Around the Garden - After the Rain

We had some heavy rain this week and the garden took quite a beating. The roses are pretty much gone for now and the tomatoes look a little bedraggled. All in all I would say the garden is about a month behind in its growth compared to previous years.

Feline Friday

Watching the birds at the feeder.

Mystery KAL

Because I absolutely needed another new project, I joined the Game of Thrones Mystery KAL 2014 on Ravelry. I have neither read the books nor seen the TV series but I saw some of the projects in progress and liked the look of the pattern. I am using a thicker yarn than in the pattern because I like my shawls big and warm. This is what it looks like after clue #2:

How does your garden grow?

To be honest, not fast enough. I think it is way behind this year although I did plant on time. Five years ago we were picking the first radishes at the beginning of May and this year they are barely sprouting. Now all my hope is on the beans and tomatoes. The herb seedlings I transferred outside are all dead. Thanks to the idea of just putting the egg shells into the ground with them, some critter dug them all up and ruined them. Next year it will be peat pots all the way. Does gardening have to be that frustrating?

Beans

 

Lavender

Kohlrabi (the white variety does not even bother to grow)

Carrots, Radishes and Spinach

Zucchini

Sunflowers (the back row is not coming up)

Flower Power

I made some Maybelle Flowers out of cotton yarn, in a colorway that is aptly named "psychedelic" and replaced the hearts on my garland with them.

Sunday Morning

A walk around the garden and freshly baked muffins for breakfast. It rained heavily yesterday and the roses look a little bedraggled. There is a robin's nest in one of our trees. I love the quiet and the light in the mornings.

Around the Garden

Feline Friday

Mother (Elsa) and Son (Leo)

MamaCat

Roses

After a couple of difficult years (for all of us) our rose bush is coming back into its old glory. The roses are full and deep red again and they smell heavenly.

Yoga

I took a yoga class once, a long time ago, back in Vienna. I quickly realized that there are poses I would never be able to do simply because of my physical layout, ahem. Even the teacher saw that it would not work for me. I did not like the class very much and never tried again.

Now I am older and much creakier than I was then and I decided to give it another try. This time in the privacy of my living room with only my cats as audience. I bought a DVD with a yoga class for more mature people and today I tried it for the first time. Well, I still can't do certain poses without suffocating myself and I am even less flexible than I was 20 years ago, but I am still alive. The cats were wondering what had gotten into me and watched from a safe distance. Since the class is for 'the young at heart' it offers alternate poses that I can do without endangering myself. I like the music on the DVD and the teacher has a nice voice. She is also very flexible and it is nice to watch her movements.

I will continue.

Weekend

What did I do on the weekend? Well, I ...

... bought a yoga mat and more yarn for my Maybelle blanket.
... added some herbs and a Japanese Eggplant to the garden.
... discovered the first roses.
... found out that some critter ate all the strawberries that were just about ready.
... baked bread, made granola and cooked meat balls for Sunday lunch.
... enjoyed the sunny days and cool nights.
... slept a little better than I did all week.
... made more squares for my Gretchen blanket, I am totally in love with these colors.

And not to be too self centered: Del cleaned out the porch (big project) and helped me spread more pine needles around the azaleas and roses. And we both watched movies and enjoyed the rest of the oatmeal cake and plenty of coffee.

It was another good weekend.