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In the Garden

What a wonderful week it's been weatherwise. The temperature here in the Seattle area has been unusually warm. My little thermometer was showing nearly 80 degrees F in the shade at 3:00 p.m. (There has even been a bit of grumbling about it being too hot heard from some quarters.)

 

This is a quick shot of the bed outside our kitchen window. The combination of Forget-me-nots and Welsh poppies was not planned by me, but I love it just the same. These poppies will take over, but they are hardy, and the color pops. (The leaves are very pretty too, rather fern-like.)

 

Here is the little water feature that my dear husband created for me one Sunday. While he was working six days a week, he made time to create this little oasis for me outside the front door. There's also a bench to sit on in order to enjoy the sound of the water. It's a wonderful place to sit and read, or watch the world go by.

 

With all the rain, flooding, and bad weather back East, it seems a bit topsy-turvy in the weather world. My tomatoes are waiting to be planted. This year it's only cherry and grape-style for us. We are planning on redoing our raised beds, so the vegetable garden is behind this year. I'm still trying to decide if the toms are going in the beds, or if they'll be in pots this year.

Also dug up the remains of the golden hops vine that we tried desparately to murder last fall. No good. Those things refuse to die. It's struggling valiently to once again grow up and under our siding! These plants are lovely, but beware--plant them in pots so that they don't take over. 

My New Baby--Another Step To Frugality.

 
I bought this little yogurt maker awhile ago. My husband likes to take yogurt to work with him each day to eat for breakfast. On sale I could usually pick it up for .50 a carton. That was running $14 a month. Not too bad, but when looking at the additives, etc. that was in the carton, I thought I might be able to make my own, nonfat yogurt and flavor it myself. This little machine cost $19. It paid for itself in the second month. The nonfat milk we were already buying anyway. I had the additional cost of the nonfat dry milk and one .33 cent carton of plain yogurt to use as a starter. Now I make a batch each week. It takes about five minutes of work, and four hours to set up. I flavor it with honey and vanilla and toss in frozen blueberrie, raspberries or whatever. It's not as firm as that you buy, but it's certainly cheaper and more healthful--and it's delicious! 

Finding Peace

"The Peace Of Wild Things"
By Wendell Berry

When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children's lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
Rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought,
of grief. I come into the presence of still water,
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.

I love this poem. What a gentle feeling it provides. When my days get hectic and I feel like I'm running in circles, I try to find a reading like this to focus on. It's a way to relax and calm myself. When there is too much to do, too many demands, and too much sadness in the world, then Mr. Berry's poetry helps me right my priorities.

Garden Angst

"I am quite of the opinion that a garden

should look as though it belong to a

house, and the house as though it were

conscious of and approved the garden. In

passing from one to the other, one should

experience no sense of discord, but the

sensations produced by the one should be

continued, with a delicate difference, by

the other."

Alfred Austin (1835-1913)

I hope that this is true for my garden, although one never knows. Creating an attractive gaqrden is difficult enough without wondering if it "looks like it belongs". I'm struggling with the garden in front of the house. Originally, I wanted to create a "water-wise" garden--one that required little water other than the rain. Then I was possessed witht a strong desire to save money and use what I had to create a cottage garden. This worked out well from a frugality aspect, but I'm not quite certain that it goes well with the house. So...this summer I will mull over digging out some of the perennials that I don't care for and offer them to friends and neighbors and see about reverted back to my original purpose--an attractive, water-wise garden that requires minimal care. Stay tuned....