4:30 AM, 71°. Some thunder and lightening around 1:30 AM, but very little rain.

Yesterday was a very productive day. I planted two long rows of onions, just Candy and Superstar. I have about 1/3 of a bunch left to start another row.

Something got into the garden through my wide open gate that I forgot to close. I could barely tell where the potato ridge was. I didn't see any potatoes on top of the ground so I will just wait to hill up.

I also got my tomato seeds planted. I limited myself to good canning varieties: Granny Cantrell, a new one called Heinz something (especially for processing), and a couple of others.

I also planted the rest of the Slim Jim eggplant seeds from Pinetree...first didn't germinate at all.

Basil: one six-pack with several seeds to a cell

Salvia: A variety called Blaze

Gomphrena: Strawberry Fields

I have one flat on top of the upright freezer and another under the plant lights. I will transfer it to the hot pad today. I want the fastest germination possible. I am about a week late with this.

It got very hot in the afternoon but I mowed the orchard anyway. I should have taken a picture!
This was new ground so I shouldn't have been surprised but was....henbit, dead nettle and chickweed about 15 inches tall. It was like mowing through mush. I will have to go back and re-mow in a couple of days. I am hoping our 86° days will help kill them out.

That garden hasn't been worked yet so lots to do. That is where I will plant the late things, tomatoes, peppers, popcorn, sweet potatoes, etc.

I am harvesting skinny asparagus every other day now. The berry patch is slow to take off; the cherry tree is beginning to bloom, can't tell yet how many of the plums will stick, I see a scattering of blooms on one Seckel pear and the Moonglow pear tree.

Because of the very hot days and the strong winds, the ground has dried out quickly and we are hoping for rain out of the current weather system. If by Sunday nothing has fallen, we are dragging out the hoses and I will water the kitchen garden. The newly-set things will need it badly.

So much to be done that is necessary; I am just strolling by the flower beds that are needing weeding desperately. There is trimming to be done....I am hoping that once I get all the early things in, there will be time....always the optimist!

Well Saturday is amost over. It is 85° still no rain.......

I went out at 7:30 and milked Willow...she let down completely this time, bless her stubborn heart. I am so much more relaxed now milking knowing she can't make any sudden moves.

Her milk is getting yellower due to all the grass she is eating. I was finally able to skim a quart of heavy, thick cream off the last really good milking.
I now have a quart that I will make butter from.



By 8 AM, I was in the garden. I finished the onions, planted the lettuces, and all the cabbages (way too many!) I will need suggestions about what to do with them all. I can't bring myself to toss good plants.

I decided to mow the east yard and around the house....that finished, I was inside for the rest of the day.

I made the yellow rice from Ilene's street meat recipe but then ad-libbed. I stir fried a chicken breast cut in strips with carrots, and asparagus. I made a slightly thickened sauce of chicken broth, onion powder, garlic powder and red pepper flakes.

All served over the rice. I have added some fresh spices to my shopping list. I am going to begin adding various "good for you" spices to my cooking.

Blooming now: a few daffodils, lilacs beginning, redbud trees, dogwood in the green flower stage, chaenonmeles (the red one; white is in decline), violets and my pot of Virginia bluebells.

More violets,

From gardening Spring 2011

The last of the daffodils,