Mint, Gourds and a Pine Path

In March I bought four different small mint plants from Hirt's Gardens for around $4.00 each and today I split them into their own pots - Pineapple and Ginger are each in a 12" pot and the Spearmint and Chocolate mint are in a much bigger container. If I had any doubt about  keeping them contained, today I was reassured that the whole of my yard would be filled with mint if I hadn't kept them this way. The roots were so thick, I had to cut through them with my Hori Hori to separate the four plants.

I am looking forward to some Mojito's with different mints soon!

Chocolate Mint and Spearmint

Pineapple mint and Ginger Mint

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Today I also planted Eggplant, Birdhouse Gourds and Watermelon in one of the straw beds. I just dug into the straw and put in a couple of scoops of garden soil, planted the seeds and watered. Our goal is not to do a ton of work with these plantings, but to give them what they need - water, sun and nutrients, and let them do what they will.

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I was very happy to see Nasturtium popping up in four new places and  am hopeful that it gradually replace the "grass" that we don't want growing and give us a beautiful, flowering salad instead.

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My Sister Kim dropped off a load of pine last week (yay Kim!) that she found on the side of the road for free! It's a beautiful round tree. We've decided that we will slice it into rounds and use it for our garden paths. The weather was just too warm to do the paths this weekend, but soon. It smells wonderful and will make a nice path through the garden beds and be the beginning of the work in the front yard garden.

Future garden paths - giving  "waste" a new purpose!

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Several different small projects this weekend. We are waiting for our shipment of perennials from Permaculture Nursery in Holyoke, Mass, and then the final of our plantings will be done. I'm sure we will continue to add flowers, herbs, etc., but the foundational plantings will be completed.

I also scattered a few different flowers and several types of hot peppers in two straw beds to see what will come up. In another bed I planted some seedlings that I started indoors. I want to compare which will do better. It is possible that neither will work, or both will.  If any work, I will happily collect the hot peppers. If not, there are some hots that we have planted in the raised beds with other veggies. What a great problem to have - too many hot peppers! If only...

Birthday Month & Twisted Trees

March is the month of our birthdays. I am always a big fan of consumables like chocolate and alcohol, but this year, we both wanted something different.  

Renee is one of my co-workers who has an incredibly talented husband. His business is making walking sticks out of found wood. I wanted so much to get one for Rob for his birthday, and when I saw the variety to choose from, I knew I had to have one too!

Our new Walking Sticks

The one on the left is Rob's - there is a face in the knots near the top that is really cool. The one on the right is mine.  I really liked the way the vine wound around it - it reminded me of a druid staff I had once in game I played...

The most important thing is that these are super practical with the hiking that we will be doing this summer with the ranger work and reporting. And they are beautiful!

If you want one for yourself - here is the information....

The Man with the Twisted Trees

The surprise for my birthday came in the form of new garden tools that I really love. The quality of the Hori Hori (the dagger looking digging/cutting tool) and the Hand Saw make them beautiful and super easy to use.    

Japanese Hori Hori, Felco Hand Saw and Felco Pruners

Today I had a chance to test out the hand saw - cutting kindling from branches that we have gathered and need to clear out (and use)to make room for the next round of collecting wood.

Our gifts have become so much more practical and useful and the quality is very important. I have tested all three of the tools out that I got and they are amazing. I expect they will last a long time and help with many projects.

As always, we were spoiled by our kids with gifts of our favorite drink and gift card to our favorite coffee place/bookstore. 

Spring is here, and the flowers are blooming. Work is also here, in abundance.  The fruit trees arrive soon, and the herb spiral is built and waiting for herbs to be planted. With each project, we move steadily along to the next...

Stronger for the work and happier in the doing of it.