Sow: French breakfast

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The radishes are coming in nicely. This is the second batch of ten I’ve harvested this week. This weekend it will be time to replant most likely.

Remember how I said that I wasn’t sure that the seed tape I made was worth the effort? I officially have changed my mind since 1) the radishes are actually growing like they’re supposed to, 2) they’re delicious, and 3) the rows look pretty.

Even with last night’s cold weather, the urban farm seems to be chugging right along. Lots of lettuce to harvest this weekend!

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Sow: photo essay

Not writing much today because the urban farm looked so pretty this morning. So I captured it for you.

Enjoy the views:

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dePierre spinach (heirloom variety)

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Purple pole bean seedlings

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Spinach

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Arugula flowers

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Mixed lettuce

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Ladybug on chard

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Chard

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Snow peas

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Zucchini

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French breakfast radish

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Gratuitous 3G photo (thanks Bruce)

Sow: relaxation, Easter edition

Today was a day of regrouping, getting more supplies, chores, and doing some DIY work, but also a day of relaxation.

Usual Sunday morning long walk with the Gs landed us this photo of the Gs sitting pretty in the blue bonnets (the Texas state flower). A neighbor planted them as a wildflower/spring ornamental, so we took advantage of the sidewalk for a photo.

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George (yellow), Guinness (black) and Godiva (brown) sitting amongst the blue bonnets on some unsuspecting neighbor’s sidewalk

We cut boards for the office wall today. Needless to say, a new table saw is required to replace the 10+year old table saw which is on its last legs. It has served us well, in many houses, despite adding many colorful words to a religious holiday. Bruce will be researching new options over the next few days. If you are a table saw aficionado, please provide your opinion and suggestions.

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The boys know how to relax

I wasn’t kidding about relaxation. After we realized that the saw was, well, not as accurate as it once was, we gave up and decided to enjoy the patio, the blue jays making nests in the live oak, the squirrel taunting the Gs, and the sunshine (rain is predicted for a lot of this week — yippee!). As you can see, Guinness and George approve of the new patio furniture.

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Doesn’t Bruce look relaxed?

We called “wine-thirty” a tiny bit earlier than usual and used the time to chill (see, Fransi, we do listen) and enjoy the holiday spirit with some music and relaxation. We are sore from this weekend’s shenanigans, but the work week will fix what ails us.

One last photo: the first radish of 2013:

Bruce said it was delicious

Bruce said it was delicious

Hope everyone had a lovely day today!

 

 

 

 

Sow: spring fever

Although it’s a bit gloomy-gray out, when George and I went out to pick lunch this morning by headlamp, I knew that I would have a hard time being inside today. So much so that, even though I had time for a break, I dared not go outside. I might roll the windows down and drive. And I might not come back, as crazy-stricken with spring fever as I am.

While work is fun and cool stuff is happening inside, there’s so much going down at the Urban Farm. Tomato flowers! Lettuce that has doubled in size! Tufts of bok choi! Beets that need to be thinned! Carrot shoots coming up in neat little rows (thanks, seed tape)! An almost full grown radish! Rose bushes greening up and getting leaves! Pea shoots starting to reach toward the trellises! Garlic sprouts! (All exclamation point worthy!)

I’ve been dreaming of planting jalapeño and bell pepper transplants. Getting the spring basil plants in the ground. Figuring out what to do with the patio pots (edible or just pretty? that is my question). I want to feel the soil on my hands (and face) and the sun blazing on the back of my neck. I want to yell at George for trying to catch butterflies and Guinness for trying to catch bees. I want to catch Godiva digging the hole she shares with George. I want to bask in the flowering beauty of the plum and peach trees now that Bruce added a gate to that part of the fence. I want to get the composter going  and turn those garden and kitchen scraps into this fall’s fertilizer. I want to wear flip flops and sit on the patio, cool drink in hand, watching the plants grow and the Gs roll in the grass. I even want to pull weeds in the front yard again.

(I’m itching to get outside if you can’t tell.)

Two walks through the neighborhood each day with Bruce and the 3G Network plus some weeknight watering and limited poking around in the raised beds isn’t doing it for me. I need more. And since my allergies aren’t going completely insane anymore (touch wood, right?) I am even more ready to plant some stuff and enjoy the outdoors before it becomes The Surface of the Sun (aka North Texas’ version of summer).

Luckily for me, it’s almost the weekend. Well, it’s Thursday, the Gateway to the Weekend(TM) and this week, it’s my Friday. You see, on Monday, I decided to give myself a little gift. I’m treating myself to a vacation day and spending Friday doing what I wanted to do. So I’m prepping for Spring, starting with a much needed pedicure to get ready for sandals and open toed shoes, then doing a little bit of wardrobe refreshing, topping it off with a visit to North Haven Gardens for some transplants. (I could do without the shopping but I really must go. I have a lot of client visits coming up and I need to look sharp. Ugh.) A perfect day that hopefully will go as planned and the shopping gods will deliver lovely work clothes and great bargains to me in record time.

So I’m getting up at 5 am as usual tomorrow. Starting my day as early as I can. No rest for the wicked. Or the spring feverish.