~Betsy Cañas Garmon
We have been having one wet and cold spring! It’s often wet here in the Pacific Northwest, a fair exchange for the beauty that surrounds us, but this is one for the record book! The vegetable gardens are way behind, the tulips for the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival are not open yet and the festival is nearly half over! The garden is languishing, not wanting to awaken fully but making a bold effort as you can see by my bloom listing below.
Even the local PNW natives who refuse to complain about the weather are beginning to sigh and moan. Some say it’s never been this bad, but I seem to remember the spring before last, it was cold and wet clear into May. Last year, summer didn’t start till July 5. A few years ago spring was so cold and wet I lost two of my most cherished Scheherazade lily bulbs. Originally I bought 3 huge bulbs which over a few years time increased themselves to 5. Then after that long, cold spring they were back to 3, two succumbing to the wet. Apparently they don’t like too much cold and wet when it’s time for them to make an appearance. Today I noticed some of my Aphrodite lilies are coming up but as I scan for Scheherazade…they are apparently still sleeping. I keep my fingers crossed for them. They have a lovely fragrance and I have a photo from last year that I hoped to make into a post for you when they bloom again this year.
Yesterday wasn’t too bad of a day though. I heard a few lawn mowers going, a neighbor was working on a lawn elimination project and I had some contented hours in the garden, weeding, trimming and planting several newly acquired treasures. A quick check on the bees revealed a low mite count. Yay! I also spread diatomaceous earth in a new effort at warfare against the slugs and something unknown that is eating most of my plants at the north fence.
As always, my beloved and I also made time for a walk. We have to MAKE time, otherwise I’d be lost in my garden and he’d be lost in his photography. And today I especially wanted to take my new friend Cup Cozy out for a drink. The forecasters promised a dry afternoon so we set out for a few miler, sans umbrellas and had a lovely albeit breezy walk to our local Starbucks. Cup Cozy is a newly acquired precious gift from Cindy fellow blogger, yarn spinner and knitter extraordinaire. Last fall she came to my rescue with a gorgeous and timely scarf. Cup Cozy came as a sweet springtime gift with a cute bunny notepad all wrapped up in pink tissue. Cindy spun fibers of blues and browns into a lovely blend. And yes, it did keep my coffee warmer for longer.
Cup Cozy not only put a warm hug on my coffee, it put a warm hug on my heart! Thank you Cindy! I hope you, dear reader, have such a friend.
Coffee, gardens, walking with your beloved, and friends…what more could bring a smile to a soggy Northwesterner? Well the sun of course, but that's a given.
In Bloom In My Garden Today: Fritillaria, Anemone nemorosa, Dicenta alba (white bleeding heart), Skimmia, Corylopsis veitch (Winter Hazel), Muscari (Grape Hyacinths), Rhododendron, Mahonia, Clematis, Hyacinths, Tulipa turkistanica, Hepatica, Daffodil, primrose (double English), Heleborus, Bellis perennis (English daisy), violet primrose
Authors photo
4 comments:
Joan, it sounds like a perfect day! I absolutely love your cup cozy, how fun is that! And eco-friendly too! :) That Cindy, she sure is talented with the yarn!
We've been fortunate to have sun, but I've had to enjoy it mostly from the couch what with this silly bug I caught. We did venture out Saturday morning with the dogs for a short walk - loved soaking up the sun! I want to do more but I just feel I better take it easy to be safe and not prolong this cold.
Wish I could send you some of our sunshine! We were supposed to get some rain & snow Sat night into Sun, so Cory put down our lawn fertilizer. As it turned out, the rain totally missed us so we're still dry at a bone here.
Oh and I'll have to send you some pictures soon of the garden bed he built! It's ready to receive plants - we heard at the nursery that we shouldn't plant anything here until May 1. :) So excited!
Hi Shari!
I'm glad you are taking it easy to clear up that cold faster...bummer though that you got it. I'll send healing vibes your way. :)
We had a gorgeous sunny morning today, I was out playing in the dirt making a new bed to eliminate more of the grass when a hail storm blew in! We are getting all kinds of it now so late in the year. The sun just popped out again so I'd better get off the computer and get back at it.
Yay, you've got a vege garden! Can't wait to see the pictures and see what you are going to plant and invent fabulous recipes from your garden! Yay!
YAY you got it!
It seems so big on a Tall coffee (that's the size I always get too)..not sure if I should make them smaller but oh well!
:)
I have a total itch to get a small garden planted but with the ick weather weekend after weekend, and the season getting late, I am not sure if it's too late to bother or just go for it.
I can't wait to see Shari's garden bed too!!!
So glad you got out for a walk and a coffee.
I am kind of dying to spin more yarn but I can't seem to put my needles down.
Have a great week!!!
xoxox
Hi Cindy,
That's a short, just 8 oz, and it's just the right size for it, not a row longer or it'll be too big. I figure it'd be perfect for a tall or grande too.
It's not too late for your garden...you have such a long growing season there. You could do warm season crops like melons, pumpkins, corn, tomatoes,green beans...go for it!
Thanks again for the cozy!
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