Make Mine Raised

May is two days away and my seed packets are still setting in the garage. It was my intention to get a few early crops planted but that hasn't happened. Spring has been cool and damp—and icy and snowy—so it probably wouldn't have mattered anyway. I've planted as late as June in past years and the plants caught up with those that had been planted weeks before.

A few packets of seeds for this year,
with rain-drenched soil as a backdrop.

My favorite plant supports. I like
 a little whimsy in the garden. 

This is the first year that I tried
Square Foot gardening.

Cucumber beetles are a problem but,
 as I found out, beer wasn't the answer.

As much as I like large vegetable gardens, I appreciate the convenience that raised beds offer. A few benefits are better drainage and weed control, and an easier harvest. They also produce like nobody's business. For some great raised bed gardening information, check out the Modern Stead website. There's a link to the site in the sidebar under Blogs and Such. Let the gardening begin!

"You can grow this card!"

The front of the card.

Every now and then, I come across something too cool to keep to myself. This time it came in the form of a birthday wish. When I opened the envelope, I found this inside. It may look like a typical greeting card but it's more than that. Dozens of wildflower seeds are embedded in the paper, making the whole card a vehicle for planting. This particular card happened to include a really sweet message inside:

Hi Mom! HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I love you and I hope you have a great day and a great year. You are an amazing woman. I am always delighted to hear about your many endeavors. If I ever beat you at Scrabble, it's because I over compensated...out of fear. 

The back of the card.

This card should have been planted last spring but I'm hoping the seeds will still germinate. Now it's just a matter of finding a place for my wildflower garden.

These handmade cards are a product of the Green Field Paper Company in San Diego, California (www.greenfieldpaper.com) and distributed by King Features Syndicate under the Mutts label.

Let the Cracking Begin

The eggs are boiled and the colors mixed. Ready. Set. Go. Let the cracking begin! I think every Easter egg needs its own handle. There would be more survivors at the end of the day.

The Easter egg hunt was over by the time these eggs received
their "coat of many colors." No cracks found here.

We had all the colors of the rainbow for our Easter eggs. A couple of
nosy "bunnies" came to check out our work.  ;- )

When I said, "show me your favorite egg," Ellie chose this one.

There are a lot of places to hide Easter eggs on a farm. It's not as crucial
that all of the eggs are found though. The dog is in for some unexpected
treats. The girls were quite focused on the end-of-the-hunt count.