Let's get dirty

The weather turned out to be wonderful this weekend- mid 70’s, sunny & clear- so not much knitting got done, but I did make progress on my first attempt at winter gardening.

I mentioned that the guys built me a raised bed last year;

(Back yard before)

 

(The new fence section- blown down on Christmas)

 

(New section of patio put in)

 

(Removing old patio section)

 

 

it was part of Sam’s FFA project & turned out great- 3 foot wide by 15 foot long, & nearly 12 inches deep, which was filled with ready-mix soil & compost that we had delivered.

 

(Building the bed frame)

 

(Backyard- After 2006)

 

The plan was to add another section perpendicular to the original, though not quite as large, but it kept getting put off for other projects. The week before Chris left for Orlando, he got four days off; since Sam didn’t have school three of those days, they finally put the new bed in & even stained the section of fence that was built last spring. 

 

(Planter area 2007- Before)

 

(Planter area 2007- After; that post is Sam's sparring pole) 

 

I purchased the plants during my last trip to the nursery & have been babying them in their pots, so I figured it was time to get them in the ground. So far, I have the two cold weather tomatoes (each have several growing already), six broccoli bedding plants, six red cabbage plants, & one row each of carrot, lettuce, & radish seeds in the ground. I plan on putting in two more rows of each of the latter, as the first rows are grown enough to thin out.

 

 

I’ve also picked up some red onion sets, which I will spread around both the beds, & some snap pea seeds to put into the new bed for the winter.

 

 

(Drawf Meyer Lemon- just starting to turn)

 

All that will be left is to move the lemon tree back onto the covered porch, transplant my little blueberry bushes into the new bed, & put in some cold frame supports when Chris gets back. I plan on using lightweight PVC poles & spreading heavy gauge clear vinyl over the frame, that can be either tied down for protection, or rolled back to take advantage of the rain or regulate the heat.  They are my own design, so we’ll have to see how it works out.

We have another full week ahead, with Homecoming events, a quilting workshop, & (hopefully) Chris’ return home on Saturday. The only kink in the works is I have jury duty this week; the Superior Court is about 30 miles away, but so far, I’ve only had to check in to the website twice a day- I have a feeling that either Wednesday or Thursday, I’ll have to appear at the court house. I wouldn’t mind serving on a jury, since I do get paid for it by my employer & I’ve never done it before; it’s just that the timing is not great, with all the things going on at work (no one to cover for me) & my annual escheat deadline looming on the 31^st.

I’ll check back in later this week, with pictures of the Powder Puff game- Sam was so cute!