And just like that – it’s high Spring. Everything wants to be out in the coldframes yesterday, foraging needs to happen immanently, and yet…yet…technically still under the omen of Last Frost. Tender babies will have to wait a bit longer though my crazy Pumpkin patch has already been testing the waters of these last few nights and they are surviving. The garlics are sprouting strong and the peas are coming up nicely (despite the hack job I did on the pea trellis – channeling my inner Ananse). Josh planted the last of the Antonovka trees (we’re trying a braided tree with a few of these) making our little orchard pretty significant.
The Dandelions look like they might actually wake up in our yard (I was worried, just a couple of years we had a yellow fluffy carpet and they are much sparser this year…of course, a year I am ready to make some more Dandelion wine!), the Daffodils finally are shining (and fragrant!), and the Forsythia are still making their way towards the sun. Mr. Phoebe and his stunning nest have finally found a mate (I almost put out an advert for him – I didn’t want that fine work to go to waste!). The Plums are blooming as the Violets beneath poke their little heads out. The Azalea is making the Bumbles happy and the Bee Balm is spreading wondrously.
We had a lovely Beltane dinner with a couple of friends who like Lamb over the fire with Roasted Roots below and slapdash Blueberry/Ground Cherry Pie. Mother’s Day followed with Moroccan Djej Emshmel and a Vanilla Bundt Cake with Duende’s amazing Chocolate drip glaze (she’s becoming quite the baker). The bakery has been trying on new flavors of Red Chili Pepper Crackers (he calls them Firecrackers!), a soft slicing Whole Wheat bread, along with this week’s special of Roasted Garlic Sourdough (mmmm). We’re off to the Farmers Market today to find something delicious to go with it.
Josh has pulled down the old garden fencing, remarked the new expanded beds and begun a little light tilling (new ground and all). We moved the Hops, Rhubarb, Strawberries, a few extra garden friends to pots while we get the garden ready. We plan to finish much of that this week so that the week after next we can plant like crazy. I’m envisioning rows of flowery bursts interspersed with Cabbages and Kales, clever beds of Nightshades (Peppers, Eggplants, Tomatoes) with companion plants like Nasturtium, Marigolds, and Calendula to ward off foes and bring in friends. I can’t wait (and yet, I have to because we still have a bunch to do before we get there)! Plant well!
Rock Bottom Homestead 