But we pray daily for a good rain to get things going once it is planted. I went with our friend, Tom, who helped us so much after Bob died, when we were building our log house, as he had another appointment at Mayo Clinic for tests. I had to laugh, as it rained heavily all night and most of the next day. At home, 5½ hours north? Nope. Well, that’s a lie. Will said it rained .003 of an inch, barely enough to wet the ground for an hour. We did get another “rain” yesterday, to the tune of .002 inch. By morning, the ground is dry as a bone. Nope, that didn’t do any good.
Today, I’m busy again, planting pole beans in the Wolf, North, and Main Gardens. While I was gone, Will put up pole bean trellises in all those gardens for me to plant when I got back. Meanwhile, he also hauled in a big pile of firewood we’d split a week ago in our “spare” time. We have two seasons in Minnesota. Winter and getting ready for winter. Ha ha. As we burn a dozen full cords of wood, we have to start as soon as the weather warms up a little, come spring.
I’ve been too busy to plant lettuce in my old stock tank planter. I guess the lettuce had another idea. I glanced at the tank which had not been messed with all spring. It was full of both Dark Red Lollo Rossa and Paris Island Romaine plants. Yep, last year’s lettuce had self-seeded! And not only did it reseed in the tank but in the lawn, there were more little lettuce plants. How neat that is!
We’re seeing big flocks of Canadian Geese on our beaver ponds lately. I think they’re being driven out of Canada by the huge wildfires that are sending smoke down over us. I know our eyes are burning and noses are running from it. It can’t be good to breathe — yuck! I know it’s hard to get those fires out though, as they are in such remote places. We’re praying for a good rain for the fires and our poor gardens. But we’re also gearing up for drought. Will got the big water pump all set and is now working on the small gas pump as we think we’ll have to water the Wolf and North Gardens with them. It’s a lot more work but should save the gardens, pumping out of David’s spring basin and the IBC tote on the back of the pickup.
Well, back to planting! Have a wonderful day. — Jackie
Here where I am in extreme northern MO we are getting haze from the smoke. It does make for some beautiful sunsets. I feel for all those who are in the direct path of that smoke and people in Canada who are having to live in that. It must be awful. We stay pretty dry here. We have had about 3/4 inch of rain last week, but we were very dry and most of the rains seem to be splitting around us. We were dry last year and this one looks to be about the same. Hope you get your planting all done and you get rain. Sending prayers for a blessed week.
I hope you get the needed rain. I recently received a blessed 1 inch of rain. Pastures are still holding up but more rain is needed. I did get everything I plant in the ground. I have around 16 “spare” plants -1/2 tomatoes and 1/2 peppers to replace ones that don’t survive. I hope you don’t have to haul water-that is a pain. I have had to do that and the gardens are a mile down the road. We’ve fed all our hay and hope we get enough this summer. I don’t see any clouds due to the smoke filled sky. I hope our Canadian neighbors aren’t suffering too much. Fire is a terrible happening.
Dear Jackie,
We got tons of rain this spring, but it seems to have just cut off. We are hoping for a little rain this weekend; but we will have to wait and see. The Amish farmers and the professional ones, too, irrigate. The mega farms have large equipment that look like enormous giant green grasshoppers! LOL. We love to watch it all. We will keep praying for rain for you guys.
Here in Oklahoma, I recently saw that this is the first year that we’re not in a drought. And that’s after 6 years of drought. I got 4 inches overnight last night and that’s after much rain the last two weeks. Thankful for the rain. We prayed and prayed during those years. In Gods time it rains, but it’s still hard to deal with. Hopefully you get rain soon.
Seasons; winter and preparing for winter!! Oooo your self seeded lettuce are beauties. Planting in dust, maybe this is why none of my greens sprout this year. Thought the few showers were sufficient. 1 spinach plant out of 2! Rows 0 lettuce. Enjoy your lettuce!!! Canada 🇨🇦 has a very rough road ahead. Seems so every where in wildfires anymore. Hope you get some rain! Soon.got corn beans and transplant s under drip line for the heat wave were in , as if it were late summer instead of pre summer!
We have been seeing some of the smoke here in N. Central TX. Not a lot, however. We have also been getting a LOT of rain. Sadly, almost to much at the moment. I know that in a month or two we will be crying for rain. If I could I would send about an inch of rain a week to you.
Jackie, We are about 30 miles SE of Columbus, Ohio and we have the smoke here, too. Last year was a drought year for us and this one seems to be setting up in the same pattern. Rain all around us, even a half mile from us, but not anything here but .003″. Wishing you rain, enough but not too much. The surprise lettuce is your thank you for being so kind to your friend Tom. It is heartwarming to hear that good people do help each other. Good luck with your gardens, take care, we appreciate the time you take to keep us all posted.
You can’t beat volunteer heirloom plants. I can see red berries from a window in my house so I’ll be out there in the morning. Beauty of work from home on a team that is down to two peeps (and the other peep has health issues) is beggars can’t be choosers. Hours even out at the end is all I can say.
It is always firewood season – be it splitting and/or stocking up the “branch bank” (to be split wood).
So nice to hear of you helping Tom – not near enough good folks helping other good folks out these days.