Garden Planning

Since I've never grown a garden let alone planned one out, I needed some extra help this year. Through Pinterest I found Smart Gardener and signed up (it's free!). I was able to plan a garden using my zone, plot size, and sun angle.

Then you get to go and add all the vegetables, fruits, herbs, and flowers you want and arrange them in your virtual garden which will then reflect perfectly how you should lay it out in the real bed. They have a handy feature which allows them to arrange your garden for you based on all the variables. You can move and adjust and make everything perfect for you and your space. If you add a seed variety that won't have enough time to grow, it warns you.

On top of all that they give you weekly email reminders telling you that you should start -something- now.

For first time gardeners, this is great. In fact I could only find one downside... I didn't have enough room in my proposed garden for all the seeds I'd bought.

...bummer.

So, after that crushing disappointment, I re-grouped.

I decided that I'd grow my Red Wonder Wild Red Strawberries, Thessaloniki Tomatoes, and Dill in containers. My Schoon's Hardshell Melons are going to be in a separate raised bed on the front bank (where the most sun is available). The Arikara Sunflowers don't have a home yet, but I'm thinking Gramma's flower garden. The vegetable garden will contain: Blue Lake Bush Beans, Kuroda Carrots, Boston Pickling Cucumbers, Amish Deer Tongue Lettuce, Black Seeded Simpson Lettuce, Cimmaron Romaine Lettuce, Little Marvel Pea, King of the North Peppers, and Early Straight Neck Yellow Squash.

That's it so far, except for the blackberry bushes I'll be transplanting from a friends hillside. They'll go out with the blueberry bush (only one right now, his friend died) in my miniature berry patch.

As an aside about the blueberry bush. It did produce berries last year, but we didn't get any because I didn't know enough then to throw a darned screen over it! The reason it produced without a friend (blueberries need another bush to produce berries) is because there is half an acre of blueberry bushes across the road, owned by the Greenhouse. (It's awesome having a greenhouse/nursery across the road!)

I know it's not a whole lot, but this is where I'm starting and I am content to see what this endeavor will bring.

*As a side note, I was not compensated in any way for this review by the author(s)
of Smart Gardener, I just found it truly helpful and thought to share it.

God's Sense of Humor

Sunday morning came, and the alarm went off. I shut it off and decided that even though it was

Easter

, I wasn't going to go to Sunday school and church. I started thinking of a few excuses to give Gramma, because she's always concerned when I don't go and makes sure I know it! A few minutes later as I was drifting back into sleep my phone starts ringing obnoxiously loudly. I reach over to answer, sure it's my boss asking me something silly, and I see it's Gramma. I answer it because the only other time she had called (instead of texted) one of our cell phones, she had been in a terrible car accident. I said, "Good morning Gramma!" and she said, "Lisa, I've locked my keys in the car at the gas pump, can you please bring me my spare as soon as possible? Your mom is home right? She has my spares." I assured her that yes, I'd be there soon, and hung up.

I laid back in bed for a few seconds and all I could do was smile up at the ceiling and tell God He was a funny guy.

So I got up, got dressed and got in the car to rescue Gramma. The church is in the very same town I had to drive to, so there was no reason for me not to go and so I went, and thoroughly enjoyed service and adult class lessons.

It still is making me smile to think that He went through all that trouble to get me to church. What an awesome God we serve!

Spring!

Seeds are (hopefully) on their way, the garden has been raked out of dead leaves. Now it's just pulling the old flowers and the gigantic Yucca bush out of the garden and I'll be ready to sow/transfer. Just over a month until our last frost date!

I don't have a fence, but I'm sure I'm going to need something up. We have plenty of wild bunnies who could use fattening up. I am anxiously awaiting the nursery across the road to fly it's "Open" flag so I can run over and get mulch and some dirt.


We had our first real day of spring on Saturday and it was just glorious. Makes me anxious for the lovely days ahead. The crocuses were poking their heads out of the front flower bed adjacent to the driveway, there's something poking out of the flower garden (my new vegetable garden) it's tulips or hyacinths or daffodils, but I can't tell yet. Too bad they have to go. I'm (not so) secretly hoping that they are daffodils, my favorites. There are buds on the big lilac! I'm praying they don't get frozen off in another hard frost like most years. I simply love the smell of lilac.

I also have the following sewing projects promised:

Apron - Gramma (I'm thinking Quinn's Gathering Apron.)
Flat-Bottom Zipper Pouch - Amanda, purple.
Fix/Mend Zipper on Red Pants - Holly.
Small Curtain for Podium at Work.

And I went yesterday after work to a local fabric shop to look at a fabric for Gramma's apron and Amanda's purple zipper pouch, only to realize after getting halfway there that I was way too tired to be making the drive. I'd like to tell you that I then turned around and made for home, but it's not true. I made my way (slowly) to the shop and discovered it was closed! Color me disappointed.

Feeling a bit more awake, I decided to take a second way home... that I've taken only once before... and I'm sure you see where this is going. I got lost and made it to a town I've never been to before. Go me! I turned around, drove all the way back and found the right road and went home. Jeepers!

Preparing for Spring

It's hard to believe winter is already (well, almost) past us. I so enjoyed this winter. It was nice to have a winter at all since Virginia doesn't have what I'd consider a real winter season. (This coming from a native Central New Yorker.)

We had plenty of snow accumulation, but now starts the little know fifth season - mud. We live in a river valley, and you know what happens in river valleys? Rain collects there. And that makes mud.

Otherwise I've been gearing up towards planting my garden. I still have to prepare the soil (and buy/gather mulch). And order seeds. I can't believe how long it's been since January, when I was actually ready to order. Mom contributed $75 towards the seed order, so I'm waiting on a check from her to order. I did buy organic (but not heirloom) cantaloupe seeds, but am trying to think of a place to plant them since the proposed garden space certainly isn't sunny enough for melons. I'm thinking the top of the front bank, which would get sun all day except right before sunset.

I've also been talking to a local breeder about getting a Miniature Australian Shepherd dog from her early next year. I'm waiting on an email back so mom and I can go visit them. I've been reading a lot about them and the current contention between Australian Shepherd/Miniature Australian Shepherd/Miniature American Shepherd people. My chosen breeder maintains that her dogs are just slightly smaller than average Australian Shepherds, instead of the Papillion x Aussie crosses Miniature American Shepherds seem to be descended from. Australian Shepherd people are mad because "there is no height division within the breed," which is true. I want an Aussie, but can't have a larger dog right now, so this is an excellent solution for my situation.


I'm so in love with this breed! Who could resist a face like that?

Also on the dog front, I've been training mom's Miniature Long-Haired Dachshund, Bailey in basic obedience. He is smarter than I believed and I am truly enjoying working with him. It's nice to work with a dog again!

Our computer crashed a little while ago, but it up and running after a through cleaning and a hard drive replacement, so that was exciting. iPods are difficult to browse the internet on when you vehemently want to use the computer for it's FULL keyboard!

So, ONWARD TOWARD SPRING!

Photo from Madaise on Flickr.

Max Moves On

I recently wrote about Max, the Sheltie that I had taken in a few months prior. I came to the conclusion that he and I both deserved better. He deserves a home that understands him and wants him and can help him. I deserve a dog that is everything I want. So I got in contact with a breed rescue and we spent a few phone conversations discussing the program and what they could offer for Max.

And, the thing is, I liked how it sounded.


I was very skeptical. I have never done anything like this before, but I desperately wanted help for Max. After back and forth-ing on it, I came to the conclusion that I was happy with what they could offer, and they were willing to place him with one of their foster homes.

So last Friday, that's exactly what happened.

He's in his new place now, and I hope happy. I'm waiting until Monday before asking about him, to give everyone (including myself) time to adjust.


I miss him, and I know he doesn't understand. He was shaking in the crate in the back of the car that came to pick him up, and that breaks my heart. Then again, I know it's best for him.

That doesn't stop me from feeling bad.