Springy Shoes

I wish I'd gotten video of these puppies in action before they bit the dust. But the virgin test flight took place at Park Day, and I didn't have my camera with me (what was I thinking, not having my camera on me at all times?).



The concept and implementation were pretty simple. Attach some springs to the bottom of some shoes so you can bounce. (I'll give you one guess who's project this is).

The "springs" are actually snow cone holders from our snow cone making kit (they hold the cone-shaped paper upright to free up your hands). The shoes are hand-me-downs that he wears from time-to-time, but he's just not a dress-me-up kinda kid. Michael started out using different types of tape, but they didn't hold up very well. Liquid Nails (construction adhesive) did the trick.

Once we reached the park and had a suitable audience of other kids and apprecitive moms, Michael donned his Springy Shoes and, sure enough, bounced all over. He actually had pretty good control and did not suffer any mishaps (though a couple of us moms agreed that a crash helmet would probably have been a good idea). He got a pretty good work out before one of the springs loosed itself from shoe.

Then he was off to the next "thing".

Signs of Spring

March has been tempting us into believing that Spring has arrived. Has it? Is it really safe to start planting? Or, will there be one last freeze to kill off tender young seedlings before She is really here?

Tulips at the mailbox.

More bulbs at the mailbox.

Second year strawberries starting berries.


Personal Sun Teas....perfect use of a large canning jar!

Reading to the kids on the back deck. Sleeping with the windows open. Puttering in the yarden. Yep, I think it's spring.

Garden Log 3

Another perfect day for gardening...

BooBoo planting more stuff in his garden.

Papa Bear got the rest of the tomatoes planted, and cleared out, leveled and mulched the bed. Since he was running to Ace for a tomato cage and mulch, I asked Papa Bear to pick up some flower seeds. He brought back two more strawberries, packs of lettuces, spinach, cabbage, and red onion, and flower seeds. And mulch and a tomato cage. Gotta love him. So, I had a little more planting than I had planned to do today. But, whatever.

The expanded (again) strawberry patc.

Not sure why we have to have the crane in there...

I got everything in except the cabbage, ‘cause I gotta check my book (which is with Em) about where the cabbages need to go. I’m pretty sure I remember not to put them with the tomatoes, so I didn’t put them there. All that’s left now is to add flower seeds to complete the herb and tomato gardens. I’ve got marigold, three colors of alyssum and two of nasturtium. Those, plus a few more onion and basil, and everybody should be happy.

BTW, the reason I plant flowers in with my herbs and tomatoes is to provide the beneficial insects with shelter and food. They lay in wait under the alyssum until a pesky insect comes along, then they jump out and eat ‘em. Don’t need pesticides that way, and you can have a lovely little miniature eco-system right in your garden. Cool, huh?

The tomato garden, with lettuce, spinach and red onion.

I also planted the topsy turvey’s. Yep, Papa Bear bought four of “those things” last year. The plants didn’t fare too well, mostly, I think, due to lack of water. They were hung too high for the kids or I to water them, so they were dependent on Papa Bear’s reach for survival. This year, he got extension chains, so they’re hanging low enough I can reach them. Two tomatoes and two peppers.

Looks like rain tomorrow. Just in time to water our gardens. Perfect.

Garden Log 2

Finally, back into the garden today. A beautiful day, almost too beautiful to do anything other than lay under a tree and dream all day (I actually napped in Popper for a couple of hours this afternoon, listening to the birds, before hitting the garden). Planted two more strawberries in our little “patch”, mulched everything left needing mulching, fed Little Tree, and trimmed and fed My Poor Roses. I had 11 absolutely beautiful roses at our house in CA; here I have three poor, pathetic little bunches of twigs sticking out of the ground that occasionally toss out a bloom here or there. (sigh) Very sad.

The survivor chives have shot up, and I haven’t lost anything I planted previously. Which is good. Most of the mystery bulbs are blooming, or beginning to bloom, so I can ID them pretty soon. Can’t wait for the daylilies and irises to show.

Garden Log 1

"I must confess, I quite like a tidy, organized garden." - Me

A long days work.

It was a perfect day for gardening. Sunny in the morning, warm but not too hot, and overcast all afternoon.

After about three hours of prep work yesterday in my kitchen garden (primarily herbs), I had uncovered several surviving herbs and had space to plant the bucketloads of plants Papa Bear brought home from Ace Hardware. I had requested he bring back some garden markers and one basil plant. I got quite a bit more.

Surviving from last year were two patches of chives, two parsley, an oregano, and possibly one sage. Today I added three cilantro (I haven’t been able to find cilantro in previous years, and need lots for my Fresh Avocado Salsa), an oregano, variegated thyme, rosemary, sage, basil seeds, and sixteen little lettuces. I fed the survivors with compost, and tucked the whole bunch in with about an inch or more of cypress mulch to deter weeds, keep the soil moist, and further feed the soil.

Garden Fairie flaunting for the new herbs and lettuces.

We’ve got a start on a strawberry patch. Three plants for now, also deeply mulched with cypress. I think they prefer straw, but I just used what I had on hand.

The new strawberry patch.

I also popped the mint into a pot. Planting mint directly in the ground is bad juju unless all you want in your garden is mint. Last night I made a very nice middle eastern salad that included mint, and I really liked the unique taste. I’ll be adding mint to more salads in the future.

We’ve also got bulbs pushing up. I cleared the soil around them, composted, and mulched, and will wait to see what they turn out to be. This year I SWEAR I’m going to identify and mark all of them, so I’ll know where to expect what next spring.

Mystery bulbs.

Oh, and I fenced off a small section for BooBoo so he has his own garden. The emphasis being on HIS garden, in direct contrast to MY garden. I’ve know it for years, but I’m really not the mellow, sharing everything, whatever grows grows sort of garden mom. I need my space. MY space. And, I’m probably over-invested in having my garden look like I want it to look, and produce what I want it to produce. Maybe someday I’ll get over that, but probably not this season. In the meantime, I’m not very generous about sharing space, soil, materials or tools. Bad Mommy.

BooBoo's patch of soil.

Up next, Papa Bear’s got four very large tomatoes to plant. We’ve been told it’s too early, never to plant before Easter because we’ll have another freeze, but he’s eager. For my part, I’ve got a few more hours’ work to finish clearing out the front walk planter, uncover what’s there, and mulch. Then, on to the mailbox planter, which has bulbs set to bloom. For tonight, by back is sore, my body is worn out, and I desperately need a bath. But, I am content.

Dirty gardening Hobbits'z feet...and winter toes.

Foot freedom after a long winter totally rocks.

Spring Surprise

It was a spectacularly beautiful day. One of those when I can’t stand not to throw all of the doors and windows open to let the air and sunshine in, and can’t stand to have study time in the family room but must bolt for the back deck swing. And, stepping out the front door, I noticed my quiet little garden, still all tucked into its fall blanket of leaves. Waiting. With little green bits poking from under the leaves here and there. Sweet. Just couldn’t bring myself to go back inside without investigating, pulling back a few leaves here and there, to see what I could see. I took pictures, grabbed the sunscreen, sunhat, gloves and hand tools, and went to work.

Parsley snuggled in her winter bed of fall leaves.

And also Chives....surprise!

Parsley revealed....

I’d noticed the parsley several weeks earlier, just before the last snow (and thought “I ought to take a picture of the parsley in the snow,” but never got around to it). I really didn’t think anything at all had survived the number of hard freezes we had this winter, plus the snows. But, there it was. Parsley. In my little neglected kitchen garden. Crazy, huh? But, I wasn’t really expecting anything else to have survived. And, I was wrong. Two bunches of parsley, two patches of chives, and a tangle of Greek oregano (though it was looking pretty coarse). I don’t think the marjoram made it, (though I cut it back along with the oregano and parsley just in case), but that wouldn’t be too dear a loss, since I never cook with it. Have no idea why I plant it every year. I guess I just keep thinking someday I’ll come across some use for marjoram. There’s no sign of the tomatoes and peppers except leaf-filled depressions in the soil where they used to be. Gave myself a bit of a start digging into one of those depressions that looked like it might be a critter hole, remembering the copper head snake that bit Papa Bear last year. But, the worst I found in there were a couple of snails lying in wait to slo-mo pounce on my surviving herbs. The snails are heading to the compost, along with all of the fall leaves which so faithfully served my kitchen garden through winter, and the weeds that have not yet had the opportunity to take over (but would if my laziness let them).

Kitchen Garden laid bare.

Kitchen Garden after last Spring planting.



Garden Fairie flaunting for Spring.

My friend, Em, is coming in a bit with her daughter. She called to say the day was so beautiful she couldn’t bear to stay home, she just had to get out and play outside with friends today. I’ll do a little more clearing up in the garden, share some suntea with Em, dump a few loads into the compost, and maybe even mulch a little here and there. Gotta get my companion flowers planted soon, before the weeds have a chance to take hold and take over. Won’t it be lovely? Cosmos and marigolds and nasturtiums all cuddled up among the herbs? Sigh.

And, to think, just this morning I was so terribly depressed I could scarce drag myself out of bed. It has evaporated in the sun and fresh air, leaving only hope and joy and loveliness. I adore Spring…..