I should be happy that it's been days and days of rain because it will help ensure a decent amount of water in the ground, but I'm watching trees and grass and plants explode and it's too wet to do any cleanup. Waah, waah, waah. There have been small amounts of sun, and I have started some projects.
In an effort to harvest more rainwater this summer, I've purchased a 330 gallon IBC tote. My plan is to connect the gutter from the barn to the tote, however the gutter desperately needs replacing. Upon closer inspection, the fascia the gutter is attached to also desperately needs replacing. Unexpected project #1.
All of the snow has now melted except for a small pile in front of Mom's barn.
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That should be gone before the end of the week with all this rain.
My hill garden is wide open and I've managed to plant potatoes in the stock tank and peas in pots. My onions, leeks, and shallots are here but I don't have space for them; all of my beds are overwintering late season perennial purchases Mom and I made. As soon as it's warm enough, I can peel those out and get planting. My garlic are doing well, which makes me happy as it's the first time I've grown it.
I also managed to plant up the large planter by the house with radish, lettuce, mustard greens, and spinach. Since these are cool weather crops and will probably be done by June, I'll be able to pull them and use the planter for my pepper plants. Remember that simple rotation guide I found? That helped me plan this succession. Next year I can use that planter for onions or carrots.
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| look at this whole lotta nuthin' |
The little front garden I built last year for my lilacs is doing well. I had planted it with tulips, allium, and muscari to fill in the blank spots until the lilac leaf out. To my surprise, the two clematis I purchased last year from Job Lots actually survived the winter and seem to be thriving! I put an old metal headboard in as a trellis, and am debating the age old question - does one follow the lay of the land, or does one please the eye by leveling the trellis? I'm going with the lay of the land.
In the back of the house, the little water feature has completely thawed, and already has become home to a clutch of frog eggs, which I discovered when skimming out the debris and dead water plants I'd neglected to remove last fall. Of note - it's recommended to leave any debris in a pile near the pond for a day at least to allow tiny water dwellers a chance to get back into the water.
We had our first bear of the season the other night. I chased him out of the pasture twice, but he came back under cover of darkness and broke Mom's platform bird feeder. Oddly enough, it hadn't been used all winter. Unfortunately this means it's also time for me to stop feeding the crows, as the dog food would likely make this a hot stop on the bear's travel itinerary. No thank you. The fox hasn't been seen since the snow melted in the pasture, but I'm sure he's still a regular visitor. Two deer were spied behind the barn for the first time since last autumn, too. I heard a woodcock at dusk a few nights ago and the peepers won't be far behind. Is it any wonder why this is my most favorite season of all?
