Some Progress in the Garden

So yesterday I learned how sweaty and difficult yard work really is. I always give Jon crap for saying he'll dig me up the garden of my dreams and then procrastinating on the yard work, but now I can see why. My hands are very unhappy with me right now, needless to say...and all i did was scrape up the leaves and chunk them all behind the shed in a crunchy, sprawling pile. I'm debating whether I need some sort of fence or container to pen it all in for compost.

Not like it matters much anyway, 'cuz by the time it's ready, our gypsy souls will probably be beneath a different set of stars; but just in case we're still here in another year and half, I'm gonna use the stuff anyway.

Here are my new mentors --


I need to call my grandpa. I meant to set up a garden with him at his house this summer, before we got the new place with the nice backyard. I love my grandpa, but the bus out to his house is not easy to catch, and still requires a ride or several miles of bike-riding along the highway. Ouch. Maybe I can get him to come out to my house and mentor me in my garden. Teach me some of his darkest tomato secrets...




I also got some seeds started. Since I didn't have any dirt, I made rows of seeds on a paper towel-lined cookie sheet, and layered more paper towels on top. I'm gonna try to keep it moist and put it out in the laundry room where it can catch some sun. I need to remember to buy a mint plant, as well--I forgot about it until I bought a sprig at the grocery store for $2, and began to reminisce about the days of my spunky wild mint plant that quickly took over the entire 2 foot planter box, before spilling luscious green leaves over all the sides and onto the patio. I can smell the fresh spearmint tea in my dreams, mmm...

I can already tell that this is going to be quite a delicious summer. In addition to the spoils of my own toils, I've found a few untended fruit trees in the neighborhood, like the loquat tree in my very own front yard.







I also found an orange tree while walking along the train tracks to the bus stop the other day, but it was really close to someone's backyard and they had a big ol' mean dog jumping and barking right next to that tree. All these wasted smashed oranges on the ground next to this mean ass dog. Sigh. There are rumors of lemon, orange AND grapefruit trees up by the Quik Stop, so I must go on a hunt for those one day. Now if I could only figure out which tree dropped all those pecans on me, find a nice bank or office building with the flowering kale out front, and plant some soybeans (i can make my own tofu heehee), I would seriously NEVER have to go shopping except for condiments, dairy and cleaning products. Nice, nice, nice. I AM a cheapskate.

Speaking of which, I bought some new "curtains" from the thrift store the other day. Now I'm not sure if you'll ever hear this specifically stated in one of those "Top 100 things you can do to be more Green!" lists, but I think reusing goods rather than buying a new one from Wal-Mart, fresh from the Chinese factory, is all in the same spirit as changing out your light bulbs and carpooling. Its one more small thing that I can do to feel like I'm a part of the solution without dropping too much cash.

Anyways, these new curtains of mine are just a collection of mismatched bedsheets and curtains. I will definitely post some pictures once they're hung (and before the cats get to them!)--I think the bohemian feel we're going for will come together with the contrasting shapes and colors set against the soft grain of the wood floor and walls. I'm looking forward to a little morning shade, anyway...