Community

Tomorrow I will update about the intentions I set out for last week.  Today I just wanted to take a minute a talk about community and the generosity of people. I recently found this facebook page for my area where gardeners and farmers can post stuff they want to sell or are looking for.  I posted about the school garden we are putting in where I teach, and there has been such a generous response.  I'm so grateful.  There had been soil, plants, and seeds donated by people who had no idea about our school and don't know me.  They just wanted to help.  It has been neat meeting them, and getting tips from seasoned gardeners (this short season gardening is new to me so I need all the help I can get!).  It just goes to show that if you put yourself out there a bit, there are good people who will help make things happen.

Little one

I haven't gotten much done lately because we just welcomed a new little one to the family who needs a lot of attention. This is Hazel: 

Intentions.

     As I'm a teacher and school is out for the summer, I currently have a lot of free time.  Since my husband works night shift and therefore has to sleep a good part of the day away, I am finding myself sitting around the house without much exciting to do.  The garden is in progress, but not producing anything but lettuce currently, and there are no weeds, so doing much out there isn't an option at this time, although later in the season ( and the years to come) I'm sure that will be a different story.  The house could be picked up, but that isn't exactly fueling my desire for a creative outlet, so I do it in spurts and then want to do something else.

     Today this led me to search my pinterest boards for something to do.  I've decided I will pick a few things every week, and then share here how they turned out.  It will be mostly simple things with stuff I already have on hand.  It might be an herbal concoction, a drink or meal, a sewing endeavor, a furniture redo, or something else entirely. For instance, a few days ago I found myself with a bunch of spearmint, so I decided to make spearmint extract.  It is currently macerating, and when it is finished will be good drinks, fruit sorbets, and homemade ice cream.

This weeks to try list is:
Gardener's hand scrub and "the mojito" (without the alcohol) from http://tendcollective.blogspot.com.
Taco Salad with creamy cilantro dressing from thekitchn.com
Practice my figure drawing skills with this tutorial: http://melissaesplin.com/2011/08/tutorial-fashion-sketches/

I will let you know how it goes!

What we did today

Lots of lettuce and a few peas in the back 

A native perennial garden getting started

The salmon berries are already showing life

The beginning of my herb garden- basil, lemon balm, chives, perennial sweet peas, yarrow, bee balm.  I've since added sage and rosemary. 

Beautiful peony

So today we were busy out in the yard.  It all started because yesterday my husband surprised me with a window box right out our bedroom window.  So, of course, today I had to go get flowers for it. I will post a picture of it when we are finished with it.  While we were at the nursery, we saw two gorgeous peonies and could not resist.  We planted both of those with some Persian buttercups aka Ranunculus.  We planted a semi-dwarf Montmorency cherry tree. I've been working on an herb garden- the fencing isn't going to stay that way, but right now that's the only way to keep the dog from laying on it.  We found out (from a lovely lady who was gardening next door) that a bush we were thinking of removing is probably a chokecherry, so it will stay.  I want to try making chokecherry jelly or jam. I would like to get some chokeberries as well so I can make juice from them.  It was a long day, but didn't feel long as we love being out in the yard doing things.  It is very satisfying to us.  We are tired now, though!

Photo update.

Hiked up Bear Creek trail

It was lovely. 

Visited family and got to see a Mariners game- they won!

Bought a new shower curtain that makes me laugh.

Planted blueberries, and a bunch of other things I will post later. 

We were told blueberries don't do well here, but I hope ours make it!

Went to the Mother Earth News fair and got to see one of my favorite author/speakers- Joel Salatin!

Recovered the seat of an old rocking chair. 

The color here is quite faded from what it really looks like.