A Glutton For Punishment?

The weather report said rain. I woke to the sound of rain on the roof. It seemed the weather guessers got it right.

By early afternoon the sun was out. I wasn't expecting that. After all the rain that had fallen between Sunday evening and yesterday morning, I knew the soil would be too wet to work , but I had plants in the dining room which were begging to be allowed outside to play. I went outside, and looked at the garden. Still so much work to be done. Even if the soil was dry enough to work, I would need to construct, and fill at least one long raised bed before planting. There was so much I needed to do inside... I almost talked myself out of it. I stayed outside, gazing at my garden a bit too long.

I stepped inside the house and brought the pouting tomato and broccoli plants outside, to sun themselves on the walkway. I then returned to the porch. I grabbed a cardboard flat, and the shovel. Daniel watched with an expression of disbelief as I entered the garden. I scooped some soil into the box, spread it out, and moved it to a sunny spot near the house to dry. I returned to the garden, and began to dig. I ran into a patch of grass, dug it out, and "spanked" the soil from it's roots. I continued to dig.

It didn't take so long as it did on Sunday, before I started slowing down. I was tired, and still sore from Sunday's fun. Daniel entered the garden and took the shovel from me. He continued the digging. I noticed he was making much more rapid progress than I had! I stirred the soil in the flat. It was drying nicely. We took turns digging. Daniel commented that we need another shovel. It's on the list ;-)

I took the last long turn digging, turning the soil, removing the previously hidden weeds, grass and rocks while Daniel found boards and cut them down to size for me. We placed the two 8 foot boards along the sides, and filled the resulting 3 sided "box" with soil.

It was time. I escorted my tomato and broccoli plants into the garden area. I dug holes in another bed and partially filled them with the sun baked soil from the flat. I tenderly eased the plants into their holes, and filled them in with more dry soil. Lindsay watered them in. I then proceeded to the newly created 8 foot long bed, measured the sections, dug the wholes and proceeded as with the broccoli, only this time it was the tomato plants which were carefully placed in their new bed. Nathan watered them in for me.

It is official. It has begun. There are actually plants in my garden! The broccoli looks extremely happy! They can spread their little feet out, stretch out and drink in the rain, or the sun, depending on what the sky is offering at any given moment. The tomato plants don't look quite so happy, but hey, they asked for it! I'm hopeful they will perk up in the next day or two.I'm feeling somewhere between what those two vareties of plants are feeling. Weary but hopeful. Tired but anxious to continue on. I'm also feeling a bit sore.

I sank into the couch last night. I picked up my knitting. My hands were so tired and sore. I noticed I had another blister. I managed to knit 4 rows before giving up. Perhaps this evening I can make more progress on that project.

Today is our weekly trip to town. Along with the usual library books, and groceries, we'll be stopping off to pick up a second shovel, as well as some more fence posts for the newest garden area so we can get it all fenced in, and ready for seeding this weekend.

Now all we have to do is hope Mother Nature doesn't have any more surprises up her sleeve for the season!