Garden Helpers...

 

I was back in the garden yesterday. I had helpers, too. While Crystal chose to observe at a distance, Tag was on a long yard lead, and Claudette was right in the thick of it all. When she got bored, she simply parked in the shade under an old Radio Flyer™ wagon I have under the honeysuckle bush just past Tag in this picture. That black coat of hers has a tendency to solar load, so she prefers the shade.

 

 

 

Much of my time was spent deciding where I want the stock tank to be situated, and assembling the first of two raised beds. The second one should arrive today and it will sit toward the front of this layout (where Claudette is heading). As an aside, it's hard to believe that Handsome and I mowed the lawn only two days ago. It looks like it needs to be mowed again already!

 

I found the green galvanized raised bed on Amazon for only $61 and change, and it measures eight feet by four feet by 1 foot high. It's going to hold a lot of plants! Once I finished the assembly and tended to other parts of my garden, I spent the rest of the time drawing a layout for where the plants will be placed.

 

I thought I'd share something I found in one of the gardening channels on Instagram. See the green disc? It's actually the lid for a buried valve box usually used with in-ground irrigation systems. They're 9" tall and about 5" in diameter. 

 

They're called "NDS Round 6 in. Valve Box and Cover, 9 in. Height, Black Box, Green ICV Cover". You can click HERE (I'm not an affiliate) to purchase your own, if you're tending a garden, too. Of course, the better deal is to purchase them in pairs, which is what I did. HERE is the listing for the biodegradable bags, too.

 

 

The video I watched explained that this particular gardener had about forty of them in all the best of her vastly more involved garden. The lid just lifts off to reveal a hollow area with the bottom open to the soil. She uses them with biodegradable bags to compost kitchen scraps. You don't even have to turn the soil or do anything further to the contents. Mother Nature (and worms or larvae) do all the work. 

 

You can see I already have a small bag in there now. I purchased enough to put one in each of the small beds, and two in the stock tank and raised beds. I think they'll be extremely useful. 

I've got errands to run while I wait for the second raised bed to arrive, so I'm going to grab my morning cuppa and then be off about my business. The sun is shining and the forecast is for it to warm up. I'll share more tomorrow.

A Good Day To Garden...

 

 

I bet you weren't expecting to see an image of pies, were you? I made two rhubarb custard pies on Monday. One was for here and the other went up to Andy and Shelly to enjoy. As I didn't take any photos of what I'm working on in the yard, I figured you might like to see pies instead. 

 

For those who might be interested, my pie crust and pie recipes were both out of the original red and white cover Betty Crocker's Cookbook. Nothing like the old recipes to make your palate sing. It's a good thing we have a healthy crop of rhubarb, as I suspect I'll be making more pies in the near future.

As I said, I worked in the yard today. I'm planting seeds and placing them in my makeshift "mini greenhouse". I have a clear sided plastic tote that is housing the containers of started seeds. I just have to water them to keep them moist, and once they germinate, harden them off to go into my planters.

I started seeds for bush beans, four different varieties of tomatoes, basil, fennel, carrots, bib lettuce and marigolds. I also bought potato grow bags - and spuds that started to grow in the pantry. I've set them aside and will plant them as soon as I bring home more soil. 

I purchased a medium size stock tank a few weeks ago, and once I've prepared that with drainage, mulch, soil and compost, my started tomatoes, marigolds and carrots will likely be planted in it. I need to get some green pepper plants, too. Later, I'm going to plant squash and perhaps white pumpkin. We'll see.

I'm going to run out for soil today and get to work on my raised garden stock tank. It's supposed to be another sunny day, so I'd like to get more done outside.

I think I told you I'm going to have a couple tables at the Purge & Splurge Sale event at Primitive Gatherings on June 3rd, so the next rainy day I'll be pulling more fabric, books, quilt kits and other sewing items that I would rather sell than store. I'm looking forward to more floor space in my studio. Anything I don't sell will be donated to good causes.

I'm ready to get my day going, so I'm off for my morning cuppa. If you're looking for me, I'll likely be in the yard for the better part of today. See you tomorrow!

Tuesdays With Tag - Puppy Coat...

 

Hi, Everybody!

 

Well, Mom said it was gonna happen but I didn't want to believe she'd put me through that again! Boy, was I wrong. She actually tricked me by askin' Dad to take me for a truck ride, and you know I can't resist a truck ride.

We drove east from home, and next thing I knew, we were parked in front of Miss Joy's dog groomin' salon. The words Canine Design on the big windows said it all. It's a good thing I don't know how to spell naughty words.

 

 

"Come on, Tag", he said. "You like Miss Joy", he said. "It'll be fun", he said. Cow patties! I'm not fond of gettin' baths. I like bein' brushed even less, and oh, the insult of gettin' sprayed with girly, smelly stuff. You'll notice, she topped off her efforts with a yellow bandana! I do like Miss Joy, but really? A bandana?

 

So here I am in all my glory. A suave, debonnaire, twelve year old Corgi, sportin' a puppy fur coat-look. She even cut my toenails and the fur around them so I have "puppy feet", too. I'd like to know where I can find somethin' especially rank to roll in. Once I get that out of the way, I'll be much happier.

For now, I'll be walkin' around gettin' laughed at by the barn cats, giggled at by Carly, and further insulted by Bella. Perfect. Juuust perfect.

I'll see you again in seven. 'til then... 

"Be A Good Dog."