It sure is nice and spring-like here in North Idaho. Not springy like a sponge cake, rather a green, lush, and in full on growth mode-like.
I mean, the horses and the other animals on the farm are all sleek in their summer coat finery, and the plants around the place are just, well, YOWZA! In fact, as I was on a truck retrieval mission this past week, let's just say my garden's weeds seized the opportunity and applied a full frontal growth assault in my absence. Even though I have been home a week, it took until today for me actually to be home long enough to meander out into the garden to begin the initial weed removal skirmish.
Now, to be honest, I was a bit overwhelmed regarding what had happened in my absence. If one looked close enough, they can see that my garden plants are indeed growing. You just have to put on some weed blinders. My inner agricultural gene got all heated and I proceeded to slap on some gloves while muttering, "To ye who have slighted me, prepare to be uprooted!"
And uproot weeds I did! I weeded a 20X60 foot square. I also took the opportunity to interseed some corn sprouts that I had ready to go in areas where my corn seed didn't pop up like it should have. I learned long ago to overseed most things and sprout extra seed to fill in where needed. That's just how I roll in garden land and it seems to work for me.
One thing for sure, this year we will have plenty of potatoes. I mean, I have already hilled them once and they could already use a good hilling again.
While I was weeding, I happened upon an errant radish mingling in between the rows with the weeds. After scolding the deserter I did the only logical thing a gardener can do when they find a plant growing in an area that it wasn't seeded, I plucked it and enjoyed a spicy little snack. Who says I'm not an saucy opportunist!
With it being mid June, the kale, radishes, lettuce, and spinach are all doing their thing, and while I was cleaning out around those little growing future noms, I mentally pondered all of the dishes I like to create with the spring garden goodies: Kale and spinach scrambles, slow cooked radishes in the crockpot (like low carb potatoes!), salad galore! It was a good thought train and kept my mind off the fact that I was on my knees pulling weeds.
After I was done massacring the interlopers, I wandered over to the one oddity in my garden this year. As I was on the great and eventful road trip this past early winter/spring, I had to buy tomato and pepper plants, a thing I have never done. Upon one of the ancho chili plants that I bought grows this beastie:
Pepper plants perused, I wandered over to the squash section and took a gander at this specimen:
In about thirty days I will be up to my elbows in its abundance, for as far as yields go the zucchini plant reigns supreme!
Garden chores done, I meandered back to my humble abode, for I really needed to do some Steemit upkeep as I actually had a moment to spare. On the way I set my Spring-adoring gaze upon our chestnut tree. There's just something about our chestnut tree. It's probably because the tree is so out of place in the middle of our coniferous patch of North Idaho paradise, and that it why I love it. Like the huge and rather early ancho chile, I too am a bit of an odd ball, perfectly at home wherever I choose to set down roots.
I mean, just take a looksy at my backyard. One would be hard pressed to not have a positive wave or two when their peepers got a glimpse of that soothing scene:
And on that super zen Spring vibe I shall sign off, I think I am going to go concoct some lavender lemonade and sit on my porch for a spell.
And as almost always, all of the images in this post were taken on the author's compost dusted and never has combusted iPhone
