Beautiful Weekend Ahead

There may still be a lot of snow on the ground, but the weather forecast for this weekend is very nice.  After some wind tonight, they are calling for  highs in the 50s and 60s for Saturday and Sunday.  Can you say spring?  I hate to get too excited though,  because just about the time I get to really enjoying the warmer weather, winter generally comes back with a sneak attack.  We have had a very mild winter this year, so I can't really complain, but those 50 and 60 degree days just make you long for spring to arrive and for winter to be gone. 

Visions of gardening start dancing in my head and with all the talk this past week of a possible community garden here on the hill, it makes it even all the more exciting.  This is one community project that I hope does come into being.  Community gardens are such a wonderful addition to a neighborhood.  In addition to the food they can produce for those who garden in them,  they are also very good for meeting and getting to know other people and help to establish a real feeling of community and connectedness to others who live here. 

I have found when I am in my own yard gardening, most everyone who walks by, stops to chat.  I have met the majority of my neighbors while out working in my garden.  Gardening is an activity that most every one, young or old can enjoy and participate in and the fruits of your labors are edible.  Teaching children to garden provides them with skills that will last them a lifetime.   Many times more is grown than can be used and so is shared with others in the community, providing nutritious, fresh fruits and veggies to those who might not otherwise be able to afford them.  Gardening is so much more than just a hobby and I for one will be hoping this comes to fruition.

Good Morning!

Happy Monday!  Wasn't this weekend the best?  The most beautiful weather ever.  This is the type of weekend that makes the long wait through winter worthwhile.   I flung all my doors and windows wide open and enjoyed every single minute of the warm weather and light breeze.  I hung freshly washed clothes out on the line to dry, our cars got cleaned and the veggie garden got put into shape for this years planting.  Our dogs enjoyed long walks, windows and screens got washed and it felt incredibly good to just go outside and feel the sun on my face again.  It couldn't have been any more perfect in my opinion.

So I am hoping that this is it.  That spring is really here this time and that the winter of 2010/2011 is over.  It has been a good one, but as we head towards the end of April, I am ready for it to be over, as I think everyone is.  If you celebrate Easter, I hope you all have a very pleasant holiday week.

Monday Musings

I am so happy to see some sunshine today!  Do you ever notice how the weather affects your mood and energy levels?  It seems that during the snowy, rainy &  foggy weather, I don't function very well.  My brain seems to be foggy and I have no desire or energy to do much of anything but lay around and drink hot tea.  But once the sun comes out, it is like someone changed my batteries.   I am re-energized and ready to tackle projects that I have let slide for months.

This week promises the arrival of spring like weather and I for one, am very happy about that.  I know we need the snow, but I really am anxious to get back to outdoor activities.  I hope by the end of this week, that I can see the ground in my garden again.  I have lots to do out there and it is time to get started.  Here at the water district, we will be working on some projects such as using ollas for conserving water when watering the garden, composting for soil improvement and water retention and rain water harvesting for making use of the moisture that falls from the sky.  All of these things are key to conserving water while still  enjoying the delightful benefits of a home garden.

Some of these projects will be done at my personal garden.  Since I was planning to do them anyway, I am more than happy to report the results back here on the blog so that everyone can benefit from what learn.   I am also looking forward to touring  a local garden that uses rain water harvesting in their garden.  Rain water is so much better for plants and between using that for the landscape and ollas for the veggie garden, I am hoping to reduce my outside water use drastically.  Of course you can put rain water in your ollas as well.

It is my hope that by using a variety of gardening methods, I can show people how to use water wisely and efficiently, thereby enabling everyone to have a garden they can  enjoy while doing what is right for the earth and conserving our precious water resources.  It is easy to get lax about water use when we have had a wet winter, but just remember that  we never know if we will receive abundant moisture or not during any given winter,so it is best to use as many water conserving techniques as possible, no matter what the moisture situation is like.  Conserving today, provides for tomorrow!

So here is hoping for springs arrival and getting started on some of my garden projects!

Still Snowing!

Well, it doesn't look like we are going to get a break from winter any time soon.  At least not until Saturday by the looks of the weather forecast.  On the water front, this is good.  The more moisture the better.  While this type of weather does make life tougher, it is wonderful for our water situation.  Plus we were lucky that at least this recent storm held off until the snow from the previous storms melted off.  So at least it isnt' piled up over our windows or anything. 

So even though it says spring on the calendar, here in Pine Cove it is still winter for now.  It will make spring and summer all that much sweeter and hopefully give us another year where we don't have to move into a higher stage of water conservation.   While we aren't out of the woods drought wise just yet, having these wet winters is certainly a welcome relief.  It may not end the drought, but at least it keeps it from getting worse.  It is so easy to forget we are in a drought when we are sitting here with all this snow, but we have to remember that it isn't what is on the ground that counts, it is what percolates back down into the ground.

So don't put those boots and heavy coats away just yet.  Perhaps in a few weeks we can think about doing that, but for now keep your snow shovel and boots by the door and make sure you have an adequate supply of propane and/or wood so you can stay toasty warm. 

Spring has Sprung?

Not!  Yesterday may have been the first day of spring, but Old Man Winter isn't ready to leave just yet.  The weather reports I received over the weekend are predicting up to 31 inches of snow!  Yes, you read that right.  31 inches. 

This isn't all that unusual for the hill though.  Anyone who has lived here for any length of time can tell you all sorts of snow horror stories.  Just last year, we had snow in May.  So while it may be spring on the calendar, it is probably not spring here in Pine Cove just yet. 



Looking up Marion Ridge Road from the water district office.




Looking down Marion Ridge Road to Highway 243 from the water district office.




Pine trees outside the water district office covered in new snow.

It would be a good idea to stay inside if you don't absolutely have to go out anywhere.  The roads are fairly clear, but why take the chance?  Please be sure you have provided adequate shelter, food and water for outdoor animals.  If possible, bring your dog inside during this bad weather.  Remember, they get cold too!

Spring arrives with snow

Well, I knew the weather has been too good to be true.  As spring arrives this Sunday, they are calling for snow.    Up to 11 inches.  While the moisture is fabulous and we can certainly use all we can get, snow in the spring is just cruel and unusual punishment.   I would much prefer it to be in the form of rain, because after all April showers bring May flowers, right?  No where is there a saying about Spring Snow, but what can we do?  We just will have to deal with it and continue to suppress our urge to get outside in the garden.

I noticed some trees are flowering and budding up.  I hate to see this happen.  I always think these plants and trees will acclimate, but they never seem to.  Each year as soon as the weather gets nice, they start to grow or bloom, even if it is only February or March.  Then bam, it snows and they get frozen again.  They never seem to learn or get with the program.  The oak trees seem to be the only ones with enough sense to wait until the end of May before emerging from their long winter nap.  I don't even know if it is possible for other species of plants to acclimate to our climate.  They seem programed to spring to life after a few days of warm weather no matter when it arrives.

So, I guess all we can do is be thankful for the  moisture and take consolation in the fact that spring has to arrive sooner or later and when it does, we will be ever so grateful and excited!

Frugal Friday

As this latest batch of snow melts away, my thoughts are turning to spring.  Thinking of spring naturally makes one think of the garden.  An what does one need for a garden?  Seeds of course.  Well plants are nice, but they are expensive, so since we are being frugal here, seeds are the way to go. 

Now, I will admit I have not had as much success with starting seeds as I would like to have.  However, since they are so inexpensive, I feel it is an area I can afford to have failures and keep trying.  After all a $2 pack of seeds doesn't break the bank like a $50 plant would. 

My biggest problems is that I have no where to start seeds indoors.  So on a few select things, like tomatoes and basil, I will still by the plants.  However, I am going to do some early seed sowing in the garden and make some mini green houses to cover the seeds and see how that method works out.

If anyone out there is good at this, I, and many others, would appreciate any advice you can give us regarding starting seeds.  It all seems easy enough, but last year my morning glories never got past 2" tall.  That is correct.  2 inches tall.  How is that possible?  What am I doing wrong?  I see pictures of morning glories that grow like weeds and envelope a trellis or arbor with glorious green leaves and flowers.  Yet mine, after all summer never really grew at all. 

Hollyhocks are the other plant that elude me.  I see them growing practically wild up in Big Bear. They are in parking lots, coming up through sidewalk cracks and invading yards.   So of course I thought they would do well here and would  need a minimum of water and care.  Wrong.  I got 2 plants out of about 50 seeds I planted last year.   My friend, who lives in Big Bear, was good enough to go around one fall and harvest seeds for me from different hollyhocks and  I still do not have hollyhocks growing in my yard.

So as spring begins to come to Pine Cove, I will again attempt to plant seeds and get them to grow.  After all, spring is a time of renewal and who knows, perhaps one day I will get lucky and something will actually grow!