We had a great family get together for Mother’s Day

This year, we had an even larger group than in the past. Son Bill and his family, David and his family, daughter Randie, and grandson Drew, all met at Byrns Greenhouse to “buy them out.” No, not really. But we all got some nice plants. Then after we were all “full,” we headed to the local restaurant, The Wooden Table, to enjoy lunch together. It was such a nice day!

And, Mother’s Day morning, my amaryllis opened up with huge double red blooms! It was one from last year, which I’d let dry down and just stuck it in an old Angel Trumpet pot, in the living room. I had started watering it again, not expecting much. But there it was, a gorgeous bloom. That was so nice and very unexpected.

This coming Saturday, granddaughter, Ava, is showing at a small show, jumping for the first time in competition. She rides so well but is very nervous about people watching. We wanted to go to the show, but may not, if it would make her more nervous. There will always be another show, and we want her to enjoy the day.

We did get a little rain, which helped our drying soil a lot. While Randie was taking it easy and having a little afternoon nap, after hiking all over our homestead, I took the little Kubota out to the Wolf Garden. I’d seen some green (weeds) where I hadn’t tilled before, as Will was spreading manure there. It was cloudy and misting rain from time to time. I got that patch tilled up and, while I was going along, I looked to the center spot and darned, there was a green tinge over the soil there too! So after finishing up the one strip, I went ahead and tilled the rest of the garden. We like to till multiple times before planting to kill all the germinated weeds each time. It sure keeps the weed pressure down. And, no, it doesn’t damage the essential beneficial soil microbes. We always have a very productive garden!

I can’t wait to begin planting out there and in the other gardens. But we can’t do that until at least the first week in June, due to those sneaky late frosts. But the greenhouse plants look terrific and I’m pretty tickled. At least I’m having time to visit with Randie and show her some of the northland before she has to head back to Mid-Wisconsin. — Jackie