Bad Sign--April 16

This IS a bad sign. We staked out a new vegetable garden about 10 days ago and you see who's made themselves comfortable, right in the center.
This bunny (probably mama bunny) and her progeny, along with the squirrels and chipmunks, ate ravenously last year--not just usual foodstuffs, but even my marigolds. I was hoping this family would find a new home this year. Time to go back to Home Depot for rabbit fencing, as if I thought I could get away without it!

I have had some luck in the past keeping critters away by sprinkling dried blood meal around the targeted plants, but you do need to keep applying it. A cayenne pepper solution can work too, but when it rains, you're back out there. And unless you want your veggies to have a little extra kick, you'll need to do some careful rinsing. But then you'd do that anyway...

The first seedlings--Arugula--April 15

Planted some seeds in the garden about 4 days ago--lettuce blend, arugula, peas, and even a few sacrificial morning glory seeds. Morning glories need warmth, soil above 50 and no cool nights, but the weather's been so nice, I figured, what's the risk? I can plant more if we have a cold snap and these succomb. Arugula is so satisfying. These little seedlings pop up so quickly they're perfect to help me get through my impatience with the others. My family loves the bitter flavor of arugula, even one of my kids. It makes a great salad, topped with some good olive oil and some sliced portabella mushrooms. Arugula's a cool weather crop. I could have actually started it at two weeks earlier. The leaves are best when they're young. It sets seeds and becomes too bitter quickly, so if you want to keep the leaves coming, you can plant another set of seeds 2-3 weeks later.

Dogtooth Violet--April 13

This pretty woodland flower appears from a patch of mottled green and brown leaves in mid-April, only to disappear fully, leaves and all shortly thereafter. Last year I all-but missed its bloom. We did some major work leveling our backyard a good number of years ago and I wasn't sure these flowers would survive it. But I've got a nice little patch of these unusual flowers that come back each spring.

We've dug out a new garden in an unattractive area around the house. Hope to make it look a little nicer. The soil is quite poor there so we dug in some mulch from the mulch pile we keep. Hope we enriched the soil enough. Thinking of putting in some hostas to soften the hard edges there. Maybe some other shade lovers, too.

Bloomin' Bulbs--March 17

Nothing better than a bit of green (and purple and white) on St. Paddy's day. I spotted my first bulbs blooming about a week ago. Now I've got a great reason to walk my yard and check nature's progress.

Seeking Green

I love the fact that even when there's snow on the ground up here in the north, I can still find some fresh green in the garden. Just walked around outside and found some parsley that has survived the chill. Couldn't make pesto, but if I need a sprig or two for a garnish...

Also, I've found that if I dig below the dried stems I can find a thick bed of oregano leaves growing close to the ground in my oregano plot. And while my chives are gone now, a few stragglers lasted quite a bit into the winter. It's great to throw on your boots and grab some fresh herbs. They are among the first to get going in the spring, as well.

Fruit of the rains

What a wet mess we've had to start summer. With the exception of the last week, it's rained most days. The yard looks lush, but I've got powdery mildew on my black-eyed susans already. That doesn't usually show up till mid-late August. 

All this moisture has given us an interesting bumper crop of mushrooms, though.

Not usually the kind of thing I'm looking to grow, but they certainly have a beauty of their own!

Last year I planted a number of new herbs in my garden, some for cooking and some because I love herbal tea. I also started some sage from seed. One of my plants has really flourished, which is great because one of my favorite quick dishes uses fresh sage. 

Take a package of frozen cheese tortellini and cook it in boiling water. While that's cooking, bring a couple of Tbs. of butter just to the point of browning in a frying pan. Add 1-2 Tbs, of olive oil and a handful of sage leaves, sliced very thin. Saute for a few minutes, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Drain tortellini and toss with the browned sage butter and serve. In a pinch you can season with dried sage, but the fresh is so delicious, you'll grow your own sage for this recipe.  Enjoy!