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June 26, 2009

Spring Gardening in the Greenhouse

So lets go in the Greenhouse..

I began my work with laying out all my growing pots and place the seeds packets in them.   I use all kinds of different types of starting pots.P5130021

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Next I fill the  pot with #1 sunshine mix after it has been wetted well.  I have a work bench I use while filling the pot and planting seeds. P5140028  

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I save most my flowers seeds each year and plant my own annuals and hanging baskets.  This year due to working on our fencing I did not get very many started .    

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  When I am ready to fill the bigger pots that I transplant to grow stuff in I mix my soil with compost, cow manure, chicken manure and all left over soil from last years pots then add about 3 inches #1 sunshine mix to the top.  I do my mixing just outside the greenhouse area.  I like to make sure the mix is very wet also.

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Next I cover the growing flats with plastic to heat them faster and hold the moisture longer.  Care has to be taken not to heat them to much and kill the seeds or later the seedling when they came up.  During my work in the greenhouse I always have a beautiful view over our fields, creek and sometimes wildlife. 

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Soon life begins, but the work is only half done.  Many have to be transplanted to bigger pots, containers or the garden. 

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Here are my final plants to be grown in the greenhouse for the summer.  I have varieties of winter squash and many types of tomatoes.

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I also grow egg plant, summer squash and many different peppers.

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This is a very special pepper that is blooming already and has a pepper started.  Last winter when all my plants in the greenhouse died one night when we didn’t start the stove.  There was one pepper plant that was still alive.  I just left the plant in the greenhouse over the winter by itself and with no other heat but the sun.  What a miracle when we return from the south to find the plant still alive.  All that was left was a green stem.  So I cut it back a bit and added some organic fertilizer to it and it start growing again.  What a treat as I will be getting peppers from it months before my new plants start producing.  You can be sure I will save the seeds from this plant as it has harden it self already.  There is actually another on in the same pot that is much smaller.

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We have a new guardian in the greenhouse.  Some friends had an old stuffed eagle they were going to throw out.  It looked terrible and torn a bit.  My husband brought it home.  He shampooed and blew dried it.  So now no mice would have chance in there.  Well we don’t have mice but he watches that none get thru the door when I have it opened while working outside.

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Hope you enjoyed my planting of seeds in the Greenhouse.   I will keep you posted on how things are growing in the greenhouse.

Big Sigh….Its been hard work for 2 months now its nice to take the time to get another blog out.  What I do has so much more meaning when I can share a part of my life that helps me stay connected with our earth and nature.  God has blessed me with beauty with beauty all around.  Its hard to feel or see sometimes when I get down, too tired or just get overwhelmed with all the work that has to be done here.  But when I feel a break and the flowers start to bloom and walk in the yard I can’t help but be lifted in spirit and thank the lord for enabling my husband and I to have worked so hard over the years to have created a paradise of our own. 

Wishing everyone those moments when God gives you glimpses to makes you want to keep hanging in there.

So to Everyone

Good Morning…   Good Afternoon…   Good Night…

Whatever it is to you…

Photos & Words

by

Here I Am/Carrie

June 3, 2009

Staying Active Mountain Biking

The awakening of spring here had caused my energies to rise again so decided it was time to take a break from gardening, greenhouse work and pounding posts for fencing.  Somehow we only manage to get out mountain biking once or twice a year.  I love it but taking the time out and leaving the property always bring intentions to a halt.  But this time the day was sunny and cool and decided to just do it.  

The 1st half mile going up hill we thought our lungs would burst.  We had to push the bikes often as it was uphill going.  We stopped and had to catch our breath many times at the beginning.

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The areas we passed thru consisted of old growth, to very new growth, to logged this past winter.  Ponds and standing water were scattered throughout our journey.

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The climbs came in short spurts then would level out allowing us to cover ground quickly.  The skies thru out our trip was always changing with dramatic strokes of clouds.

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The beauty of a pond was often tucked away just beyond a row of trees next to the trail.

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We reached our destination in 2 1/2 hours.  A warming shack for skiers in the winter.  By this time I was beaming as I had made it.  20 lbs over weight and 51 years old.   I felt great.  Cob webs had cleared from the lungs and no pain in the body yet.

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We decided to take a different route back and took a wrong turn and had to double back  adding a extra 5klm.    Finally we found the correct trail.  We were making good time as a lot was going down hill now.  After almost 3klm I stopped and realize my camera fell off the bike.  The euphoria of my accomplishments on my great ride came to a complete halt as I turned around without any question and headed back up the mountain.   Pushing the bike again for long stretches.  I had to back tract almost almost 2 1/2klm and was now not a happy biker.  The determination I had to get back to my camera was amazing considering I was getting tired.  Its like nothing else mattered at the moment.  The loss of my camera actually got my adrenalin pumping to make the trip back up the hill where I located it laying on the ground.   Now we were ready to descend the mountain again.

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The thrill of going fast downhill and plotting your course thru rocks and ruts reminded me of downhill skiing the moguls.  Problem though my eyes aren’t what they use to be, so picking my course was a bit difficult as it was often a blur coming at higher speeds.  But I never miss a chance to stop a catch the beauty of some wildflowers which were scattered on the hill side. 

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Almost back to the car where you come to a point where the view stretches out in front of you ending a perfect day filled with a good workout.  We did over 30klm.  The awakening of life around me increased my energies that day.

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May any new roads you choose to explore be filled with
love, laughter, healthy living and the beauty of nature.

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May you always take the time to rest and take a good look at life around you.

Breath In……..Breath Out………

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Stay Active …… Stay Healthy ……

So to everyone hope you have a

Good Morning…   Good Afternoon…  Good Night…

Whatever it is to you…

Photos and Words

by

Here I Am/Carrie