Sunday, May 16, 2010

My Little Corner of the World

I nearly got lost making way to this blog...it's been so long since I stopped in here! Today I wandered outside (yes, really!) and tilled the soil in my teeny tiny garden. It's a raised bed and has room for a couple of tomato plants, a few green pepper plants, a couple of rows of onions and a few little herb plants. I love it!

I used to fight the hard clay dirt of the yard in a much bigger space, but I finally had enough of that futile work. A few years ago, my hubby built a raised bed and we filled it full of nice, loamy earth. Its rich and fluffy soil gives me a great yield for such a small space. I can fence it in to keep the bunnies out and still lean over to tend the plants. Did I tell you I love it??

I always laugh when I place the tomato cages carefully over the tiny tomato plants. I mean, it reminds me of the song "High Hopes". The cages tower over the puny plants, but the tomatoes get to have the last laugh. By the end of July, they look like cousins of the giant Venus flytrap from the "Little Shop of Horrors". I would never lie down amongst them for fear they'd engulf me with their tendrils and shoots.

I'm happy to pluck the first fruits of the tomatoes, but by the time fall approaches, I'm ready to murder the monster plants. How DO those botanical wonders create SO many darn tomatoes??? For that reason, I limited myself to TWO tomato plants this year. I know I'll still have plenty of red orbs to eat and cook with and plenty to freeze for cold winter chilis and stews.

Speaking of monster plants, I made the sign of the cross as I passed the zucchinis at the nursery today. I have never planted zucchinis or squash or egg plant. Those things make no secret of their diabolical plans to take over the earth...I just wish other gardeners would do the same. Why help those treacherous veggies accomplish their goal of total world domination? *Shudder*

Anyway, it was a good day. I'm whipped, but glad I can look out my window and see that beautiful patch of dirt. And soon, there WILL be fresh veggies to pluck and devour 'cause I have hiiiiigh hopes...I have hiiigh hopes...I have high apple pie in the skyyyyy hopes...

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Halfway to Normal

Well, I think I got halfway over the writer's block. I wrote a Faithwriters Challenge entry first time in...uh..months??) and a Zest post written. I hope that counts with my Muse. I hope she hasn't packed up her bags and taken off for greener pastures yet.

I have edits to do, too. I'm about halfway through the Amish novel with the edits. I finished Chapter 8 and have 8 more chapters to go. Wheee!

Lessee...I'm more than halfway through homeschool with my son...so that means I'm halfway back to normal. I think.

But I still feel foggish. I still feel like I'm only using half my brain. I wonder if I'll wake up some day and feel fully THERE? Anyone know if that happens when you're past fifty? Give me some hope!

Anyway, here's hoping for a better week, writing/editing wise. If you're feeling like me, we gotta keep hanging in there! We can't give over to the delicious need for sleep and laziness...and staring at the TV with our jaws slack. We gotta get up and get at 'em. Right? Anyone with me? Hello...oh well. Rats. Time for a nap.