Lock-down Day 361

I woke early, turned over, woke again after six.

I had a disconcerting thought this morning: I've been playing with seeds and gardens for almost five years now, yet I have not managed to grow a single vegetable, or keep even one herb alive! Why keep trying?

Where's this coming from? Well, I treated myself to a gardening magazine on Friday, and I read most of it while waiting for mippies last night ... which just brought home my total ignorance!

And then I reminded myself that I started with zero. I had failed Biology in High School, never had a garden in decades, and until a few months ago, the only ground I've had to work with was ... hostile! The ground in PE was very shallow, with almost solid rock under a layer of soil - so any plants needing depth for their roots, had little chance. Ditto the last garden. And I STILL managed to grow beautiful flowers, and a few odd veggies and herbs! And I've done a lot of research and learned a LOT! Every failure has taught me something.

But most importantly of all: look at how much pleasure every garden has given me! The time spent outside, weeding, watering, sowing, photographing ... AND looking up what I can do better! It's not the destination, but the road that matters! We travel the road a long, long time - and if we don't enjoy THAT, no result can make up for that time!

I would add: and look at my garden here, what I've achieved ... only, it doesn't look like six months work. Most of those six months, though, I've spent in a race with nature to maintain the status quo - and I made a very costly mistake at the start, letting the weeds get out of hand! Yet, I STILL made progress! I have two flower beds - one flowers, which are growing nicely, and one with succulents! And I should also remember, that I did all that while working full time, with no help!

All this thinking, of course, is driving the fact that the most visible, front partition, still looks like a jungle! What everyone sees, when they drive past, is the worst part, the most neglected section. Which, of course, rankles. So, I get the sickle and see how that works!

It works very well! Not as I had expected, because - instead of a sharp blade, the sickle has teeth ... which threw me a bit. But I'm sawing through swathes of grass at a time, getting more done, faster than any other method I've tried! Two problems, though: 1) the grass is leaning in my direction, and it's quite flat. So I can not really see what I'm doing. And 2) of course: mippies! They want to be where I am.

Going into the garden this early in the day, is, of course, asking for trouble. Why? Because I still MUST bake bread and the pizza, then wash the dishes again afterwards. And once I'm in the garden, I tend to forget everything else ... I'm just going to HAVE TO force myself inside in time.

Quarter past eleven and I've finished the first row along the fence, that I started the other weekend. That alone is a lot! I'm thinking of continuing until no later than one. That gives me enough time to make dough, bake the bread and pizza, wash the dishes ... with time to spare afterwards to play with seeds, if I feel like it! 

Does this look familiar? Well, I posted this when I last worked this partition. On 27th February

This is today, AFTER I finished. Not much change visible,
just the jungle corner receded a bit.

This is the row along the fence, as far as I got last month.

The result today, after 2 hours! And my supervisor at the back.
It's not clear, but I widened the row quite substantially.

At noon it started to drizzle, not quite raining, just a soft drizzle - but I decided to call it quits for the day. I've achieved a fair bit - I'm happy with the results! And since I still have a fair bit to do inside, the sooner I start, the sooner I'll be done.

Mini was curled up on my chair, when I insisted sitting in it, she moved
next to the chair. With in reach, to receive lovies!

Twenty past one, bread dough is on the go, pizza is ready ... and outside, the sun is blazing down so strongly, my flowers are drooping!

Look at them! They look like they're not going to survive the afternoon!

They often look like this in the afternoon, or when I come home. That's why I water so often. I'm just glad to have borehole water, allowing me to do so!

I've transplanted the Brussels Sprouts - into the round pot in the corner. WITH their pellets, so their roots should not be disturbed ... only ... some of them already had roots growing under the pellets. And one broke. It's delicate work, and I'm not the most delicate worker.

Anyway, based on the research I've done, I've come to the conclusion that Brussels Sprouts would do best during our winter. So the best time to start sowing the seeds in pellets is April / May.

I've also decided that the pellets should be reserved for seedlings with delicate roots - plants, who react badly to even the slightest disturbance to their roots.

Man, those flies in the kitchen are unbelievable! I found one IN the bread machine, with my dough! In the past, I've found the occasional one even baked into my bread! Fortunately just on the outside ... but these tiny little miggies? Swarming all over my pizza! And they don't fly off when I wave my hand over them, oh no! Well, I got them all off - I hope! - and put the pizza in the oven, while the oven is warming up.

And I'm sitting here, writing ... when I could be sowing seeds! I've got absolutely everything I need: pots, soil, seeds, even a greenhouse! And what am I doing? Sitting around watching my current series, cuddling mippies, walking out on the veranda only to walk back inside and wander aimlessly ...

Half an hour watering, and they're looking much better!

I started the sprinkler, then got busy with some seeds. Not half an hour later, the plants look much better ... and the sky is dark, thunder is rumbling, it looks like it could start raining any time ...

Of course, I'm now debating whether I really have to wash the dishes again ... can't it wait till next weekend? It's just the bread machine and the pizza tray, after all ...

As it's thundering and it looks like rain is imminent, I go looking for my mippies. Specifically Mewthos! Smeagol arrived, I've just refilled his bowl, so he's munching away ... and here comes Mini at top speed with a squealing mouse in her mouth! The other three mippies right behind her ... there's my need to worry gone up in smoke! Ha Ha!

Quarter past five and it's raining. Not very hard, but thunder and lightning galore. I'm continuing with my seeds. Funny thing: I went and bought myself a greenhouse, seedling trays, seedling soil ... and what am I using? I'm turning my empty bottles into mini greenhouses! I cut them about 3/4 from the top, then cut two slits into the bottom so that I can 'fit' the top over it. I decided to take the lid off, though, so the plants do get fresh air. I'm keeping the lids, though, in case I change my mind. Now the seeds are not exposed to wind nor extreme cold, and the soil stays moist. At least I'm using the seedling soil, ha ha!

I can hear that mouse squealing its heart out ... somewhere in the house ... I have no clue where, though. And I'm not going to look. Poor thing seemed too small to stand much chance, and I don't want to get bitten again. By the mouse. Mini may be extremely upset at my taking her mouse away, but she'd never go so far as to bite me!

Half seven, and I'm done with seeds and mippies are inside and treated! They got a chicken heart today, which Mini and Mewthos LOVE! Ziva will have one, but Janey doesn't like them. Now I'm running my bath, still have to cut the pizza and pack some for my lunch, as well as cut some slices of bread and butter them for lunch. I'm now running my bath ...

Done, done and done!

I've sown such a lot of seeds, faithfully taking photos of each seed for my gardening blog - I think I should take my phone to work tomorrow, so that I can upload them all and update my blog at work. It's just too much, it takes too long ... and I forgot to sow lavender seeds! Sigh ...

Ah well, another time! Anyway, now I've got three mippies on the bed and one on a shelf in my wardrobe ... better start the brushies ...