Monday, May 04, 2009

The Garden

Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better. ~Albert Einstein

I got my garden tilled yesterday. That probably doesn't sound like much of a feat, unless you realize that I do it by hand -- using a pitchfork. My DH thinks I'm a little nuts for not using a regular tiller, but the fact is--I encourage beneficial wildlife to live in my garden, and don't choose to chop them up once a year. I actually bought earthworms from a place called Biocontrol Network a few years ago (and those bubbas are HUGE now) and don't want to to make the garden into a worm food processor.

My concerns were very much proven yesterday as I carefully turned the earth. I found four toads that were still hibernating in the earth (what a rude awakening for them!), several wolf spiders carrying egg sacs (I know, most of you are probably a little squicked out by spideys, but they are good bugs and we encourage their survival), and lots of earthworms (both young and old... some were so tiny it's a miracle we saw them... I'm glad the mamas are having babies). Unfortunately, we had our share of bad bugs, too: wireworms, cutworms and grubs.

We also got a bit of a brutal biology lesson: I turned a rock to pull some grass out from beneath it and woke an ant hill. Unfortunately for a wireworm that was also living there, the ants attacked it. WOW were they vicious!! Thank goodness ants are small or we wouldn't any of us be able to survive them (and, yes, that just made my writer's brain go, "Hmmmm....").

I didn't get anything planted, I was just too tired by the time I finished the job (some three hours after I started). We'll plant today.

Did you do anything fun or productive this weekend?

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Your Spicy Score: Medium



You enjoy letting loose and having fun, but you don't go overboard.

You know that a little spice can go a long way. You keep yourself in check.



When things are too boring, you really know how to bump up the temperature.

When things are getting hot and completely out of control, you know how to pull back.



Okay... lol..

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5 comments:

Dru said...

How do you know that an earthworm is old?

I had a good but tiring weekend, day spent with family and then attending a quilting class. It's hard having activities back to back on the weekend when all you want to do is rest from the work week.

I'm glad your garden is ready for the next stage.

Your Spicy Score: Mild

You don't feel like you need to spice things up. You're happy to play things cool.

You'll go along with fun, but you don't feel like you have to be the life of the party.

While people appreciate your cool vibe, as long as you're laid back and not uptight.

There's a chance you're taking yourself too seriously. Relax a little!
Hmmm

Have a great Monday!

Jennifer Shirk said...

I was BUSY this weekend, but I could not have gardened anyway. The weekend weather was not nice.

Tori Lennox said...

I'm from the "only good spider (or snake) is a dead one" school. *g*

Your Spicy Score: Mild

You don't feel like you need to spice things up. You're happy to play things cool.
You'll go along with fun, but you don't feel like you have to be the life of the party.

While people appreciate your cool vibe, as long as you're laid back and not uptight.
There's a chance you're taking yourself too seriously. Relax a little!
Huh. I would have thought I do better than that. Go figure.

groovyoldlady said...

Weekend? TOO BUSY, but very enjoyable nonetheless. Today I'm taking it easy. The weather is perfect, so I'm tempted to go break our garden - also by hand. Unfortunately, my wrists are sore from riding and I'm undergoing some healing right now. I don't think shoveling/digging/ pulling and swearing at black flies will further the restoration of my wrists.

Brandy said...

We're tilling a small patch of yard by hand as well. And I can tell the worms are waking up because they are starting to climb onto the porch and dry up there. Yuck. I have a gardening question. What causes red spots on rose bush leaves?
My spice score was Mild. While personality wise is was fair, I prefer my food spicy. *G*

I hope you have a lovely day!