Simple Woman's Daybook

Outside my window... A gorgeous morning!  As soon as I am done I am off to water the garden and potted plants.

I am thinking... That today is the day that I will probably drive myself insane, driving all over town looking for the kind of garden mulch I want.  Straw was an absolute disaster last year.  But I will attempt to see if I can find the kind of small bark I want, or buckwheat hulls - if it is not overly expensive.  I wonder if I will run into the problem of stores being closed today due to the holiday... Memorial Day.

I am thankful... That my stepmom had only a short visit to the ER last night.  My dad drove her home early from a family camping trip (we elected not to go) down near Florissant when her abdominal pain got to be too much.  She has diverticulitis but thankfully there were no perforations or abscesses in her abdominal wall, so surgery was not required.  She has been down this road before, and it was pretty scary - multiple surgeries and an extended hospital stay.


From the Learning Rooms... I am looking at the calendar and it looks like May Madness is OVER!!!  Yeah!!!!!!!!!!  I am itching to hit the books again.  Since Jordan is at his mom's for his summer visitation, I can focus on Rylan and Owen.  I can't wait.  Also, a visit to the library to sign up for the summer reading program.


In the kitchen... Another batch of rhubarb and strawberry jam today, and veggie quesadillas for dinner tonight. - it's Meatless Monday!

I am wearing... My *new* Mother's Day pjs!  I asked my husband and he listened.  I'm a happy momma.  :)


I am creating... Dean is building a 3-compartment compost bin and I am plotting new garden beds for next year. We have done a lot of work in the backyard in the past three weeks - more than we have done in the past seven years! I have already knocked out all of my projects I wanted to get done for the summer - and it's not even June yet!  I am also creating several gardening and planting blog posts as well.

I am going... I hope we get to go on a short bike ride around the neighborhood today.  All work this weekend isn't exactly fun.



I am wondering... Why... on this holiday weekend, I can't sleep past 6 am. So unfair. Good for writing, but bad for a sleep-deprived me.

I am reading... Things I want my Daughters to Know by Elizabeth Noble.  It is our book club read for June.  I'm maybe a sixth of the way through it.  It's a decent read, but it's just not gripping me, so I haven't been making much progress - which is bad because I am supposed to pass it on to other book club ladies after I'm done.  I'd better get reading!  We also entertained the idea of reading the whole 50 Shades trilogy, but most of us have decided to pass because of it's negative message.  It may be entertaining, but life is too short to read stuff like that.

I am hoping... That my zucchini and pumpkin seeds sprout soon.  It's been a week and I am getting impatient.


I am looking forward to... Seeing the finished compost bin.  I won't post until it's finished.  Which is why you haven't seen the sandbox either...

I am learning... About the science of composting.  I will need to pick up some topsoil today too.  You begin a pile with a 6-8 inch layer of organic material with a proper ratio of green (cuttings/food scraps) to brown (leaves/ shredded paper), a hefty sprinkle of compost starter or 10-10-10 fertilizer, and then a 1-2 inch layer of topsoil.  Then repeat.  And repeat.  And repeat.  When your pile is about 3 feet high, sprinkle with water and keep it moist (sorry Erin).  It should reach proper temperature in about two weeks.  Keep adding to the pile and turn every couple of weeks.  (Or something like that.)


I am hearing... Coldplay's Us Against the World. Still my favorite song on Earth.


Around the house... Well, it's 7:24 am.  I just got up a minute ago so I could go upstairs to retrieve my book and type in the title, and as I rounded the stairs there was my 2 year old, Colin, sitting there, rubbing his eyes.  I pulled off my headphones and I heard him mumble, "(something)(something) binkie...".  So we went back to his room, I located his binkie in a crevice behind his mattress in his bedframe, and he climbed right back into bed.  Now, even with headphones on, I can hear him banging around.  I guess he's up now.  And so goes the house.

I am pondering... I've lost a total of five tomato plants (out of 20) in the past couple of weeks.  One was because the dog stepped on it.  (Abby!  Don't you know your paw print is a dead giveaway??)  Two were due to Colin messing with them and breaking the stem at the crown.  The other two were due to constriction/rotting happening right at the crown.  I've never seen that before.  I looked around on the internet yesterday, and the best I could come up with was a fungus called Fusarium crown rot.  I hope that is not what it is because then I have a serious problem with the soil, and I won't be able to use that garden bed for tomatoes for about 3 years.  Shucks.


One of my favorite things... My husband.  Yesterday, while I was busy staking and pruning the tomatoes, he brought me cold drink and started up some music outside for us while we each worked on our project.  All of a sudden a tedious job was a lot more enjoyable.  :)

A few plans for the rest of the week... Nothing, nothing, nothing!!!  (except karate lessons)


Here is a picture for thought I am sharing...

A trip to the zoo on 5-23-12

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