Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Demoralized

True. I have not been posting. Not for any noble reason, like examining my life and making good choices based on time and enjoyment value. But because I don't have much in the way of exciting news. The groundhogs ransacked the garden. Baby groundhogs realized that they could actually fit through the fence. Please picture a cantaloupe passing through the end of a bubble wand and you will understand my confused, confounded, frustrated amazement at such a feat. I feebly added some rabbit fencing around part of the garden, but they have found their way around that. The lettuce was first - no big deal as it was thinking of bolting already, then they moved on to the kale, which was doing just fine thankyouverymuch, and next it was the broccoli and now they are on to the squash. They have yet to find the beans and beets, but is a matter of minutes until that happens. Add the lack of rain. Boy Howdy, the garden season loses its luster pretty darned quickly. I am harvesting a few blueberries and raspberries a couple times a week. So far, the potatoes remain unmolested. And I still have green tomatoes on my tomato plants. Hope springs eternal - well maybe not eternal, but in the good times.

Despite being provided with a very nice new super, the bees have shown little interest in doing anything like filling it with honey for my winter enjoyment. I can't complain, as they have done a fabulous job at all the work to date. The last minute super was a shot in the dark which, not unexpectedly, missed its mark. I checked on the bees last weekend. They are still awesome. Though I will definitely not have honey this year.

I am afraid to hope for tomatoes. That and the potatoes are the hold outs. I am a glutton for punishment, since I planted beans today, and more potatoes. We'll see. I have a tiny zucchini that I expect the groundhogs to find tomorrow, or certainly before Saturday when I can go for more fencing.

Added to the list of disappointments, is that my magic bread is acting up in the heat. It is rising before I am ready and creating problems. I guess I should cut back on the yeast for the summer. What should be an 18 hour rise is now around 8 hours and I always end up sticking it in the 'fridge to slow things down but it really whacks the whole system.

Remember the stinking hot weekend a couple weeks ago? Yeah, that was the weekend we moved the SB from Bburg back home. We drove down on the Friday with a cargo van and Papa's truck. There were about 5 boxes packed. Um. Yeah. We got three hours of sleep and woke up at midnight on Friday. We packed/cleaned/loaded for the next oh, say 23.5 hours (I had a 1.5 hour nap before the bed was packed) and then we took off for C'ville. We crested Afton Mt. with thunderstorms raging in the distance. Luckily we dodged the storms since the truck was full of things that didn't want to get wet. Sunday was spent unloading the truck with the help of our house mate who I am nominating for sainthood (you wouldn't BELIEVE the paperwork involved). Our house is currently jammed full of an entire apartments worth of furniture, kitchen wares and art supplies. If you know the SB, you can imagine. For the most part I can deal, but the sofa blocking the sewing room is ...well, demoralizing. Not incapacitating, but demoralizing. The SB spent 4 days at home, of which I saw almost none of him having to work and a heavy babysitting schedule that week. He then took off for Maryland for some paying work (as opposed to the yard work he did while he was home). Still waiting to see when he returns.

Heads up. We are thinking of our garden party for July 4 since someone thoughtfully put the Fourth on a Friday and we should be able to recover in time to return to work. On the 7th. Save the date. Cheers.

3 comments:

Unknown said...

I have skunks! So far they haven't figured out the stairs to tho porch tho.I will pencil in the party. Maybe I will be able to wear one of the dresses you made genius.

starrhillgirl said...

Stupid groundhogs. I had a perfect garden years ago on Altamont st when I lived with Hard Girl (and briefly with LB) and one groundhog ate it all. So, so sad.
Shoot them, I say. Or get a dog.

Elsie said...

I am seriously considering a border collie. I am going to need one to herd my future chickens, ducks and the goat. Once I can afford a fence, I will be looking into the breed's rescue sites. Everything I read says that border collies need work. I tell ya.... I got some work for a collie. When it is done herding the farm animals, it can unload the dishwasher and start painting the house.