I'm so happy that I live where I do. Today, it was actually warm enough for me to wear shorts as I did my daily gardening chores. When I trimmed away the freeze damage from my perennials, I noticed little shoots of green beginning to poke up from the soil. The world is waking up again, slowly. In another couple of weeks, the daffodils, pansies, and snapdragons will come into their own. Soon after, the azaleas will bloom and the trees will start to bud out. I can't wait. I come alive again along with the Earth. We'll see a few more weeks of on-and-off cold weather I'm sure, perhaps even a couple more light freezes, but still, it's coming, and it lifts my spirits. I'm not sure I could live in a place where there are snows into April. I'd probably end up pulling a Jack Torrance.
Also, I finally got back to work on the novel today. The plot is coming together so quickly I have a hard time getting it down fast enough. I'm furiously scribbling notes as I write, hoping I don't forget anything. The notes are starting to form a little nest, however. I need to organize them, maybe by chapter, or by character. I think I'll work on that tonight.
In any case, I'm working, the sun is shining, and Persephone is coming home. Can't get much better than that.
Welcome, Pansies!
The Greenhouse Project
As promised, here are pictures from the greenhouse project I completed on Thursday. Ok, maybe 'greenhouse' is being a bit generous. It's probably closer to 'rigged up plastic lean-to', but hey, at only $25 for supplies, I'm not complaining.
The impetus for this whole thing comes from the fact that I have lots of container plants. Lots of them. Many are tropical or semi-tropical in terms of cold tolerance. Now, in the north, that would mean bringing everything into a sheltered location for the duration of the season, but in Louisiana, when it can literally be 20°F one day and 70°F the next, it generally means hauling the whole mess in and out of the garage any time freezing weather threatens. As you can imagine, this is a HUGE pain. Every year I say I'm going to do something about it, but I never get around to it. This year, however, I was determined.
I started with some supplies I got at the local home improvement behemoth. Three 4' lengths of rebar, six 5' sections of of pvc pipe, a bag of L connectors, and approximately 250' of 4mil plastic sheeting along with a few tools: hammer, scissors, staple gun, and that most basic of all redneck home project supplies, duct tape.
Next, I pounded the rebar into the ground at roughly even intervals across from a section of my backyard fence that is already in a nicely sheltered area on the south side of my house. Over this I put three of the pvc pipes, and attached the L brackets at the top.
After this I started attaching the plastic sheeting. I covered the fence, attached the other three lengths of pvc to rest on the fence supports and act as a roof, then covered the remaining two sides, securing it to the ground with heavy cement blocks so that I can lift the sides up on warm days to allow for air circulation.
Next I added some cheap plastic shelving and started filling it with plants. I believe on final count the thing ended up being roughly 8'X6'X6', enough to handle all my plants, but just barely. I think next year I may have to go a little bigger.
Finally, with lots of duct tape and some creative scissoring, I managed to scrape together enough of the plastic sheeting that was left to cobble together some doors. I secured them with clips so that they, too, can be opened up on warm days, and then I strung old leftover Christmas lights over the plants inside, to add just a little more warmth near the leaf surfaces.
So far, the thing has held up beautifully. We don't get ice and snow accumulations around here often, and though the LOML had to go outside Friday night a couple of times to sweep off the heavy ice that was building up on the roof, I think the thing will work beautifully for its intended purpose - a place my beautiful tropicals can overwinter without being such a pain. The location is perfect, close to a water spigot and a power source, so other than a little watering now and then we should be good to go. As I said, it wouldn't hold up to the punishing winters up north, but for my purposes, I'd definitely say it was a success.
06 December 2009
In and Out of Weeks
And I have been. Time passes quickly for me during the fall, though in some strange way my mind seems to slow down somewhat. I haven't written anything of consequence in about two or three weeks, though I *have* been busy. Life takes over sometimes, and pushes away the stories. They linger, however. They linger.
Lots to do with the kids, and outdoors. For those of you who live far away, in Louisiana, we sort of all come back to life in autumn. It is soooo hot here in July, August, and even most of September, that many of us kind of hibernate inside, hugging the air conditioner. In October and November, the air cools off, the humidity falls, and we venture out again. I've been on field trips, camping trips, and other fun adventures with my kids. I don't regret that the stories have to take a back seat right now. I'll pull them out again when the weather is too cold and wet to enjoy the outdoors once more. For now, I'm reveling in the beautiful weather we've been having.
Lots to do in the garden this time of year, as well. With the heat of summer gone, and the cold of winter on its way, the job is two-fold: Put to bed all the warm season perennials who need a good, thick blanket of mulch to make it through the winter, and plant all the cool season annuals that will keep the garden alive during the cold days to come. This means lots of pansies and snapdragons for me, as those are my two favorites. One sweet allysum, though I haven't historically had a lot of luck with that one. I'm even thinking of getting a small Leland cypress in a pot on the back patio and wrapping it with Christmas lights. We'll see, though...that may be a bit ambitious...
Busy day today. Laundry is overflowing, and must be dealt with. Groceries are depleted, and must be restocked. And later today, rain is coming, followed by a nice shot of cold air. *Sniff, Sniff* Do I smell gumbo?
16 November 2009
in time of daffodils
in time of daffodils
in time of daffodils(who know
the goal of living is to grow)
forgetting why. remember how
in time of lilacs who proclaim
the aim of waking is to dream,
remember so(forgetting seem)
in time of roses(who amaze
our now and here with paradise)
forgetting if, remember yes
in time of all sweet things beyond
whatever mind may comprehend,
remember seeks(forgetting find)
and in a mystery to be
(when time from time shall set us free)
forgetting me, remember me
- e.e. cummings (1894-1962), American poet
Thanks to Helen Yoest of Gardening With Confidence.
09 October 2009
Some Results
So I've been going on all spring and summer about the renovation project we've been working on at my mother's home in the wilds of western Louisiana, promising all the while to post pictures when I have them. Problem is, at the end of the day we are normally so dead-dog tired that I either forget to take any photos, or forget to upload them when I get home. Finally, though, I've managed to get a few off my camera to share.
I had the foresight to take some "before" pictures just before we started work in late March. Unfortunately, instead of planning my pictures around future projects, I just walked around randomly shooting things. Therefore, some of the after pictures correspond to before shots, and some don't. Still, it's amazing, even though we are still so early into the project, how much impact our hard work has had. It looks totally different, and that makes it very much worthwhile.
I'll also post these on my Facebook profile, if anyone is interested...
Front of House Before
Front of House After
Front Bed #1 Before
Front Bed #1 After
Front Bed #2 Before
Front Bed #2 After
Front of House After
Front Bed #1 Before
Front Bed #1 After
Front Bed #2 Before
Front Bed #2 AfterAs you can see, we've mostly limited our work to outside the house for the moment, cleaning and replanting my mother's flower beds, gardens, and removing 40 years worth of pack-rattery and just plain stuff that has accumulated. It's hot, dirty work - but it more than makes up for it with sheer psychological impact. We are watching the landscape literally transform before our eyes, and whenever I feel like we are spinning our wheels, so to speak, all I have to do is go back and look at these photos again to see the difference our work has made.
