Tag Archives: why wait for spring

One/Some Day Soon

Posted on by
Reply

It’s another day. Not too many dollars but the sun is out this morning. But then it is almost 9 am. So, no hurrahs. I’m sounding grouchy. I should be more grateful. It is almost October and no hints of imminent frost. I still have tomatoes, zucchinis and pumpkins on the vine. The purple beans are still producing, though not madly now. My raised bed of peppers are heavily laden with peppers. I have new lettuce and Swiss Chard and possibly more cabbage.

I am full of gratitude for my garden bounty. Still, I’m irked. My kitchen sink is not draining well. My upstairs landline for the phone is not working. Seems like a long hike to the basement phone when it rings. And it is in the laundry room. The technician is coming Monday. Maybe it is time to rid of it if the problem has to do with the wiring of the house and not the Sasktel line. But it is hard to let go of an old established security blanket/line.

Maybe I should call a plumber one/some day soon. But not yet. It is still draining. I’ve poured vinegar and kettles full of hot boiling water. I shall have my cup of tea, mutter and procrastinate. I just know that I will have to make that call. But not yet. In the meantime I’ve poured down more vinegar. Let it sit. Wouldn’t it be a delightful surprise if it does the trick?

I’m trying to curb my procrastation ways and stop saying phrases like One/Some day I will…. Those days never come. So while the sun is shining I am going to tackle putting my garden spaces to rest. Today all the tomatoes will be harvested. And the beans as well. I’ve had enough beans. They’re coming down. I see that there’s a -1 forecast for Friday. If time permits, I will harvest the carrots in the community garden today or tomorrow. I’m looking after life’s little and big jobs now. I’m not waiting for spring. Another motto is live by – don’t wait for spring.

Hurray, I’ve written a post in the morning. Consistent practice makes for better. I’m warming up for the October Ultimate Blog Challenge.

WHY WAIT FOR SPRING

Posted on by
1

It would do me well to heed some of these wise age-old sayings:

Waiting for the fish to bite or waiting for wind to fly a kite. Or waiting around for Friday night or waiting perhaps for their Uncle Jake or a pot to boil or a better break or a string of pearls or a pair of pants or a wig with curls or another chance. Everyone is just waiting. ~Dr. Seuss

Don’t be fooled by the calendar. There are only as many days in the year as you make use of. ~Charles Richards

Enjoy yourself. It’s later than you think. ~Chinese Proverb

IMG_3376Simply put, why wait for spring.  Do it NOW.  My now should have been in the fall, after harvesting and putting the garden to sleep.  I should have/could have made notes about what worked, what didn’t.  But I DIDN’T.  I’m relying on my faulty memory now to recall.  How did my garden grow?  No use crying over spilt milk.  Let me move on as best as I.  I am going to make my seed list today.

What worked for sure were the potatoes.  They were big and plentiful, lasting us into January.  The carrots did well, too.  We still have quite a few and storing fairly well in a cooler in our insulated garage.  They might do better in a cold storage area in the house next year.  My tomatoes have always done well.  No need to change anything except plant fewer and less dense in the beds.  They started out small and far apart. They grew and grew and became an almost Little Shop of Horrors.

IMG_2956The beans and broccoli did astoundingly well.  They produced well into the frost season.  However the cabbage was not as successful as I had hoped but I will try again.  You win some.  You lose sum.  I’ve never had much luck with peas, getting a few pods at a picking.  I might plant more snow peas this year for the pods and leaves – double the return.  They’re both easy to stir fry. Snow pea tips are very flavourful and a pricey dish in a restaurant.

What else did well?  Let me see now.  The kohlrabi, chilli peppers, lettuce, kale, onions, cucumbers, squash…

What didn’t do well?  Beets were small.  Spinach too small and bolted.  Maybe too crowded and needed to be thinned aggressively.  Radishes were not as good as the year before.  We forgot to harvest frequently.  They got old and wooden.

This recalling from memory is labour intensive!  I will have to give it a rest and dig out my seed order from last year.  It would be best if I can learn from this exercise to keep notes of things as they progress – like a garden journal.  You know what they say about a stitch in time.  I know how I am – slow to learn. Ah, but I am doing the best I can.