New Love

So a while ago my backyard looked like this. Super unusual for where we live in Oregon. Don't worry the Rosemary survived. She is tough like the rest of the Yarnkettle household. Oh heck we may as well be British sounding today, Yarnkettle Cottage. I do so love the sound of that.

Last year at this time I was busy healing my broken parts. I was busy knitting myself back to health and plain old knitting my yarn too. I was fretting about the virus like many others and trying not to plan and dream about my garden. 

This year I am so in! The snow came to town and I started thinking maybe I could add gardener, or as I like to think of it Proud Plant Momma to my list of skills. I checked out some books and started thinking I would like to try my hand at starting seeds inside. I was immediately intimidated. Did you know some seeds only germinate in darkness? Would I be put on some sort of watchlist if I bought grow lights? Did you know you can use an ordinary fluorescent bulb as a grow light? (Me neither but it works!) 

I started saving up TP rolls, put in my first order to a seed company, and made a run to my local Feed and Seed store. Yep we have one of those. Being a farmer's daughter I could not resist supporting a business called CowPots. It is made from just what you think, but they do not smell. So it is not quite the true farming experience. 

I consulted multiple websites for an estimated last day of frost for where I live. That was not terribly productive. My answers ranged from March 15 to April 15.  So being a pessimist I added two weeks to the last date and decided to figure on planting the end of April. Then I consulted the seed packets and yowsa I got a move on. (I think I should have thought a little harder about it but heck what is a anxious girl to do other than experiment?)

I cannot express how happy it makes me to see green things growing that I planted. Yeah I started some stuff too early but I am trying to figure out how I can just get an indoor crop. Plus it is an experiment, if all I do is learn what not to do that is useful too. 

I have pricked out and potted on my tomatoes and tomatillos. I have learned about cotyledons and true leaves. I may even be obsessively watching Gardeners' World, but that is more of a nice calm antidote to the world we live in. 

I will admit that yesterday was the first Friday in a month that I did not take a trip to the Feed and Seed. I will further admit that I also bought and assembled a short tent greenhouse. I even managed to tie it down effectively. Look at me learning. 

And this week I woke to more frosty than not frosty days so I am going to hold off starting more than I can handle right now. But I am trying to figure out how I can pot on and fill some window sills. Anyone else concerned I am going to go plant something after this? Me too.

Poor hubby has been encouraging through the process but admitted to having a dream where a friend of ours started plants. His waking thought was damn it, not her too!

Never fear hubby dear you're going to love my tomatoes as much as you love me.