Being Spontaneous

Is not something I'm usually good at. When your spontaneous, you haven't planned (obviously). When you don't plan, you aren't prepared. An unprepared Becky is an unhappy Becky, so I try to avoid it as much as possible. This, according to my family and friends, is why I'm such a wet blanket. A stick in the mud. Stodgy. Cynical. Bitter. These, among other adjectives, have been used to describe me over the last few months. While I know I don't like to do things at the last minute and I don't like when the "plan" goes awry, I didn't think that I had degenerated into someone that wasn't fun to be around. Apparently, I have. Mom's cure: get a kitten. Since Sam left to go back to Matt's house, I've been relatively cat-free at my house. I have most of the equipment for a cat (cat box, scratch pads, toys, cat litter), but no cat. I had been more than happy contiue being cat-free, but after the debacle with Velvet, I starting to think it might be nice to get a kitten. I mulled it over for several months, then Matt told me that his mother's cat had just had kittens. It seemed like a sign. So, I went over to see them and they were indeed as cute as you might imagine. All seven of them. After eight weeks, they were ready to go home and I claimed a brother/ sister pair out of the litter. Introducing Alice and Cooper:

After heavy doses of wormer and Advantage, I started to let them out of the bathroom and play in the house. So far, they've charmed everyone who has stepped in my house.

They are both so small and cute that I feel like the Winter Worlock after getting his train...

Saturday was glorious in Silverton- a whole 68 degrees with no rain! Matt and I decided to go to the Oregon Gardens to see their spring flowers and get out of the house a bit. All their daffs are blooming!

They have also put in a chicken coop since the last time I was there! No chickens yet, but I was really excited to see that they planned on getting some. Apparently, I'm a trendsetter in Silverton! I wonder how they got around that pesky city ordinance....

I also found this herb spiral that is exactly what I want to do in the front yard, except make a bulb garden out of it instead of planting herbs. Imagine daffodils, hyacinths, muscara, irises, lilies, and tulips going up and around? Sounds good to me...

We also saw these neat domes from a distance while driving in. I thought they were cloches, but they turned out to be bio-filtering water. These domes cover tanks of water plants that filter water continuously pumped through. Very cool!

After the gardens, Matt decided he needed a break from the computer and I needed a break from gardening. We decided SPONTANEOUSLY to go to the coast for the afternoon. We packed Matt's car and headed to Newport to walk on the beach and have dinner at Local Ocean. It was a wonderful unexpected detour, so there!

Grow! Grow!

Just a quick update to show you how things are going in the greenhouse: fast! Lettuce and Cilantro...

Gherkin cucumbers...

Bush beans and sugar snap peas (from seed I saved last year, I might add)...

Brussel Sprouts and Celery...

Broccoli and Cauliflower...

The strawberries that I rescued from the strawberry tower...

Sweet Peas...

Tomatoes...

And here are a couple of vertical gardening prototypes I made- one with small pots and one with medium sized pots. I've made them so they can hang along the fenceline and planted them with parsley.

A wonderful Spring morning in Oregon-

All I have to say is: Brr!!!

Weekend Work

IT WAS SO NICE OUTSIDE LAST WEEKEND!!..that I hardly spent any time in the house. It was such a rarity to have a nice weekend in March that I took full advantage! First order of business- finish potting up seeds. I did broccoli, cauliflower, peppers, more tomatoes, tomatillos, and cilantro. The greenhouse is officially full. My germination mats came in the mail right on time to put under the newly planted pots:

The greenhouse bursting at the seams:

Matt also put up one of the magnetic strips he bought me for Valentine's Day. I'll use this one for spices I use all the time.

I also painted the front of the pantry shelves with chalkboard paint in between chores outside. Now, I know exactly what I have and how many jars there are without pulling out the stool.

I also re-potted all my bearded irises, since they were getting really root-bound. Out of six pots, I got fourteen new starts! Matt and I decided to rearrange the patio so that the flowers are more prominent and get more sun.

I also tidied up the strawberry pyramid- these were all the shoots that had rooted in the hazelnut shells over the winter. They're all potted up and in the greenhouse.

The big project that Matt and I finally finished was a tall greenhouse over one of the raised beds. I wanted to make a larger one to try and extend my tomato harvest. Last year's Romas were particularly disappointing... Look at how cool it is! It zips!

I also got some scrap materials from work last week. I think I'm going to plant potatoes in the black tub, but am not sure what to do with the rest...any suggestions???

Home and Garden Show 2012

Mary, Lugene, and I were quite the Portland-bound trio a few weekends ago. We trekked up north for the Home and Garden Show at the Expo Center. We saw lots of amazing plants and garden ideas. I'm going to try my hand at making something like this: A vertical-hanging pouch planter! I have most of the materials at home to try out a prototype- maybe this weekend.

This is my vision for between the garage and house in the backyard. Someday (not anytime soon, I'm afraid), I'd like to take up the cement, replace it with patio stones and build a beautiful arbor like this. I like the hog panels and metal posts rather than more wood on top. Seems like it would keep the price down...

After we left the Home and Garden show, the three of us went to lunch at Habibi's- one of the best Lebanese restaurants I've ever been to. Then, we did a little vintage clothes shopping. Mary found a great Easter hat, but decided not to get it for some reason...

Then, after some time at Powells Book Store, we got back in the car and decided to visit Voodoo donuts! This is the first time I've been there since their expansion and it looks so different! The stained glass windows are really neat.

I decided on Captian Crunch and Lemon Filled donuts to take home.

I also got two carniverous plants at the home show which include a baby pitcher plant (isn't just adorable!)...

...and a Sundew, which is currently living at Matt's apartment and decimating the gnat population there.

I also got some air plants! I've been wanting to do a project in my kitchen windows for a while (since they don't open, might as well hang plants, right?) and I went a little crazy in the air plant booth at the home show.

They make a stunny display in the window!