Planting is Therapy

I am always happier when I can be outside.. I have great dreams for my lawn and garden....the first warm days of spring in Kansas are always so welcome, I have to hold myself back from throwing all the seeds I've saved from last year into the earth, willy, nilly and physically SIT DOWN and plan!!!!

A couple of years ago..after an episode with a broken wrist, followed by pneumonia ( not the best start to Spring!!) we gathered a bunch of block of different sorts from an auction we did....and voila..a raised bed garden...

I've tried different things in it....Learned that Tomatoes in 5 foot tall cages WILL blow over in the "gentle" spring breezes of Kansas....and they NEVER look or act the same again...so, no more tomatoes up...plant them in the garden at the foot of the hill! I've learned that cucumbers really LIKE crawling on the ground...even the so-called "bush cucumbers" ..so they'll go down the hill too. I would imagine that pole beans and their teepees would rather be down there too... Arugula, lettuce, radishes, basil, and cilantro have done well in the raised bed.....tomatillos not so good..jalapenos get eaten as baby plants, no matter WHERE I put them....several times ...I planted 12 last year, 6 one time, 5 the next....saved 1!!!! rabbits 11 - Hilltopper 1...

This year, I'm trying "square foot gardening" in my raised bed....All except for the long row of Sugar Snap Peas all along the back wall of the bed....Going to put up T-posts and chicken wire for them to grow up on....I've grown them before and the vines and pods are not as heavy as tomato plants....so we'll see how it does...chicken wire is pretty light weight too and if Mr Wild Man helps me string it...it'll be right....Everything else will be planted in it's own square foot of space according to size of veggie...Brussles sprouts, broccoli, and cabbage each get thier own square foot, beets get to have 9 spaced in a square foot, cilantro and lettuce can be in little rows 3 inches apart and then thinned as needed ...same with radishes. I need to look up squashes...

The Kansas Breeze is always a factor, though....Notice the Flowering Crab ....definite lean from southwest to north east as produced by the prevailing winds od Spring!!!

Auction Time

It's that time of year. First Auction of 2010...It's a consignment . People bring out equipment and trucks and pieces of equipment which they

no longer have need for and we sell it for them.

This first one is always a gut wrencher for Darrell...He hasn't worked since November, he

tells people..and he wants it to be big....But most

construction is slow starting this year, and the

money is tight ... They want to hedge their bets

and be sure they have work before they bring stuff out to sell so they can buy new...

It'll be fine, if a bit small...and we have two estate sales scheduled for April plus 5 pieces of Real Estate to sell...

My job is to dot the i's and cross the T's...make sure we have batteries for the mics, organize the trailer office and keep the files in order....That and be the Cashier on auction day..

It's always a ZOO on the first Auction of the year...we all feel like we've never done this before..but it goes as it will. The guys are glad to get out of their shops and barns, the Auctioneers are happy to be playing to the crowds again, the concessionaire has the BEST TASTING HAMBURGERS EVER, and in the trailer, Miche and I joke and laugh with the buyers and sellers, search for keys and hand out Bid numbers right and left...Time Flys.....

Wishing....

Grey and Rainy again.....Yesterday was lovely...Should have taken before and after pictures of the raised garden I cleaned out.....

As it was , I took a picture today....Planted my first seeds for the year; Sugar Snap peas....The vines grow 4 - 6 foot long so the little gate part will not be tall enough....I'm thinking the old stand by....T-Posts and Chicken wire...Unless I can figure out a creative way to use the small trees I've cleared from the plum thickets....

Last night, we sat on our back deck and watched the Canadian Geese pair romance one another...they'll be nesting soon..There are a small flock of Canvasback ducks resting on the pond...Some of them nest there also..The Llama Girls were doing their nightly ritual of playing Queen of the dirt pile....nice evening....First of many this year, I hope.