So many seedlings!

Terry and I began the week with a two-night trip to Galena to celebrate our 25^th anniversary. A kind stranger took a picture of us sitting next to Ulysses S. Grant.

Ulysses, me, and Terry

The weather was similar to the drizzly day in Buffalo when we were married at the courthouse. Hilda took this picture of us in front of the nearby McKinley Monument, with the sad lions showing how sorry the city was that he was assassinated there.

My favorite wedding picture

It made sense at the time to be married on May 8, the Friday between the end of classes and the start of finals week. Not so much now, when we have a million things to do to get the garden started. I swear for every one tasks that gets crossed off my list, I have to add two more. I had a busy week.

While it seemed like I had all the time in the world to clean Coop 1 when we moved the hens to Coop 2 in the orchard, I realized with a start that the chicks are coming next week, and I’d better get to it. I miss my mom. She cheerfully volunteered to take on that nasty, dusty chore and did a much more thorough job than I have the patience for. I did it, however, and it is just going to have to be good enough. Even my half-assed cleaning took the whole day.

I devoted another entire day to potting up the seedlings from the tray I started inside.

Plum tomatoes

Many hot and sweet peppers

Oh, so many Brussels sprouts and cabbages

By the end of the day, only the basil seedlings remained. They are on the list for tomorrow.

Basil seedlings in the now-otherwise-empty tray

When, oh when, will I have time to pot up all the native plants that sprouted from the seeds that I started? And where will I plant them when it is time for them to be out in the Big World?

Lettuce seedlings (left) in front of native plant seedlings 
such as Joe Pyeweed, cup plant, and wild senna.

The migratory birds continue to return. We have many orioles now as well as pairs of rose-breasted grosbeaks.

Mr. Grosbeak

Mrs. Grosbeak

I have seen at least two white-crowned sparrows.

White-crowned sparrow

The hummingbirds are back, too, but they are quick, and I haven’t had time to stake out the feeders to get a picture of them.

Often our magnolia tree starts blooming too early, gets frost damaged, and never fully opens. We had more success this year.

Magnolia

Here’s a close-up of a flower, which remains dear to my heart since taking Plant Evolution as an undergraduate. At the time, we learned that the magnolia is probably similar to the first flowering plant, I think because it has numerous, large, relatively unspecialized reproductive structures. 

Magnolia flower

I’m pleased with how well the trillium are spreading. They are my favorite souvenir of Camp Pokonokah Hills.

Trillium grandiflorum

The cucumbers are blooming in the high tunnel, and cute little cucumbers are forming. It won’t be long!

Tiny cucumbers underneath the yellow flowers

We have lots of strawberry blossoms and will have lots of strawberries if I get the bird netting put over them before they turn red. It’s on my list.

Strawberries in bloom

There will be no outside work today. It’s a rain day, which I sorely need to do indoor work such as paying bills and writing blog posts. What I would really like to do is make cinnamon rolls, but I don’t have the time or need the calories. Barring that, it would be nice to settle in somewhere cozy and take a nap, like these two little boys. How sweet that Banjo has his paw on Bingo’s back.

Bromance

I can cross the blog post off my list now. What shall I do next?