It’s been a difficult couple of weeks. I’d been experiencing a lot of stiffness and pain in my joints (very possibly related to the weather, although aggravated by water retention and a shoulder injury). As a result, I’ve been going to doctors and physical therapy, and resting when I could. Not much time or inclination for writing or, really, much of anything. I barely had the energy to get the dog out for short walks a couple of times a day.
But, I’m better. Almost back to normal. And for the last few days, I’ve been trying to catch up on household tasks – laundry, bills, cleaning – and begin to make some plans for the next few weeks.
I had been planning to make this year’s Dayton Hamvention, the first in several years. Not gonna happen. I don’t want to put the dog in a kennel, and I have no one who is able to take him in for a few days, right now. I’ll check out the Livestreaming channel, and resign myself to missing it again.
With the help of my grandson (eager to make some cash for his school volunteer trip in June to CA), I got my yard in shape and got the asparagus and strawberries planted – they’re a dormant planting, and I’m told they will bear this year.
I had been planning to plant more, but, given the frost we had the night before, decided to wait another week for direct seeding. I have LOTS of seeds – all heritage/non-hybrid. My goal is to plant fence to fence, and save any seeds that are available from the crops I get. I don’t know about every place, but we keep getting sporadic shortages in different foods (mostly staples and meats/fish, but also some fresh foods/produce).
I am planting some beans, and plan to experiment with drying them (this year, that won’t be critical, I’m thinking). I’m looking to buy some dried beans, too, and store them in airtight containers. If protein gets expensive or hard to find, beans will fill in a lot of gaps. For that purpose, I’m also planning to set up a basement growing station – not hydroponic, just with some grow lights. I already have auxiliary power, in the form of some emergency 12-volt storage, and will be adding some solar panels (Harbor has some good starter kits). the way my deck faces (south), I plan to put some panels on a detachable hinge, and use them to keep my storage needs met, and reduce my use of city power. I’m not planning on tying into ‘the grid’. That puts the electric company in a position that they could mandate you provide them with power, while forbidding you to use it for your own needs.
Paranoid? No such thing in difficult times.
The weather has improved – temps are generally up, the amount of rain has diminished, and the plants are JUMPING ouf of the ground. It does life my spirits to see the flowers – no, most are not edible (and many of my neighbors use those lawn care services), but ya’ gotta feed the soul, too.
Here is one of the plants that have cropped up in the lawns (could be a weed, but it’s a beautiful color).
If you can identify it, put it into the comments.
6 comments
Skip to comment form
Kinda looks like a spiderwort or a Violet. Think I’ll go with violet.
From St John New Brunswick, we have some dandelions! Otherwise not a sign of a leaf or a bud, but soon it will explode.
Looks like a viola. They’re usually gone by late spring.
Viola sororia maybe.
Author
I would have said a viola, but they are really tiny.
The flower looks like the violets we get here. Drying beans is easy, let the pods get big and mature, right on the vine as long as possible. Pick them and just lay on a plate till the pods are dry, then open them and lay out the beans for another day or three. Store in paper envelopes or a jar with cloth top. If you store in sealed plastic they sometimes rot. Tomato seeds, just soak the seeds for a couple days, then rinse and lay on paper plates for a week or so till dry. Store in envelopes. Squashes and peppers are reliable for saving too. Chipmunks will eat the strawberries before you do.
My sister says they are wild violets – which would make sense, as they are much tinier than normal violets/violas.
Awful pretty.