It looks like spring is finally here, only a couple of months late. I’m desperately hoping that the reports of 80-degree highs coming later in the week aren’t an indicator that we’re going to launch directly into summer. But, you know, the thing to keep in mind is that at least we haven’t completely screwed up our planet’s weather patterns.
With the new house and yard, I’ve decided to try to plant some things this year. Not like some crazy flower garden — I need a little more direct result than that. What I really want is to be able to grow my own food. Coming from the standard pre-packaged Chef Boyardee childhood, I find the idea that you can go into your backyard and pick out food to eat for dinner so completely bewitching.
Unfortunately, even here in the glorious Northwest where roses grow like weeds, a brown thumb is still a brown thumb. I’ve been nurturing and nursing little plants into life, some from seeds and some from starts, watering and tending … but the graveyard-slash-compost pile grows ever larger. If I didn’t bury the seeds too deeply, it was too shallow. Water too much, water enough? Oh and of course there’s remembering to bring them inside before the overnight, late-season frost. You know, little things like that.
Between trying to keep plants alive and remembering to feed the cats, I think my life-tending skills are stretched to their greatest capacity, and we’ll see how this goes. Adding to the fun, I didn’t label anything–so whatever does end up living, it’ll be a fabulous surprise. “Ooh, cucumbers! … Eggplant? why the hell did I plant eggplant?”
I was out watering yesterday, and the raspberry bushes are starting to show little berries, and one of the tomato plants … couldn’t tell you which one … looks it’s starting to grow fruit, as well. Fingers are crossed and eyes are peeled.
Maybe this’ll work out after all…
So glad to find someone else who (gasp) doesn’t label her vegetable garden. I was tardy and planted my seeds just before the gully washer, so some of the seeds just washed away , others coming up in strange places. Think I’ll have to make a trip to Freddy’s and buy some starts. Good luck with those tomatoes!