so hungry for the beautiful blossoms and growing greenery.  The rows of pansies set outside and the tables of more tender plants inside the greenhouse  were so tempting.  I almost came close to bringing home some of the pansies, but (somehow) held myself back and will wait.

Although I planted my three raised beds of onions (one and a half of yellow Stuttergarter Riesen and one and a half of Red Comred) this past week and a trellis of Sweet Pea seeds, that's all the planting I've done.  I'm even foregoing trying to start anything under cold frames this year.  (At least I've held out so far.)  Sometimes I think seeds and plants I "baby" along don't do as well as those planted after warm gardening weather truly does arrive.  Stand by to see how long this resolve of mine holds true.

Papa Pea cut down two of our original semi-dwarf apple trees last week.  We've come to the conclusion (exhibiting the slow learner syndrome again) that our semi-dwarf trees will not last forever, and he did find the two he took out to be about half dead right down through the trunks.

My bed of garlic is happily growing and looking good.

Exactly one year ago today, we had our first cutting of asparagus.  Although we have lots of spears up and growing right now, and I probably could cut enough for one meal today, I'm going to be patient and hold off harvesting any just yet.

Last year our first rhubarb harvest was on the 27th of this month, and I do believe that will ring true again this year.

Chives are ready, ready, ready to be harvested and processed into containers for the freezer.  I hope to get the first batch of those done today.

I spent a good portion of the day yesterday in my quilt room experimenting with a prototype for a felted wool Christmas ornament.  With a lot of my handwork projects, I take an idea from something I've seen and put my own twist on it.  So many projects look so simple, but turn out to be much more difficult when I actually put the materials and my hands to it.  Ever noticed that?  Dang.  But I enjoyed myself the whole time and definitely have the enthusiasm to do more along the same line.

Now to make us a big cottage cheese and fruit salad and see what the rest of this day brings.  Hope this last day of your weekend is super!

17 comments:

Mary Mc said...

Good Morning, Mama Pea. Cottage cheese and fruit salad was something my mom made. Yum! Thank you for that memory! So hard not to buy pansies in the spring time. You must have strong will power! Have a great week. Mary in rainy So California.

Mama Pea said...

Mary Mc - We eat a lot of cottage cheese either with fruit or raw veggies in the spring/summer/fall, but not so much in the winter. It's good to have around for a few recipes I make during the colder months, too. Being in So. California, you must be happy about the rain, no? Hope you have a good week coming up also!

Lynne said...

Glad you got some work done in the garden. It seems before you know it half the summer will be gone. This weather is horrible. Another wet, rainy day here and chilly! ugh!! You taught me something about the apple tree, didn't realize they didn't last forever. We've got four growing in our yard. I love the blossoms on them and the smell is nice.It's so! good you got into your Quilt room to work on your wool project. There's such a satisfaction when you get to spend the time on it. XO

Mama Pea said...

Lynne - Ugh, don't even whisper that before we know it the summer will be half over! ;o} (It's the truth, but I don't want to think about it!) We still haven't gotten any of the rain forecast (now at 3 p.m.), and it's cold here, too. Thinking it was going to rain at any time, I went out and planted radishes and weeded the blueberry patch. Now I'm inside and thinking about doing some handwork but frankly, cleaning out the refridge and making a warm dinner sounds more like what I want to do. (Crazy, am I?) Hope you're having a good Sunday!

Michelle said...

I planted pansies in a pot and the deer mowed off all the blossoms! Oh dear, you just reminded me that I have parsley to harvest; probably chives, too. These are very old chives that now have flat foliage instead of the classic round 'leaves;' are they still as good? Have you ever frozen parsley?

Mama Pea said...

Michelle - Those darn deer! Gosh, I've never seen chives go to the flat foliage. My chives are at least 20 years old (I've moved them a couple of times though), and I've never had "flat" leaves or spears. I wonder if that's 'cause I cut mine down a couple of times during the season. That might kinda revitalize them? I dehydrate all the parsley I keep, but I did try freezing "sprigs" of it (the curly variety) one year. They seemed to freeze beautifully, kept their lovely green color for months. BUT the second I took them out of the freezer, they collapsed into a limp blob!

wisps of words said...

Very proud of you, that you did not bring home, any tender spring flowers. It was kind to them too. Since they will be protected in their nursery, instead of shivering in your garden. :-)

Perhaps it would have 'worked better,' for keeping warm, if all you customers, had been hugging each other... Instead of just yourselves?

Just a thought..... >,-)

Mama Pea said...

wisps of words - The group of ladies that have worked at this garden center for years are the nicest, friendliest, most helpful people . . . so it wouldn't have been a far stretch to have had a group hug going! ;o) Our day today was so cold (a lot to do with the dampness and grayness) that I would have felt sorry for any little blossoming plants out in the elements. Even our volunteer johnny-jump-ups are reluctant to make an appearance yet this spring. Gosh, we sure could use a warm-up one of these days.

coffeeontheporchwithme said...

I frequently take berries and cottage cheese as part of my lunch. I've read lots of books that say planting before the weather is ready really doesn't result in more harvest. It's best to wait for the soil to warm properly. But maybe with your raised beds that happens more quickly.
It is difficult to maintain self -control in a garden centre. Well done. -Jenn

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Sunday was Hubby's only day off. I can't say I got him all to myself, but we did enjoy him being home. We got more rain, and it's not giving us a break to plant. My chives are going to seed right now, and i'm letting my green onions as well, so they will spread this year. I have to hope for something, considering our very wet month of May.

baili said...

i loved your sharing from your day routine my friend !
you have lovely place indeed!

Mama Pea said...

Jenn - Yes, the soil in my raised beds does, indeed, feel quite warm when I push my hand down into it. But, and I haven't tested this out, I wonder if the warmth is still there first thing on these cool mornings. I'm guessing not. :o(

Kristina - It's hard to believe the very uncooperative gardening weather you've had so often in the past several years. It must be hard not to get discouraged. Your growing season is long enough though that you can still get a good harvest . . . if your rain lets up!

baili -Thank you!

Katie C. said...

I wish we had a little cooler weather. It was 90 and humid yesterday! We took a bunch of stuff to the Restore (habitat for humanity) yesterday. It sure didn’t take much to start sweating. A front is supposed to come through tonight to break the humidity and heat.

How do you freeze your chives? I had to get a new plant this year and growing great in the new herb bed. The only herb plants of mine that survived this year were the ones that I brought inside.

Mama Pea said...

Katie C. - I know there are few of you in certain areas that have been experiencing an UNREAL heat wave so, so early in the season. What's with that? And here our weather has been unseasonably COLD. Go figure.

Regarding freezing the chives, if you go over to my right hand side bar and scroll waaaaay down, you'll find a Search box. Type in "freezing chives" and you should come up with several posts in which I talk about my obsession (!) with freezing those little green guys for use all winter long. The post dated May 18, 2009, probably gives the most info on exactly how I do it. Hope this helps.

Goatldi said...

Impressive Mama Pea! I think I can count on one hand or less the number of times I have entered a local nursery and walked out without anything. I find there are several venues in which my strength fails me. Nurseries, the starts table at our local "co-op" for they are really a glorified natural food store and anywhere there is something connected with fiber. And that includes even finding a sheep in the back of my truck. To the point of for years I wouldn't travel to see new stock with a crate the first go round. I found if I went home and thought about I would most likely make a less impulsive choice.Such as bringing home only two sheep instead of three. ;-)

عبده العمراوى said...



شركة مكافحة الفئران بالخفجى
شركة تنظيف سجاد بالجبيل

Sam I Am...... said...

I love cottage cheese and fruit.....reminiscent of my childhood. So sorry about your apple trees but your rhubarb and garlic sound like they're doing great. I have several wool applique projects tucked away and just ordered a pattern from Buttermilk Basin. You might want to take a look at them if just for ideas. They have plenty! I have garlic chives which I need to preserve somehow. I need to preserve all my herbs this summer. I need to research 'best practices' as I've never done it before. Glad you are enjoying your crafting!