And so it begins...Garden 2021

 Hmmm...it's been a "hot minute" since I've blogged...6 weeks to be exact. Much has happened in that time, wedding planning, engagements, bridal showers, school and more school, paperwork, financial planning...life. I tend to get "stuck" on big events I want to get right and then don't blog for months. I am aware of this tendency. I have noted I tend to skip blogging in the Alaskan summer and falls...and I'm determined not to let that practice stand. We LOVE the spring, summer and fall (glorious week) up here and need to share them, lest years from now our descendants think Alaska is one long winter. LOL 

I'll start "today"  and backfill as I go.... 

Even by Alaskan standards I am a couple of weeks "behind" in getting my garden in.  We are late to plant, but the abundance of sun helps things grow fast up here. I am learning to get things done in snatches...when Dad is napping...and when there aren't appointments. Michael has been working on a big garden project which has diverted his help for things like rototilling and hauling dirt. We had to wait until the week AFTER memorial day to get our garden compost/soil. In any event.....here are a few before shots.... 

Yes, I AM aware one can cover the ground in the fall and weeds are supposed to magically disappear. My beds WERE covered. The ground is covered with black plastic...

The Squash patch 

Cardboard, left-over shingles, roll of roofing paper, tarps and old carpet. The chickweed and dandelions made cracks in the shingles etc...and grew up anyway. 

Nolan and Alex are working long hours. Michael is busy with another project and this "space" is just too much for me to conquer....and yet I'm learning not to live life with an "all or nothing" mentality. I've decided to simply weed the beds and around the beds and plant. I'm not sure I'll plant the squash corner this year, or the potato patch. I can't find onion sets. I'll do what I can do. 

For the first hour it was me and Millie in the garden, as the girls were out for a run.  Millie is quite the dandelion slayer. The trick will be keeping her out of the beds when they are planted. She can scratch in the ground all she wants. Note her "fresh start" hair cut. I need to get some before and after shots of her blogged. 

Gardening is hard work! 

This bed is, for some reason, favored by our moose population. The hoop is bent beyond help and the cover was shredded, the bed  was well fertilized - thus lots of weeds. I removed the frame and we set to weeding. 

I finished weeding the one bed I had planned to do today - I also tackled the tall grass and weeds around it. After lunch it was time to fill it with the new soil and plant...there were challenges.  Michael took pity on me and interrupted his project to mow a path from the dirt pile to the garden. This was incredibly helpful and much quicker than my plan of weed eating it all. Again, I planned to do it "all" and Michael proved doing a bit was a huge help and we'll get to the rest of it later.  I'm learning the beauty of "tomorrow." ::snort:: 

I kept weeding beds and the girls began hauling dirt to the beds. They were a great help. 

Allie and Stacia are extremely happy to be done with school so they
can help with yardwork! LOL 

Grandpa woke up from his nap. Alex got home from work and was happy to stay upstairs with GG so we could continue working outside. We far surpassed my goal for the day. We went with the momentum.

If you give a girl a hose.... I told them to soak the bed, I wanted it wet several inches deep.....

There is certainly nothing wrong in having fun while you work - in fact there is a lot right about it. There was talk about stomping grapes, I waited to hear if they were going to move on to mud wrestling, at which point I may have intervened. LOL  Maybe. 

The girls headed in for showers and I planted two of the beds. The starts in the greenhouse are looking pretty ragged. It's good to get them into the beds, even though the majority of the garden is still a weed patch. LOL 

I planted two kinds of cauliflower, Brussel sprouts and broccoli in this bed. 

 

This bed has two more  Brussel sprouts, cabbage, a few broccoli, lettuce and asparagus. I need to research asparagus. I'm wondering if I let it go to seed if I'll get more here next year. 

I still have this in the greenhouse to get planted....and beets, carrots and beans to direct seed. OH - and a lot of potato starts from last year's harvest...if we get that far. The farmer down the road hasn't planted his potatoes yet, so there is still hope. 

I found a few small beet plants, one lettuce plant, one onion, and an asparagus amongst the weeds. This makes me wonder if I can leave some planted in the fall and get a jump start on the spring next year. I may try a bit and see.  I assumed it was too cold and dark to try that....but somehow I had tiny beet plants. 

If one is very disciplined with their eyes, it's starting to look like a civilized garden plot. LOL 

We were supposed to have respite care today but Benny was running a low-grade fever. In many ways THIS was the best respite we could have had for the day. Michael made good progress on his project (which I'll blog when it's done), I made good progress in the garden. 

But, alas, it was 5:30 p.m. and none of us had given dinner a thought. The girls and I ran to the store. I was too tired to go in. They ran in and bought deli chicken, potato salad, a get well balloon and gift for Benny. Ah, and epsom salt! I sat in the car and hydrated. We dropped by and "surprised" CoRielle and then headed home to get dinner. Michael ran out to the hospital.  We got veggies and fruit to added to the pickings from the store  and ate. 

I'm told we watched an episode on Netflix - but Millie and I slept through most of it. 

Walk, Walk, Walk

 I LOVE walking. 

There is no reason for me to walk - other than I discovered during quarantine it is my FAVORITE exercise, and it works. I was walking 5 -7 miles a day...and then....caregiving, winter, planter fasciitis interrupted my routine. I finished the winter on the bike and elliptical. 

I like getting OUTSIDE to work out. I like seeing the area I live in. I enjoy getting further and further from home...on my feet. I enjoy to the time to think, pray, connect with others, and polo with friends. I listen to podcasts and music. 

Last fall at this spot a gal stopped and gave me a ride up the road as there was a mama and baby moose who did not intend to let me pass. LOL 

And so...in May I began to gingerly start walking - and I discovered my feet still hurt, but no worse. I also added to my routine of rolling my foot on a frozen water bottle, stretches...but stretches AFTER HOT WATER soaks...and things are slowly improving. I hope. 

I started walking 1/2 a mile....it was a big day when I walked 2 miles. Today I walked 4.36 miles.  I had a yearly goal of walking 1000 miles. I may make it even though I was totally sidelined in Jan/Feb. 

I go after I drop Alex at work at 0500. It's warmed up enough that I can shed the coat, hat and gloves. I had dreams of catching the sunrise and that worked for about a week. NOW the sun is rising at 4:12 a.m. and setting at 11:41 p.m.  I have accepted it will be a rare sunrise walk for me. LOL  BUT this is still worth getting up early to see....and at 0500 most of the crazies haven't let their dogs out to run wild in "the country." 

Walking Total - 460.51 miles/1000 miles 

Sunday Afternoon Ride

 I don't know that you can beat the decor in our sanctuary! And how often do you get to preach in your cruise hat??? 

After lunch the guys all settled in to rest and nap and such. The girls and I headed out for a bike ride. 

I gotta keep my eye on them every second lest they wander into danger. LOL 

After the long winter (which felt longer than typical somehow) we are LOVING outside. We're spending as much time as possible walking, biking, hiking and gardening....well "I" enjoy the gardening. The rest of them - not so much. 

The wildflowers are out - we were especially happy to see Fireweed. 

Gathering with church family, the river, mountains, wildflowers, sun, warm temps - all very good for our souls this Sunday.

Krista's Bridal Shower

 We had to be sure to mow last week so we could put out some weed and feed because THIS Saturday is Krista's Bridal Shower. Arielle, her matron of honor, did a great job pulling together all the details and delegating responsibilities. Bre, Brittany, Allie and Stacia all had a hand it making it a fun day for all. 

Back - Stacia, Allie, Arielle, Me & Mona (Luke's mom)
Front - Carrie, Krista, Bre and Carrie (Luke's sister)

It turned out to be a beautiful day. It wasn't too hot - and the bugs weren't TOO pesky. It was fun to have everyone over. 

Jen, Cecila and Jacque

Sandy, Nora, Rose

Krista and I  - didn't even coordinate the matchy thing. LOL 

Jojo (BreZaak's) 7 months

Bre shares how Krista is like a succulent plant

I discovered through this wedding and two showers...Brittany is the queen of shower games! 

Krista and Brittany

Cold Feet - Lindsey and Krista try to pick rings out of bowls of ice with their feet. 

Cecelia and Jojo 

Opening gifts - Allie and Krista

The girls - minus Larissa (and Maria)

Back - Stacia, Allie, Arielle
Front Carrie, Krista, Bre

First Mowing of 2021

 It happens every spring. 

We breathlessly wait for the yard to green up. 

Overnight it greens and GROWS...and the mowing is on. The first mowing of this season took over 25 man hours to complete. I manned the push mower for the orchard and around the perimeter and in close places - like the swing set, hammocks and around the fire ring. Allie and Stacia set to with the weed eaters. Michael and Arielle took turns on the riding mower. 25 hours!!! The grass was tall - so we had to empty the bags OFTEN. 

We don't live in a manicured neighborhood - even so, we probably are a couple of weeks behind. We've been putting most our man hours on Michael's project...but we have an outside bridal shower to host...so it's time to move the mowing to the top of the list. 

Grandpa pulled dead leaves off this cherry tree. (It's August 4th and I can report we have lots of cherries). 

Allie catches the vision....and sets to with the weed eater. 

Benny is our youngest laborer - and he's the one that thinks it is the best fun! 

We didn't get it ALL done - I'm not sure we've ever seen it ALL done at the same time....this will wait for another day....

This IS done. LOL