Florish!

Here's my flower yesterday! 3 of the 4 blooms are opening. It is heartbreakingly beautiful in it's prime. I have it in the big window that faces south and it's visible from a long way! A beacon of beauty and life in the late winter.

It's now about 8 weeks from the theoretical last frost date. It's time to get those seeds started! I plan on getting some herbs like parsley and thyme started this weekend.

Right next to me is the empty garden plot plan. I'm going to make some copies so I can plan out without worrying about making mistakes or shifting things. I am going to plan out right from the first the rotation for the garden. I am a big believer in rotating food crops, especially the nightshade (tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, tomatillos are the big ones) as diseases can linger over the winter and infect the plants the next year. That being said, there are some crops that are good for the soil and need to be rotated around for the good of the garden (peas, beans). I am trying to really focus on the companion planting idea - I've sort of toyed with it in past gardens. But to minimize insects/disease/weeding, I'd like to have each of the garden "cells" totally covered with no bare earth where weeds can grow. And lots of plants that bring in good insects to eat the bad insects.

I am also thinking of the ways to store the foods for next winter. I am really excited about this. Canning, drying, freezing mostly. And value added like pickles, chutneys, relishes, etc.

I finished the pair of birthday socks for M. They are of hand-spun yarn which is a soft gray color. But as usual, they are 2 different sizes. grr. I tried so hard to make them exactly the same. I've already torn apart the sock #1 and re-knit it. I am in the denial phase of "maybe one of her foots is smaller than the other and this is a happy accident that I will pass off as a brilliant happenstance." But I need to have the fitting to figure out what I need to do next.

I am going to invest in one of the books where you use circular needles and knit 2 socks more or less at the same time. There is a way to knit where you knit 2 socks at the same time, one inside the other that really makes my brain hurt. You can see it on YouTube if you search for it.

Tra-la off to plan a garden!