New Recycled Plant Nursery

Today I (ok Patrick, nailed them together) made raised gardening beds from old wood. I have two large retaining walls on both sides of my house. I but two compost bens on one side (made out of recycled pallets). Well, what to do with the other wall? Helen, my gardener advisor (new title) suggested I make that whole wall into a kind of nursery (raised beds) for young plants. WOW, what a great idea, the area is perfect.
The people who owned the house before us collected old lumber. There is a pile of 2x2s, 2x4s, 4x4s and even a old phone pole. Last year, I made two raised beds out of some of this lumber. Right now they house, my blueberries, blackberries, and butterfly bush plants. They will stay in this nursery until ready to plant.
Today, I found the lumber I needed and hauled it up to the house, this is a hard walk. Then I had to pull out all the old nails. Then laid it out, this is where I asked Patrick to use his handy nail gun, made things so much faster. When I nailed to other two beds together...my thumbs hurt for weeks. I am not a carpenter, gardener, farmer, etc....but hey I am faking it and having fun trying. They do not look perfect or beautiful but they are made and made with recycled wood. I so love to recycle!!
Then I started filling the beds with dirt from around the yard. I shoveled and unshoveled six wheelbarrows full of dirt. I got three beds out of the six filled. I will continue to fill in with dirt. Then will add some compost and topsoil. After this is finished, I can go around my yard and take cuttings of all my plants. Then I can put them in my new recycled plant nursery.
I'm very proud of the day.

Love our Home and Land

Today the kids went back to the creek. Shannon had a friend over and they all played so well at the creek. It's so peaceful at the creek. It's cool under the shade of the trees. The water sounds nice going over the rocks. Best of all I love to hear them laughing (and yelling) with each other. Ryan, the toddler we watch loves throughing things into the water and watching it float away...joys of being almost 2.

Makes for a restful day.

Gardening Today

Yesterday, I weeded more blackberry bushes off my hill next to the driveway. These guys are strong and multiple fast. My hill project will be a long and painful one. When we moved in the hill was overgrown with wild weeds of all kinds. I am slowly clearing it.
Today my friend, Helen brought me several different types of tomato plants. Got them planted in the garden area. I also found some bean and cucumber seeds, planted them. We'll see if the grow??!
Added a thornless blackberry plant in the baby bed (a small raised bed for young plants) along with the blueberry bush babies. These will be planted this fall if strong and large enough.
While in the garden I noticed our 1st strawberry is ready. I planted 8 strawberry plants given to me by my friend Claudia. Well after the snow blizzard, rabbits trying to eat them, sheep trying to eat them and me hacking them with a hoe...we finally got ONE. I hope more are to come.
Yesterday

Today

I am such a BAD gardener....thanks Helen for all your patience!!

More Chicken Photos

On day Four...growing nicely. They are starting to have real feathers on their wings.

Gardening Oops

Thought I would post some sad news about my garden. I spent the last few weekends 'weeding' my garden area. The wild garlic and other weeds have taking it over. After my friend, Helen came out, she informed me that I pulled ALL the bachelor button seedlings. :o( I just did not know what they looked like. I'm learning things the hard way...through mistakes. Her advice is to stop weeding and mulch!!

I have to say my lemon balm plant is wonderful!! Growing large and full with some new babies popping up next to the mother plant.

The thyme plant is beautiful!!! The flowers are great, I would love this plant as a bush in my front flower bed.

Creek Fun

We had a fun day with Helen and her children. The creek is nice a cool. Helen and I even got to sit in chairs and talk while the kids ran up and down the creek.

Hazel and Kyle made this together.

New Chicks

Sunday we got our new baby chicks. My friend order the chicks through the mail, this way we got what we wanted and got all hens, no roosters. One is enough, even though he is very sweet for a rooster. Shannon made a list of what she liked and Christy ordered them along with hers. You had to order a minimum of 25.

Here's what we got:

3 Silver laced Wyandottes
2 Barred Rocks
3 Light Brahmas
2 Araucanas