Yesterday sucked. There will be a post about it soon, just not today. Many of you have already heard about yesterday’s sucking anyway.
But the whole day didn’t suck. I was actually having a pretty decent day until evening came. I spent the afternoon out in the garden mixing dirt and filling pots and planters and getting some squash seeds in them. I knew it was going to rain today, and it’s always good to get seeds planted just before the rain comes. Seeds react to rain in ways they don’t react to watering. I think it has something to do with pH levels.
Anyway, things are popping up all over the garden! The scallions, dill, cucumbers, lettuces, arugula, tomatoes, pole beans, and peppers have all made an appearance, and that one lonely potato plant is thriving. Today I noticed the marigolds and nasturtium have come up as well as the wild walking onions. The fava beans finally have some beans on them too, and the last planting of winter carrots are looking great. The only real disappointments at the moment continue to be the cauliflower and Brussels sprouts. I imagine none of those plants are long for this world. They had their chance, and they did nothing. I want to plant something else in those spaces (though what, I don’t know). Oh, and the tomato plants are looking good too! Really growing and already getting blooms. Early tomatoes, here we come!
The best thing is that the soil temperature is holding steady at 70ºF. That’s the magic number, and the longer it stays at that temp, the better for my plants. I don’t expect it to be that way too long, but I’m hoping for at least another month or two before the dirt starts getting warmer. The stronger my plants are before the awful heat sets in –and I am expecting awful heat again this year– the better they will do when summer hits.
The last thing that really needs to be done out there, other than clearing the weeds out of my walkways, is tilling up a spot for corn, okra, and onions. I’d hoped to do that today, but it’s raining and too wet, so maybe next weekend. To be honest, I wouldn’t mind not having corn this year. The garden has already been expanded in size with one new bed and all the containers. I’m not sure I really want it to be much bigger just yet. I love working in the garden, but I don’t really want it to be a full-time job, know what I mean?
In other news, I’m feeling like crap thanks to seasonal allergies and an absolutely insane amount of pollen in the air. Today’s rain helps a bit, but tomorrow it will just add mold spores to the mix. The pollen has been so thick lately, it can be seen floating in the air and it is covering everything with a fine greenish-yellow dust. Yuck. If it wouldn’t look completely ridiculous, I swear I’d start wearing a freaking filter mask every time I had to be outside. Some people do, but I’m too vain to look that silly in public. Instead, I’ll just be taking my pills and being loopy in the head (but breathing). Speaking of which, it’s time to go take one now. I can feel the wheezing and sneezing about to start again.†
Footnotes- † I am so hoping this whole health care reform thing works out with me having decent health insurance. There are some new allergy shots that a lot of people are raving about, and I would like to give them a try, but without insurance, I’m pretty sure I can’t afford them. I don’t know what my life would be like without all these allergy problems, but I would seriously like to find out. In my imagination, my life becomes wonderful. LOL! [↩]