It's been a while

It has been a while since i created a post. Been so very busy. And so happy to relate that I was out gardening over the weekend. I had picked up a bunch of seeds and wanted to get my early plants started. When I started to come up with a plan I had no idea where to start. I wanted to plant lettuce, spinach, arugula and radish seeds, but where to put them. As they prefer cool weather, I realized I had the perfect spot. A good sized area that is in full shade until my Red Dogwood gets its leaves. Only problem was that I would have to remove the pachysandra in the area and prepare the soil.

Okay, so years ago it would be absolutely no problem, and I was thinking as if I was back there in the days when it was no problem to start a new garden.

Saturday was such a beautiful day to get gardening, so I went out, ready to go and started to tear up the garden. Paula had found a spot where she wanted all the plants I would be removing, ans as she is now living here, and an experienced gardener, I was happy to let her have it for an area she was planning to work on.

The work started off slowly, me finding my way through the patch of plants, slowly scraping them off the bed in order to get them moved. Then a little stiffness set in, so I moved positions and worked from another direction. Came to an old Rhododendron stump that we had be unsuccessful in removing previously, so just planted around it. What do you know? It had finally decided to let me get it out of the way! Way to go, Rhodo!! That gave me 6 more feet of garden area!!

So this new bed was going to be about 8 feet by 5 feet, and I was doing pretty well working the plants up in a rolling motion, the way you would roll up a rug. Okay, I can do this, got it going and then got stopped dead in my tracks - I just didn't have the energy to move it along!! So what did I do?? Give up?? Oh no, not me!! Now you have to remember, I have more family living here, and one of them just happens to be a big, strong cowboy, who just happened to be out in the yard. SO, you all guessed it, JD was more than willing and he got to it on my behalf and got the full bed rolled up and heaved out to the back on my behalf. OH, HOW WONDERFUL, to have extra hands, and such strong ones, at that, to help out this year!!

Then I went back to turning over the soil, and very quickly ran out of steam. With only a few feet left to be done, I enrolled my hubby in the task, while I loaded up my cart with compost. Then the cart was too heavy for me to move, so got JD to help again.

NOW, I must say here, that I used to be able to do all this by myself, and here I was having these stumbling blocks all day - I should have paid closer attention, but did not. I got right to the soil mixing and then the planting.

Got seeds all planted plus those for Leeks and Broccoli rabe. I was so happy. A new bed!! And full of edibles. Many will be harvested right there, and others will be spread around the gardens as they get large enough. as it rained all day Sunday, I did not get to plant the Onion sets or the Snap Peas. I also have lots of onion clumps coming up from last year that need to be dug and separated and then replanted.

I did think to get into the hot tub as I had done so much physical work. But I was not prepared for Sunday - I had all I could to to get out of the bed and into the hot tub on Sunday morn. This older body was not happy about all the physical work I had done on Saturday, and it rebelled on Sunday. By Monday I was able to get around better and am planning to get my Onions and Peas in today.

HURRAH for spring!!! Gotta get better at pacing myself.

As for the blog - I have got to pace myself with this also. I will be providing daycare for the kids and trying to keep up with all the changes this all has brought into my daily life, so have not much extra time right now. Spending lots of time researching for new edible gardens and vegetables we will be growing. I will get to it as I am able.