May days with gardens and people!

I knew I was stretching the time between posts pretty far, when an email from my mom this morning included, "I'm waiting patiently for a new blog! (Hint. Hint.)" It was already on my "wish list" for this Sunday, and it is going to be a double header... We'll start with a newsy one including a smattering of updates that I'd like to have a spot in this year's "scrapbook!"

What is happening in the gardens is not nearly as changed from 2020 to 2021 as what is happening in other realms of our life. We are SLOWLY starting to reengage in person with other humans. It is both a strange feeling, a good feeling, a "are we doing something wrong" feeling, a welcome feeling, etc... Honestly, my oddest feelings in that realm came this week when a work colleague came out for a hike and a meeting in person. She had never been in our home before, so had only seen little snippets via zoom. We sat side by side with our computers and dove in. I had two very odd moments. The first came when we were both working in our database system. That is normally when my zoom jams up and freezes. I had the thought that I hoped we wouldn't freeze, followed by the realization that even if the databases froze we could still keep talking to each other. Later in the meeting, I was wanting to get a link from me to her and again had the automatic thought of "I'll just drop it in the chat..." Yes, it will take some adjusting!

On a recent chicken feed run (so grateful to my dad for so often being willing to do the run to Stuart's Draft for feed - we are really plowing through it these days!!), the girls went along to be able to enjoy visiting with their great great Aunt Eleanor. 

On the way home they cashed in a coupon for Smiley's Ice Cream. Kali knows I love their mocha chip ice cream so arrived home with the bottom of her cone for me (it was mocha chip cream by that point, but I was still touched by her thoughtfulness, and eager to go back for the frozen variation soon!).

We have not just enjoyed a few more people visits, we also had a puppy play date recently when another work colleague of mine came out for a walk with me. As always, her dog Henri came along to walk, but she also brought along her new addition, Annie, to play with Tala and the girls. 

The reason Kali is mostly pictured with the dogs, is that Alida and Terah are still very nervous around dogs. But I think Annie could be great for them if they get to play with her as she grows. By the end of that one playdate, here's what was happening:

We have made a lot of treks to Hensley's Pond and back during Covid. It's been such a welcome spot for distanced walks and picnics. It's been lovely, as the weather warms and more of those around us are fully vaccinated, to be able to continue such times with others unmasked! And to feel more comfortable sharing food again. Recently we enjoyed two hikes with family and friends, including a picnic and some fishing on the one.

But we aren't just going for walks and picnics and such. Because it's spring/summer at Tangly Woods and things are growing (or not as much as we'd like) and so there is planting, watering, weeding, mulching, more planting, troubleshooting critter damage, harvesting, etc...

Since the squirrels have laid claim on our little strawberry patch, a carload of us from T.W. went to Woods Edge Farm on their first day of you-pick and came home with over 55lbs of strawberries. YUM!

We froze some whole, some sliced, made jam, and ate MANY fresh. Some of us were more helpful than others! Yes, we do have a little monkey in our midst!

...oh, and we introduced Tala to strawberry shortcake. It didn't last long!

Most of the summer gardens are in - with winter squashes and corn ready to plant this upcoming week now that the barley has been harvested. We've had to replant some sweet potatoes where voles have come up and helped themselves to the little plants. All that was left in the spot was the entrance to their tunnel. We have also reseeded some cantaloupe and okra hills - probably thanks to slugs. 

The potatoes are hilled (thanks to Jason's hard work!), mulched and the black beans are planted with them. Much of the mulching took place on a rainy day, and we just happily worked in the rain (well, some of us did...). It may become a yearly tradition, as I am pretty sure potato patch mulching was in the rain last year too. We have been so grateful, even for the 1/10 rain shower here and there. The sprinkler is working hard to keep things watered these days. Thankfully most things are out of the zone of needing a daily watering.

It's starting to be the time of year where there is an abundance of green things to bring in to eat fresh! This blurry picture shows my quick grab this morning before breakfast: lambsquarter to sauté with garlic scapes, oh so many garlic scapes for cooking and fresh pestos, the first round of parsley for pesto, and lettuce. 

I also dried my first round of oregano this past week.

Grandma and Grandpa arrived back from WV this week and coinciding with that was seeing a lot less of Terah and Alida! When the options are to come out and garden with us or play upstairs, it's not normally a hard decision. And they generally just tend to migrate up there often. I'll realize it's gotten quiet and I don't know where they are and I go upstairs to look. When I enter Mom and Dad's place, there is no sight of them, but my parents normally have a look on their faces that gives them away. They don't even hear me coming on the stairs, but as soon as either of the girls hear my footsteps (which they apparently have an uncanny ability to do), they vanish. 

Lest anyone think baby chicks are a thing of the past, the hatching is not over yet! The girls no longer come running when the first chick hatches in the incubator. With more hatching every week or two, the freshness and excitement has worn off. But they are still mighty cute!

Well, before the kiddos realize it is just Jason napping in here and I'm on the computer, I better crank out the second blogpost for today!