Sidetracked Charley

Dog Gone Alley Last year the big expansion of the "garden" was the poppy bed on the front of the deck. This year the new flower beds have been in Dog Gone Alley, a double gated entry to my backyard, and dog camp. It seemed a perfect place to put at least one raised bed for flowers. And as it has better sun for Iris than other locations I decided to make it an Iris bed. To which I add Italian Garlic (garlic has gotten lost in my hoop house) and most recently globe thistle. That left me with the other side of the walkway through Dog Gone Alley. I resisted doing another raised bed and instead yesterday went for the natural sowing method often used for wild flowers. I scattered seeds of Mexican Hat over the varied low vegetation (dandelions and a couple other creeping weeds) topped with potting soil and then mulched with straw. I also mulched the other side. And while I still had lots of mulching straw in the bag I bought (I bought two so much more to mulch) I mulched ...

Sunflower I bought a large free-standing umbrella for deck sitting and the days got cold and the winds whipped up. I have not set under the shade of my new red umbrella even once. The deck goes unused. And the flowers I used to gaze upon and photograph have undergone a killing frost. I think I am in mourning for the end of summer but I have been too busy to stop and think about it. My decade long physician retired, and the new doctor does not seem to be able to read my files. It might have been easier for me to have deliberately changed my medical provider, but I was too busy with my dentist to consider that. Genetics have finally caught up with me in the mouth department, which in my humble opinion, takes a toll on my one health issue. Dr. Cohen would have understood that. The new one doesn't except in that he can hold me hostage to more appointments. More visits to doctor and more trips to Questa to see my dentist translates into less deck time. Less lap time for Thicke,...

Garden Progress May 9, 2015 I got the top on the high bows on the 8th of May. The cover had been on the low bows over the 4 x 4 raised high beds since the 12th April. Seeds for lettuce, spinach, carrots, snow peas, and beets as well as sets for onions and garlic were planted. May the 1st I planted starts for rainbow chard, butter crunch and Romaine lettuce. My goal this year was to not over plant. And to be ahead of last year. I almost did not do a garden last year. I had two cataract surgeries to sandwich the garden between. The surgery is quick and easy and very immediately satisfying but there are these restrictions which you dare not violate. Though a friend tells me in India those with restored sight walk back to their homes on the same day and pick up work in the fields the very next. In the United States no heavy lifting or inverted poses or exercise beyond walking for three weeks. Gardening is heavy work. Especially when I wanted to do a larger bow structure than I previ...

I know it was week 32 because I do that 365 Day Photography challenge weekly blog on Creative Journey . Though I must confess I recently double checked that because I was pulling photos out of a folder marked week 33. That all probably comes under the category of TMI - Too Much Information - for those out of the texting loop. It was a week about completion and rain and flowers. It was about rediscovering my garden. Seems to have gotten along without me quite well. Hail storms had necessitated the replacement of the plastic cover. While at that task I opted to put a double fold of the old plastic just across the top to help cushion the other plastic and add more protection from hail. The squash plants have developed a powdery mold which I am told will respond to aspirin dissolved in a misting bottle and sprayed on the leaves. I harvested Swiss Chard, Collard Greens and Kale which I chopped and blanched and then frozen in an ice cube tray. These cubes are to be used this winte...