Hard Work and Comfort Food

When not surveying birds this week, we have been working like mad on the farm. Johnny spread bark dust on the paths, tilled the garden, created pvc posts to hold up the netting over the garden (we net the garden to keep the peacock out), while I weeded, mowed, watered and weeded some more. Today I moved some of the tomatoes out into their tire beds and planted flowers... and mowed. Tomorrow I'll plant at least part of the main garden. It's still too cool at night for some things. But cold hardy potatoes and peas and parsnips and beets are well up in their raised beds.

Potatoes and Peas in the old manure spreader

 Although I have hauled off a jillion loads of weeds, the flower beds look like it's time to weed them. Sort of like our house looks after we've cleaned like mad... most people would look around and think it was time to clean house. That's life on a farm. Nevertheless, here are some photos of my flower "meadows".

Forget-me-nots and Peonies

Columbine and Forget-me-Nots

Rhododendron

 
Below is the fountain-turned-sundial. I'm hoping the sedums I rescued from another flower "meadow" will fill in the empty spaces.

 Johnny bought me this decorative sprinkler. I set it up in the middle of the rhubarb/blueberry bed and it works great! Thanks to neighbor Irv for buying one first and trying it out. He told us it was the best sprinkler he ever had. Now I want a second one.

 Below is the front, unweeded path, with Johnny's barkdust and the faithful yellow iris. They don't let weeds stop them from blooming.

 I did weed the strawberry bed... several times. They're blooming so hopefully we'll have strawberries in June.

 The first artichoke is ready. Yum! I love artichokes. Johnny does not so I get them all. Too bad.

 Here's my hard-working helper gnome, standing on horse manure. When I give up digging weeds, I dump horse barn cleanings on the whole mess to make the weeds easier to pull. Or that's the theory.

This is an exhausting time of year... a time for comfort foods. My mother made wonderful banana bread that was always my treat when chores were done. Luckily for me, Jessica makes wonderful banana bread and keeps me supplied. Hers is gluten free. Nothing tastes better to me when I'm tired or grumpy or sad... or happy or cheerful or full of energy... than Jessica's banana bread. A new supply arrived for Mother's Day. Life is good.