For my birthday, Billy gave me some money to go buy things for flower pots. We wandered around the nursery (Western Gardens in Sandy: great service and great plants), trying to decide what to put in the pots. We decided that we wanted to put perennials in the pots (although we do annuals in the hanging baskets). Just in the last couple of weeks they have really gone crazy and started to fill in.
Don't you just love the petite white flowers on the moss... so delicate and subtle.
A couple of weeks ago our house was graced by my sister and sister-in-law (with the smiley baby in tow) for a day of flowers and lettuce wraps. I showed them what I learned last year about planting your own hanging baskets and my sister made her yummy lettuce wraps as we talked about light things and deep things. It was messy and fun and we all walked away with flowers to brighten our homes.
We had a garden last year. We planted seeds and bought tomato plants. We were so excited but then I got pregnant. And sick. Very sick. I never went out by the garden again because just the thought of it make me lose what little I could eat.
So, we tried it again this year. It was "late" in the season so I just planted what little we had. Potatoes, onions, and garlic. We were given tomato plants and I found some basil seeds. With that, we got our little vegetable garden going.
I had no intention of doing anything but eat fresh vegetables and apples. But then I was overwhelmed with vegetables. Tomatoes were turning red and apples were falling out of the tree. Something had to be done. So I chose the easiest canning recipes I could find and went for it. Applesauce, tomato sauce, pesto, and salsa. I even bought some strawberries and made frozen jam. With the last few apples from our apple tree, I made some apple pie filling and canned that too. Most of the food turned out good, although I am a little nervous to try the tomato sauce.
I spent yesterday with the bees and a little butterfly. Billy took the child along with him to run some errands and left me home to (finally) work in the garden before the ground freezes and it is too late to plant the spring bulbs.
So there we were, just the bees and me. They pollinated the mums while I gathered seeds for next year. They talked of their winter plans while I quietly listened to their chatter, wondering at what fun they must be having on one of their last work days of the year. And then a little butterfly joined in on the bees fun. It jumped softly from flower to flower, soaking in the sun and sipping the nectar from the mums. I wanted to talk to her but she was so distracted by her own thoughts that I let her be.
While they giggled and buzzed about their work, I pulled up the gladiolus bulbs to dry out for the winter and planted tulips and daffodils with a few iris inbetween. I wish it didn't take all winter for them to grow but this spring should be colorful and exciting. I beheaded the marigolds to save the seeds for next summer and gathered the basil and nasturtuim seeds. I churned the veggie garden, mixing in the tomatoes I didn't get to in time and the rest of the compost we have been decomposing.
All the while the sun kissed my neck and warmed my back.
The wee one is sick. A head cold. First cold ever. Poor thing. It is a wonder she can breath through all that mess.
I have spent many days during my life sick, but once Millie got sick, I was at a complete loss. What do you do with a baby that is sick? Luckily my friend has some good ideas so I am not completely without some sort of plan of action.
On a happier note, the flowers are blooming. We sure needed some color in our garden. Gladiolus and Marigolds, with Mums on the way. (I am trying to take it slow but I am currently typing up a plan of action so that we can have colors all summer long. No more of this colors in late summer only business.)
My neighbor is a fantastic gardner. She even makes her own hanging plants. Last Friday, she let me plant them with her, so that I could learn the tricks to a hanging pot that blooms all season.
