Farmer's Almanac Weather Prediction for Ontario: "Fair skies."
Currently blooming in my garden: Portulaca, Scotch Moss, Irish Moss, Strawberry (Fragaria Junebearing), Maltese Cross (Lychnis chalcedonica), Gazania Sonnegold, Pine Geranium, Iris.
It's difficult playing catch up on the previous month since things are happening so fast around here. So my next entry will be about last month's trip out of the city.
 I've begun a new ritual of going outside onto the deck every morning with my tea before I begin work. I'm finding it a bit better for my well-being than the usual ritual of immediately sitting down at the computer with my tea. For instance on Saturday I spent the morning drinking tea and eating breakfast (which I never usually eat) out on the deck while reading a book and watching the birds fight at the bird feeder. The whole thing was incredibly serene and wholesome. Hours later I realized that I had nearly read the entire book. I had purchased it Friday night at the Giant Book Sale at the Dufferin Mall. It's called "I'll Never Marry a Farmer: Lois Hole on Life, Learning and Vegetable Gardening". It's basically anecdotes related to the author's life as a farmer with tidbits of knowledge and gardening info interspersed. It was only $7.99 for a hardcover. The book kind of overdoes it relating wisdom about life to growing plants. It's a trap that's easy to fall into. I find myself doing it all the time. It's a bad habit and it's cheesy.
After reading the book, I did lots of work watering and primping the deck plants. I had planned to spend a productive day working on the computer. I guess I was productive in another way. Just not as I had intended.
 I repotted some plants this week but still have lots more to go. I put the agave and a few other cacti and succulents outside under the big tent where they don't get any direct sunlight, but I'm bringing them inside every night as they acclimate to the out of doors. I arranged small river stones on the surface of the soil. It looks really good. With all the planting lately it seems like I go through a ton of potting soil. I can't begin to tally up the number of bags I've purchased in the last few months alone. It's better not to think about it. Sometimes it's easier to live in denial and pretend that my massive bounty is going to be worth it.
Today I noticed small fruit forming on the Early Girl Tomatoes. Most of my other tomatoes are seedlings still. Looks like I'll be harvesting them soon enough. I can't tell you how good the plants look thanks to the new planter boxes. Small strawberries are beginning to form as well. I've been harvesting radishes, arugula, mizuna, coriander and baby kale. I'm very proud yet overall I'm not entirely satisfied with the look of the deck. Some sections are good, while others are still problematic. I'm too damn picky. I want everything to look like a design magazine. The only way I could ever accomplish that would be if I worked my ass into the ground, made tons of money and then spent all my time primping and fixing. For the sake of my sanity it's never going to happen. It's better to be happy, imperfect and messy than miserable, clean and perfect.
Yesterday while I did my rounds watering the indoor plants, I noticed that my Urn Plant (Aechmea fasciata) had produced it's first offset. Only a matter of time before the whole plant dies back. At least I'll have multiple plants to show for it. Of course I don't have space for multiple urn plants so I'll have to find homes for them. It's like having kittens.
I had a long conversation this morning with a friend in New York during which we compared the height and width of our urn plants, how long they'd been in flower, whether or not they were browning at the tips, how they should be watered and fertilized. Thank god I have friends that want to have that kind of conversation with me. Out of context it might have sounded like we were comparing penis sizes or something.
A lovely photo collage of my deck. Now all the photos are on one page instead of all the clicking.
This journal is over a year old now. This time last year the plume poppies were an ever lesser threat.
previous entry
| 
