The Lake just got a little Deeper

Well, as is tradition for Mother's Day weekend, we spent the weekend with my in-laws at the lake.  This is the annual kickoff for camping.  We spend a few days pretending that it is warm enough to venture into the mountains and getting just close enough to feel like we are there.  I swear you never know what kind of weather we will get.  Many times we get sunburns, quickly followed by an evening of frostbite in our tent.  This year with the new little man, we did not want to be left out, but like I said, it is difficult to take a newborn camping when the temperatures dip below freezing.

The wife's aunt allowed us to "camp out" in the extra bedroom they have which is only about a 10 minute drive from the lake.  Definitely worth the trip to have just a little bit of sleep.  The big kids slept in the bunk beds in Grandma's camper.  We returned this morning, with better sleep and bearing gifts of Starbucks, in case others didn't sleep.

All around, definitely a great trip.  The kids' 2 yr old cousin was there and this was the first time there has been another kid to play with and annoy.  One of the uncles brought his boat and the kids pretty much thought that was the best thing...ever.  I mean besides, candy and the oreo meals they get to have when no one is watching.  Roma is a boat driving machine and Liam, the eternal perfectionist, didn't think he was doing it right.

I was glad that we decided to go up, and also glad we skipped the tent camping, since there was definitely frost this morning.  The kids always spend half of the time creating some sort of mud waterfall, so the kids always come back with a trash bag full of wet clothes and snow boots.  Hey, we live in CO, there is little rain, and a lot more snow, so we make do with what we have. 

Bragging Rights

Well, now that we have been in our current house for about 5 years, I feel like the garden is starting to get somewhere other than needing work.  Don't get me wrong, there is always work to be done in the garden but, I feel like there are not as many bare spots.  When we moved in, the yard was great, but the gardens were almost non-existent.  There were a few shrubs and overgrown lilacs, but not much in terms of gardening.  Any monkey with a few simple tools can plant that.  It takes time, patience, care, and most unfortunately, money.

I am going to blame the latter for the time it has taken to get the garden where it is today.  Everyone with money can go out and buy a ton of plants, my problem has been the lack thereof.  So my investment in the garden has been the countless books and seed packets bought.  I read and find out the best plants that work the best here in Colorado, which compared to Kansas where I grew up might as well be on another planet.

The plants here are beautiful in an understated way.  But they are tough, they have to be able to handle the less-than-awesome clay soils, the almost constant drought conditions, the scorching sunlight and the giant temperature swings.  Other than that, any plant that lives must then live through the constant trampling from kids and animals.
  

The flower in the photo is one of my favorite, easy, hand-sown plants, the Oriental Poppy.  It is a perennial that I planted the seeds for two years ago.  The first year they were pretty when they bloomed.  Now, by the second year they are about 8" across and amazing.  They last a couple of days but are a great addition to any garden.

Actually, I must confess that have a flower fetish this year.  I just can't get enough poppies.  There are so many different varieties.  There are the stand-by California poppies that will sprout and grow anywhere there is sun and the tiniest little bit of moisture to get them started.  These are annuals but they often self-sow which is key for the lazy gardener that I am.  You can also get these in the ginormous seed packets which is also key for those of you letting your small children help.  Let's just say that not everything makes it into the allotted locations.  I am also trying the opium poppies this year which are technically illegal but I just think they are pretty.  I will keep you updated on how it goes.

There are, I am sure, hundreds more varieties and ones that will do great wherever you live.  I am always surprised at the things that grow and the things that don't.  I plan to continue to try the gamut of different flowers.  Until next time, happy experimenting...

Preparing for the Signs of Life

As we sit here counting down the days until our third child is born, I am thinking that there is nothing like anticipation to get you excited about the things to come.  I saw a few of the tops of the crocuses starting to poke out of the ground, reminding me that days of flowers and digging are just around the corner.  The lettuce seeds are chosen and mixed, but the ground is too frozen.  I can only declare that I will not be planting any radishes.  Other than that all other possibilities are open.  There is unlimited space in the garden and no seasons have passed yet.

This is the time to continue drooling over your seed catalogs.  I would also recommend visiting your gardening stores.  There is no better time to check out the good deals and not deal with those annoying people who only want to buy red geraniums.   You know the ones I am talking about.  Go and see the cool pots, typically they have some serious deals around this time of year.  They are as desperate to see you as you are to feel like you are accomplishing something outside. You can also peruse the seed aisles before they are picked over. 

We have had a few days of warm weather lately and the snow is slowly retreating.  Underneath the layers of brown snow lay the secrets that you have been waiting for, hoping would show up.  After your plotting and planting, those tiny little seedlings, that will fill the bald spots in your garden.  They are still too small to tell which ones are coming up, but I just keep repeating to myself; only a few more months. 

My anticipation is killing me.  I am waiting for a baby, waiting for spring, waiting for the warmer weather, and waiting for this headache to go away.  But for now, I will eat my ice cream and enjoy a little quiet before the noise of kids and summer fill my life once again. 

Christmas In January

So I was sitting on my couch this week when Mindy asked me to go get the mail.  I got up and trudged through the melting snow, and opened the mailbox.  And what to my wondering eyes should appear but my joy and eight tiny seed catalogs.  I know it probably wasn't what you were thinking..but at this time of the year a person who gardens is mainly stuck dreaming about next year. 

And so now I am the one riding the bus and reading my glossy magazine, only mine are filled with possibilities for next year's garden.  By the end of the winter, my poor gardening books and magazines have had a major work out.  Flipping back and forth between the pages trying to eek out every idea and ounce of genius.  What can I find this year that is new and exciting?  What have I been trying to find forever?  What reminds me of growing up on the farm? 

I think that this year, although I will have to throw in some exciting new things, I am going back to the basics.  Sometimes there are reasons that we have those "old reliables".  You know what I am talking about...that old t-shirt, pants, or underwear that you should have thrown away a very long time ago, but they are comfy and there is something about knowing what you are going to get.  There is no guesswork, just memories.  Sometimes I get so drawn up in my ideas for what things I can find that some soccer mom down the street won't have, that I lose track of the main results: beauty and produce. 

Like I said before, there is no way that I can resist my shiny new red tomato or purple potato, but I am reading my magazines this year looking for something more reliable.  I will still brag about the new things that work and try to hide the ones that don't (hopefully there aren't too many of those).  I will also relish in picking things that produce, but for now I will just enjoy looking at my pretty pictures.