Bring on the Herbs

Part of the herb garden is ready to be planted. I love the way it looks. I went with the white metal raised beds because they were the only color in stock and I didn’t want to wait until the middle of the summer for a different color. I think these look especially nice with the gravel.

Now I need to think a bit on what plants I want to put and where. Some I already have in other areas—like the patch of oregano that escaped into the lawn—and some I can get from friends. (Every time I mow the grass I crave pizza.)

We ordered additional beds for the other half of the garden. They should be here within a week. We’re calling them the “lettuce beds” because we never seem to have enough lettuce and that’s what will get planted there.

The tomatoes and squash appear to have survived yesterday morning’s brief freeze, but I made sure everything was covered well yesterday afternoon just in case. It’s down to 35F again this morning. I’ll leave things covered until Wednesday, when it is supposed to warm up again.

I harvested three quarts of strawberries yesterday—much to the annoyance of the birds looking for free snacks—and made more shortcake for the husband. The peas are up and the cabbages and broccoli have, thus far, remained unmolested by ground squirrels. I think they got tired of waiting and went elsewhere.

I worry that the grapes may be done for. It’s the middle of June and they haven’t even begun to start leafing out yet. I wonder if the ground squirrels destroyed the root systems with their underground tunnels. I’m not optimistic, but we’ll see if the vines leaf out in the next few weeks. If not, replacing grapevines will be on the list for next year.

I still think that the extended weather forecasts are way off. They predicted a warm April and May—nope. They said it was going to get hot in the middle of June—I do not consider 31F to be hot. We’ll find out eventually, but I don’t think we’re in for the blisteringly hot summer that is being predicted.

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It’s supposed to rain today and tomorrow, so I get to stay inside and sew. I’ll probably knock out another New Look 6543 top, but I’m itching to start a bag project. The Noodlehead Haralson Belt Bag looks like a fun one, and I have the pattern:

Sometimes I get tired of hauling Hermione’s Magic Bag around with me. I think it would be nice to have a small bag like this for the essentials when I am out and about.