Wednesday Between the Two Easters

Yesterday the sun was shining and it was warm enough for me to attack the list of things to do for the garden.  The weeding done by the neighbor's boys lets me know that they could use some instruction in how to do that, but at least the strawberries got transplanted in the strawberry pyramid and the raised bed got additional soil and a little bit of sand added to it so that I can actually plant seeds in it as soon as I decide which ones to put there.  I am thinking of so many possibilities that it is hard to decide.  The list of things to plant is long!

I saved seeds from last year's zinnias and from basil and leek and larkspur and thyme.  Sage is growing from past plantings in two places and its leaves have made a nice gentle tea to drink according to the dentist directions after the implants that are presently healing, hopefully very well.  The geraniums that survived the winter have been trimmed of their attempts to reach the sun and the cuttings plunged into soil in other pots now gracing the window sills on the patio.  Yesterday I watered them with the rooting medium I made from willow branches according to directions learned from the internet!  Here's hoping they live and grow!

That willow tree is a miracle in itself.  We never planted it.  It grew mysteriously and I an enjoying my view of the graceful branches as the wind blows today.

I planted some lettuce seeds and put the planter behind a fence to keep the dogs from digging them out before they have a chance to show the delicate green for our summer salad.  It was hard to find a place for other seeds I planted.  Beside the house, where the cats gather waiting for a treat, may get enough sunlight to give them a chance.  Last year it was not so good, but I have high hopes.  I planted seeds of tomatoes, artichokes and strawberries in pots so that they can be transplanted.

I have grown artichokes from seeds in the past and those plants were huge and quite strong, but nothing eatable came from them.  These seeds are a different variety and the picture of them looks right.  If we can get eatable artichokes from them, it will seem like a miracle to me.  More important is the bonus - they are delicious to eat and provide a healthy boost to keep blood sugar in place.  Artichokes are not frequently found here except in jars of hearts.

Other things done today - mostly housekeeping chores in the patio room where I worked as I listened to Malcolm Gladwell's new book and to the dreadful news of the spread of this virus.  I was tired and surprisingly cold when I finally stopped and left that room that now must be kept cool as it has become a storage room for part of our food supply in case of further lockdown or in case of a food shortage predicted by some.  Anyway, we have potatoes, corn meal for mamaliga, bottled water, carrots, dog and cat food, red peppers, sunflower oil, rice, cabbage and apples!

We are using our third huge box of apples.  I have made apple sauce and dried apples and Eugeniu has made apple pie several times and he has baked them for almost daily treats.  I am using  apple juice to enhance my morning swig of kefir. (That is meant to coat my stomach before espresso!)

A bonus is the repaired water well that we had dug years ago that now waters the newly planted carrots and potatoes where the grapevines used to be!  More to be planted there as the days go by.

Thank goodness we have the energy to do many of these things and that we have some help to do the ones that are too much for us!