Watering System

In March, J started putting together a soaker hose system on a simple timer package I happened to walk by and grab at Costco one day. We never thought we’d be able to afford a real garden-wide sprinkler system for the front, back, lawn, and so on. But since March and success with this initial plan for the raised beds, we’ve slowly been expanding. J has since added the same system to the side of the house, which allows us to use timed soakers in the front garden (where we started improving and working on an eventual mixed hedge), and another on the side for our blueberries and wee pumpkin patch.

Most recently, we tried adding pop-up sprinkler heads for another bed, which I converted from lily field (hated that they all went brown and died at once and that was that) to Dahlia Lounge (then realized I wasn’t getting as many dahlias as hoped because of gnawing-off) to a mixed vegetable and flower garden.We had a few things to learn getting started, of course. A little water hammer to learn about. And backflow valves. And timing issues. It all seems to be working perfectly now!

I love to hear the gentle shush of water out an open window as it turns on, when I am busy doing something else. I’m still not used to it and always a little surprised, but very happy. I think we’ll appreciate it even more when the weather here turns dry in August to September, but even now, it’s keeping things going during the week when we’re too busy.And it’s really helping the front garden get established. All those divided and transplanted stinking iris that hadn’t bloomed in a long time are doing much better now!
I haven’t looked at the water bill yet. That is sure to promote our rain barrel project to the top of the list.

What's Blooming

Back to My Roots

We enjoyed a handful of some pretty, crunchy radish a little while ago. But true to my gardening traditions, I started my usual harvest last Sunday of itsy-bitsy carrots, small and terribly tough radishes. The carrots were full of flavor, even though the size of toothpicks. The radish were so bad we spit them in the garbage can.

It’s still fun to see them in the ground, pull them up, pose them. And somehow by next winter, I will forget what a total disappointment these really are in terms of edible vegetable gardening, and I will probably plant similar things again. Maybe I’ll try something different. Hopefully, someone will remind me that I just can’t grow a typical carrot or radish (aside from a handful). Or even the kind that are supposed to be smaller. I really need to research this. Aren’t these things supposed to be the most basic, easiest vegetables to grow?

If Only They had Wallets

After a few slow initial weeks, our new birdfeeder has become a local hotspot. I don’t know where “eat like a bird” came from, but we might get eaten out of house and home! Before now, I didn’t understand who needed to buy those gigantic bags of birdseed at the store. We’re barely keeping up.

Peonies

Salad Days

After another incredible day of 80-degree, sunny weather full of weeding and getting ready to fix up the Dahlia Lounge (a mess of weeds, overgrown lilacs, and gnawed-on nubs of sad dahlia plants), we walked around the yard and picked 20 ingredients for our dinner salad. With prosecco and walnut bread, it was really fun to eat and taste all the different textures and flavors.

J washed everything (separately!), and I tried to count it up.


Inspired by the Herb Farm Cookbook again, I made their vinaigrette. It uses both red wine and balsamic vinegars and a bit of shallot. Just as the description said, it was flavorful but light enough to allow the flowers and greens to stand out.

J's favorite ingredient was the pea blossoms (tastes like fresh peas!). We both liked the borage leaves for their novelty (slightly thrilling to eat when you realize how sharp and bristly they are in the mouth — dangerous! They taste of very subtle cucumber). For flavor, I liked the chive blossoms the best, huge peppery and, of course, onion-y flavor.

After the salad, we used more sorrel to make a sorrel sauce for copper river salmon, poached in a tisane of tarragon and various store-bought ingredients (The Herb Farm, again). I have never grown or cooked sorrel before, and decided last night that I am a big fan. And now we don’t have to cook today since we have leftover cold salmon and lots more salad to pick.

The weather is predicted to turn rainy and cool by tomorrow. Maybe that will keep the lettuces happy longer, but we really need to keep eating them to make room for lots of things in the raised beds, plus I have vowed not to let the lettuces bolt this year just because I like to look at them all fluffy in the garden.

Determined Happiness

After hesitation and sold-out deck furniture last year, my determination and hard work starting late February has paid off. Now we sit back and enjoy.

(I swear that photo was not composed. Seen after a small gathering with friends Monday afternoon after they'd left: Bowl full of the first cherries of the season, the first peonies, bare feet, empty beer glass, book, perfect weather, ON COMFORTABLE DECK FURNITURE.)