A Bit Un-tamed... even for wildflowers

So I stopped by the old garden to see how the flowers were doing. The nasturtiums are doing well and I saw some clover in there but there is a ridiculous amount of grass in the bottom left area to the point that I'm wondering if they planted it.

Mad Dogs and English [Wo]men

Megan, Ann and I arrived at the old house Saturday at noon. 

We were greeted by the first bloom of the season.

We got to work right away. It took a lot of effort but we weeded the garden leaving only some garlic, onions, flowers, and what I'm pretty sure is zucchini but might be cucumber. John showed up shortly thereafter and cut the small patch of grass out back with the push mower that decided to work now that there wasn't a front lawn to cut. We threw out all the things that needed throwing out, and cleaned the whole house.

Results of the tidied-up back yard.

Final Harvest

I got sun sick and had to take some Tylenol and nap with an ice cold beanbag to get rid of the headache that was bad enough to make me queezy... but I'm glad it's done.

Come on Spring....

So today started rather dismally. A nice inch or so of snow blanketed everything and... well really I'm just glad it didn't happen next week after things started sprouting.

I found this pretty but soon to be dead planter as well as some rabbit prints on the way to work.

After a rather average day at work I stopped off at the post office to get the modem that was shipped. 

I picked up the package and sent of a birthday surprise for my lil sister. I know she reads this... but it's not like I said what the surprise is. :)

Winter Indoor Plant Update

Since winter is officially here as the calender and first snow of the season insist I figured an update on the indoor plants was appropriate. The aloe has recovered well away from the direct light and is enjoying it's time on the stereo. Last weekend I gave it's baby/shoot to a friend. She's named it Medusa and says it's doing well.

The window plants have various levels of success. The lavender seems to be doing fine in it's peanut butter jar. I wrapped a tea towel around the jar holding the paperwhites because the water was going green and I was worried the extra light and heat was slowing root growth. Seems my instincts there were solid because shortly after wrapping it the roots went all over in the jar and the tops started growing. Just two days ago the flowers started blooming. They smell very strongly and similarly to wisteria.

Winter arrived on schedule.

Pretty little white flowers.

The chives in the tower seemed to be getting too much light beside the mirror and some shriveled up. Ironically, to get them away from the strong light I turned them to the window. The rest of the plants seem to be hovering in sprout stage and neither growing nor wilting. I'm not really sure what to do with that.

How are your plants doing?

Wrapping Up for Winter

Did a bunch of work in the yard today including flipping the rain barrel so it wouldn't fill & freeze.

Obligatory before shot:

We harvested what we could of the parsley and kale before pulling everything up and turning in the leaves.

I know that kale and parsley could have survived til next year but we're going to most likely be turning in a lot of things to the beds and it's not like they were hard to grow.
The cauliflowers found in the centers of the plants weren't even big enough for a snack.

Tiny

Less Tiny

We already have two big mason jars of dried parsley, a large container in the freezer of frozen parsley... so hopefully we can find this fresh bunch a home with friends.

What was left of the parsley.

And of course, the obligatory after shots:

Shed & compost piles

Trellis tied for wind stability

Lonely potted calendula.

Closer shot so you can see, the new compost pile is off to a good start.

Pic-straviganza

Pot Marigold

Cherry Tomato Flowers

Cherry Tomatoes Starting

Purple Peas

Jalapeneo Pepper Flower

Jalapeneo Pepper (kinda blury, sorry)

Radish Flowers

Broccoli Flowers

Roma / Paste Tomatoes

Neighbour's Flower Sneaking In

Lily

Rose

Onion

Various Plants in Front Bed

Garlic Tops

Don't know for sure but it's prolific.

Blooming Success

The roses are flowering nicely; even the onions are ready to bloom, and the garlic isn't far behind

The first pea flowers are opening!

The broccoli's looking good.

Lovely Lilacs and Warm Weather

Mom and lil sis visited town yesterday and we had a great time wandering all over. I took this picture of nice dark, beautifully scented Lilac bush near Talbot on King.

That's my mom's arm holding the branch still in the wind.

This weekend's supposed to be very warm with a bit of rain again.... and John has informed me that the Junebugs are out already. I've decided that since the pepper and tomato plants are getting crowded inside, they will be put outdoors this weekend even though they aren't planned to go out for one to two more weeks. (many pics to follow)

Gone in a Flash

Well maybe if a week is a flash.

And as quickly as dandelion season started, it ended.

Sprouting Like Weeds

There comes a certain week every spring where every dandelion for miles blooms at the same time. The rest of the year you can find a small patch here or there, but if you want to make wine, this first flush is when you'll find enough blooming heads... and for the past 4 years, I've missed it every single time. I start out with the best intentions of having everything ready for spring... but one thing happens, then another, and suddenly, it's spring and I'm looking around at all the beautiful dandelions thinking how I wish I had the money go buy the supplies before they all go to seed... but knowing deep down, I've missed  making dandelion wine again.

It's like a yellow haze over every green swatch of land.

Do you have a favourite "weed" you like to use as food?

Spring Has Sprung (pic-splosion)

Neighbor's Crocuses

Someone's Daffodils