Saturday, 3 April 2021
Sunshine.
What more can I say.
The sun was shining on a long weekend.
The temperature wasn’t too shabby either. It’s slowly getting warmer.
I’ve been mentally planning out my gardens, looking through my Pinterest boards at the pins I saved throughout the winter. Some of the layouts are incredible, as are the garden boxes. I thought I’d make a few boxes, one with a trellis for beans to climb and the other two would have posts on the side that I could nail a fence to. Grand plans I have! What’s that saying about God and plans?!
Two things changed my mind. One is the lack of supplies due to so many people gardening and being creative through the lockdown. This is a great thing… I’m happy so many people have turned to nature and their creative sides in troubling times. Two is the rising cost of lumber.
I decided to use what I have on the property. To get creative and resourceful. I head out to the old lumber/junk pile we have. Last year I managed to find some boards and branches I used to create a border around my garden and posts for the plants to climb. It was great and I’m hoping to find boards I can make boxes with, or fence posts. I didn’t quite make it to the junk pile as I was stopped by the pine cones littering the lawn.
Except for this past Autumn, I don’t recall ever having so many pine cones. I picked up a lot of them then and started picking up more today. I quickly filled my bucket, looked around for something else to use and saw an old garbage bin near the pine tree. I made my way there, where many more cones were and continued picking them up. It was then I noticed a pile of used flower pots.
These are pots from my Dad’s gardening days. I was sure I had used them all already, but apparently there were more to be had. Some were still frozen to the ground but I managed to collect most of them. They are filled with leaves, pine needles and frozen earth. Once they thaw out I’ll give them a good cleaning and start filling them up with transplants. On the other side of that tree, next to the lumber/junk pile, was a compost barrel. I tried last year to get in to have a look at it but it was surrounded by picky trees, brush and thistles. It wasn’t today though! The barrel is in great condition and after a few minutes of tugging and pushing to free it from the frozen ground, I was able to move it out into the open, away from the picky trees and brush. I can’t wait to clean it up and start using it.
In the lumber/junk pile, I found some boards and cool branches and loads of other stuff I can use. The trick now is going to be getting stuff out before the leaves and brush grow and take over the space.
I didn’t get a chance to paint, but I did plant some birdhouse gourds and an acorn I found outside while I was collecting pine cones. I planted them in the paper pots I made. Can’t wait to see how they turn out. I sorted the sunflower packets…I have nine varieties! Did I mention I have grand plans for my gardens this year?!!! 😉
Tomorrow I will be occupied with getting the turkey into the oven for Easter dinner. Maybe I’ll get a chance to get back to that goldmine of a lumber/junk pile though…
Creativity is the calling of the soul 