GARDEN DIARIES

It's been quite a bit of time since I devoted an entire entry to the garden. I know I've mentioned the garden this year and how I don't really remember what I planted. Those things are now popping up out the ground with gusto. We have all kinds of salad greens and radishes, onions, kale and turnip greens. Even the box we have nicknamed "the dead box" has something growing. I believe I planted cabbage and cauliflower in that one. Things have reached a point out there where I notice missing pieces of some of the things growing. In other words, something is munching on the greens. If I want to eat anything from this garden, I have to give up my apathetic mood towards it. It's time to spray things down with soap and tuck slivers of Irish Spring around the beds (rumor is that keeps the rabbits away). Over the weekend I broke my rule of "no new seeds" and bought some bush beans and cucumbers. Mom had some okra seeds left over that she gave me and I'm itching to get these seeds into the ground. I have already started talking about getting up early for the City Market on Saturday. I want some tomato plants and some herbs. Meanwhile, the mint has completely taken over my little herb bed. I mean completely taken over and has begun to leak out into the yard. At first I thought I'd just pull out enough to make some space for other herbs. Now I'm thinking of pulling all of it out and putting some in a pot, leaving the space totally clear for herbs. I think this is what I'm doing this weekend. I'm not sure Michael knows that this is happening, but I'm sure he'll be on board. And on that note, I just sent a text to Michael asking if I could get an outside area rug (note: I do not need his permission to purchase things; I just need permission.).

I am dreaming of an outdoor oasis where I can lounge in the sun. If I get hungry, I can just walk over and pull up a radish to chomp on and drink water from the garden hose. I want a hammock or a swing or both and a fancy umbrella. I am full of wants that have very little to do with needs. Ever since we started talking about buying a new house, I've let myself fall into a standby mode. Less living in this current space and more of just existing in this current space. The reality is this is the home I live in right now. It's time I started doing that whole living thing. There's plenty that I could do to create my outdoor living space without spending very much money. It's called being resourceful and I think I'll see just how resourceful I can be this weekend. By the end of it, I want to be able to sit comfortably with my cup of coffee somewhere in that backyard.

Seems like a reasonable goal to me.