Memorial Day weekend is the traditional garden-planting weekend here in MN, especially since we’ve had a cool spring (hey, at least we’ve had what we can consider spring, instead of jumping right into summer 🙂 ) This year was no different, despite my hubs’ insistentence I had to get the garden in far sooner.
It’s a procedure, at least for me. I posted pics last year, so I’ll spare you this year. Granted, I don’t spend all day putting the garden in. I go out after work (or on weekends, after an early supper) because it’s started to cool down (of course, that’s often prime mosquito time, too). It ends up being about two-three hours at a time.
One of the biggest time consumers is raking grass for mulch. Yes, we have a lawn tractor, but a) the grass tends to be closer to a foot tall instead of three inches tall (no golf course lawns here, more like four-wheeling), and b) with grass that tall the mower clogs pretty easy. Bottom line, in my mind it’s faster to rake it instead of mowing super slow and stopping every fifty feet to unclog the chute. Besides, it’s exercise. And it saves gas, which is saying something these days 🙂 .
I actually started planting last night–finally. Memorial Day was “Storm Day” here, so I intentionally didn’t plant because we were due some severe weather. There were a few tornado touchdowns in MN, one even within 30 miles of us, and sheets of rain and WIND! If I’d planted anything, the stuff would have either drowned or gotten beaten up from the wind.
Then the wind. Sheesh. Laying out fabric mulch and covering it with cut grass mulch that is a couple days old is fine when the wind is light, but once it hits 10+ mph it’s kinda futile cuz the grass is dry (wet/fresh grass is heavier).
Anyway, I got the tomatoes, peppers, and cukes in. Tonight I’ll put in the rest, and rake up more mulch if I have the energy. It seems like every year I have less energy to do that stuff. And hey, I’m not that old, although sometimes it feels like it 🙂 . I remember watching Romper Room after school and Captain Kangaroo, just to give you an idea …
As for writing, slowly but surely. I’m working through the reorganization of my police procedural, but I’ll have to go back to Book 2 soon and do another run through it before I send it back to my agent.
Hope everyone is having a productive early summer/late spring!
Keep on writing!
Facets of a Muse 
June 4, 2022 at 7:19 am
There’s something about gardening season, isn’t there, Julie? It makes you feel a part of the earth’s rhythm, if that’s not too mawkish a way to put it. It sounds as though you’re going have a lot of great produce when you’re done, too! I hope you have a good growing summer.
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June 8, 2022 at 6:27 am
I agree, Margot, gardening does make you feel like you have a special connection to the earth and Her moods. I’m crossing my fingers it will be a good year this year. No green beans, tho’–we’ve still got enough in the freezer to feed a small army 🙂
Have a great rest of your week!
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June 4, 2022 at 9:46 am
HI Julie, I think you are amazing to do all this planting, and that is only the beginning. Good luck with it all.
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June 8, 2022 at 6:29 am
Hi Robbie! Thanks! Every year I debate whether to do a garden because it’s such a task in the beginning (and weeding!), but there’s nothing quite like a fresh garden-ripe tomato.
Have a great rest of your week!
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June 8, 2022 at 12:59 pm
You too, Julie
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June 7, 2022 at 1:22 pm
Cats are great, AS WE KNOW, but is there anything cuter than kittens? No, Julie. The answer is no, there is not.
And wowsa, planting is an ordeal. And a tornado 30 miles away?! That is too close for my comfort. Glad it didn’t get closer, but, eeep! Those were my biggest fear as a kid.
Keep on writing! (And… trucking? I don’t know, but since it popped into my head…)
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June 8, 2022 at 6:46 am
LOL! No, there is nothing cuter than kittens (except maybe tiger cubs or panda cubs 🙂 🙂 ) And because just getting the garden in is such a process, I always struggle every year with “should I even put in a garden?” Then I think about how good fresh veggies are, and they always taste better when you grow them yourself. And there’s nothing quite like: Hmm, I’m out of onions. Oh, well, I’ll just go out to the garden and get one!
Have a wonderful rest of your week, Betsy!
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June 8, 2022 at 10:48 am
I absolutely know what you mean about growing your own food. “I feel like a salad. I’ll just step outside for all the ingredients. Including eggs, if I so choose!” Yes, girl! Still worth it. And tiger cubs, fine. Panda cubs… hmm. I’m thinking close second, except maybe when they roll around curled up like balls… Dang, you might be right!
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