Wicked Busy!

Well some of us are wicked busy....... 

May is stupid busy.  It always has been and I think always will be; making me wicked stupid somedays.  Since my last post we have not had a drop rain, until last night.  Three weeks with no rain and the hose dragging began last week.  Rain barrels were about empty.  It wasn't August dry but it wasn't plant thriving wet either.  The sun was out non-stop and we had wind, transpiration is an issue.  

This is the first morning we have had good rain in a month!  The gardens look FAB!  

 

Big news I am opting out of the annual mountain of mulch (25 yards and lots of $$)  I didn't feel like it was adding to the soil in a beneficial way, even though I was told it was organic and yadda yadda yadda.  Just wasn't getting the results I wanted.  I bought a Troybilt chipper shredder that will take 3 inch sticks and as many leaves as you can feed it, it's a beast!. Facebook marketplace rocked last Fall!   I started saving and stockpiling all the downed branches and leaves I could find, including my neighbors.  We started chipping a few weeks ago.  All grass clippings went in the middle bin of the compost trilogy, mixed with shredded leaves.  That's it!  No chicken bedding or kitchen scraps, that went in the first bin of the compost trilogy and will age until next year.  

In the world of "landscaping 101" this is blasphemy!  In the world of gardening, the more I read the more I think this is a good thing.  It slowly releases nitrogen into the soil, breaks down adding organic material to the soil and keeps the moisture in the ground.  It should cut way back on watering too.  Another big experiment but my fingers are crossed.  The plants that were mulched did well the last week with no watering.  I think it keeps the ground cooler too for those cold weather loving brassicas.  

It has been a cold Spring here.  We had a hard frost last week.  The peach, plum and cherry had already set blossoms so not sure what if any stone fruit will appear this year.

Even with the garden in full swing I lacked a moment of clarity and sent in my booth fee for Boston Mills.  Honestly, I'd just stay in the garden and on the compound and be perfectly happy.  I swore I would not do another decal or transfer pattern but I quickly realized, you just cannot stop.  It's so abrupt!  I had piles of pots that were sitting waiting to be worked on.  I had hit a hard wall but every time I walked in the studio I couldn't face it and would find something else to do.  Pay an exorbitant booth fee and that will kick you in the pants to get moving.  $500 is great motivation!  I had to sit down and make a list to get my head back in the game.  I like ticking off tasks on a list so it worked.  The kiln got fired and I was off and happy to be in the studio again.  Phew! 

So bite the bullet, put on a good audiobook and get busy!  I couldn't get to anything until this was done and it was time to clear the decks!  I still have transfer paper I need to use too.  I hate wasting stuff.  So after much bitching and denial my feet are still firmly planted in both worlds.  At least the glaze table is clear so I can mix new tests and glazes and get back to the pots I really love.  Pots with color and presence. Pots with weaving.  But Boston Mills is in 6 weeks and time is ticking!  

One of the things that made the transfer ware so difficult was my lack of organizational skills.  Joann's Stores had a sale on their photo box organizers for $14 each.  I bought 6 and it was free shipping!  They landed on my doorstep a few days later. The joy of getting rid of the shoeboxes, baggies with clothes pins and just general chaos!  Two of the six went for seeds immediately; flowers in one and veggies in the other as I was using the same shoebox, clothespin method for those too. 

This has been a game changer!  For seeds and decal organization!  They line up on a shelf and I can grab what I need in minute.  I can also see when I'm low on anything.  Winner, winner, chicken dinner! 

Things like this make me way too happy. 

And the van is back!!  It came back clean, full tank of gas and a $500 check. 

Stuff is spinning in the kitchen too!  Need to clean out the freezer to get ready for this year.  So last years tomatoes and celery were transformed into Tomato cocktail juice.  The last of the dehydrated peppers went in, along with onions and the last of the garlic.  Felt good to clean stuff out and drag out the canning equipment and dehydration paraphernalia.  

 

The flour is flying too....... done for this month!  5 loaves sliced and tucked in the freezer.

and we are eating really well out of the garden again....... the salmon is still from the last Alaska trip.

Speaking of Alaska......... Rachael made it back last night!  Drove up the Canadian coast and started counting waking bears.  Break up has begun on the lakes and rivers but there is still snow.   Her sabbatical is just about over and we all agree she wandered with purpose!  We were glad she used us as home base for a few months.  Guess it's my turn to head up to Alaska this summer and do a bit of fishing, my sabbatical.  and will need a stop over in Oregon too..... West Coast kids :) 

This blog post is a quick catch to let everyone know we are still here during longer days but rarely inside. 

Be well, be kind and be happy....... signing out for this month 💖