Zeneedle...needleart as life

As Weather Allowed

Throughtout the weekend the weather would threaten with dark and stormy skies and on and off rain, but within the hour we would be treated to skies of clear blue. We gardened as we could, planting seeds and starts, slowing filling the ground with good to eat crops.

Our main crop of the moment is the good old weed, but we made good headway and the garden is looking great. There are a few seeds (and maybe a couple more tomato plants) we'd like to add.

The chives are blooming and I'll be garnishing many a dinner with the flowers this week. I picked a small bouquet to keep in the kitchen and will harvest as I need. I'm looking forward to a summer of good eating!

How did your weekend go?

May Festival Celebration

The merry month of May begins the season of planting, which brings the SOUL gardeners together to celebrate with a May Festival.

Flowers and ribbons are readied for children to use as they decorate wreaths to wear while dancing around the Maypole. The children also make wreaths for their mothers and everyone has a chance to dance and sing.

The weather was perfect for the celebration and the colorful ribbons of the Maypole swayed in the light breeze.

Organized chaos ruled as the dancers sang and laughed as they wrapped the pole in the colors of summer.

And, a good time was had by all.

The Change

We've actually made the transition from winter to spring and, while we know there may be a set back here and there, it finally feels like spring.

The sky is overcast and rain is in the on the horizon, but with temperature quite warm and moderate, Smith is planning on planting tomatoes today. There's a bit of a risk, but the forecast is for a warm, wet week and chances are good the plants will thrive.

Smith has been encouraging a smithy he knows to forge garden tools. Mike has been giving this some thought and has decided to try his hand at the art of the garden tool. He presented this claw to Smith last week and we've been admiring its handcrafted beauty. Smith will use it to break the ground and plant the first of our tomatoes.

Smith spent Saturday in the garden and was there when one of the gardeners spotted a mother duck and her ducklings trying to cross the busy street to get to the canal. The babies were obviously just minutes old and huddled very close to mom. They were scooped up and taken to the waters edge, where everyone was able to watch as the babes took their first dip. It is spring indeed!

Garden Duty

Smith has been working and I am left to garden watering duty. The weekend weather could not have been more beautiful and it was a joy to be outdoors. The garden is
slowly coming to life, as the sun has finally had a chance to warm the ground. 

The carport garden is growing like gangbusters and the okayama lettuce is ready to harvest. We had fresh salad greens for dinner and it won't be long before before there will be radishes for garnish.

How does your garden grow?

Growing Garden

Smith has worked to spread the word of gardening and has been working, in every way he can to help the community garden grow. At this point there are around 50 gardens with many more gardeners involved (whole families in some cases).

The children of a nearby elementary school have decided they want to learn to garden and they've put forth considerable effort (as have their parents) to get their garden ready. All six grades are involved, each with a section ready to plant. Some have built paths, others different shapes to add interest, as well as trellis for vines. Much to their delight, Smith gave them a couple of left over scare crows. 

Sunday was very chilly and, to make it worse, quite breezy, but the sky, which started out a brilliant blue, filled with interesting cloud patterns. A storm, yet another, is on the horizon. Spring just hasn't taken hold.

Green Gamble

Bulbs do it...

strawberries do it...

so, we did it, too. The carport garden is planted with a few tiny shoots from Smith's under-the-stairway greenhouse. Spinach, radishes, a variety of lettuce and his big gamble, romanesco.

The warmth of the last week may have added to garden fever, but it's not too early for to plant peas, broccoli, spinach, beets, and other root veggies, which Smith did in our community garden plot. Gardner's always gamble, often with big rewards, so we went for it!

I Am, Afterall

Picked yesterday, the last of the broccoli from our garden.

Over the last couple of weeks I've tried to put together a post about being Thankful, about being full of Gratitude, for all that I have. All my thoughts have felt flat, trite, simplistic, and quite boringly normal. Who isn't grateful for family and friends, for a roof over their heads, and money coming in? BUT, I realize, I AM GRATEFUL,very THANKFUL for just that...

1. Every breath I take, the gift of life.

2. A roof over my head...with onely one income this is a big one.

3. The food we eat, whether homegrown, or purchased, we are fortunate enough to afford nice meals.

4. A car to drive, even though it is far, far from glamourous.

5. Friends who love and support, encourage and care. They are worth their weight in gold.

6. A large and wonderful family, even though we are spread far and wide.

7. Coats, clothes, shoes...even a few new items of late.

8. A job; a good means of making a dollar, and a commute that's 5 minutes long.

9. A caring, hard working hubby, an old and sweet as pie doggy...they are family.

10. I was fortunate to be born in this time, this place, this family, where I have never really known want of basics.

For Carole's Ten on Tuesday

The End is a New Beginning

Smith has been working hard to ready the garden for the winter. A few sprigs of fresh broccoli still make it to our table each night, but even that's about to end.  Sections of the garden have been cleared and tilled. In the next week garlic will be planted and other areas prepped for early spring plantings. Now begins anticipation for the crops of summer.

In The Garden

This weekend was a gift of the season with its warm days and beautiful displays of light throughout. The garden was the place to be as the brown had turned to golden and the sky put on a full time show.

The gardeners came together to put on a Harvest Fair. The children carved pumpkins into jacko'lanterns to keep the hobgoblins at bay.

Johnny Appleseed came to tell his story and, I'm here to tell you, he can tell a tale.

The bonfire warmed, mesmerized and calmed us while the best days of fall slipped away.

The garden has at last been put to sleep, the last of the events is finished, and now we wait for the first signs of spring and a new chance to grow and care for next seasons harvest.

Oh yes, is the weekend my favorite part of the week.
Weekending with Amanda

Awakening

The cold is one thing, but the biggest drawback to winter is the long night, which runs from 5:00pm one day until 8:00am the next. However, there is the often a glorious pre-sunrise view to take away the sting.

The frost Saturday night left Smith scrambling through the garden to harvest the last of our veggies. Everything you see in this pot was from our garden; tomatoes, garlic, onions, basil, and everything else (except the salt and olive oil).

This is Vicki's fabulous Roasted Tomato Sauce and it turned out deliciously. It is now in the freezer awaiting its turn to awaken in a pot of soup (or pasta) this winter.