It's Go Time in the garden this week! A big load of compost was delivered early in the week (or "magical fabulous pixie dust" as Annabel calls it, rightfully so). We aren't able to produce all of the compost we need yet, though I'm hopeful that we're getting closer to that. Maybe next year or the year after. Regardless, I was getting a bit impatient waiting for that load of compost to be delivered, and for the ground to warm up just a bit more. But it's happened this week - all of that. Beautifully warm sunny summer like days, and now this magical dust to sprinkle into the garden beds. Go Time!
So far, onion seedlings are in (I'm trying seedlings this year instead of the sets I usually do, but that never get as big as I wish they would), some greens, peas, beets, and a few other things. A lot more to come in the next two days. I'm keeping a calendar out in the garden shed this year to write down planting dates.
Of course the 'harvest' at this point is slim to none! The perennial herbs are bouncing back from the winter and finding their way into the kitchen. Chive biscuits and gravy for dinner again, kids? Sure! And the asparagus - it's so close and I'm excited that this, our third year with it, we might be able to enjoy a few meals of it.
And then we come to Ani's corner of the garden, which she shares - for the most part - quite well with her siblings. This little corner warrants its own updates, for all the energy and excitement and activity that happens there week to week. This week, she got herself a curtain for her Pink House, a new clothesline, an outdoor kitchen, and just yesterday morning woke up to find that Adelaide and Harper had built her a sandbox after she'd gone to bed the night before! So much to do and play with in this little neck of the garden, which is essential really. Since the kids were babes, keeping the littlest one happy and satisfied in the garden has been the way we get as much gardening done as we can. At first, of course, it's on Papa's back or Mama's hip. Then we moved to a 'tent' in the garden for a little one to crawl and play in. And of course buckets of soil and shovels and all of that, keeping everyone interested and helping along the way. But this little garden house has been dreamy for all of us - we're able to talk (or rather listen, which is really the only role of someone having a conversation with this chatterbox of a child) while I garden, and periodically throughout the gardening day, I sit down for a cup of tea in her kitchen. Or go foraging for pine cones (corn on the cob), pine needles (salad), and acorns (beets) and big rocks (eggs) and little rocks (candy) for us to eat in her kitchen. It's such a sweet way to spend our time together.
Ah, another beautifully sunny day here today, and after a bit more work in my studio, I am so eager to get out there and play in the garden. Planting a few more things, and likely stopping for some rock candy and tea with whoever will join me.
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If you're new here, we have a lovely little tradition that's evolved over the past few years, where during the season, I share a garden update once a week. If you are doing the same (on any day of the week) in your own online space, please leave a link in the comments section below so that we can take a stroll through your garden! Or simply, in your words, share what you've been up to in your own garden. Be sure not to miss the comments of these posts, as the garden wisdom shared by all of you is such a beautiful thing to see - I learn so much every week! Thank you, friends. And blessings on another year in the garden!
