Once again, ( “still” might be the better phrase), life is crazy around our urban plot. We’re one third of the way through 2016, and I have to say, so far, it hasn’t been a great year for us.
I’m still feeling a bit unhinged, as I mentioned at the start of my last post, and it’s been difficult for me to stay positive recently. I’m trying to combat that feeling of unease by the usual means, and hoping that the recent sunny skies will help with my demeanor. I also don’t want to this blog to turn into a whiny, cry-baby, poor me, themed blog. I started it to share anecdotes about life in a small town, and living a sustainable lifestyle – or at least living as lightly as we possibly can – so today, I’m going to try and simply give an update on our little urban garden.
Truth be told, I’m itching to get outside and tend our little plot. But there are two factors that have slowed this desire to almost a dead stop lately – it was still snowing just a few days ago and I only get about 1 hour of work in before my body stiffens up and I have to call it quits for the day.
But I can’t let those factors stop me, I have to keep reminding myself that just because our last frost day is around Memorial Day, I need not be in a rush to get those veggies planted; however, that doesn’t mean there aren’t other things I could be doing. And as for the aches and pain, I just need to plan my time, little bits here and there; find more efficient tricks and hacks; and think things through so that I don’t need to walk back to the phone booth 8 times. (Uhm, we use a phone booth as a garden shed. Don’t laugh, they are weatherproof, small and compact, and work well on a city lot for this purpose.)
I’m hoping to get some weeding done this weekend – while the ground is still soft, and not yet parched and solid rock. I’d also like to clean off the back porch, place a few garden props (trellises, yard art, plant stakes), and maybe dig up and divide a few of the hardier perennials. It’s not a long list, but it will keep me busy, just like cleaning your house, you don’t realize all the other little things that need done until you’re in the middle of the larger project.
I did pick up a seedling heating mat at Agway the other day. My tomato and pepper starts were not germinating, and I, correctly, as it turns out, guessed that the little seeds were not staying warm enough – I mean if I’m sitting under a blanket in our house, they probably should be too, right? I’m super excited about the tomatoes and hope to get a few good plants out of them this year. I specifically picked varieties that are good for paste, salsa, storage(!), and drying. I love dried tomatoes in the winter! I could eat them like candy.
The Jasmanian Devil is also enjoying the start of Spring, she just turned 13, and spends most of her time napping, eating dirt (yes, actual dirt), pooping on the sidewalk (hopefully, now that the grass is greening up, she’ll move that back into the yard), and randomly falling over or missing the sofa cushion when she tries to jump up onto the sofa. And just like her humans, her allergies have started up. But they don’t’ stop her from playing in the yard and running circles around me as I work. Even though she’s getting up there in years, she still loves to hunt, and has some success at it, and she still loves to soak up the sun and roll in the grass. For some reason, watching a dog roll in the grass can be quite a happy moment, they get so lost in the moment and the sunshine.
With everything that’s going on leaving me frazzled, I’m praying that the warm Spring weather is actually here to stay. Just a few minutes ago, I pretended to be a lizard and simply stood on a big rock in the parking lot soaking in the sun and the warmth that it is emitting today. So whether you’re pretending to be a lizard, or rolling in the grass like and elderly airedale, enjoy the sunshine, and try to let it permeate every part of your life.
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