Excavation

Confession: I can't quit eating the girl scout cookies. I should have taken them to work and forced them upon our volunteers, but, lo, they are sitting on my kitchen counter (though apparently not for very long).

It is a gorgeous day. The 50 mile-per-hour winds of yesterday are gone, as is every single cloud in the sky. It is not too cold or too hot. Even our grass is finally starting to look green. (I'll pretend that's grass and not just a ton of weeds.)

The city water utilities and electric service people are obviously also taking advantage of the beautiful weather. While out and about this morning I saw no less than five electric services vehicles in various locations. The city water utilities showed up in our very own yard this morning about 8:00.


There was an excavator! There was fence disassembly (blogger says that's not a word; I say different)! There was a five-foot-deep hole! It was excitement!

The dirt is now replaced, the fence in its original condition, and our crepe myrtle probably a little worse for the wear. (Oh, and I suppose they made whatever "fix" was necessary to our water main. Though I didn't even know there was a problem since water has been coming out of our faucets at all the appropriate times.) So, all in all, I'd say the city water people made efficient use of their time today.

And since there was already a gigantic hole being dug up in our yard, but mostly because the weather was perfect, I hauled our new mini-tiller out of the shed and went to work on the garden.*


*The actual garden enlargement, addition of 800 pounds of manure/peat/humus/soil, and 98% of all tilling was accomplished by my capable and strong husband. I tilled for 10 minutes mostly for the fun of it. Though, as it turns out, it's not really all that fun, and you sweat a lot. Who knew? The mini-tiller is so cute.

It's hard to tell in the picture, but small tomato and pepper transplants now reside in our garden. They are joined by zucchini, bush bean, watermelon, marigold, mystery flower, alyssum, and basil seeds.

I need to get some parsley and yellow squash seeds and the garden will be complete. I may need to grab another packet of watermelon seeds, too. The package instructs planting 4-6 seeds 3 inches apart in rows 5-7 feet apart. I have room for two small rows. Upon opening the seed packet, I discovered 12 watermelon seeds. 12!!! I think they need to advertise that fact on the packaging.

Because I know you're hanging on every word of this gardening post, let me tell you how delighted I am that the alyssum seeds I planted a few days ago are actually sprouting!


Now, I probably won't have any flowers until it's about time for the heat of summer to kill them all off anyway, but I will keep you updated on that.

I know you can't wait!

Something about being in the sunshine, digging in dirt and planting is good for the soul. This is the time of year when I love my garden...before it's so hot I break a sweat just dragging the hose across the patio to water and the insects are waging a war with me and my organic defenses. In heaven, there will be no insects waging war and no temperatures above 90 degrees - I can't wait!

Here's to a long spring of comfortable temperatures!