Bethanyology » Gardening

Pulaski County Extension Office

Bethany — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 19:30:52 +0000

I don't have a place to garden yet, but I have great hopes. So, I just looked up the Pulaski County, AR, Extension Office. Here's a link to their site: www.uaex.edu/pulaski/.

Pretty Red Pansies and Phoebe’s Wedding

Bethany — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 22:28:18 +0000

I just planted 52 red pansies in my front yard planter. I also sprayed down the front of the house with the hose, as Mark suggested. It looks very nice, if I do say so myself. Colin started taking down the christmas lights, but it's raining outside so he didn't finish and there are strands hanging from the corners of our gutters. Not as lovely as the pansies, but at least it's a start.

My roses are blooming. There are salmon ones, white ones, pink ones, and red ones. They are beautiful! And my vegetable garden is coming along nicely, too. Whomever moves in here will get some good broccoli and cauliflower and onions.

I freecycled a bunch of stuff today, including our huge wooden TV that we've been using as an entertainment center (to hold our regular TV). It was so nice to give away my "junk" to someone who think's they'll use it. We've got the office half packed, the kids' room 90% packed, the basement 75% packed, the guest room 90% packed, my room half packed, the bathrooms pretty much finished except mine, and the kitchen is about 15% of the way there. And Colin has the boxes stacked neatly in the garage, which has yet to be packed. I'd say we're doing pretty well, thanks to my wonderful neighbors who've been helping out by watching the kids while we work. I'm going to miss this neighborhood and my friends here when we move.

Speaking of moving, the moving truck gets here on Wednesday and we load it Thursday and drive away on Friday. Colin is supposed to start at the school on the 18th. No, we don't have a place to live yet. Still working on that…

My parents are coming to stay with us this weekend! They're coming to meet Phoebe's future in-laws. Did I mention that Phoebe's getting married? In August. In Phoenix. And I'm the Matron of Honor! She's marrying a guy named Jon whom everyone in our family likes (at least everyone who's met him). I'm really excited for her. Anyway, Mom and Dad are going to meet Jon's parents and then they're going to spend the rest of the weekend helping me pack! I just can't say how excited I am to have them here.

We have a big weekend because Deb, Colin's sister, is going to spend the night with us on Saturday, too. She's flying in for a conference for work and we get to have her over while she's in town. Wow, there's a lot going on in the next week. It's going to be fun!

Spring is Here!

Bethany — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 18:59:15 +0000

Okay, I think Spring is really here to stay now. The trees have leaves and blossoms and the flowers are starting to bloom and people are outside mowing their lawns. The kids and I went for a little walk this morning and saw that some people had their vegetable gardens planted and even sprouting! I think we're over the snow season and into the sunshine season. I was thinking this morning that I need to get the kids outside more while it's cool and sunny before it gets too hot and sunny.

So, go outside and enjoy the beautiful weather and the yummy smelling flowers and have a picnic or something, Maybe that's what we should do for our date tonight…

My 2007 Garden

Bethany — Sat, 17 Mar 2007 20:18:30 +0000

This week I've been gardening. I've been enamoured with the idea of gardening ever since I got married and moved into an apartment with a backyard. But, as my neighbors will attest, I'm not a skilled gardener. And since the last two gardening seasons I've been sick and pregnant or had a brand-new baby, our yard has been sadly neglected ever since we moved into our house. Last year my sister, Abby, put in a grand effort with me in weeding part of my front yard and I'd like her to know it was not in vain, though I never did get anything planted that lived. This spring that section of the yard is nearly clear of weeds, while the rest of the yard is awash with them.

So, this season, now that I'm not pregnant, not sick, and have learned how to juggle other tasks while taking care of a new baby, I'm gardening. This week I pruned roses (sorry to my neighbors for leaving the pruning remains on my lawn–I'm still trying to figure out how to get rid of the trash) and got some proud scratches in the process. I also started hacking away at the ivy that's taken over the rose beds. And, best of all, I planted flowers and vegetables!

I planted snapdragons (the flower assigned to me by my parents the year each sister got to plant and care for a flower, and the plant that I pulled out of the ground that time I was in time out and mad at my mom when I was 5ish) and allysum. They will be beautiful in my front planter. I only planted some of my snapdragon seeds, since my friendly gardening neighbor and friend, Jalanne, told me not to plant them till danger of freezing is gone. I just couldn't wait that long, but I only planted a few so that if they die I'll have more to plant later.

I planted carrots, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, beets, green beans, and onions. Jalanne also taught me to wait on the zucchini, summer squash, pumpkins, tomatoes, and peppers until around Mother's Day. I bought seeds to plant peas, but I haven't got the space cleared out for them yet…maybe I'll get to that this afternoon when the kids wake up from their naps.

There is a TON more weeding to do, I need to finish clearing out those rose beds and prune one more rose bush, and I need to prune some trees. And, possibly most importantly, we need to fix our sprinkler system and put in grass seed. We have lettuce from last year growing in the lawn (I pulled out the dead lettuce plants and left them on the lawn for a while, so the seeds sprouted plants there where there was only dead grass) along with the dandilions that have gone crazy there. But I've made a good start, and it was fun! So, get outside and enjoy the Springy sunshine!