And So It Begins….
The seed catalogs started arriving a few weeks ago, I quickly put them aside in a drawer because I don’t look at them until the new year comes. As the years go on, Johnny’s Selected Seeds is becoming my go-to spot for seed buying. Not only are they local (only 20 miles north of me), they have a fantastic selection as well. I still buy from a few other sources as well.
Now they are out and I’m looking over my seed stash and trying to decide what to buy. Thankfully, since I saved so many seed for my store, I don’t need much at all. Onion seeds of course, they need to be fresh each year, and perhaps a few new varieties of flowers for the cutting garden. Even though I don’t need many seeds doesn’t mean I won’t be buying seeds, such is the nature of gardening.
What’s your favorite seed catalog this year?
Head on over and check out the seeds available at Seeds & Sundries, support the blog and get some of the seeds you need at the same time.
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Garden Goals for 2018
Throughout the fall, as I clean up and prep the garden for winter, I spend time thinking about what I want to accomplish in the garden the following year. More hedges is one of my main goals. If you remember, I added around 100 boxwoods in a few hedges this fall.
On one side and the back of the main garden behind the garage, I’ll be adding blackhaw viburnum hedges. My plan is to order those and get them planted in late spring/early summer. The main garden is also getting a new main walkway with pathways that will be going off or it in a different direction.
The entire strawberry patch is going to come out and will be replaced with new plants. The bed needs refreshing and moved as it’s in the spot where the main walkway will be. Thus I figured it was best to refresh the patch and start with new plants.
These are my main goals, if I have time and energy remaining I want to build a few raised beds and cold frames to add to the main garden. I have the big picture for the new design of the main garden which I’m just starting to implement in 2018.
What are you goals for the garden in 2018?
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Friday Favorite: Espresso
Here at Chiot’s Run, we brew espresso and drink it with steamed milk. Every day, we brew two cups and thoroughly enjoy them, down to the last drop.
Every morning I’m happy as can be to be enjoying a delicious cup of steamed milk and espresso, what a wonderful way to start the day. Coming from Colombia, I started drinking coffee in the womb and never stopped. It’s been one of my favorite things for as long as I can remember.
Are you a coffee drinker?
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More Fun with Indigo
When I was back in Ohio for Thanksgiving, I taught my nieces & nephew (my sister was there too) how to make shibori. They had a blast, made some lovely things, and we only ended up with one accidental blue hand (two were dyed on purpose).
We used this this indigo dying kit, that a friend gave me for my birthday. If you’re looking to give this a go, I highly recommend this kit. We dyed so many items and the vat was still doing well. In fact, it’s still in my dad’s basement because they wanted to take more stuff to dye. Since the kit is less than $10, it’s a very inexpensive day of fun.
I took the opportunity to dye a few flour sack towels to sell in my little web store I’m opening later this week.
It was such a fun project, doing creative things is one of my favorite hobbies. It’s also so much fun to share that love with my nieces. Hopefully, they’ll keep wearing the shirts they made and perhaps even dye a few more things in the future.
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Friday Favorite: Tree Time
I love having a Christmas tree in the house during December. We typically cut a little pine from our property, it’s never a beautifully pruned tree, but it has quirks, big empty spaces, and lots of character.
Our tree is always cut the first weekend of December, after we have arrived home from our yearly trip to Ohio to celebrate the holidays with family.
I’ll drape it with a few strands of white lights and some etched glass bulbs. Simple, and it doesn’t take forever to set up and take down. This year, I’d like to make some pine garland to hang around the front door. There’s no outlet, or I’d decorate it with white lights as well.
One thing I do miss about our Ohio house is the yards of pine garland and white lights adorning the outside of the house during the winter.
Luckily, I can string lights in the old apple tree, those are actually left on all year long. White lights really help brighten up these dark winter nights, they are probably one of my all time favorite things.
When do you set up your Christmas tree? Or do you decorate in other ways?
