Thursday, May 16, 2013

New Beginnings

Bonnie and Clyde
Snow on May 1st, 2013
Wilma wasn't happy with the snow.
Spring is finally here just in time for summer! I guess that's Nebraska for you! Although this spring has been especially interesting, with unusually cold temperatures all the way into late April, with a few scorching hot days sprinkled all the way back in February. Not to mention the extraordinary May Day snowfall of an inch!

Surprised Ben with baby ducks!
They love him :)
Never the less, we have been tilling, composting, raking, shoveling, scooping and taking care of all the critters all spring long in preparation for this day: planting the garden! This year we have a nice plot in the backyard, a plot on campus, cucumbers all along a back fence and lettuce growing under the wooden playground. Not to mention our chickens and ducks! With all the clucking, quacking, weeding and planting you would never guess we live in the city! Of course I know I'm fooling myself, but until we make it to the country, I'm loving the illusion.

Pearl and Wilma
He has  been chosen :)














As almost (second year) first time gardeners, I plan on keeping a blog about various garden happenings, as part of my learning process. I've been checking but my thumb is not quite green yet, it's more like a pale pea color. But I'm working on it, and very excited about learning more and more!

So what follows will be an insight on the learning curve of a beginning urban gardener with far too much enthusiasm. My enthusiasm and happiness this year stems from many sources.
The completed coop and run!


One huge source of my happiness this year is the fact that in a little under five months (seriously that soon?!) I will be marrying the love of my life and best friend! Living with him, gardening and tending to our animals with him, and in general exploring all of life's amazing opportunities with him has made me into a woman overflowing with gratitude and happiness.

Another source of pure joy is my furry best friend with four legs and a crooked tail :) Kingston has been the best buddy anyone can ask for this spring, always putting a smile on my face, watching patiently over the little ducks and chickens, and even helping till the garden!

There have been a few bumps this spring in other areas of my life. Although these bumps have been set backs in my career path, I am still eager and excited to be on a path towards a career in the natural resources. I know with my tenacity and my amazing support system, I will make the best of the set backs and go after the next opportunity that presents itself. Until then there is a lot of gardening to do!

Tomatoes started back in early April.
The following dates will play catch up and what we have done so far:

May 6: Planted red lettuce, green lettuce, California spicy mix and watercress in a lettuce bed under the playground.

May 7: Planted large onion bulbs at our  garden plot on campus.

The love the lilacs!
"Snacking" on my shoes.















May 9: Planted two zucchini mounds, summer squash, pole beans, snap peas, peas in backyard garden plot. We also planted cucumbers along the back fence and strawberries in a pot.

First egg!
May 13: Big news!! After acting goofy all week, Wilma (our Barred Rock hen) laid her first egg! It was very small, I'm wondering if that's normal for a hen's first egg. Still exciting!

May 16: Wilma laid her second egg! Still pretty small, about the size of a golf ball (if a golf ball was oblong). I'm curious to know when the other chickens will start laying.





I painted a purple bird house to match the lilacs.





Future site of our first landscaping project, more to come later! 







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