After a week of exceptionally hot, sunny weather, we were tremendously happy to see rain clouds building up after we came in from the garden. Our friend, Dara, had started four flats of our beautiful, but longer season, Navajo Robin’s Egg Blue corn and she came at eight o’clock in the morning so we could start planting it before the heat of the day arrived. Yep, the mosquitoes were out in force, but we sprayed up and planted. She had a doctor’s appointment at 11, so after planting two rows, she had to go. So, Will and I went ahead and planted the remaining two flats. She’d told us there was a good chance of rain for us, so after a brief rest, we set about planting tomatoes. We had just finished for the day when the rain started briefly, with a few big drops. Then it cut loose with a good, pounding rain. Thank God! We ended up with nearly a third of an inch. And, after it’s been so dry, that was so very nice.
Today, we went out and finished planting the tomatoes, all 5½ hundred-foot rows. Today, it’s cooled down into the low sixties, and we have more energy. I’m so thankful my knees are well enough for me to work. Yep, they still hurt. But I can work. On Thursday, I’m getting cortisone shots in both of them and that should get me through planting season.
Our beautiful yard flowers are stunning us with their blooms. Our three-year-old water lily, which I leave in the pond all winter, has started blooming and wow, is it gorgeous! I’m walking by it, on my way to go out in the Main Garden to plant some pole beans and Seneca Sunrise sweet corn and it jazzes me up to see it blooming.
— Jackie
Glad mother nature gave you the much needed rain. Do you know the type of water lily you have. I live right on the 7a/7b line and have been trying to find a waterlily that would survive our winters. Thanks
Sorry, but no. I got mine from Menards and it was just listed as a pink waterlily. Maybe you could order one next spring, from them, online?
ooooh knee surgery and still with cortisone shots. ug
at least you re up moving, getting in 5 plus 100 foot rows!!!
what’s required for the necessary produce ans seeds.
God bless you
mary
Thanks Mary! My non-surgical knee is getting worse and the shots really help me function for a few weeks, necessary at planting time. I also got an injection in the knee I had replaced to help cut down on the muscle pain. It helped a lot. You do what you have to….
Jackie, here in Maine we have had a long spell of rain and I usually do a lot of cooking during these periods……Just wanted you to know that I tried your Hummingbird Cake and it was absolutely divine!! So, so easy to make as you said….will be making this one again…..love your Cookbook…..
Thanks Liz! We love Hummingbird Cake too. Long ago, I used to sell pieces of it in our little general store, in Gladstone, NM. Some folks even bought the whole cake! Of course I always made an extra for us, too.
I am so happy you got some rain. Every little bit helps. We are still dry here, no rain and under water restrictions. I thought about what my grandmothers would have done during the drought of the 30s and I have been doing my dishes in dishpans and saving the rinse water to water flowers. I saved the water from the bathtub and bucketed it out to water plants in the garden. Quite a bit of work, but it is keeping my plants alive. Where theres a will, theres a way, lol. Your water lily is beautiful. I sure hope the cortisone injections help your knees. Prayers for a great week.
I’ve done all of your grandmothers did to help during droughts. You just need to think out of the box. I also watered my flowers and fruit trees with the water from my washing machine. I got my injections today and I sure hope they help. We’re in super-planting mode right now!!
We’re now 24 days of no rain. Things are looking tough. I hand water my 60 tomatoes. It is very dry. We have a chance of rain this weekend-it would be an answer to prayer. I predict hay prices will be high this fall. At least the past 2 days have been cooler with no wind. You have a large area to plant. I’ve never seen so potential raspberries as I look at my patch. I’m lucky my pastures have springs for the cattle. Food prices still seem to be going up.
I’m praying for rain for you, Everett. Drought is so hard!! We may get some more rain over the weekend and we sure need it. We planted more watermelon, muskmelon, Canada Crookneck squash and sweet corn in the Wolf Garden today. While I was getting my cortisone shots in my sore knees, Will planted the potatoes then hand-planted the Seneca Sunrise sweet corn in the Main Garden. I love that guy!!!
I couldn’t believe it. Today I saw a head of plain old cauliflower for sale for $8.00. I passed and decided tomorrow I’d plant mine in the Main Garden where Will left an empty spot. On my orders. Ha ha!
I was thinking about your $8 cauliflower comment. It takes months to grow your own. Funny how easy some folks think it will be to throw some seeds in the earth and just as easily survive, growing their own. I’m certainly not far from being that person; I’m so inexperienced at true subsistence living. Thing is, it is so difficult to grow your own. You can’t control the weather, and so many things occur, not in your control. I’m glad your readers are serious about homesteading, and very experienced growing their own. Upcoming days, I think, will be very difficult. Glad for BHM!
Awesome news! We got a few sprinkles so continue to hand water. It’s always so exciting to see the miracle of little seedlings pop up in the garden – everything is up and growing like gangbusters!
Yep, the three varieties of corn I planted have popped up in the Sand Garden and the sweet corn in the little garden we call “Pinky’s Pen” named for a baby pig, grown to a nice sow, which I bottle raised.
Also up are more squash and melons! Luckily, that rain moistened the soil down to at least 8″.
Happy you got some rain. We definitely need some rain but locals are mowing/baling hay while the sun shines and the rain isn’t! We’ve had a little bit and I hope the high chance early Sunday morning. Outdoor event on Sunday so I’m hoping for the best of both worlds lol.
Strawberries continue to do well. I need to do a bit of plant rearrangement come fall however. Some areas require a combination of Tetris and Twister to pick without stepping on berries (and spilling my bucket!).
Time to trim off the lower branches of my tomatoes (not that I have anywhere near the number you do). We’re both keeping an eye out for scapes and maybe this year we’ll be adventuresome and try them.
Scapes are so delicious! I hope your find some soon. It’s always a big juggle about having enough rain to make hay grow, yet enough sunny days to get it cut, dried and baled. You feel like you’re walking a tightrope!
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