Making Memorial Day Memories! :)

Rud and I got to spend Memorial Day making memories with our grandsons! :) Their mommy and daddy entrusted them to our care while they visited friends! What a treat it was for us! :) Since it was a nice day, Rud got out the hammock, and he and Brennan had some fun! :)

Even Coal was included in the party! :)

There was much fun to be had with the fancy, red race car that Brennan was thrilled to have from the cereal box! :)

Tegan woke from his nap just as Brennan gave in to sleep, so he enjoyed some time playing with his toys, and practising his crawling moves, on the carpet! :)

Then it was his turn to try out the hammock with Papa B.! :)

Tegan gave the day a thumbs up rating! We 2nd that notion! Nothing is quite so sweet as spending a day making memories with our grandkids!! :) How we dearly, dearly love them!! :)

Little Bouquets of Soft Heaven! :)

How I love the soft, sweet fragrance of apple blossoms, and wish it could be shared over the internet! :) Technology has it's limits, though, and I'm limited to sharing what can be enjoyed through sight! What a vision they are, though! Feel free to click on these photos for an up close and personal viewing! :) Most of these photos are of our King Apple, Red Fugi Apple, and Bosc Pear trees! :)

This photo is of the very first blooms our Red Delicious Tree has ever had! It's been a very long wait, so I'm thrilled to see them at last!! :)

This last photo is of our ornamental cherry tree! This tree offers little bouquets of soft heaven! :) I'm drawn to it every year, and feel it's soothing affect every time! :)

Thanks for viewing our tree blossoms with me! I hope you find enjoyment in them too! :)

Inexpensive Greenhouse! :)

I've always wanted a greenhouse, but they are so expensive that I just couldn't justify purchasing one! Then I noticed a poor mans' version in The Farm Store, and knew it was just what we needed, this year, if we're to have any chance of enjoying some ripe tomatoes! This one is 6' wide x 7' tall x 8' long! (They make larger sizes too!) Everything's a month behind this year, due to our cold Spring, and last year was almost as bad! I see a trend, and it may be that this little purchase may be a must for this, and future gardens!

Since yesterday was a dry, warm day, I set about the task of assembling the greenhouse! I had intended to construct it myself, but it was a 2-man job, and I appreciated Cal helping me put the frame together before he left for work! :) Then I set out the tomato cages to see how many plants I'd be able to fit inside! :)

Cal was going to help me get the heavy plastic mesh cover on it today, but I checked the weather report and saw rain expected, and set my mind to get it done, myself, before the garden soil got wet again! With determination I accomplished it! Then it was time to choose 8 plants and get them in the ground! :)

On one side I planted 4 salsa tomato plants, 2 Juliet, and 2 San Marzano! :)

On the other side I chose a fun variety of Big Beef, Heirloom Moskvich, Green Zebra, and Sweet Million! All are tomatoes I have to grow from seed, to have! :)

My plants are still babies, and so hard to see in these photos, that I took a couple close ups so you can see they really do exsist! :) This is one of the Juliet (Salsa) tomato plants! :)

This is Sweet Million, much like the Sweet 100 cherry tomato that I buy locally, as a plant, but in order to try the Sweet Million, which I've always heard is superior in sweetness and flavor, I need to grow it from seed! :)

So the assembly and planting is done in time, before more rain soaks the soil again! Now I wait, watch, tend, and hope for success for these little plants! :) The good news is that there are more just like them in my shop room, if these die on me! :)

All closed up and put to bed for the evening! :)

This little greenhouse has a door on either end, and two windows on either side, for those hot days when ventilation is a must! I think it's going to do the trick! :) Right now, the morning sun is shining on it, making it look like it's filled to overflowing and about to burst with the brightest grow light!! :)

Thanks to whoever thought of this inexpensive greenhouse and made it available for home gardeners, like me!! :)

Sun Showers! :)

There's a children's book I recall, about a bunny that enjoyed sun showers! The author made sun showers sound so exotic that I wanted to expertence one very badly! :) Since then, living in the Pacific Northwest, I've had many opportunities to enjoy them! :)
The other day I glanced out the window and the child in me instantly exclaimed, "Sun Shower!", as I grabbed my camera, and snapped a few photos! :)
As usual, you'll need to click on the photos to enlarge them, in order to enjoy them. I sure wish I could set up my blog for larger photos, but if there's a way, I don't yet know how. :)
Enjoy!! :)

In Honor Of Moms! :)

In honor of all you Moms out there, here is a bouquet of what is in bloom, just for you! :)

I hold motherhood in very high esteem! I've had many "moms" in my life, from my sisters to my "Grammie"! Thanks to one and all of them for tutoring me, and adding to who I am today! :)

Happy Mother's Day!! :)

Taking Inventory In The "Nursery"! :)

Out of curiosity, I decided to take inventory today of the "baby" plants I have growing! :) Currently I have 35 various tomatoes; 32 various peppers; and 22 various cold crops (brussels sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli, cabbages), for a total of 89! :)
Having worked in a garden nursery, you quickly learn that there are no guaranties when dealing with things that are alive. Things up and die on you, even under the best circumstances! With that in mind, I deliberately planted more seeds than I intended to grow! :) I didn't count on my unwillingness to sever the extras per plug, therefore dividing them and ending up with far more plants than I intended to grow! :)

There was supposed to be enough room for all of the seedlings under the grow lights! :)

So now my "nursery" is overflowing with "babies", that so far are all alive! So I'm doing my best to keep them that way! :)

Now if only our warm weather would get here, so I can be reassured that these little ones will be able to enjoy the great outdoors, once they are big enough to make the move to the garden!! :)

I'll be hardening a few to the outdoors at a time, and expect to lose some in the process. If I have more success than I think I will, and have extras, let me know if you'd like to adopt any of them! :)