A Friend Is Dying

 My old Elm tree in the backyard is dying. It has the blight that has killed so many elms in this country. It was sick and we knew it wasnt going to live forever. Some elms down the road had to be chopped down last year,  but this die-off happened suddenly. The leaves came out at the start of Spring as always, and then all of a sudden, it's leaves started turning brown and bit by bit, all the green disappeared and dropped to the ground.

 Ive kind of been in shock. When I moved here, the backyard was a huge selling point with its shady overgrown landscape. You couldn't really grow much underneath it, but  the tree offered a refuge from the summer heat. I have no windows - only doors and no insulation.............so the shade cooled off my house. Now its all bright and dry back there and my home and workshop is like an oven. I'll have to get a patio umbrella and some hefty fan action. I'm raking leaves in June, which feels kind of eerie.  The tree is going to have to be chopped down and Im going to be staring out at a hideous wall. Right now, I feel as if I might as well be living back in the city with its bare walls.

I guess on the upside, there will be enough sun to grow  things out there now. To everything it's season, but the whole vibe and beauty of the yard has been destroyed. A friend is dying Im so sad. I'll have to adapt, but it wont be easy.

Thinking of Cabbages

So now that there is actually hope for me and my little garden,  Im thinking of starting seeds soon to plant for Fall and Winter. I want to try cabbages and broccoli as soon as I put my current seedlings in the ground. I also want to look like the girl in this Barbier print - but I would need to lose a few pounds.

I dont know if I'll have time or room for all of these - but some are spoken for. I just start them indoors and they always come up. I put them outdoors instead of under my skylight this year because I have a new kitten. They seem to be doing just as well. Ive got several different kinds of peppers and tomatoes - with lots of onions.

The Garden Is In

I got a late start on putting in my garden this year. I was extremely busy again - business-wise - and all I had any time to do was to double dig and amend my soil. I shouldnt put that down, as I was doing all of that using a foot that was recovering from some hefty surgery last fall. But I did want to be further along.

HOWEVER, by not planting so early in April, like I did last year, I avoided the hungry bug invasion and cold wind from off of the straits. I have some holes in the first crop of bean seedlings, but they are all thriving at this point in time. I have only found two cucumber beetles so far - as opposed to a bazillion. And they were off in the field somewhere.

I planted pumpkins from last year's large pumpkin. I have been putting empty  plastic planters in the middle of the squash hills and over the roots of the tomatoes. This is enabling me to save water by using more greywater. But now that Ive dug and double dug, amended with compost, fresh soil, and aged chicken manure, the water is soaking into the ground a lot easier and the soil isnt caking as badly in the sun.

Im going to let the pumpkins and other squashes climb over the compost pile in the field.

So this is what Ive got planted thus far:
5 tomatoes
Zuchinni
Yellow Crookneck
A French Pumpkin
Dellacata Squash
Lemon Squash
Three kinds of cucumbers
Garlic that will be ready soon
Carrots
Radishes
Turnips
Beets
Kale
Chard
Various Lettuces
Cilantro
Chives
Dill
Bee Balm
Marigolds
Valerian
Calendula

Ive got more tomatoe seedlings that I started from seed, but will go in pots soon. Ive also got peppers and lots of onions.

We'll see how it goes. Im saving as much water as I can for this. Im saving my dish water, anything that I wash vegetables and my hands with.........Im not doing as much laundry as I was. Not taking as many showers.