We decided this past weekend that this week was going to be "Outside Work Week" meaning it was time to give the push to get things out there under control and shaped up for the start of our summer season. Although when the temperature went down to 32 degrees last night, it didn't feel as if we were anywhere near summer time.
Hubby weed whipped the borders around the field garden and pumpkin patch and then cultivated both areas in preparation for sowing the first cover crops on them. Since I'm not gardening in either of those areas this year, the cover crop will keep down the weeds and by plowing it in it will help enrich the soil during this year of rest for the gardens.
I headed out to weed the raspberry patch today but got side tracked as I walked through the blueberry patch and decided to weed that while I was there. Happily, there were few weeds in evidence. How could there be with the several tons (slight exaggeration) of peat moss I've mulched it with over the last couple of years? I'm happy to say that weeding job was accomplished quickly. Then I did make it on to the raspberry patch and got that completely weeded. (Not so quickly.)
Even though I've been using a kneeling pad for the work I've done on my hands and knees, I found today that my knees are just plain sore. Sorta feels like I've been kneeling on gravel a lot lately. Other parts of my body are complaining about this first real workout of the season that I'm giving it, but I know that all will get better in a few days. I hope. (In the meantime, my husband is getting used to my moans and groans when I try to move and doesn't even ask anymore if I'm okay.)
Tonight we decided we would have the first "cook out" dinner of the season on the deck. (Why don't we do that more often even when it is just the two of us?) I made a fire in our portable fire pit and let it die down to hot coals ready for roasting hot dogs. Well, our "hot dogs" are actually turkey franks, but they taste much like hot dogs without containing ingredients that might be injurious to our health.
So the two of us knocked off work about five o'clock, cracked open two beers, enjoyed our hot dogs in buns and a small salad and then just sat and reveled in the end of a gorgeous day. We have a huge birch tree that spreads half of its branches over a part of the deck and wouldn't ya know it, a dirty little bird high up in the tree dropped a deposit right on the back of my hand as we were talking and relaxing after dinner. Hey, could have been worse. He missed befouling our dinner. And my glass of beer. (Whew, that would have been awful.)
Other news on the homestead, we think Mother Goose is due to hatch out the eggs she's been sitting on sometime this week. Pictures of the new goslings will follow as soon as I can get them. When they hatch, they're such huge fuzz balls compared to new chicks that I just get a kick out of them.
Speaking of new chicks, our new chickies are growing by leaps and bounds. We did lose one of the Black Australorps last Thursday. Our daughter had volunteered to look in on them for us as we were gone all day. We had warned her that one of the Light Sussex chicks had been looking droopy for a day or two so not to be alarmed if she found it dead. When she came by to check, all the Light Sussex chicks looked fine but there was the one Australorp that was dead. (The Light Sussex we had been watching seems to have recovered from what was ailing it with no problem.) But we can't help but wonder what took the Australorp so suddenly.
I still haven't managed to get any seeds planted in our salad green raised bed. Or green onion sets planted for scallions. Maybe tomorrow.
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12 comments:
So, you're ready to start on MY raspberry disaster zone then??
:D
For NOT gardening this year, you're still busy as ever. There's no getting away from it , is there?
I know what you mean about grilling and eating outside.....though I have been grilling, we haven't even gotten the patio set up yet or anything. I feel sooo behind, even though the warm weather has been SO slow to get here.
Wait. I thought you weren't going to garden this summer!?
I am sure that somewhere, someone believes that if a bird poops on you that it is good luck. Right?
YES-JANE IS RIGHT-IT IS A MESSAGE FROM ABOVE [ IN THE CLOUDS ] THAT THE WEATHER IN MN. WILL EVENTUALLY WARM UP---I MEAN.WITHOUT GOING OUT THERE ON A LIMB- IT HAS TO WARM UP RIGHT!get back to you on that one---------------in July maybe
I bet it's hard to get motivated when you are still dipping down that low at night! Your dinner sounds delish, I personally don't like regular hot dogs but I LOVE how easy they are to make and envy other moms sometimes who give their kids that stuff. I hear hot dogs are going "gourmet" and their is an online place where you can order dogs that are a mixture of venison & wild boar and they sound delish, I'll let you know if I decide to try them (depends on cost!). I didn't think anything could be better than the pastured pork we get from a farm here, but wild boar is SO good! Now hubby wants to hunt them :) Maybe I'll give the turkey dogs a chance, sure would make some of my evenings easier, especially since hubby's working nights again and I hate making big meals for kids that say "ewwww!"
p.s. tell Papa Pea next time we are up your way we will come bearing bottles of home brewed ale! :)
Baby geese will be so much fun. Probably noisy, but fun. :) Isn't amazing how much work the spring's first work is? I felt positively lazy all winter and during our April deluges. Those first days out in the yard were killers!
Awe, so sorry you lost a peep! That was one thing I was really afraid of being the first go around. I have no clue how I would react to that. And I keep telling myself that eventually something will happen to one of them aside from 'us'. Must.Be.Strong.
Why couldn't your hand just itch?? Going with the old sayings, that would mean money, right? I suppose this one makes a new cliche for good luck. Yup, agree with the others then!
Now creak and crack your ole bones to the coffee pot!
Sue - You're right, there is NO getting away from it. So why have we created these "monsters?"
I've had a post simmering regarding feeling so behind this time of year . . . every year.
As far as my coming to whip your raspberry disaster zone into shape . . . how's your liquor supply? Would you feed me, too?
JJ - Ah, yes, but there is still the perennial stuff you can't let go to wrack and ruin!
Jane - I truly have read that! But I think the lucky poop has to land on your head. :o\
judy - Ha! Warm weather! From your mouth to Mother Nature's ears!
Erin - The turkey franks are Shelton's brand. See if you can find them. When Papa Pea was teaching and took his kids on a huge field trip/hike/picnic at the end of every school year, he always had the turkey franks and buns. Some kids would refuse them saying they didn't like hot dogs. Some would refuse them saying they wouldn't like hot dogs made out of turkey. Of course, by lunch they were always so hungry they ate them and he never had a child say they weren't delicious! How's that for a testimonial??
Regarding your P.S. and the promise of home brewed beer, if I show him this, he will no doubt immediately send you plane tickets!
Leigh - Last year Mother Goose hatched out seven goslings. Hope we get as many this year!
Why are we all always shocked by how much there is to do first thing when we can get outside? Have we no memories?? :o}
APG - The absolute worst thing about having livestock is dead stock. But it can't be avoided. And, yes, you have to be strong. We've lost four of our old (6-7 years old!) hens in the last month. It's even hard to see them peacefully go when you know it's their time.
Dear Dear Mama Pea-I have a FREEZER stuffed to the lid of food and I just picked up my first BOOZE of the summer today. So yes, I'd feed ya, get ya drunk-but you'd HAVE to pull some of those DA$# raspberries!
Sue - Best I work on the raspberries BEFORE you get me drunk. (By the way, I'm a VERY cheap date. One glass of wine usually does it.)
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