Of course, they’re the earliest petunia seeds, which I planted last week. But it’s terribly exciting to see those tiny little seedlings bravely poking up, with two feet of snow, right outside of the window. I started them in a flat, covered by a plastic bag, to hold in moisture, like I do all of my seeds. They loved it and have germinated well. Will moved them to inside one of the little plastic greenhouses, we have set up on the seed table, next to the south-facing window in our seed room. Today, I planted another flat of another fancy petunia, whose seeds were as fine as dust. There was no “planting,” rather, gently shaking out the little plastic bag they were in. Here’s hoping they scattered well!

Can you see the tiny seedling petunias?

Today, Will got the last coat of used motor oil on the flatbed for our pickup truck. Then he lifted it in place on the truck with our little Kubota. There’s still some work to do on it and it needs to be bolted down, but it looks so nice, in place of the old, rusted out box that was on there! That flatbed will make picking up hay in the field so much easier as it will slide into place and there’s no more tossing it over the sides of the box. Yea!

The new (free) flatbed is now on the truck.

David’s been steadily working on his cabin. Well, not a cabin any longer, but a house. Hey, it has a big, tiled shower with two shower heads and a flush toilet! Yesterday, he came over and got 10 gallons of water to give it its first flush, as he had just glued up the drain down to the outlet. It did flush and it did not leak — yes! — Jackie

23 COMMENTS

  1. Usually here in California – I get an early start on my garden (February/March), but not this year. You can’t till or plant when the ground is flooded. I hate to complain about the rain after being in such a long drought but we need it to stop raining for at least a few weeks. Either that or buy some fish to stock my new pond formerly known as my yard.

  2. It’s exciting to see seedlings popping up! That flatbed on the truck is a genius idea. Best of all Free! Sounds like David and family is getting close to moving in. Won’t that be nice to have the granddaughter close?! Prayers for a blessed week and continued healing.

    • Thank you! Yes, it will be wonderful to have the family close. It’s hard to have them so far away.

  3. glad to hear things are progressing nicely! Blizzard warning for western Minnesota tomorrow so the garden in only in the dreams!
    katherine Jordahl

    • Yep! We missed the big storm but did get lots of wind and about 7 inches of new snow. Yuck!

    • And a lot of folks don’t know you can grind popcorn into cornmeal! I’m glad you tried it and loved the result!

  4. All our spring flowers are in bloom and my indoor vegetable seedlings are popping up also! I am always so excited to see them start up and it still cold outside!! it means gardening season is right around the corner!

    • Yes, it does! I have lots of pictures of my little seedlings, comfy inside and three feet of snow outside the window, inches away.

  5. Sounds like everything is coming along nicely, both petunias and house. I’ve been checking out my Amish neighbors and their windmills. That looks like a good homesteading idea. Just wish I was 40 years younger. Tell Will he might profit from what looks like a pretty straightforward construction idea. I am fascinated by the way they can fold it up and let it down during a storm. It is entirely mechanical and a very young girl showed me how easy it was to fold down. Who knows, with your group, you might even find a used one to erect!

    • Around here, windmills are very scarce. And a new one costs an arm and a leg. We are happy to have a 120 volt submersible in our well that we can power with our solar/battery bank. I, too, wish we were 40 years younger!!!

  6. All good news Jackie! Lovely! David is moving right along and I hope we get to see photos of all his hard work. Onward and upward!

    • I’ll have to have him take my camera over. I can’t climb his stairs yet. Working on that though!

  7. Hurray on all of the accomplishments! Feels very good to see your seeds popping up. Haven’t planted anything yet here in the greenhouse but I’m sure itchy to do so!

    • I’m starting to plant my long-season hot peppers this week. I try to do a little at a time until the rush hits full force.

  8. My husband, Bill, is handy like your Will. There is nothing more satisfying and interesting to me than to watch someone recycle , fix, and create. That flat bed is going to be so handy!
    How exciting to see those tiny petunia seedlings! Yaay.
    I’m looking forward to seeing what “fancy” petunias look like.
    Spring is on its way. Yaaay!

    • We love making something out of rejected material!! These petunias are purple and white, 7″ across and are cherry flavored. Check out Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds to see photos. Pretty neat!

  9. Yay to no leaks and hopefully soon said commode will have a water supply (hauling water from Mom’s house will get old real fast!).
    We’re getting snow (yep it was time as all the previous snow had melted) that started this afternoon and will continue into early tomorrow. Likely 6-8 inches of the heavy, wet stuff. Not a big deal when one doesn’t *have* to leave the house – don’t miss the days of driving into the office.
    Still a bit too early to start any seeds – if I can’t eat it, I don’t plant it. We have plenty of wildflowers and leftovers from the prior owner. Squirrels must do a good job of burying daffodil bulbs as every year, more of them pop up. Daffodils and hostas are quite hearty – snow doesn’t seem to phase them (happens every year).

    • Don’t know where you are but my daffodils always come up in first or second week of February. Love it. First time I saw them in snow, WOW.

      kathy in MS

      • I’m farther north (though not as far as Jackie). The hostas/daffodils started coming up when it snowed. I have the daffodils all flowered out and a light snow occur. Didn’t seem to phase them but the snow was light and melted rather quick.

        • My petunias ARE edible, both flowers and chopping them up to make cherry flavored syrup. My flower beds are under 3′ of snow with more coming. So, it’ll be awhile before I even see evidence of them being alive. Soon, though….

    • No, there’s no giving up in David. It’s just been hard with he and his family living an hour and quarter away, him driving that distance to work nights, then trying to come to his new cabin and working until 5 in the morning, sleeping, then getting up to go to work. It slows things down. But, he’s getting there!

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