Going Squirrelly!

Yes, the little critters are running around like crazy trying to build some nice comfy nests to make more little critters. We let them be of course,..after all we are pretty well surrounded by trees, and the squirrels were here before us. They provide many laughing moments, and so thought I would share these two photos from today. The Yucca is one of the few plants we protect from winter snow, and it pays off usually with it's lovely blooms. However, the wrapping is pretty well done for after a few years of squirrel ravaging. It's nesting time for all our garden friends))).

Building on the Tomato Vision

Well, ..the two beds are built, ready and waiting for soil. The cost was about sixty dollars each but they should last for a good few years. We plan to staple screen on the inside along the bottom to keep soil from seeping out, as well as line the raised beds with either landscape fabric or plastic. The floor of the beds will be thickly layered with newspaper; the grass beneath should rot away. I have Sarah Raven's Chilli Jam recipe at the ready and Mrs. Rama Charkavarty's Tomato Chutney recipe from Madhur Jaffrey's "Taste of India". Oh, can't you just smell those sweet, luscious tomatoes,.. ginger, garlic and chillies.. their fragrance filling the kitchen! Hope springs eternal!!!

Visions of Tomatoes

It has been many years since we have had a bumper crop of tomatoes. Blight seems to be the problem but who can say. So this year, we are building two raised beds in hopes that more sunlight, more air circulation and fresh clean new soil, will help those "tomato babies" we are nurturing reach full adulthood. Can you feel our enthusiasm? Let's hope it isn't a bust! The building of beds has begun! Recommended reading: "The $64 Tomato" by William Alexander))))

Molly Girl..

Like butter would melt in her mouth! She is the most delightful and spirited beautiful Golden retriever we are related to and born on the sunny South Shore!

The goldfish survived!

Well the girls made it through (and presumably the boys). Our pond is quite small, and just three feet deep in one spot, so it's always kind of iffy..will they make it or not? Our winter was rather mild, and now with a mild spring, I guess they are raring to go. Any local folks reading this, there should be babies to give away. The pond looks rather green and poorly right now, but it usually sorts itself out before long. The thing is, I wonder if the goldfish would still be asleep if it had not be for a certain Molly girl who, retriever that she is, had to take a cooling dip on our last sunny day. The ice rimming the pond at the time didn't stop her. Molly has a mind of her own!

Babies are up but it's still raining outside

Isn't rain, a gardener's best friend? Well we appreciated it here yesterday and today, because the soil in the beds looked dusty and thirsty. However, while it was raining outside, our babies were born. Seven days, ...and those darling tomato seeds sprouted and came to life. I have to say, some of the seeds are years old, one packet almost eight, but it's an heirloom...doesn't that explain it? Half of the seeds germinated are new to me.

The mystery novel turns it's first page. What will the outcome be? Shivers...

Forsythia forcing

My friend K and I went exploring about ten days ago, looking for silent sleeping forsythia. It is always a delight to bring what appear to be dead branches, into a warm environment, place in a vase, and watch the magic unfold. If you haven't tried forcing forsythia, I can attest to it's rejuvenating value...the blooms say "spring is here"! Quince, plum and apple tree branches will also reward you with it's blooms this way although in my estimation, forsythia is the winner.

Hello from Nova Scotia, 11 degrees today

Hi, my name is Brenda. Welcome to our garden located in a zone 6 area of Nova Scotia, Canada. This year, we are trying a few new and different approaches growing early vegetables, under shelter and inside our greenhouse/summerhouse in the back yard. Today, we started with four rows in the garden .. lettuce, beets, chard, spinach and carrots. We also planted a row of those lovely six inch tall marigolds to help keep the ants away. Good luck with that I can hear you say. Anyway, it is all going under the row cover and fingers crossed, no more snow and temps will rise steadily.