Sunday, July 18, 2010

End of the Weekend

Rain greeted us when we got up this morning so I decided to do laundry today instead of tomorrow since I figured I wouldn't be able to get out into the garden today, but might be able to tomorrow. (Could ya follow that?)

As my hubby will gladly tell you, I don't do change well so when the rain stopped (within the hour), and I had already started on my "inside mode" day, I couldn't change again back to outside activities.

I got the week's laundry done (hey, I'm way ahead on tomorrow now, right?) and tackled two big, ugly projects I've had on my desk for a couple of weeks but have successfully been avoiding . . . but not without a lot of guilt. (And yes, of course, I have to admit now that it feels great to have them done.)

Mid-afternoon hubby donned a pair of shorts and took some reading out to a lawn chair in the yard. With an invitation for me to join him, he hauled out a light-weight folding cot-type thingie that in the past (not this summer yet) I've stretched out on to sun bathe. This cot is only about 8" off the ground and when I had baked long enough, I swung my legs over the side . . . and found I couldn't get up. In his usual rational way, he analyzed the situation and announced I had too much ballast still sitting on the cot. I hinted strongly that he could get out of his chair and give me (and my ballast) a hand up, but I think he was enjoying my discomfort a little too much. I finally had to lie back down and roll off onto the ground bruising my right hip on the metal frame and getting a cramp in my left groin.

Luckily none of my injuries were serious enough to keep me from taking a walk in the garden tonight after we returned home from helping our daughter pick up and move some furniture into her new office set-up. (It's lookin' good and is going to be ready for great things soon, I'm predicting.)

Those lazy little Morning Glory vines are finally putting forth some energy and winding their way up the trellis.

Because I don't have any luck successfully freezing edible podded peas, I planted only 8' of them this year. I thought we could keep up with eating them fresh as they matured. HAHAHAHAHAHA!

My row of green beans is looking lush and lovely. Won't be long now until the blossoms morph into tiny little beans.

This is a shot looking directly down into the mulch in my potato "cage" experiment. A day or so ago, I discovered these two round holes, each about 3" across. I think something is living under the mulch. What is it? How did it get in there? I asked hubby to put a Hav-A-Heart trap in there to see if we could catch anything.

When I was scoping out the scene tonight, I discovered another hole in the corner when I pulled this potato vine out of the way. I'm thinking it must be a mouse or mice and I'm afraid they're eating my potatoes! Stay tuned to see if we can solve this mystery.

10 comments:

Jo said...

Those mice must have thought they had found the Potato Hilton, such a nice nest of straw, with food provided! Room and board!

Love the image of you on the cot! I would have had to do the same thing to get out, and probably would have broken the cot to boot. Very tactful of your husband to use the term 'ballast.'

Mama Pea said...

Jo - So you think it must be mice, huh? I'm really eager to see if there's anything in the trap tomorrow morning.

Yeah, if only I didn't have so much "ballast!"

Katidids said...

As I understand it "Ballast" in women is a sign of wisdom! Oh, if only that was my excuse! Glad you had a break this afternoon....I think your critters are mice also...here kitty kitty

Susan said...

Looks like all that rain is paying off! Your garden looks wonderful. Ballast...I'll have to remember that. ;o)

Leigh said...

Your garden looks absolutely fantastic. I'm sorry you hurt yourself after sunbathing but really chuckled at how you described the situation. :)

Patty said...

You two are too funny! Your garden is looking so good!

Erin said...

the garden really looks wonderful! I just got in from mowing the lawn, its 100 degrees! It REALLY needed it and it doesn't seem to be cooling off at night, so I just did it and hope to get those "inside things" done the rest of the day so I can take my "ballast" in a chair tonight and do some reading!

Mama Pea said...

Katie - A sign of wisdom!? I love it! Oh, if only it were true!

Susan - The garden looks as it usually does in mid-August. We're definitely a whole month ahead this year. Can't help but wonder what kind of a fall this will make??

Leigh - Thank you! No serious harm done in my shenanigans trying to get up off the cot. Just a little humility pounded in when I think that I used to be able to use those lean and mean leg muscles to thrust me straight up . . . and now they don't seem to work quite as well.

Patty - Thanks, m'dear. Isn't it fun to be able to base whole meals around garden produce and wild foods gathered? Besides being as nutritious as you can get!

Erin - We are absolutely dying in our 80+ degree heat. Can't imagine how you're surviving in your temps. (But then you ARE enjoying TOMATOES!)

I keep thinking my balance is so good because my center of gravity (aka ballast) is so low to the ground. I'm built for comfort, not speed.

Lorie said...

You garden is beautiful. I hope to add some flowers next year. It really brightens things up. And that huckleberry pie looks wonderful. Bet there is not a slice left.

Mama Pea said...

Lorie - Thanks for the kind words. I know flowers interspersed in the garden are added work, but they sure do make the whole garden more pleasing to look at. Hope you go for it!