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| A busy bee working over the alliums. We originally got these seeds from Pam from next door. I've been spreading them around in our various flower beds for the past couple of years. 5/21/2023 |
This month we polished off the final carrots from last year's harvest and started eating the first bounty of this new growing season. We still have other 2022 produce winding down--frozen corn and peppers, canned tomatoes and pickles, and lots of canned fruit juice and jam. But it is dwindling.
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| Transplanting the peppers, eggplants, and tomatoes out into the garden. 5/21/2023 |
Our 2023 harvests started with mint (for a yummy
Whiskey Smash). Boy Choy was next up,
inspiring us to uncover the BBQ grill for our first grilling session of the year, too. On the grill, the leaves get a little smoky char flavor that compliments just about everything while the stalks retain some juicy crispness. Mmmmm. Very good.
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| Black Pepper Tofu stirfry. 5/23/2023 |
Matt did a great job with the succession planting for the bok choy this year. It has been a steady flow of bok choy goodness all month. Over dinner this week Matt commented on how much he enjoys its versatility. We made a couple batches of Italian Soup recently but subbed in the bok choy greens instead of the called-for spinach. It is fabulous grilled or in a stirfry. We're growing a variety called Mei Qing Choi that Matt ordered from
Johnny's. Thus far it seems like a winner. Matt was particularly impressed that they didn't bolt when we had a steady week of 75-80 weather...in May, I might add.
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| A happy little, green garden patch! 5/24/2023 |
Matt took me on my annual greenhouse shopping spree for
my birthday. I bought another lilac (since the one I got last year looks so good). I now envision a lilac hedge along the front fence. One year at a time. The lilacs all over town were especially awesome this year and I wanna join the party! I got a service berry bush to replace the one I bought three years ago and steadily killed. It halfway came back last year but was completely dead this spring. I planted it in a drought and didn't tend to its needs properly. Live and learn. I bought a couple different columbine plants at the suggestion of my sister, Lisa, (who flew to Montana for Mother's Day and my birthday). Columbines make me think of my mom. In other flower news, the wildflower beds seem to be coming back nicely.
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| The first of my new columbines to flower. 5/24/2023 |
The 2023 garden is off to a strong start. Matt has thinned the raspberry canes and the strawberry patch. Matt's pepper seedlings are some of the best he's grown yet. The tomatoes were pretty great, too. That gives the whole garden such a solid foundation. It looks very promising. We moved the seedlings out of the greenhouse and into the garden plots over the weekend. For the past two nights, we had a much-enjoyed and beneficial downpour. (Though Ginger did not enjoy the accompanying thunder, especially last night.)
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| Matt told me he'd rather grill in the rain on a 40-degree day than on a sunny 90-degree day. It was raining with enough gusto to overflow our gutters AND our rain barrel! 5/24/2023 |
This is the time of year when I think our place looks it's very best, front to back. So many plants and flowers are blooming, and the trees and bushes are leafy and lush. The lawn is vibrantly green. There are visible growing things in the garden and the greenhouse is planted, too. This year we have a croquet course established as a semi-permanent fixture in the yard. An added bonus! We should rehang the hammocks soon.
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| The strawberry patch is loaded with blossoms. 5/24/2023 |
Ginger is happy to spend hours and hours napping and prowling out back. The birds are singing for all they're worth. We're particularly excited that a pair of blue jays are back. Matt is tenderly nurturing a new wildflower patch along both sides of the front sidewalk. The wildflower walkway as I've been calling it. A few times this month I stopped and marveled at this beautiful little place of sanctuary, life, and production that we've created here. It makes my heart glad. It is such a blessing.
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| Before they're planted Ginger likes to take over the big pots along the patio. Sometimes she takes them over even after they're occupied by herbs and green things. She continues to have no respect for the plants. 5/5/2023 |
What a beautiful, vibrant color columbine. The ones I have here are very pale. I love your creative walkways in the garden, and making use of what was available.
ReplyDeleteA lilac hedge! That would be dreamy. And nice and high, too, unless you get a short variety.
ReplyDeleteI was just watching a video on how to germinate seeds in a wet paper towel, inside a ziploc bag. I had heard about this method, but forgot, but it seems more straightforward than using pots. I may try it.