Friday, April 21, 2006

One for Aunt Isobel...
just to prove I haven't a shred of pride, dignity or self-respect. Here's my flower garden for the world to see. Poor Dad. Cringing in utter despair. Naked of mulch. Need to mulch, but with the trip to Florida coming up, it isn't in the budget. I once bought mulch by the dump-truck full. It wasn't a good experience. The first load was filled with pieces as large as my arm- I said, "That might be called mulch around here, but where I come from, it's called kindlin'." I'm still turning it over in the flower beds. I figure that in another 10 years or so, it'll compost down. So they brought another load- ground so fine... I said, "They might call that mulch around here, but where I come from it's called pottin' soil." Weeds loved it. The next load was just right, but by the time I got it... I was just too tuckered out to move the mountain of stuff to the proper location. Eventually did, but that's history and now I need to start all over. Amazing how much easier it is to weed and work in a garden when you're not pregnant. I am so amazed. No, I did not have a load of rocks delivered for the borders. I dug each of those out of the ground, myself. When I was pregnant. I don't particularly like stone borders 'cause the weeds love to grow up around them...oh, that's right...mulch. But the stones help the sweet youngin's stay out of the flowers. Those purple flowers are money plants that my mom brought me from WV. They are the first thing to bloom. The strawberry plants are all up and spreading. Why are the strawberry plants in the flower garden? Jacob got a strawberry plant from his Sunday school teacher and we just set it in the flower garden, since there was only one plant. He lovingly tended it, but... Well, every March- on the first warm day, I get the urge to hoe- willy nilly, and I wacked up his beloved strawberry plant- forgot it was there. So I replaced it with another one. Next year- oops! Did it again... Well, he was so heart broken... I bought maybe a dozen to try and make it up to him... and now there are many more and I am thinking that we might need to make a strawberry patch out by the garden like what Grandma used to have.

8 comments:

Sarah said...

OK, I am putting in my order now for some strawberry freezer jam, fresh from your garden! I figure you owe me a couple of quarts! Or maybe gallons!

Miss you!

Love, Sarah

teelduo said...

Hey Just give me the strawberries WHOLE before you make the jam please. teeheehee sorry Sarah.

Lois R. said...

I'd love to see a pic of the garden when it is in its summer glory! I'll bet those rock edges look great when the plants are full and lush.

Lois R. said...

By the way, the quilt is gorgeous!!! I love the vibrant colors. So zesty! What is that pattern called? I saw a pic of an antique quilt done in reds, pale blues, tans, and whites and fell in love with it, but am not quite experienced enough to recognize the pattern.

Isobel said...

Nina, I love, love, love your flower garden. I really like rocks but there were none in our property to dig up and move so I settled for buying something from Lowe's to surround my flowerbeds. You may have noticed that my flowerbeds look somewhat flowerless right now. The daffodils and tulips are gone and the other stuff hasn't come up yet, except for the iris. Will post a picture later.

I'm with Lisa--give me the strawberries whole.

Cher said...

love your garden stories...a strawberry patch is a great thing-certainly a child pleaser!

Carolyn said...

I had a strawberry patch when I lived in NY...the kids would go out in the morning and pick strawberries for their cereal. Sometimes they would just sit in the strawberry patch and eat them for breakfast! Thanks for the memories...I guess I need to plant more strawberries!

Laura said...

I am loving your fence around your garden! Can't wait to see it all in full bloom!