Monday, March 14, 2011

Hello!

Wow!!
My life is about to eat me alive!
I've neglected my blog this week. .and the sad thing is. . that I really didn't even care! I enjoy writing on my blog. .and really enjoy hearing from those of you that read my blabbering. .so the mere fact that I was so dis-interested was concerning to me!! Thought I might do a short update. .and then show you some peaks around the garden and greenhouse. 
I have been studying hard for a trauma class that I needed and took last week. It entailed two VERY long houred days in Wichita Thursday and Friday. And a lot of reading before hand. I am pleased to say that I passed. .and am glad to get that behind me.  I much prefer the fun learning classes like the one I will travel to in April. .in Boston!! Then I will be all "classed-out" for a long while! 
the meyer lemon tree has been in full bloomin' glory the last month!!
The weekend was really busy too! Grant had his friends over for a late celebration of his birthday. We met our family Saturday night for pizza to celebrate an anniversary. And last night I got to have my neice and nephew overnight. We went to see Gnomeo and Juliet which ROCKED!! Absolutely hilarious!! Go watch it!!  Today, I spent the day with my sister-in-law unpacking and putting away her kitchen.  They have been living out of boxes for a looooooong time now. .so I know it will be extra nice for her to finally be getting settled in! The kids had a fabulous day playing together. .something that they have NEVER done. .Ever!! It's so great to have them home!!
The weather has been fairly pleasant! The sidewalks were poured last Thursday. .J and I started doing the dirt work yesterday. .with much more shoveling and some rock moving to go. .can't wait to get it done and get to planting in it!
My little lemon tree has been blooming its head off. .they are so pretty and smell so yummy!
Won't be long until it is time to move him outside for the winter!
I enjoyed a quick walk about this evening. I love those this time of year, because every day you can see something new!!  The surprise lilies that I got from my mom are all coming up.  Once you transplant them, it can take several years for them to actually do anything. I believe that most of the foliage came up last year, but no lilies. I think that I have already found a few more spots of foliage than I saw last year. .so that is encouraging!
These may well be my favorite spring bloomers. .hyacinths.  The smell is delicious. .I love to smell them as I walk up to the house, or open my kitchen windows.  Gardening is a multi-sensual event around these parts!!
The sedum tucked into the rock by Grant last summer has done well, and offers a welcoming brightness in our brown monochrome environment.
In the greenhouse, the coleus cuttings are all lined up waiting for planting time. .
and this Bolivian jew succulent that I nearly kicked off last year is making an incredible rally!
The geranium has been blooming all winter. .and finally looks to be growing too. .it started as one little stem cutting off the mother plant.  And just because it makes me feel better to tell you. .I flunked the basil cuttings. .they were a failure.  I also killed the piece of oregano and thyme that I potted!!
The butterfly weed have been transplanted. .and the tomato and peppers still need to go to bigger pots too! They have really grown just in the last few days!! I have simply not had time to get this task done. .but hopefully this week.
Here is the passion flower vine that I was able to root from my friends garden! I took four cuttings. .the second time. .and left 2 in the water and 2 in rooting hormone and dirt.  The water cuttings never rooted. .but they didn't die either. Finally a month ago or so I took them from the water and put them in soil.  They are both rooting well now! I can hardly wait to see how they do here this summer.
These yellow squash plants will soon go to bigger pots and into the greenhouse. I should have a jump start with those in my garden!
I took out my flower seeds Saturday to see what needs to happen over the next few weeks.  I think I will try to get a jump start on some of them under my grow lights.  I have been itchy to put plants in the ground. .and noticed at Lowes last weekend that they are getting shipments in now.  We are enjoying the nice weather to get outside. .and hope you all are experiencing some springtime yourselves!! Have a great week!

7 comments:

  1. Good job on passing the training. Those lemon blooms are really pretty. Glad to see signs of spring at your place too. I have tulips pushing up the mulch like crazy and crocuses blooming. You have so much success happening in the greenhouse. Don't worry about losing those herbs. You can plant some more! It is going to be hard to be at work this week with the nicer weather in the forecast. You hear about lost productivity due to employees watching their basketball brackets. I'm sure my productivity is down due to dreaming/planning my garden.

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  2. =) I've been missing ya!
    I've got plants coming next week!! I can't wait! Tristen's seeds have all arrived and he's just as anxious as I am to get things in. Danny's potatoes should be arriving today. Spring is HERE!!
    Thanks again for keeping Jacob for us!!

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  3. Good morning! I set down with a cup of coffee and the sunrise to enjoy your blog. Wow, you have been crazy busy. I'm so glad you did well with your class, that is an amazing accomplishment. Good for you, not many can do that. Also, it's going to be fun to see all your progress you have made. A quick question: Are we going to see a double birthday post soon? :) Yer bud, DJ

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  4. My daffodils are blooming! The pretty yellow faces greet me each time I drive in my driveway! This may be the first year they have not gotten an ice bath from a late spring/winter storm!
    Glad you got the rough training behind you!

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  5. Sounds like you have a lot of gardening to get done. I am still working on uncovering all of my springtime beauties from the stupid leaves. I love the trees, but raking leaves gets old fast!!! After our 3-5 inches of snow yesterday, I am looking forward to the 75 degrees that it is supposed to be Thursday. This Kansas weather just cracks me up. Have a good week.

    Kristi

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  6. I always enjoy seeing your various plants and flowers. That lemon tree looks interesting. Also glad your class went well. :)

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  7. wow melanie, i can't believe how much you have growing! the only thing growing here is our daffodils and our tulips have just barely poked through the ground. I have been thinking about getting my tomato seeds started, thanks to Window on the Prairie..she just posted about her seeds!

    Glad you did well in your trauma class!

    By the way...I am so glad you made my chocolate cupcake recipe...with the green frosting and mint flavoring! That's awesome! Happy St. Patrick's Day!

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