Fribble's Blend

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Location: Jefferson City, Tennessee, United States

Published by: Hard Shell Word Factory (http://hardshell.com) and Awe-Struck E-Books (http://awe-struck.net)

Saturday, January 26, 2008

Coming Back Strong!

It's been nearly two months since I've contributed anything to my blog -- because I accepted a challenge to write a book in two months and two people --hi, Stephen and Lavinia -- have nudged me to get back to blogging. The first draft of the book was completed yesterday, so I'm taking a break before revising it this coming week.

It is amazing to me that not only has the Greenhouse survived two bouts of 40 mph winds, but the few plants that are in it are surviving also. We have a thermometer in there -- we see that the temp is usually 10 to 15 degrees warmer than outside.

Last summer, I took a long plastic planter box and devoted equal sections of it to parsley, sage and oregano. They did well outside last summer, although I had to do some emergency watering -- didn't we all! I took them into the Greenhouse and they are doing well. The parsley has actually greened up pretty well. The sage, being a shrub actually, has lost leaves and started new ones. The oregano -- well, it's hanging in there.

The first year I lived in this house (1996), I noticed a strange plant growing out by the shed. It took me a while to realize that it was liriope, and I wanted to move it to a place where it didn't get trampled. Husband kept mowing it down -- until (after three years) I laid some law on him. I transplanted it and it grew and was divided, and divided again. Last summer I dug up three clumps to transplant yet again, but didn't get it further than into a large urn we salvaged from somewhere. It is in the Greenhouse waiting for me to deal with it. NOTE: Liriope is a great plant investment -- you can't kill it without a blow torch -- probably. But you need a sharp knife to divide it. I can't wait.

I'm counting the days until February 15, when I plan to go out and start planting seeds in flats. I have lettuce (check WalMart for Burpee's five lettuce sp.s in one pack -- I had good luck with it last year and have some left over for this year -- it was 10 cents!), and herbs like lavender, basil, dill, etc., that I'll start to move outside in early April. I want to make some cuttings from the thyme and rosemary I already have growing in the herb garden, as well as three kinds of mint that my sister-in-law and daughter have given me.

So far, Husband has put less that $50 into the Greenhouse, but we've bought potting soil, sand, rooting compound and fertilizer to get started. We've salvaged shelving, pots and tools along the way to be used, and I bought my own hoe! Can't wait to do some serious weed control.

Until February 15th, it's back to writing!