It's a gorgeous day again at the farmette. Sunny and plus 20 degrees Celsius.
It looks like we're in for quite a few more days like this, which is fantastic for growing the new plants. I will have to do some watering (already have, actually), but I'll take it.
Spring is definitely in full swing here in Durham. The Canada geese that come back every year have had their chicks who are growing at an alarming rate.
These guys were fluff balls a mere two weeks ago. It's amazing how these birds figure out chick care duties. I looked it up, and apparently, they form "gang broods" so that the actual parents can forage while their buddies take care of the young ones. I assume they take turns with the babysitting. I love seeing them, but it just makes me nervous that they're soooo close to Douglas Street. Every time I'm out for my walk, I become a traffic cop, stopping cars while the brood crosses the road. Actually, people for the most part are really good about it.
Anyhow. We did not escape the frost, despite our best efforts, and the whole tomato crop croaked on us.
All twelve Roma plants looked like this. Phooey.
We thought we had it beat with our extremely sophisticated anti-freezing measures (not). It was actually plastic sheeting fastened to the cages with clothes pins. We think the frost got under the canopy since it wasn't fastened to the ground. Lesson learned. I'll wait until later to plant next year. Maybe.
The new plants went in yesterday and there's not a whisper of frost for the next week, and hopefully, for the duration.
It's nice when we're pooped from planting to have a Hellofresh meal waiting to be cooked.
We started using the service a while ago, and only buy three meals a month. Not only do we get new recipes that we wouldn't have thought of, we also get all the ingredients so there's no thinking for the meal - just chopping and cooking. The only drawback is the amount of plastic that gets used. Hopefully they'll start packaging with compostables soon.
This particular recipe was very yummy. It's called Bacon and Mushroom Linguine, which is pretty self explanatory. It was very rich, with cream cheese, but it also had wilted spinach as a nod to the greens.
The bonus is that we save the recipes and just buy what's needed at the grocery store.
So that's pretty much it. Today, I have to get back out to the big veg garden to put in my onion sets and carrots.
I've already buried some nasturtium seeds
in the west raised bed, and got some portulaca (moss roses) to cheer up my sad old fence bed. I've also started all my potted plants (cannas) and hanging baskets (mostly calabrochoa). Let summer begin!!!!!
Gratuitous cat photo courtesy of Calvin, who likes to perch regally on the speaker in the sun room.
