Poppies and Memorial Day

First installment for the Girls Own Stitching Club Quilt

 

Poppies and Memorial Day

I have many fond memories of Memorial Day Parades, holding my American Flag, a Poppy pinned to my coat. We would get dressed up and go to the parade. So much fanfare, so exciting. The Marching bands passing by, feeling the drumbeat reverberating within. Honoring our Veterans, showing up to say Thank You.

Do you walk by the men selling the poppies? I hope you don't, when you donate, you are helping disabled Veterans in VA hospitals - you can go here to find out what the Poppies are all about.

http://www.vfw.org/Community/Buddy-Poppy/

 

 

Please be respectful of our Veterans, they have given much. Much more than one can imagine.

 



One of my favorite books for gardening "Carrots Love Tomatoes". Onion Set variety that was planted in the Strawberry Patch. Lettuce, Radish and Carrot seed.

I can just hear my Mom saying, "Hold your Horses!"

She would be shaking her head at me.

Telling me it wouldn't gain me anything.

But,

I just had to,

had to plant those seeds.

The reason Mom would be wanting me to hold back is because there is still a very strong possibility of frost around here. According to the charts May 15th. Fingers crossed or something like that....

 

 I put some stuff in the window box that is on the front of the garden shed. It's a little window box, maybe a 24" or 30" one. Can't quite remember and the knees are a little bit sore right now. Otherwise, I'd jump right up and go measure it.

Oh, sorry, got sidetracked by numbers.

Anyway, it now contains the seed of Black Seeded Simpson Lettuce, Watermelon Radish and Parisian Carrot.

It will be very interesting to see how the planting comes out. Will it be as pleasant to look at as though there were flowers in the box?

OMIGOSH it is always so exciting to plant seeds and wait for them to grow! Such an amazing and wonderful miracle. 

I also planted some Cabbage seed and some Snap Pea seed. I think the peas are awfully late, we'll just have to wait and see what they do.

Put in the onion sets, they are also late going in.

Then, there was this Sweet Potato that had sprouts all over it. It's been in my kitchen taunting me, "I bet you won't try to plant me. I bet you will just forget I exist and never even bother with me." I cut that apart and put it in some other window boxes. Hopefully that will get a nice start. It's another experiment. Hope the leaves are as pretty as the ones bought from the nursery.

 

 

 

Peach Trees Beginning to bloom

Rotted Manure, three bucket loads dumped into the garden for me,
I spread it around with my 4 tined spade and a potato hoe..
Now it is time to get my High-wheel Plow out and turn it in. 

 









Gooseberry Bushes are starting their bloom as well.



Neon Yellow Forsythia Patch.

Pretty little patch of Wild Violets and some sneaky Bugle Weed.

The Grape Vine

Back in October of 2012 there was a great Wool Show in Rhinebeck. It happens every year about the same time, 3rd weekend in October.
Here is their website
http://www.sheepandwool.com/

I had a great time, met with some fellow Ravelers that are also German Sheperd Dog Lovers. We enjoyed our quick little meetup.

The weather was great and the vendors seemingly endless.

I went to the show with 2 things in mind.
1. I want a spindle
2. I want some roving.

Did you know that there are endless varieties of spindles? How about Rovings? There are so many kinds.

The spinning was done using the park and draft method. 

I finally finished the yarn in early February and immediately started to look for the perfect pattern to use.

Knit the headband over the course of a couple of days mid February. 

(Yes, you could say that I was a compulsive knitter during that time).

 I settled on a vendor that had some gorgeous spindles, bought this one. Then wandered off until I found the roving that is attached here in this picture. All in all, I think it turned out all right. A few lumps. The final size of the plied yarn is an Aran thickness, but is 2 ply.

Plying the two strands

Wound ball of my finished yarn

Closeup of the knit piece, warts and all....

My new headband.
I think this is my most favorite knit object.
Start to finish was a great process and very nice learning experience.

Cranberries, oranges and rum?

My kitchen is full of some of the nicest scents right now.

(An' it ain't febreeze!)

I just took the Pumpkin Pie out of the oven and the Cranberries off the stove. Oooo, la la, they smell yummy. My Cranberry sauce is a little tipsy right now while the alchohol steams off.... I have to tell you I took a little sample and oh wow. Good. And the Pie! See how puffy that is? Fresh out of the oven. Yeah. Then back there in the green bowl? That's gonna be Butternut-Apple-Cranberry Gratin.  (Modified the recipe ever so slightly, also halved it.)

 Looking forward to trying that....



Finished gratin. I may have to make another one for the feast



So, now that it is still warm out, it's time to give the doggies some baths.

(Oh Boy!)



Give me the stupid biscuit, allright? I stood still for you!



Ok bath is done, lets go horse around! C'mon! Follow me!

I am soaked through my jeans and sneakers, so, it's time for the comfy clothes! 

See ya later, Happy Thanksgiving all! 

 The flower garden has come to life with lovely showing of spring blooms!

Dove Gray Iris

Poppies getting ready to crack open

1st Poppy of the season

Columbine

Bearded Iris

Not to be left out, even the yard is showing off with some cheerful Buttercups

Cranesbill Geranium, Black Beauty Heuchera, Caramel Heuchera

Whew, they made it!

We woke up to some very cold temperatures this morning, they were in the low 20's. Thankfully, I had those Pirate hats ready to cover up my Baby Broccoli Plants. I must admit that I was very nervous this morning as I uncovered the plants. They were frozen. Solid.

I spent some time fretting. Told my friend Jimmy that I was fretting. He reminded me that fretting was a waste of energy and offered up a prayer. I love how spontaneous my friend is and I am grateful that I bumped into him today.

I checked on the plants tonight and I am happily, gratefully amazed. They survived. Thank you Lord.

So, here are tonight pics.

 

Pirate hats as promised.

Supposed to be around 32degF tomorrow morning, so, the hats are back on.....

spring, Spring, SPRING!

Saturday was another fine day for gardening. I started out by running my High Wheel Cultivator the other direction from last weekend's plowing fun.

 I took a trip to my local garden center and bought a few things. Innoculant, for one. I have never used innoculant on my pea and bean seed. I was reading my handy Crockett's Victory Garden book and that information just jumped out at me this time. I have had this book since 1979, but, I really didn't notice that. So, I planted my pea seed the way James Underwood Crockett suggested.

Complete with Pea trellis made from the stuff I trimmed off of my fruit trees.

I have to say that my guy just knows what makes me happy. The other day he came home with a package of new Strawberry plants (along with onion sets! and seed potatoes!), So, the Strawberries were added to the garden on Saturday as well. Isn't this one cute?

I took a little side trip toward the back of the garden to pull some runners of poison Ivy and some other weedy stuff. (yes I do get poison Ivy)

My Horseradish is making a good showing, I need to dig up a root or two and grate it for some good fresh sinus clearing sauce!

 

Just as I was leaving the garden center yesterday, I remembered my girlfriend saying that they had their broccoli on sale, so, I grabbed a couple of 4-packs. Tomorrow it is supposed to get very cold though, so, I have to get busy making some Pirate hats for them.

The Gooseberry bushes are blooming... Very accellerated spring.

Yesterday Tim put together the boards for my cold frame. Today, I put down some weed barrier and filled the raised bed with dirt. Then we added the frame for the cover.

I have been dreaming of a Cold Frame for many years! I asked for one as my Christmas Gift this past year and here it is!

 Sowed some Tomato, Pepper and Flower Seed. It is ready to rock.

Isn't it neat? I am very excited to learn about using a cold frame.....

Happy Gardening....

(Tomorrow I will share a pic of my Broccoli and Strawberries wearing Pirate hats.)