The happy ending...

After much weeding and sweating the garden is looking lovelier than ever. We got all of the weeds out, my husband rearranged the sprinkler system and added a new line, and veggies are growing. Ahhhhh. We still may lay down weed paper and then cover it with bark so that things look a little nicer, but I really am relieved that it is looking so good for now. All those nights of weeding have resulted in a nice little garden spot for us...and just as things are starting to bloom, too! I intended to share a picture of my Mother's Day gift a while ago. Here it is in the middle of the garden -a beautiful new trellis for the Thompson Seedless grape! I've always loved these and I'm so pleased that I now have one of my own. I've been inspired to really plan out the garden next year, and it is going to be centered on this grape vine. I'll plant rows of veggies and herbs in a star burst pattern with the trellis at the center. I really want the garden to look like something next year...whether it is a pattern of boxes or circles or whatever. The tomatoes, as enormous as they get, won't be able to participate in the pattern, but I'm thinking I can use them in the corners to anchor the natural square shape of the garden. So many fun things to consider!
I'm rushing to get a few things read this morning and commented on because my darling son Noah asked me this morning if it is a cleaning day or a shopping day or a school day...all no. So he said, "Mommy, can it be a play with Noah day?" I'm limiting myself to all computer work and showering during Sesame Street and then the rest of the day will be with the kids. Hope you are having a great play with your kids day, too!

Where has Nikki been?

Weeding, that's where. Remember when I posted about my love for weed paper? Well, phooey, says I. A few weeks ago, I walked into the garden and noticed the distinct feeling of walking on pillows. Pillows? My husband and I pulled back the weed paper and and found this...

BEFORE pulling back the paper

After pulling back the paper

More of the weedy interlopers

For the next few weeks, our precious evening hour with light went to weeding the garden. You know the hour I'm talking about...the one from 7:30pm to 8:30pm. That hour when the kids are in bed and there is still just enough light left to do something outside. So rather than enjoy it and pick some veggies, we spent it elbow deep in wretched weeds.

The pictures aren't really doing it justice. I was too disgusted with the whole thing to take enough pictures, but you get the idea. Our 20 x 20 foot garden was truly carpeted with weeds wherever there was weed paper.

Of course there is a happy ending. But you'll have to tune in tomorrow for that story...

Look who did our pictures...

My sweet friend Adrea took the chick pictures of the kids that I posted and I totally forgot to include a link to her blog where she publishes all of her work. You have to check it out! Her pictures are so great and I love that I get to have her around to take my kids' pictures. Adrea can be found at Bright Waters Photography and right now it is totally plastered with my little darlings. Have a great day!

The chicks are growing!

Oh, the little chicks aren't so little anymore. Their fuzz has turned into feathers and they are now big enough to live in the coop! The kids have been loving having them to play with and the chicks seem to be just as in love with the kids. We still haven't totally figured out the composting thing, but all in good time. Daisy and Henrietta will be with us for a long time, so we'll figure it all out eventually.

Noah with Henrietta and Daisy

Sarah with Henrietta

Me with Daisy and Henrietta

May Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day

I haven't posted much lately because of a weed situation in the garden that I'll be going into more detail about soon. Weeds - the scourge of the garden! But my son and I went around the yard today taking some pictures to share what we have blooming today. Thank you to May Dreams Gardens for hosting this! Things are really starting to grow quickly in the vegetable garden so many of the pictures are edibles...I can't wait for summer salads!

First up is the lovely purple flower of an eggplant

Our first beefsteak tomato

Yellow Pear tomato blooms Pumpkin Blossoms

Cucumber blossoms...

and our first cucumber

Strawberry flower

The nasturtiums are blooming, which I was so happy to see. I expected them not to do much since they are in very fertile soil, having just been given a dose of manure and worm gold at the beginning of the year. Looking forward to adding these to salads!

The zucchini has the prettiest blossoms right now

Scarlet runner bean flowers

And finally - a bee we found on a growing strawberry - yay bees!

Temporary chick housing

For the next 4 weeks, the chicks will be living in an orange box in the garage where we can keep the area heated evenly. They need it to be 90 degrees in there!

Of course, an ordinary box isn't good enough for our babies, so my husband created the luxury edition for Daisy and Henrietta. We lined the bottom with newspaper shred, gave them fresh water and food from feeders, and Rob even built a roost (a stick for perching) for them! He used an old wood scrap and even sanded it down for their tender little feet. The lid is a mitred wood frame with chicken wire covering it. We were a little concerned about animals somehow finding their way in to the garage, so we felt it best to keep them covered up. The heat lamp is an inexpensive one from Home Depot fitted with a clamp and a 60 watt bulb. Toasty!

The chicks had their first experience playing in the grass last night, which they seemed to love. They stayed pretty close to the kids and even snuggled up to Noah a little bit. We picked out some friendly birds.

(Please ignore the plants in the background that I haven't planted yet - oops).

Daisy and Henrietta the chicks

Yes, it is true. We have two new little chicks at our house! They are so fuzzy and fluffy and sweet and we just adore them.

Henrietta is on the left and Daisy is on the right.

Daisy is a Buff Orpington.

Henrietta is a Rhode Island Red.

Sarah cried and screamed all the way home from the feed store where we bought them because she thought we were leaving them there. The kids LOVE the chicken. Noah likes to sit outside and "chicksit" them so that they won't be alone. Adorable.

Oooh, chickens!

My dear husband built a coop for them, which is now situated comfortably behind the shed in a spot that will stay cool in the summer. I am planning to plant some yummy things that chickens like to eat in their little run - things like lettuces, sorrel, chives, and hosta are some of the things I've heard they like to eat. Of course, they'll scratch and wreck their plants, which is fine as long as they leave mine alone.

For now they are in the garage in a box covered with chicken wire with a heat lamp attached. They'll live in the garage for about 4 weeks or so until they are ready to move into the shed.

Oh, the adventure we have started!