Well I meant to get this post up last week… but the week got away from me!

I’m trying to get a bunch of stuff done before July, when I had several intensive projects that are going to need my complete focus and attention.  So, I decided that I needed to get my to-do cards down to under 20.  Considering that a week ago I was at like 36 or 37 cards, this was going to be a busy week.

However, at least a couple cards were concerning my garden and getting it all in place and growing where it belonged!  (Not safe in the cold frames!)

The beans and peas are doing wonderful. Much better than last year. I had almost 100% germination and they are all nice and strong and growing thickly. The peas are close to getting near the trellis and once that gets going it won’t be long before they start flowering. Can’t wait. Sweet peas off the vine in the summer are a wonderful treat. And I just love green beans all fresh and ready for a little quick cook and some butter and a bit garlic salt. Just good stuff.

What a difference a year of mulch ad compost added to the beds. Everything is growing nice and happy.

We finally got all the corn planted! Yeah, a little on the late side, but at least I planted lots of early corn, so I think the 3 months of growing we have left will produce some sweet corn for the table. I planted four different types… two that are full sized garden sweet corn and then a strawberry Amish popcorn and for fun, an Asian baby corn variety that produces up to 20 little ears per stalk! Can’t wait to see how that works. And with our new induction heat hot plate we’ll be able to do a decent stir fry! I’ll keep everyone updated on these fun varieties.

Absolutely love these seed tapes for radish and carrot this year. No thinning needed. And super easy to plant. For the extra dollar a package, this is the way I’m going all the time. Even if we have to make our own napkin tapes, this really beats thinning. And I believe they are growing faster and healthier, not having to compete from the start.

The last of my iris bloomed last week. I’m sad to see them go. But the daisies and black eyed Susans are getting ready to start blooming, so that will distract me I’m sure. We even have a few Tiger lilies finally blooming! I transplanted these fellows and last year they didn’t bloom. But they’re getting the hang of it now.

The apples have self-thinned their own ranks. This tree had 19 little apples in the beginning and now it has 9 nice sized little apples left. I think I’ll get a few more than last year’s total of one. (haha) The peaches are going to be plentiful if they make it to maturity. But they sure look like they’re going to give it a heck of a try. They are huge already!

My mint is really doing well. I am going to have to read on how best to use and preserve it. I wonder how many leaves you need to make mint extract? I love mint candy patties and I have seen some recipes before for homemade ones… I’ll have to give that a try!

I’ve got to add a cute puppy picture in here you know.

Funny little thing happened last week and it was pretty upsetting.

I had just seen my Dad off on his way and came back in the house, was putzing around. I laid back down for a bit and went about my day afterwards. Around 2 I had to meet a client about some printing and I go out and our car is gone. Old Blue is GONE!

At first, I am standing there in disbelief. Did I park it somewhere else? Was it stolen? What gives… it is a weird feeling. I mean who would steal an old station wagon? I mean, we love the old lady, but still… weird. I call the police and find it has been towed. Apparently, the place that I have been parking in for two years is not a parking space. Yeah, that cut out and the parking block are just ah, a decoy or something. No one has ever told me that it’s not. Our new management thinks that having a rough hand is the only way to treat people. $135 bucks and a stressful afternoon and the old lady was home. I guess it was a good thing that Gunnar was at the shop (long story… the transmission that they put in didn’t take. Thankfully it’s not costing me anything, but still, he’s gone and has been for a while now… soon… soooooon.)

So, as you look at the above picture… you see Blue where we are SUPPOSED to park her. Not in the parking space to the right, no, that is a turn around for me and my non-exisistant neighbor to the north. He’s probably the one that complained, don’t you think? My imaginary neighbor. Or maybe his imaginary wife. She can be difficult at times you know.

Well, you know, my girls were upset and the neighbors were all fuming and we had a little pow wow and lots of mean things were said and suggested, but you know, in the end, I think the worse part was the feeling of harshness that it presented. When I was getting the car out of hock, I noticed a tote board and nearly $1300 in tows came out of our park that day. And we have a lot of low income and elderly folk… $135 is a lot of money. The management could have handled it in a much more friendly way and lef their little red “love” tags on the cars that were parked wrong, especially residents cars. If they continued, then sure, tow. But not even a warning. Manager said it was in the newsletter that illegally parked cars would be towed, so I should have known.

But I would have NEVER suspected in a million years that I was illegally parked. I mean, the other places don’t have parking blocks or anything.

Oh well. Lesson learned. Just makes my goal of moving the Moby to her own plot of land something I’ll work even harder for.

Well, that was last week! I promise that I’ll update the blog more often and get a few more good shots of the corn growing and all that stuff!!! Busy day tomorrow… two gigs in one day! Shooooot! Busy bluegrass girl!