Garden update (and other quotidian bits)

[redbird]

This is partly for my own records.

This morning I planted some basil (planter near the back porch), radishes (a patch near the sidewalk, a little bit east of the front walk), and sunflowers (in the planting strip). I ordered the radish seeds, the sunflowers were a freebie from the seed company, and 42itous gave us the basil seeds.

Meanwhile, a nondescript clump of greenery in front of the house turns out to be a patch of gorgeous purple irises, and the rhododendron next to it is blooming.

We're having a hot spell, so any gardening is best done early in the day. I woke up very early this morning, and after tea and breakfast I went downstairs in long pants and long sleeves, planted the basil and radishes, then attempted to remove some of the nettles despite having left the pruning shears upstairs. (Pull tip of plant down with gloved hand; hold it in place by standing on it; use the edge of the trowel to cut it somewhere below the flowerhead,) This didn't work very well; it turns out the gloves I bought last weekend aren't nettle-proof, so I hurried back inside and applies a baking soda paste to one finger. I'm fine now.

I showered while cattitude had his breakfast, and put on shorts and a t-shirt. On our way out, I took a long-sleeved shirt, another pair of gloves, and the shears downstairs and left them just inside our door in case I wanted them later. We walked down the bikeway together as far as Alewife Brook, and then he went to the T station and I walked along Alewife Brook to Mass Ave.

I stopped in the CVS, then took a bus home. I stopped at Quebrada Bakery to get a couple of pastries to have with second breakfast. When I got back to the house, I put my shopping down to do some more gardening (even though it was past my usual time for more tea). I planted several sunflower seeds in the strip of ground between the sidewalk and the street; by the packet instructions of separating by 12-18 inches, there's room for 2-3 more there, and I have a lot of seeds. I also watered all the vegetables we planted, the small tree in front of the house, and a few of 42itous's snap peas.

I suspect I'm going to be saving the tomato seeds for next spring, since it's late for starting tomatoes from seed; on the other hand, I do like Paul Robeson tomatoes. There's room in the back yard for more radishes or sunflowers, and we have a bunch of small pots (some left by the landlord) that would do to start seeds in, for transplanting as if we'd bought already-sprouted tomato plants.

I've been exercising fairly regularly (though I don't know what other than the walking and gardening I'll get done today, given the heat), though not bothering to transcribe the numbers here.