Wednesday, June 3, 2015

A Day Off?

I woke this morning at 5 a.m. to the rumbling of thunder.  (Thumbling of runder?)  We were actually hoping for a day of rain (as forecast), and now at a little after 6 with rain pitter-pattering on the roof, the house is softly lit, cozy and quiet as Papa Pea and I sit at our computers (in opposite ends of the house . . . hell-ooo, are you there?) sipping our morning brews.

The rainy day is fine with me because 1) we haven't had any rain in several days, and 2) both hubby and I need a day of "rest."

I put "rest" in quotes because I've already got a list a foot and a half long of things I'll be doing inside to get caught up.  I know my dear husband will be doing the same.


The garden is getting a good soaking (part of it pictured above) which I'm hoping will encourage seeds to germinate.  I am fearful (shakin' in my garden boots, I am) some may not make it because our weather has continued to be so cool, but I knew if I didn't get the seeds planted now, the crops would have no chance of maturing by frost in the fall.

Speaking of frost, we had a frost on the morning May 31st and June 1st.  No damage in the garden as I had tender plants either under cold frames or hot caps.  We did, however, on the evening before the second frost, forget (dang, what lame brains) to take in the three beautiful hanging begonia baskets I had purchased for the north side of the house.  Yes, they got touched, but I'm hoping they will look better again.  With time.

While I've been really pushing getting the garden in, Papa Pea has used these cool days to do (among other things) some wood cutting.  He already has a pile of cut pieces ready to be split that looks to be about the size of Rhode Island.  Soon as the garden is totally planted, he and I will attack that.

Even though the above garden picture looks severely bare yet (come on, you little seeds, come on), I don't have much left to plant.  Crossing my fingers that it actually will warm up soon, as I've still to plant my beans and pickling cukes.

And this year I'm trying something different with the cabbages and broccoli.

To avoid the cycle of white cabbage butterflies that lay their eggs in the broccoli, I'm starting it from seed in the garden sometime this month which should put the broccoli plants at a totally different stage when those dreaded white harbingers of wormdom are looking for a place to lay their eggs.  That's the theory anyway.

The cabbages, both green and red, will also be started from seed in the garden around the same time as the broccoli.  Last year the cabbages matured, and a lot of them split, much too early.  We like to store them in the root cellar but the temp there was still too warm when the heads were ready to be harvested.  So, the theory is that by planting them from seed in the garden, and not started set-out plants, they will mature later in the season and be green and growing (which is what you want for better winter storage) when harvested.  Again, that's the theory . . . famous last words.

And those should be my "last words" for this post because my morning latte is done-gone, and I need to get up and move before gardening-induced rigor mortis sets in.  (Oooof, stiff arms, stiff shoulders, stiff legs . . . )

20 comments:

Unknown said...

It's tough to adjust to weird weather, good luck! We've had a lot of rain here, off and on, and 70's, nice for the garden!

Susan said...

Day of rest translated: day where one is forced to stay inside and labor. I believe it's an old Chinese saying... Seems that every year has us gardeners shaking in our Wellies. If our weather doesn't warm up and stay there, all my tomatoes will be "grape" tomatoes... Don't overdo it, you two over-achievers...

Lilac Cottage Homestead said...

Oh you have a lovely raised bed garden!!! I also see some other beds off to the side, wonderful!! I so enjoyed reading about your plans for your cabbages, and broccoli!! Please post again if it did work out!! Well God bless

Kelly

Mama Pea said...

Nancy po - Enough rain and 70 degrees! Now that's good garden growin' weather!

Gardening in our climate up here is always a challenge . . . but I just keep at it. Plus, fantasizing about a BIG hoop house over the whole garden area!

Mama Pea said...

Susan - To think I had actually dreamed of getting caught up here inside today and then sitting and doing some handwork. 'Snot gonna happen. The rain stopped a couple of hours ago and now the sun is shining brightly. (No rest for the wicked?)

Mama Pea said...

Kelly - Thank you for such a nice comment! I will be sure to post regarding the progress of my gardening experiments this year. It's all fun, if a smidge bit frustrating at times!

Sandy Livesay said...

Mama Pea,

You say rest.......I know better!!! We never really rest, there's always something that needs doing......like making dinner.

I'm hoping your broccoli and cabbage come up exactly as you predicted. When I planted both from seed two years in a row, something just ate the entire plants. This year, I'm trying cabbage seedlings from Atwoods Ranch store. So far their doing okay!!! I did have something eating at the leaves after spraying my homemade dawn soap, alcohol, and water mixture they (some kind of bug) stopped eating my leaves.

I love all of your garden boxes!!!!

Enjoy your rain....

Mama Pea said...

Thanks, Sandy. I sure do appreciate that fact that you're always so upbeat and encouraging in your comments!

My mizuna mustard is being made into lace again by some little bug-type pest. It always happens when I try to plant it early (in our season anyway!). If I replant it in a couple of weeks, it will be fine. Keeping my fingers crossed for your cabbage seedlings!

Sue said...

Don and I have our laptops back to back at the table. It's so pleasant to chit chat back and forth--and a lot easier showing him something if he doesn't have to run across the house. I think the only downside is the one game he likes to play has the world's most irritating music. I'm constantly begging him to shut the volume off.
Glad you had a day of rest (har har--that word is unknown in your book!)
I'm about 1/2 done now with the planting. My aching back..............

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

I don't plant much since I moved to AR. I thought I was a good gardener until I came down here! LOL! But I did put in some tomatoes and peppers and herbs. Your garden is beautiful! A dream garden...so beautifully laid out. All your hard work will pay off when the winter winds blow and you can eat healthy non-gmo REAL food. I plan on getting back up North and gardening again hopefully sooner than later, God willing. Glad you got rain. That's all we've had but I was able to get out and mow today and it was cloudy and cool just like I want it when I have to work outside here in the South! LOL! Black bean burgers for supper and I made my laundry detergent plus all the regular chores. Take care and keep moving...you know the old saying "you don't use it you lose it". You 2 are probably in much better health than the "couch potatoes"! LOL!

Mama Pea said...

Sue - Hubby and I haven't graduated out of the dark ages to having laptops . . . we still have the klunky old tower-type things on our desks. But I sure do know what you mean about it would be easier to "share" info by being together.

No outside work for me today. We had slight clearing mid-day but then it started raining again. Not looking too good for tomorrow either. I felt a little stiff all day 'cause I couldn't get out and loosen up.

Maybe we'll get all our planting done before the first fall frost. What do you think?

Mama Pea said...

Sam I Am - I think the only reason I would like your climate with all the heat and humidity is so I could grow tomatoes in abundance again. When we lived in Illinois, I made stewed tomatoes, tomato sauce and paste, salsa, ketchup, you name it. Here I'm lucky to get regular sized tomatoes to regular size, let alone ripen!

Black bean burgers sound good. I haven't made them in a long time. Love black beans.

I thought I would get a little couch time in today, but not yet. If I get busy and do the dishes, maybe I can sit and do some handwork tonight. Sounds good to me.

Laurie said...

Enjoyed your post. Your garden looks so neat and organized. I'm glad I got to see it.

Mark said...

We had a string of rainy days recently, and De and I had plenty of inside tasks to tackle. Your garden may be ahead of ours but, like everyone else, we keep chipping away.

Sue said...

Well, we better hurry-cuz THAT will be here before you know it! LOL!!

Sandy Livesay said...

Mama Pea,

I guess it's just timing when it comes to planting certain plants in the garden when it comes to dealing with bugs. I wonder if the bugs targeting your mizuna mustard, and my cabbage are seasonal bugs. They go to cooler climates when our warmer summer comes??

Mama Pea said...

Thanks, Laurie. It will look a lot better to me when I can see more growing in it! :o]

Mama Pea said...

Mark - I can't believe my garden is ahead of yours 'cause we've had literally (!) no warm weather yet. I'm still suffering anxiety over whether all those little seeds I've put in the ground will germinate . . . or succumb to frostbite!

Mama Pea said...

Sandy - I'm sure not smart enough to figure the whole destructive insect thing out! Why some years are certain pests worse than others? I had little grasshoppers nearly eat the whole garden one year which I've read happens in a very dry year. That particular year had normal rainfall. I can't figure it out . . . !

Mama Pea said...

Sue - You speak the truth! (But let's not talk about fall frost yet, okay? Shhhhhh . . . )