Wattle time! A few weekends ago our neighbors B & M were trimming the leader sprouts from their apple trees and I jumped at the chance to get my wattle fence started.  From the two trees there was just enough to start building one panel of the fence. It isn't perfect, but it is fun to put together and I think really adds to the overall appearance of the garden.  A bit less of an eye sore for the neighbors, and a welcome hand built addition to the garden.  Especially as I look into a few cottage flowers that can be grown along the fence that are not of preference to the deer. (since nothing is truly deer proof, they will eat anything, I just need it to be non-preferential for them to avoid it if they have good food elsewhere)

The weather has been difficult over the last few weekends, and in conjunction with my injury, work, and other commitments, it has been too difficult to get the garden beds built.  grrr. This does not bode well for the next few months.  Driving by others garden I am starting to notice the overturned soil, the building up of the internal structures, and a few other critical winter projects.  I am not 'behind' on my ultimate timeline, but, with each passing weekend it means that more needs to be crammed into the few weeks before planting. 

I am excited thinking about the garden. It livens my spirit and gives me a positive surge of emotion.  A much needed jolt to my psyche when there are other stresses from outside that are pushing me down.  That.... is for another post however. 

Homestead Delivery!! PBR slugs, and Tomatoes are taking over

It may not seem like much, but last Thursday I went out into the garden and picked a few things to deliver to Power Puppy and Chef. Each of them received a bag of freshly picked mesclun, lettuces, swiss chard, nasturtium flowers, peas, yellow neck squash, and a mix of herbs.

Of course, I clipped a few sprigs of fresh Lavendar for their bedside stands, and some freshly picked Salal Berries.

It felt so good to be giving them this little bit of food fresh from the garden, even if it was hardly more than a salads worth per person.

The garden is growing along smoothly, and I am super happy to see the difference each day.  Right now I am battling two problems though; space, and slugs. I did the right thing at planting and planned out how much space each thing would take, and there are now crowding issues. My space issue however, is that I want more!  I want more space to grow more things!  Already in the works for next year is a plant to extend the garden another ten feet or so, add boxes to the raised garden portion, and soil improvements.  Ideally I wanted to do them this year, but, time and money got in the way.  Next year, during the winter I am going to build up the boxes around the beds, mix the soil, layer with compost and manure, and have it ready for next years planting in Spring.

But, that is only the first problem, and it hardly is a problem, it is more of an addiction.  As to the other problem, slugs, it is a never ending battle.  In an effort to stay simple and away from chemicals, I am using  an old trick my grandma used to use.  Filling small containers with beer.  The slugs are attracted to the beer, climb in, get all drunk, and drown.  Not a bad way to die all things considered.  It does mean though, that each day I need to chuck out the slug beer goo, and refill with more beer. Now.... I love beer, but I am not about to use anything of quality to drown slugs if I can help it.  Thus, for $6 I picked up a six pack of PBR, cut the bottoms off some coke bottles, and placed the slug traps around the problem plants.  It worked earlier... worked really well... perhaps this time I will need to put at least ten more traps out to keep them from eating everything.

And to round this post out, here are a few photos of the garden as it is, including the  tomato plants that are now standing nearly 4 feet tall!!! 

 

Wanna shave my llama?

Now for something completely different.  Across from where I work there is a pasture that during the summer months is filled with a small sheep herd. Standing watch over them is 'thunder' the llama. Recently the owner sheared the sheep, and likewise the llama, and was going to discard his coat for lack of anything to do with it.  Thankfully, it was quickly snatched up and is now drying after its second wash.  This is the third or fourth fleece I have received for free and I am feeling a greater need to get a spinning wheel.  Spinning yarn by hand or on a drop spindle takes a lot of time, and prevents me from making thin yarn.


The offer has gone out to the homestead group that they can have skeins of their own!!! once I get around to picking, carding, and spinning it. :)

In other news Chef rescued some left over plants from some of her students that have been placed lovingly in the garden.  No sense letting good seeds go to waste, so now a 'bunch' of bunching onions and some specialized basil sit in the garden waiting for the thunderstorms this week.