Friday, March 23, 2012

What I'm Digging

Happy Friday, friends! It's a rainy day in the cove this morning, which is just fine by me. I planted peas, carrots, beets, mustard greens, two types of lettuce, spinach and arugula this week and they could all benefit from a good soaking. Those new crops, coupled with the already growing red and green cabbages, Brussels sprouts, mustard greens, kale, and collards that made it through the winter intact should make for a pretty banging spring garden.

I'm SO excited. Last year, I had a tiny guy that never wanted to leave my arms and a new book I was feverishly working on to keep me from getting as fully engaged with the garden as I would have liked. The year prior, I was pregnant and could barely manage to stay awake for more than 3 hours at a stretch during this time of year (man, did I ever sleep then!). It feels so invigorating to have the wherewithal to get out in the garden every day now. Huxley loves it out there, too. He tromps around and plays and digs and moves plastic plant pots and straw and fistfuls of dirt all over. It's just the best.

Here's a smattering of this's and that's that grabbed my attention this week:
*Garden Betty's seed tape is easy, and genius.
*Speaking of seeds, this windowsill kit it lovely.
*First he gave us nettle pasta, now it's nettle risotto.
*Plants that are just as "clean" as they are green.
*Who needs space to grow potatoes?
*The Lavender Lover's Handbook? Yes please!
*Love this N.C. artisans endeavor.
*It's the time of girl hunters.
*Chocolate chicks and eggs of bliss!!!
*That's not green slime, that's fuel.

We're meeting up with friends in town this evening for beers and food truck eats. Sunday will have us tag-teaming birthday parties like we did two weekends ago, with a 38 year-old's soiree early that day and a 2 year-old's bash in the early evening. Should be a great time.

Wherever you go this weekend, whatever you do, whomever you do it with, may it be grand! 




9 comments:

spike said...

I can relate to this so much. I have been working on our garden too with my 14 month old, Jasper, by my side. Our secret...big old Tonka trucks! He loves them. I still have to carry him in my kelty backpack sometimes but it is wayyyyyy better than last year when he was 3 or 4 months old and we were both sleep deprived. And yes...the year before I was gardening in crazy heat while pregnant. Uggh
t's rainy over here in Marshall today too.
Happy seeds!

El Gaucho said...

Thanks for the great links (as always). Seed tape using toilet paper and plants that clean the air, today is a good day of Internet browsing.

Meryl said...

My garden has been puny for a few years now--first due to morning sickness, then a new babe. I'm excited to have a toddler this year who is more than happy to play in the mud himself while I work!

Anonymous said...

I've always been interested in seed tape, but I have to admit the OCD in me loves to pinch tiny tiny carrot seeds into evenly spaced rows!!!

Becki said...

With a newborn last year, I didn't even get a garden planted, but this year I do intend on a nice one!

Ali said...

I see now that any plans of gardening with my four month old boy is simply a pipe dream and yes last year not only was I pregnant but I moved out for two months while the builder moved into the house.........oh well there's always next year! And the thought of some uninterrupted sleep - please! I need it desperately!!!!!

Jennifer said...

Hey Ashley,
You've probably already seen it but there is an article about hunting and consuming wild meat in the latest issue of Mother Earth News and I was going to suggest throwing some potato peelings in your compost. You'll definitely have a "potato barrel" that way!
Regards,

Taryn Kae Wilson said...

Hello Ashley!!
Just came across your blog for the first time today. So fun to connect with kindred spirits.

Our son Bracken is 17 months. Most of the gardening I did last year with him was carrying him in the Ergo carrier. I'm so excited this year to be able to do more gardening as he digs around in the dirt and plays.

Love your blog!

Have a wonderful day.

Love, Taryn

PQ said...

Weeding and prepping garden while 9 1/2 months preggo last spring ended up being the "nesting instinct" I heard so much about. Promptly gave birth and ignored garden completely. Determined to dive back in this spring with the little man in tow. Thanks for the inspiration!