Friday

friday~

brrr... it was a cold one last night.  Our temperature got down below freezing, as predicted ... around 25 degrees.  I took the time before going to bed last night to tuck in my plants under some tarps, sheets, and paper bags.  Everything looks okay today. 

A comment was made to me once about us northerners and our flowers ... how we get so protective of them and "braggy" about them.  I guess some of us are ... but I know some people in the southern states who are too:)  
I guess it's because we have such a short growing season in our area ... and we REALLY love seeing something grow ~ besides the height of the snowbanks all year... AND when things start greening up we hate to see a killing frost come along and "deadicate" them (one of my Daddy's words, lol).
Another week yet and then I'll be concentrating a little more on the vegetable garden.  I'm not putting in a huge garden this year like we have in the past ... just a few green beans, beets, turnips, kohlrabi, tomatoes(for eating fresh), dill and cucumbers. I plan on purchasing from our Amish and Mennonite friends the squash and tomatoes for canning.  I also plan on buying direct from farmers market my carrots, potatoes, cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli.  I just don't have enough "umph" left in me to do it all on my own anymore.  But I'm not giving up my canning, or my berry picking and jelly making.


The other day, Sara came over and pointed out an advertisement in the paper ~ someone was giving away some big goldfish for a pond.  HELLO... I need goldfish!  The ad was a few days old already, what were my chances?

Now the black lagoon is home to six fish once again.  Thank you Jack (the guy with the fish).
If you're wondering what the black lagoon is ~ that's the rubbermaid tub that's sunk in the ground at the bottom of my waterfall on my little hill between the flower bed and the driveway.


Here's a pic of the start of that project in 2007


What a difference some rocks, ferns and sweat can make:

my hillside garden in 2009            
the potato patch of 2009
the old garden

Now our garden is an eighth of the that size ... which is just right.


mom and her hollyhocks

We'll be vegetable gardening this year over by my Mom's place ... just across 40 acres from us.  It's all fenced in from the deer, and has beautiful yellow hollyhock flowers that bloom around it's edges.  These photos are from 2009.  We've tried putting a garden in by our house; but it wasn't very good here.  It's too shady in the woods.  Veggies like the open spaces and sun!

Yeah... we work hard around here to make a living off the land as much we can ... and to enjoy the blessing of nature that the Good Lord has provided.  HE has given us this earth as our temporary home to live on ... and it's up to us to take care of it. 

Enjoy your day!  See the beauty that is all around you ~ you only need to open your eyes.

Even an old pair of boots can be beautiful.


Until next time...
So it goes in my neck of the woods.
~mel

9 comments:

  1. love your mom's hollyhocks! we had some at the farm house we lived in when i was small. :)

    hope your fish enjoy their new home!

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  2. Wow, all the hard work really paid off on the goldfish pond. 25 degrees is hard for me to imagine, this time of year... in my neck of the woods. Brrrrr! We're already sweatin' bullets.

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  3. I like that Black Lagoon area, really all your place. Great you were able to find the gold fish too.

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  4. It won't be long now, Mel, and your flower bed will be booming with colors again. How did I miss your Poppy Show? Maybe tonight with the overcast sky, won't freeze....the ground was snow white this morning. My Bleeding Hearts took a beating. How did the stuff in your Hypertufas do?
    BlessYourHeart

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  5. Hi Mel, YES---you all do work hard and I certainly admire you. LOVE LOVE LOVE your waterfall and fishpond.. That is unique and just so neat....Did Slim build that for you? WOW--I'm impressed...

    Love your Mom's hollyhocks..

    Hugs,
    Betsy

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  6. Love those hollyhocks. We couldn't grow them at the coast as it was too wet and they'd get the rust. Haven't thought of trying them up here ... it is MUCH drier up here. They'd probably do grand.

    Potatoes ... yum. I got mine planted last weekend.

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  7. Loved the walk around your place. You've done some beautiful landscaping. Love the pics of Mom with the hollyhocks too. Sure do miss Daddy and his words of wisdom. He sure did give us a great 'edge-umacation' LOL
    'love & hugs from afar'

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  8. Aw, crap, still can't comment normally. Sure was hoping it was fixed.
    I love your water feature with live fish. You must heat the water. I do for my little fountain which pleases my resident frog.
    You certainly garden large. I only grow what I can eat fresh and will think about buying from a local organic farmer for canning. Thanks.
    Arkansas Patti

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  9. I LOVE all of your photos, but especially I am happy for you to be able to have that "waterfall" in your yard! What a haven for birds!! Your energy makes me feel REALLY lazy! Are those flowers already in bloom??

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