Growings On: Mid-April

So Today is the first day of April Vacation! WhhooooHoooooo! (Could you sense any sarcasm?) I don't mean to seem snarky, but the temperature is 84* right now. Right now, as in right. now. As in, according to the calendar it is April 16th. I don't personally have anything against the number 84, I just don't like that temperature when it is April. 16th. In North America. August, yes, 84 is fine. But. it. is. April!!!

O.k., enough of my temperature tirade! I'm also very torn about the fact that it is vacation and I want to spend time with the kiddos, but I have A TON OF STUFF TO DO!!!!! I currently have 3 laundry baskets of folded laundry (only folded because my Mom folded it while I was doing my shopping this morning. Thanks, Mom!) in my living room, two loads on my bed that need attention, And that is just the tip of the iceberg. You see, next Tuesday I'm having laproscopy. I hadn't wanted to mention it here, but the last few months I have been suffering some very intense with my menses. The doctor suspects endometriosis, but the only way to be sure is to have laproscopy. I'm not sure how I'm going to feel afterwards. As it stands now, I'm about 2 weeks behind due to traveling over to N.H. to see my doctor and the last time I was in pain for an entire week, unable to do much at all. This is totally cramping my garden plans. (No pun intended!)

Anywhoo, no more downer news! There is so much happening out in the garden already! Before I get to the picks, though, I'll give you some seed starting news. The green peppers I started about a month ago are doing beautifully! The little "gardens" that the kids started are doing very well, too, so we transplanted them into planters Saturday afternoon. They still need to come in to keep them safe from frost (and chickens, which we learned Sunday afternoon.) I finally was able to get my herbs and some flowers started Saturday afternoon, as well.

My DH brought home this piece of corrugated metal home. I snatched and decided
it could be made into a small garden bed just outside of the chickee coop. I just need
to get a piece of plywood to back this and fill 'er up with some top soil!

This is the spinach I planted about a week and a half ago out in one of my planters.
So excited to see it coming up!

This is the lettuce I started the same day.

Last year these planters held catnip and flowers. This year, so far, they are holding some
of my spinach and lettuce crop. Flowers will follow soon!

Three out of the four raised beds are built! My hubby is so good to me! (Plus, I think
he likes the fact that I'm so gung-ho about growing as much of our food as I can!) They just need
to be topped of with top soil and planted.

A new investment, a potato growing sack. I picked this up for $5 in the clearance section
of a local gardening store. Normally I wouldn't but something, I would make it myself, but for $5 I thought I could use it to get a good idea of how to make my own. Which I will, very soon and then share with you!

Catnip that came back and is doing great, despite getting hit by a couple of frosts.

It may be hard to see, but there is some new growth from this sage plant. Usually sage is an annual up here in Vermont, but I think due to a mild winter and plenty of mulch, it survived. Yay! I did start some
more sage from seed, though. Last year I didn't save enough to get me through the winter.

Some Early Girl tomatoes and pansies that Princess and I picked up in town
today. Some of the pansies are for Mama, some for her, and the rest for her friends
when we have her birthday party. We're having a fairy garden party where
each little girl makes her own fairy garden. Thank you Pinterest!

So, that's what's "growin'" on around here up on our hill! Are you planning (or started!) a garden this year? I'd love to hear about it from you! Have a lovely day, Friends!
Blessings,
Kelly