A couple goodies

Today was a rainy day, but I can glady say that I don't mind because it wasn't (dare I say it!) snowing! When we have a rainy day, I'll admit I'm a little gloomy however I must admit that I don't mind it because I know it means that all the winter dirt and grime is being washed away, and plants that are just peeking through the soil are getting watered!

I have many tulips quite far out of the ground, and there are some shoots coming up where the oriental poppies will bloom later in the spring - I'm excited! (The picture at the head of my blog is one of several oriental poppies that come up in the bed along the driveway). And speaking of tulips... I was recently given a lovely small bouqet of pinky-orange tulips from a lady whose dog I look after at work and she was kind enough to pass on a tip given to her by the lady she bought the tulips from: if you prick a small hole just at the base of the tulips, where the petals join the stem, it will keep your tulips from sagging over! I have done that with these tulips and am really surprised to see how effective it is!

See the pin-prick just to the left of the flower base



The other day on Facebook, I was sent a link to an article from Canadian Gardening that was really interesting - it is all about deciphering what the color scheme of your garden means. Whether you've designed it on purpose or it happened by accident, the article will tell you what each color represents, and it is pretty neat to see what it says about you and your personality based on the colors in your garden. Check it out: http://www.canadiangardening.com/design-and-decor/design-ideas/what-do-the-colours-of-your-garden-say-about-you/a/41429 . After thinking about my garden last year, I came to the conclusion that my garden consisted mostly of pinks and whites with splashes of purple and red throughout. I won't ruin it for you and tell you what that means... you'll just have to check out the article and see for yourself!

Here's hoping we see some more sunshine soon so I can tackle the weeds sprouting up in the big bed in the backyard! Enjoy your weekend!

Time to get dirty!

So Tuesday was my first "official" day in the garden! Boy did it feel great! I got my small beds weeded, my compost stirred & added to (thanks to a big bag of partly-decayed leaves and dry grass from my workplace) and I relocated some of my raspberry plants that were growing outside of their boundary. I was out again today at the beginning of my lunch break from work and got the bed out front of our yard tidied up. It runs along the side of our driveway (which is shared with the tenants upstairs) and is home to a large array of tulips, daffodils, poppies, and some flowers I still have to learn the names of.

I really love this time of year - although I guess I equally love it later on once all of my plants are in the ground and I can watch them grow... I really enjoy getting rid of the dead debris from the fall and winter, and getting everything ready to go for when it's time to plant. It is very satisfying; and I think that it almost mirrors what we are all doing after the long winter - sorting through what is old and unneeded now and preparing ourselves for the warmer weather ahead.

I think one of the first things I am looking forward to, aside from getting my plants started & then planted later on, is the raspberries. We are very fortunate to have already had a large amount of raspberry plants here when we moved in, and I can easily pick 2-3 margarine containers full per day at the height of the season. I enjoy eating them fresh (and sharing them with my dogs, who are crazy about them!) and I love raspberry muffins!

I should be getting all the materials together this weekend to get my plants started indoors, so I will be sure to update soon! I hope you are all getting out in your gardens and enjoying yourselves while you do it!

Happy Gardening!

Friends Fur-ever

Today is a bittersweet day. Today we said goodbye to our family dog, Mikey - a daschund that lived just a month shy of his 17th birthday; which is no small feat for a dog. To try to capture in words Mikey's life and the amount of memories he's left me and my family with would be impossible.

17 years ago our dog, Tim-bit had her second litter of puppies. Sadly she did not live long past their birth due to blood poisoning. Having to hand-feed 5 daschund puppies was a chore, but one that my family did gladly. We all found ourselves captivated by the runt of this litter - the dog we would later keep and call Mikey.

To know Mikey you would never know he had been a runt. He was keen and hilarious. He would fetch a ball for HOURS (you literally would have to take and put away the ball just so he would stop and have a drink of water and rest for a while) and he always wanted to be around his family. If my mom would try to sneak out early in the morning to garden before my sister and I woke up, it never failed that within seconds of her leaving the house, Mikey would be barking and whining to be let out.

Mikey was the very first dog that my 2 dogs, Lewis & Murphy, ever met. Both of them took to him immediately - Lewis was happy just to hang out with him outside, and Murphy looked up to him from the start. Murphy would chase Mikey while Mikey chased his ball, and that became their game together.

Murphy & Mikey 2007

As he got older, Mikey's senses began to fail on him; but to the very end he wanted to chase his ball and be outside with his family. He was the best couch buddy to watch movies or tv with...as long as you didn't mind that he took up most of the room!

It is a very sad thing to have to say goodbye after 17 years. It leaves an empty space in my heart. Even though my sister and I haven't lived at home for a few years now, Mikey was no less loved or important to us than he was when we still lived with our parents. I will miss him terribly when I go to their house. I will miss his wagging tail, and seeing his face under the table during our family meals - waiting for someone to "accidentally" drop some food off their plate. Mikey has left me with more memories than I could try to write about, and that is the greatest gift he could give me. I'm sad that he's no longer with us, but I know we couldn't keep him forever. I'm so glad for the years we got to spend with him and he will always have a place in my heart.

Thanksgiving 2007

Mom & Mikey - Christmas 2009

Neene & Mikey - 2009



The Noonan Clan - 2009



Mother Nature thinks she's funny...

Yesterday was a gorgeous spring day - a wonderful way to start the season! Sunshine, crisp air, birds chirping...

And then today arrived. I woke up to a light snow falling, which got heavier as the morning progressed. Just yesterday I was eagerly anticipating getting things done in my yard, and today I am back to staring at the layer of snow on my garden & lawn. Very depressing.

Juniper Beach

I went out for a hike yesterday at Juniper Beach and it was a beautiful day. This time of year, I think is hardest on me. Although I detest winter (and I truly mean detest), at least I can come to terms with the fact that the weather is intended to be gloomy and cold and full of snow; but once the first day of spring hits, it is that much harder to have days of "winter weather" hanging around.

I can see the sun peeking out a little more now, and I hope that the afternoon will bring more of that glorious, and much needed, source of Vitamin D. My batteries are drained from the gloom that is winter, and I'm in great need of some sunshine to recharge.

Here's to hoping Spring will be sprung upon us soon!

The Beginning

Hello!

I decided to start a blog about gardening this year for a few reasons. I like the idea of being able to connect and communicate with others who are interested in gardening - whether just starting out, or very experienced. I wanted to create a blog in order to get feedback from other gardeners, and to help those who are less-experienced learn from my mistakes along with me.

Both my mom and my grandma have been blessed with green thumbs and after seeing the beautiful garden spaces they've created in my lifetime I am at an age now where I would like to be able to create that same beautiful space for myself and my own family. I can remember many a time growing up when I would be given the task of "dead-heading" or "pulling weeds" and although I may have complained about doing it, once I began I always enjoyed it. I enjoy getting my hands in the dirt, smelling the flowers and soil, and seeing things grow and evolve as the seasons progress.

I started my first "official" garden 2 years ago when I moved into the place we are currently renting. In the past I hadn't been afforded the amount of garden space that I am now lucky enough to possess - namely: 1 long garden running along the side of the house, bordering a sidewalk into the backyard; 2 small square beds at the back of the house just outside of the back door; and the "big guy", my large garden that I use for my vegetables, which measures 40' x 20' (not including the small bed containing my raspberries that is separated from the large garden by a path). So for 2 years now I have toiled and labored and, luckily, enjoyed most of the garden's spoils; however, I have also made many mistakes and learned a lot of valuable information along the way.

So I hope that this blog will provide you with information, insight, or just a laugh or two at my expense (!), and I also hope that should you have any information or stories to share with me, that you do so.

Welcome to my garden!