In Spite of the Weather

Things are happening at my house! On Saturday, my friend Mary and I went on a grand Willamette Valley adventure that included a trip to Voget's meats and Garden Ironworks in Hubbard, Goodwill and Al's Nursery in Woodburn, Beauman's and EZ Orchards in Salem, and a burger at the Creekside in Silverton. We got lots of asparagus which I have resting in water, waiting to be pickled.

We picked up my new pot rack (yay!) at the Ironworks place- now I just have to figure out how to hang it.

Then I saw this at Beaumans Farm and just had to have it! The perfect snap pea support! You just re-string it each year and it was a bargain!

Sunday started as a lazy day, since Mom and Mary The Intern didn't get to my house until late Saturday night from Conference. We had a great breakfast of bacon, bangers, fried tomatoes and shitake mushrooms, home made sourdough toast with home made jam, and fried eggs! Have to start the day off right!
Anyway, Mom and I worked outside since the weather was halfway decent while Steven and Mary worked on the computer inside. We got all the snap peas planted on their new support.

I also managed to make "Tomato Tuxes" for the tomato cages. These help to protect new tomato starts from inclement weather and wind. I was glad to have Steven's help, as Gorilla Tape can be tricky to work with.

I think I made them sturdy enough to last a few seasons. I'll need to do more field research to be sure...



My onions, radishes, and salad aways look exactly like the day before and I was beginning to get discouraged with the lack of sunshine, when I saw this picture I took a few weeks ago:

And compared it to this picture that I took yesterday:

I was shocked when I realized how much everything had actually grown! I suppose there's lesson about patience that I should learn here (insert pause). Okay, moving on...
My potatoes are coming up! Finally, my Norlands are above soil and I've noticed a few Russet Burbank and Yukon Gold plants poking their way above the surface.

During our trip to Al's Nursery, I picked up some sage, shallots, celery, and a tomatillo. The sage will go in the herb bed, but the other plants managed to fill one whole raised bed. I only have 1/2 of a bed left with nothing in it; I'm thinking Brussels sprout seeds.

On Sunday, Mom and I planted most of the bush bean plants I had started in the greenhouse. We quickly ran out of room and the rest of the starts have found homes with Bob across the street and Linda Kirsch.


And finally, I saw the first honey bee in my yard! It was sluggishly visiting each chive flower. I hope he finds my blueberries soon!