Baby Step to the Garden

I took a few baby steps toward getting things done today.  Really it is so sad that such small things have to excite me, but such is the state of things around here.  I washed my breakfast dishes before lunch and my lunch dishes right away after we ate.  That in and of itself is an accomplishment.

Then I went outside and did a bunch of yard work.  I cut back the winter kill from my climbing rose.  I cut the dead branches and tops off three baby trees, and tied up the remaining branches as needed.  

I cut down the three jostaberry bushes from the south end of the garden, and replanted eight of the suckers into the north end of what will eventually be a windbreak on the east edge of the property.  (Right now it is intermittent.  Each  year, as we plant a few more bushes, it gets a little bit longer.)  The jostaberry bushes had originally been planted in a triangle, but had grown together into a big mess.  When I headed out today, I planned to move one whole bush and replant it so that all three were in a row.  But when I started cutting them back to see what was what, I discovered suckers all over the place, and a thick gnarled mess of branches where the original bushes had been planted.  I decided I really didn't want anything that suckers so much in my garden after all.  And I knew I didn't want to try to dig up the original plants, either.  So I gathered about a dozen suckers and replanted them, two to a hole, in four holes.  By then I was tired out and threw the last four into the burn pile.  If they come, they come.   We have many more suckers; we can plant more later if we decide to.

Anyone want some jostaberry starts?  They are a cross between an black currant and a gooseberry.  No thorns.  I'm not really convinced of the benefits of growing them for the alleged fruit.  The bushes were overgrown so much we could only find a handful of berries each year.  We see lots of blooms, but just can't get to the berries. Or maybe the birds get to them before we do.  I don't know.  That's one reason I decided on the windbreak location.  At least there, even if we never get enough berries to use, the bushes will be good for something.  Let me know if you want some.

Now we need to pull what's left of the tangled mess of stump of the older bushes from the end of the garden.  It will take a four wheeler, garden tractor, or skid stir to do that.  We could probably do it with our van, or one of the cars, but I'm not sure about maneuvering any of them in the space over there.  Many little things planted in the vicinity.

Now I'm inside and just sitting.  I really had to force myself to keep going when I was outside.  I can't tell you how many times I looked at the house and thought longingly of my spider solitaire.  But I kept at my task and got something done.  I even carried all the scraps to the burn pile and put my tools away where they belong.  Alison B., you'd be pleased.

Tomorrow's another day. 

Oh, speaking of tomorrow, I have a friend coming tomorrow, so that's exciting.  I think I will haul a bunch of laundry up from the basement to fold while we visit.  You wouldn't mind would you, Becky, if I fold laundry in front of you?  I might actually get more done than when nobody is here, because I might feel guilty just sitting doing nothing when there is somebody here to see.  Isn't it weird how the brain and heart work?

If you haven't been outside yet, get out there for a little while.  It's wonderful, glorious, terrific, splendiferous, and all good things.