wanna be broody

Most of the day this is where Chocolate and Snowflake can be found.  They almost growl when I open the coop door and refuse to move when eggs are being gathered.

Then in the evening they are traipsing around the yard, their grand plans forgotten, the eggs cold.

Predicting the weather

Regardless of the rain coming down, the weather report insists that it is partly sunny, with scattered thundershowers expected in the early evening.

I guess Roosevelt E Roosevelt (via Adrian Cronauer) said it best about reporting the weather "You got a window? Open it!"

It's what's for dinner

Green onions (regrowing in the kitchen window), Swiss Chard, Garlic Scapes & Eggs from the backyard.

Random Acts of Yardwork

"I have a half an hour before work - I can mow the lawn"

Words I never thought I would ever say.

It looks good though.

Two Peas

All of our pea seeds are old, and I guess it was inevitable that not all of them were viable.  Of the two rows planted in April, only 2 came up.  Rhiannon helped plant them while I transplanted celery into the raised bed in the backyard.

We were going to go to the Ppatch this morning, however sleeping in is what happened (7:30!)  So now the plan is for after dinner.

the scent of spring

Still Preparing the Ppatch

The Ppatch is slow going.

Today I removed all the straw bales from the hill and replaced them with leftover and warped 2x4's from my neighbor.  It looks so much better, as the photo shows

Then I packed the straw back in and plan to top it off with compost when more gets dropped off.  In the meantime I transplanted some of the Ozark strawberries from the hill of the new plot to the top terrace in front of the apple trees and mulched them with straw raked up from the floor of the local feed store.

No money involved, but plenty of sweat equity.

And sunburned arms.

Spring appears to have arrived

Chris and I have started weeding the P-patch.

Our hill looks good, although we need to replace the straw fronting the two levels.  I planted 2 apple trees along the fence which I will try to espalier.  We signed up for another plot along the fence and need to terrace it, as I have 2 more trees on the back porch waiting.  But first I have to fight with the elm root that is sending up suckers everywhere.  I know I won't beat it, but I am of the "no leaves, no photosynthesis, no plant" mindset so I dig along the root and cut.

The idea is under the apple trees I will plant day lilies and iris (FREE from our yard) along the fence to crowd out weeds from the yard on the other side.  Add in some chives and clover, with strawberries (left by the previous caretaker of the second plot) along the edge to cascade over the salvaged wood.

Of course, tomorrow is my day off and Mother nature plans on rain.

That would make weeding easier though.

Oh oh oh - and peas are coming up in our raised bed!  And all of my greens survived being snowed on repeatedly!  And last year's fruit trees are flowering!