30 May 2013

Garden Spring 2013

Here's a plan of our garden for the present in Azalea Park, Charlottesville, Va.
[Apologies for the misspelling of Zinnia in the above graphic!]

We planted zucchini, cuke, melon, and okra seeds yesterday (Wed, 29 May 2013), and watered the tomato and pepper plants.  Also cleared out the north middle edge for some more flower seeds.

This Spring has had its ups and downs.  In April we tilled the entire garden (except some onion and garlic subplots), and planted some lettuce and radishes, and late May two pea rows.  But then it rained and rained for most of May. 


Finally went to the garden around the 20th of May, - mowed down weeds and did more tilling of un-planted areas.  Then planted tomatoes, peppers (in the NW quadrant), and two rows of beans in the SW quadrant.  Also planted double rows of flowers along the edges, except in the NE corner along the fence where cosmos, zinnia, and marigolds had been planted.  Weeded by hand the cosmos and marigolds, though the zinnia did not come up or were overwhelmed by weeds.


That's where we are at the end of May, just before our week long trip to the beach.  Deej says we should tell Anne to pick peas while we are gone.


09 April 2013

Spring weekend (6-7 April 2013)

Saturday was mostly shopping - juices, kitchen counter light, 4 bags top soil, 2 bags compost, real mouse traps, stamps (green and flower ones, and the tiger stamps) and mailing a birthday card, tacos, sauces.  Unloading the very heavy six bags onto the wheelbarrel (pumping air into its tire, oiling its squeaking wheel) and putting next to the plot in the back yard. And watching my granddaughter Eliza on a little screen, streaming Talent Parade in Des Moines, first hookup from the computer to viewing on the TV.  Facetiming with Betty, bemoaning non-contact with our sister Barb. Thinking about this summer's WOSA reunion. Joy at getting my wifi external drive working properly again. Re-booting the automatic lights. Final four basket ball in the background.

Sunday various chores - making my own eggs with bacon and toast and coffee. Picking up 20 branches in the yard from storms this past month.  Taking photos of Spring flowers.  Doing 5 washes over the afternoon and evening. Studying and then pruning the Concord grape vine. Rushing to get on to the 2 pm e-chai Hangout, 9 minutes late, but at least Bill was there.  Not Nadeem (his son's in town), or where's Helen, and maybe Cate was on, but didn't see her?  Pleasant discussions with Bill about cellists, grandson baseball games, Spring weather, stories of Dad, etc. Driving out to the ever-changing Azalea Gardens play area and gardens. Clearing off last year's plants and piling the dead stocks up.  Checking on the community shed and the tiller in there. Returning home, clearing out the dead blackberry plants and pruning them back, digging holes and planting four thorn-less blackberry plants. And then finding watering cans and watering the new plants. Organizing and sending off 164 family photos, copied from Facebook postings, through Walmart to Barb.  Finding out I never got my previous order for Strawberry juice packets, so re-ordering another dozen. Watching some of women's Final Four.  Second night of Deej's delicious tacos.  Deej needs to set the new mouse traps.

22 January 2013

Late January - cold, inauguration, curry club

Tis cold again now on this Tuesday morning - though overall it has been a very mild, mild winter.

This last week end, we gathered for another Curry Club - at Milan and then over to Beth's for chai.  For some reason(s), it was very nice and enjoyable, more than most gatherings.  People were interested, interesting, talkative, attentive, warm, pleasant. 

Deej and I had gone to a retirement party for public librarian Linda, at Gynkos on the Corner Friday evening (18 January 2012).  Nice group, mainly Music library group with Sue, Perry, Winston, etc.  Especially nice to see Ming (who had worked with and knew Linda) after many months.  Talked a little about changes in what used to be her Alderman East Asia collection.  Good food, shared several different Chinese dishes - all different. 

Then there was Sunday football.

And the nice Inauguration on Monday, which was, to me, a surprise holiday, also Martin Luther King's holiday.  Removed the big branch in the Druid yard, and filled up the Bird Feeders.

Barb's calling again, must be in a manic phrase after months of depression.

I'm trying to get the house webcams to work again on this new desktop computer. Maybe the living room one is working, but not the one in my room.  What to do?