Gardens, start your engines!

I like to write about my garden each year,  mainly to serve as a photo journal for future reference. I took these with my phone during a drizzly walk around the yard,  but I think they capture the baby plants well enough. My garden changes each year and the trees get bigger,  changing areas that were sunny into more shaded spots,  etc...  So,  this is what has been going on so far during this wet and cooler Spring.

A few herbs tucked away: thyme,  lavender cotton, lavender, marjoram and lemon thyme. 

I found this old wooden mail box left for me on my doorstep. So,  I gave it and a wooden planter I thrifted a shot of paint and filled them with sweet alyssum, celosia,  ganzania, portulaca and a bit of ivy. Now I have a cheery sight greeting me at my gate. Better than the sight of a giant pile of mulch my neighbor gave me which I still need to move. 

Our grass patio

Rose campion and weigela in bloom with hydrangeas trying to grow some poof balls. 

A difficult little corner changes direction with some herbs, hopefully perennial. Bronze fennel,  lovage and sorrel. There is a little growth of some kale and chard that I planted from seed. 

Wolfie’s solar fountain nestled in lavender,  rhododendron,  portulaca,  marigolds, my rosemary topiary (from Christmas,  lol), oregano,  basil and cucumbers. 

My neighbors gave us this statue,  which the children call "pretty lady". She is living under a dwarf willow (variegated) with a perennial edible,  red-veined dock. This was planted last year and came back beautifully. It loves the shade. I want a few more,  but can't seem to find them this year. 

Mulberries,  mulberries, mulberries! Purple fingers,  cheeks and feet abound! 

Ollie's peach tree (dwarf) is chugging along. Out of the 25 Russian mammoth sunflowers I started inside,  the chipmunks have eaten all but one! I put a couple of kale in since all the sunflowers are gone. There are a few zucchini too. 

A butterfly feeder on the ground (a little sand in a dish. We occasionally put out fruit slices ) under the kousa dogwood. Such an underrated tree! Tons of creamy blossoms that last and last. The hoffman cheddar pinks keep flowering year after year too. 

I planted my seedlings here with mixed expectations. There are purple carrots,  radishes, beets, turnips . I added some rainbow chard,  parsley and a rosemary. The tiny,  pathetic japanese maple that I bought for $5 at Aldi's last year is shaping up beautifully! 

A crummy picture of the enormous oregano that I separated last year. I have already harvested a whole bottle of it!  There are also a bunches of lettuce,  arugala,  thyme and more carrots. 

Strawberries that my neighbor gave me during a heat wave last year. They are thriving and we have had a few berries to eat. I planted lettuce and arugala in my tomato pot and a few tomato plants started up on their own. 

Mint! Already harvesting this glorious crop. 

An experiment this year,  pallet gardens. We have multiple kinds of tomatoes,  sweet peppers,  cucumbers and mesculin mix. 

Hopefully,  I will remember to grab a few pics as things start to grow in more. This will be an exciting gardening year with lots if new things to look forward to! What are you growing?

Shearing Day

 
We were so excited that it was finally shearing day! We headed out to  Pierpont, Ohio to visit Roving Acres Farm. Here you see the sign made by my Dad-in-love. Unfortunately he was not with us today,  but we wanted to be sure to appreciate the sign.




We spent some time admiring the sheep out in the glorious sunshine.


I spent some time admiring my sweetie.


Wolf dreams of running with them.


I donned the kerchief I knitted from some Roving Acres yarn.



A wee babe in arms.


Hi there!


I must give props to this gal. She gave birth to this doll this morning and she is entertaining company the same day. I can relate to this!


Time to shear Dennis. He is super cooperative. What a guy!



Showing his spots off.


Look at that fleece!




You just know that my honey got a little treat for me. Feast your eyes...






Click here to see video of sweet music and Wolfie playing tambourine.



On our way home,  we stopped by a new park in Perry,  on the shores of Lake Erie,  Lake Erie Bluffs. We shared a picnic,  but it was very cold at this point. We braved the chilly temps and visited the beach. We were rewarded with an Eagle sighting!




Such a wonderful day! Special thanks to Beth and Sarah Karr for their hospitality and to Mud in yer eye for the beautiful music! Check out Roving Acres store for gorgeous wool! 

Hoffman Haus Happenings

 April showers brings bubble umbrellas and galoshes and slickers... 

Full rain barrels

Forsythia blooms ("do you like butter? " with a bloom held under your chin. If the yellow reflects onto your chin,  you like butter. Ahem,  we all like butter!) 

Strawberry plants resurrect themselves

Every spring,  Matt brings me home hyacinths. When they wither,  I plant them. I have hyacinths springing up all over our yard,  reminding me just how sweet he is. 

Wolfie’s tree is getting pretty. 

A little primrose that my brother,  Ian,  bought me many years ago. It always cheers me up to see its bright blooms so early in the Springtime. 

Chose to play outside instead of doing the dishes. One meal generates this much washing? So unfair! 

Seeds are sprouting! These seeds were such wonderful Christmas presents. Thank you guys! 

Potty training= hello kitty undies! 

A trip to the zoo with a mandatory break dance in the primate building. Not sure why that flooring is there,  but it demands to be danced on. No matter how crowded it is. 

Cavalcade of home cooked pizza. 

First is white pizza. 

Bbq pizza

Blueberry pie pizza,  presented by Ron Weasley. 

Chillin' at Malley's,  eating a puppy luv in Alice's wonderland garden

They always give you pretzels while you wait,  in a bowl your grandma would have used at a card party. 

Fruit slice smile for Vlad and special recipe hot fudge euphoria for Wolf. 

We lost a family member,  hoppy ball.

 R. I. P. Old friend,  you served us well. 

Not dealing well with the loss. Still sitting on it. 

No longer "hoppy". 

 p. S. Thanks for the replacement Gma Kathy! 

Smooth criminal

Daddy's birthday trip to the lake. 

A birthday pie whipped up for my boyfriend. 

Birthday vulture

Ollie likes to bring Pop his new birthday robots. 

A new guy,  Titan,  joins the family. 

Birthday skipbo bores Hermes. 

Aren't new teeth weird? 

Ice cream aftermath 

The reason for the aftermath

Visiting on stage with uncle Adam. Ninja skillz. 

Knitted a kerchief from some gorgeous yarn from Roving Acres. Thanks for the yarn,  Mama Jo!