Great FREE Digital Gardening Magazine

Have you seen this magazine yet?  This is the second issue and I recommend you take a look at it.  It is a free download   The Wisconsin Vegetable Gardener Magazine   They also have a series of You-Tube videos you may like. 

 Wisconsive Vegetable Gardener You-Tube

She just laid down and died....

Yesterday one our RI Reds laid down and died.  Just like that.  She wasn't yet a year old and seemed healthy.  I realize that as with all living things, there is no way of knowing how long a life will last, but for her to just lay down like she was going to nap.......  I never get used to accepting that these "things just happen". 
Goodbye Rosie.  At least you didn't end up in the stew pot.

New babies in the Hen House

It is so cute to see little chicks again.  My four youngest grandsons  ages 2,4,6 and 8, wanted to surprise me today with something special.  Along with their mom, they came to visit and take me shopping to the Tractor Store to buy some baby chicks for me and grandpa.  The boys were so pleased with themselves and excited to have more chicks in the hen-house.  Grandpa doesn't know yet about the surprise, but he will be pleased.  We know at least four of the 8 chicks are pullets, White Leghorns.  The other four will be a "wait and see" to find out their breed and genders.  Some of the names selected by the boys are:  Thunder, Lightening, and Anna (as in Anna from the movie Frozen).  At this time I have no idea how the boys will tell them all apart, especially since only one has an identifiable feature, a prominent red dot on top of the head.

Gotta love the grands!

The Seeds are Sprouting!

After what seems like such a long time, the seeds I planted in little paper cups have finally begun sprouting and are about 1" tall.  It is amazing what a good feeling these little bits of green can produce in a person.   It is still cold outside, but with this little bit of green at my window I can envision a garden full of tall, leafy plants full of ripe fruit in my backyard garden. 

This season I have planted four varieties of meaty tomatoes for canning, as well as some sweet bell peppers (they haven't sprouted yet).  The garlic I planted a week or two ago in the garden has taken hold and are growing.  Their shoots are up about three inches and looking good. 

We have enlarged the garden area again this year and I can't wait to begin planting my remaining seeds.... corn, beans, squash, etc.

Winter Came Back.... Sleet and Cold, oh my....

Of course the warm temperatures we have had over the past week were just a tease.  We awoke to the sound of sleet hitting the windows and the plows going by scraping the road from the half-inch or so that accumulated.  The temperature has also dropped from a balmy 72F to a rather brisk 26F this morning, and it isn't expected to go any higher than mid-40's.

Oh... when will it end and let us have spring back? 

I just couldn't wait another day.....

I gave in to Spring Fever and planted onions today!  My tomato and pepper seeds were planted into starter pots last weekend, but the weather has been so beautiful, finally, I just couldn't wait another week to plant something out in the garden.  It was a bit tricky however, the chickens were enjoying their time in the garden digging out bugs and they kept trying to get the onion sets from me as I was planting each one.

We finally have green grass which is so lovely after looking at all that dead, brown stuff for the last six months.  It won't be long now.  The trees are always fully leafed out by Mother's Day and it will once again be such a joy to be outdoors.

In the meantime I have been keeping very busy indoors, getting the house in shape to put on the market while also searching for our next home.  I am also starting a new blog called Time2Sew, on Wordpress.  It is, obviously, a site for sewing.  I have spent a life-time designing and creating most of what I use to decorate my home, or otherwise use, such as lots of bags in all shapes and sizes, clothes for myself and my daughters, etc.  So I have decided to share what I have learned and maybe make some new friends along the way.  Spring Fever has a way of making a person eager to try new things, and for me, this spring is having the same effect that caffeine has me...... just can't stop.

A Day in the Garden ... at last

Spring finally came around this weekend and at long last we were able to work outside comfortably.  Nick built a new run for the chickens, moving out the one he made last year.  After covering the space with mulch which has been breaking down since last year, we now have a 20 x 20 foot new garden bed for this season's tomatoes.

I planted garlic, I have no idea if I am too early or too late with them, but since I had been keeping them in the fridge and they were now sprouting, I decided it shouldn't be too uncomfortable for them out in the garden.  I will hold off on planting the onion sets until May. 

This year I have decided to plant four varieties of tomatoes, all meaty types for canning.  I planted 32 seeds today in paper cups filled with potting soil.  In a couple of weeks I will start more, along with peppers. 

We are traveling to NC this weekend to view several small farms in the Raleigh vicinity.  We are both excited about possibly finding our new home and having our own small farm.  The improvement in the weather won't hurt either since the temperature there averages 10-15 degrees warmer than here, and with a longer growing season.