Weekend

I started early in the garden. I wasn't enjoying myself as much as I thought I should, this weekend. I also couldn't decide what to do or where to start - I wanted to get going with my seeds, but felt rather overwhelmed! It's all those special instructions, which turned my joy of growing into a chore! I'd say I've bitten off more than I can chew!

So, I spent most of Saturday weeding - clearing different areas, preparing grounds here and there ... trying to stay out of the sun. I moved around the garden like a drunken hop-scotch player! Hopping here one minute then hopping out of the sun to a different spot.

My stomach was still in marathon mode, sapping my energy as well - and my mood was accordingly not very upbeat.

Time for a change of attitude.

Okay, so reading many of those guidelines explained why I'm not getting anything from some of the seeds I've sown. Fine. Live and learn. But that's no reason to change my entire approach to gardening! If I start reading guidelines, following those to the letter - then gardening becomes more of an exercise than pleasure. Sure, there are some plants where that is unavoidable - but that's why I'm not growing stuff like Orchids or Roses!

So I'll just go back to doing what I've been doing all along: prepare a bed, sow seeds and hope! Once all the easy plants are well established, I can go for those needing special pampering! Well, except for the strawberries and blueberries - I really, really want those to grow! I'm planning to read the guidelines during the week, then make it happen either over evenings or on the weekend. Both will go into pots, I think. At least for now.

That cheered me up!

I've been thinking to make pizza for the longest time, again - yet, with the garden and such, I just never got around to it. On Sunday, I decided it's time.

I've set a 900gr dough to prepare in the bread machine and then went through my pantry to pick what I should use on top. I've picked my two zucchini, some spinach leaves, some basil and I've pulled out several carrots - they are still much too small, but they are crowding the tomato plants - they weren't intended to share a pot. I'm also clearing out some tins I've kept for too long. I'll use part of the dough for the pizza - but I'll bake the bread first.

I've gone through my vegetable patch and, once again, cut all the leaves which were turning yellow. The cucumber plants are doing very well - they've latched on to the fence now, and are planning to climb up that fence!

Well, the bread turned out so large, it's flat on top, where it reached the oven ceiling! Ha Ha! Too much dough! And the pizza is also delicious, I've packed two pieces for my lunch tomorrow and two more for dinner.

Ziva stayed out late again - courtesy of Sir Galahad! That stinker actually came into my lounge and widdled on my sleeper couch! Seriously! But Ziva is inside, all safe and sound. Mippies are fed, washing themselves and happy!

The PC is giving me some trouble, so I'm logging off for the night.

I've also thrown some of the diatomaceous earth onto my beds - since it's food grade, it's harmless to my food plants, but it does keep the ants away! The corner where the Nasturtiums had been completely murdered by ants is now ant free!

Argh! You know what won't work? Bread dough without yeast! Sigh ... starting again.

Good, that worked out, at least! I took part of the dough, mixed it with some of the yeastless dough and rolled it flat for my pizza. I shaped the rest into a bread and put it in the oven to rise again.

Oh. My. Gosh! The bread rose so much, it completely fills the baking tray! Cor blimey! The pizza dough, on the other hand, just looks dried out - no matter, though. Since a lot of liquid goes onto the pizza, it won't matter it it's a little hard.

While the bread was rising, I went out into the garden and cleared the grass along the path in front of the vegetable patch. I was surprised to get it out so easily, with quite a lot of roots, as the ground was too hard for me to get the fork into.