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Getting Outdoors ~ Doily Finished

 


The chicks are about 7 weeks old now, so they got a day of introduction to the hens.   They say your chicks should be as large as the smallest hen, before putting them in the coop together.  I had to laugh, as the hens were scared of the chicks and they were on the other side of the run fence ha ha!

My potted comfrey is springing back to life.

Updates with the garden(s):

-planted about 100 cloves of garlic for spring planting (it was very difficult to locate organic garlic for spring planting too).  As some of you read, voles ate our entire 80 fall planted cloves, so we moved the grow bags this year.




-started weeding the herb garden, and I will be digging up all the lemon balm and moving it to the water trough (hopefully I don't kill it, as I use it often, and I need to dig out some chives that moved their way to the green onions

-started weeding the larger rose bed (this one is terrible)


-asparagus is getting harvested

Asparagus is up that we grew from seed last year.  I gave up on it, but it did not.  It's on the weed-it list after the next rain.

-rhubarb is ready to harvest as well




Herb Garden Progress.  I filled the wheel barrow 4 times with weeds, it was that bad.  I got some of the flower bed weeded as well.  They are FULL of purple dead nettle, chickweed, and thistle.  My bum muscles are sore and my arms are scratched up.  I need a day of rest, and a slather of chickweed salve.  

My arms were covered with itchy spots. Not as bad as stinging nettle, but between that and a mosquito bite.  I had no idea that tall thistle, that is dead, can still have thorns on it.




Here is a before and in progress of part of the flower bed.  We plan to expand it (why oh why??), to make mowing easier.  We weighed a tarp down with landscaping stones to kill the grass.

 I think our plan is to put in a ground cover there, such as ground phlox.  We put it off last year.  It may be next year.  You can see the trimming has not been done.

Our hired help used to be hired to mow/trim once in a while, when we are pinched for time.  Not anymore.  We are doing it, as he has raised his prices.  He's not doing more either.  Actually he'd be doing it all in less time, so yeah, we are doing it now, and it's just taking it one day at a time.

I spent my birthday doing more weeding, replanting, and putting some starts in pots for donating to a plant fundraiser.
I also got a haircut and treatment to pamper myself at the end of the day, and dinner out.  Honestly, I would have been okay with grilled dinner on the porch, but we were in town, and our empty propane tank was at home.





One done.  Finished and blocked.  My new porch project.  Only one more to make for the living room lamps.  I ended up with a larger doily than the pattern said.  I took this on a road trip, so my stitches may not be as tight as they should be, but it still turned out nicely.  I found this pattern for free online.  

Today is going to be a hot day.  No weeding today, as the ground is so dry right now.  The rain will be returning, and lots of it.  It's a brisk 49°F this morning but a high of 82°F. 

Comments

Grandma Zee said…
Just an idea, why don't you mulch all your garden and flower beds, it really saves on the weeding and the worms love it and they fertillize your beds. I use grass clippings as they are the easiest for me and easy to spread around. Just a thought. You have been busy, love all the remodeling you are doing. It is such a huge undertaking. Happy gardening.
Agent X, not said…
Belated happy birthday. Love the doily and thanks for the pattern. Your crochet skills are far better than mine....a little rusty here, but on the list to try. I relate to the sore muscles too. If you can teak it, Advil is your friend. :)
Grandma Zee, we do mulch, and the pine mulch on the herb garden has been the type that works the best. We didn't get flower beds mulched last year with everything going on with renovations and repairs. I plan to mulch this year.
Thank you Agent X, not. I am enjoying being outside again, but it's been rough for the first days out there ha ha!
Cindy said…
what do you use lemon balm for. i have some in a bed on purpose and then my husband moved some bulbs last fall out of that bed, and this spring lemon balm has popped up in the new location. obviouly, he took seed with him when he moved the bulbs. ha! was going to dig it out, but thought i would see what all you do with it before i take it out.

thanks
Cindy, my main use is to dehydrate it and infuse an oil for making homemade lip balm. I used to use calendula, but switched to lemon balm and love it. I sometimes add it to tea making as well. You can make a pesto with it fresh for fish dishes, or a calming tea in the evenings. I have not tried it yet, but I read you can add it to your salads.

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