No FBI Coloring Book Terms Here: We're Growing Smokable plants.
Happy Beltaine! Hope it was lovely for all of you.
Got the seeds today: I was in no way prepared for how small they were, the bee balm was almost as teeny. I get a padded 8 x 4" envelope and inside is a letter and a resealable bag with a "These have been tested so if they don't germinate its not our fault" label on. Inside the bag were two plastic planting markers and two teeny resealable bags, the kind that might get you busted for drug paraphernalia, about 2" x 3". On them were labels and sowing instructions. All thousand tobacco seeds would occupy maybe half a teaspoon, and the seeds themselves would fit two or three INSIDE the O in WASHINGTON on the dollar bill. -YEAH, the one below the dude's head.
Daunted but feeling it was a bit urgent, as its a bit late to be planting, I filled two trays with 1/2" of sand and the rest of the way with compost dirt, then topped it off by shaving the coal off a burnt log with a trowel.
I carefully tipped half the seeds onto the back of a Christmas card (from Dad), and Mike tapped them more or less evenly into the dirt.
We did the same with the second tray. Then came the not-so-fun part of clearing out and tidying what we call "up top" which is the storage area/guest room above the cab of the RV. Mike handed me up the trays and I placed them in the very front under the window, which in our usual parking spot is facing SouthWestish and is slanted upward.
They should have as much light as weather allows. In 20 days we should see some wee plants, then we'll have to separate them and either put them in starter tray thingies or let them take their chances in the front corner of the property. Not sure yet. It's hard to believe these things are supposed to grow larger than pillow cases.
The bee balm I put 4 to a cup in two starter trays and put those in Bobbie's indoor greenhouse thingie, she's mad for bee balm, so I figure she won't have a problem with it.
Otherwise I moved dirt and rocks, filled some new planters, swiped a bucketful of rocks, which I dumped next to our front door to stave off mud, helped Pete unload dirt from the truck, and played with drainage a bit in the clay to get rid of the mosquito farms that seem to be starting in the back pasture.
Also looked after the chickens, letting them out of their coop when I got up, putting them back in when it got dark, and dumping more feed in their feeder. Twisted toe becky & one of the (soon-to-be-enormous) black austolorps got to be held whether they wanted it or not, and the ducks, which so far have proved alarmingly dumber than the chickens, were helped into the coop as they haven't yet figured out that they can go UP the ramp.
The ducks also haven't recognized slugs and worms as food unless they're IN their water tray, nor have they realized that I usually have food I would happily feed them. NOR have they realized that I will help them into the coop instead of eating them, no matter how many times I prove this. I can only hope they'll get smarter, but I'm not very optimistic.
Tonight was a smattering of web work, a dinner of mashed potatoes, the last of the leek soup, bacon, cheese and broccoli. Then Doctor Who: Flesh & Stone. That was buttock-clenching fun, the second half of the new weeping angels episode. Amy's crack in the wall looks like the new Bad Wolf. River song is a hoot.
Mike's sexy back muscles were out in all their glory, turning over soil in the front corner.
Oh yeah, and I made granola. As if I needed more hippie cred after today. Sheesh.
Tomorrow: Planting?
Got the seeds today: I was in no way prepared for how small they were, the bee balm was almost as teeny. I get a padded 8 x 4" envelope and inside is a letter and a resealable bag with a "These have been tested so if they don't germinate its not our fault" label on. Inside the bag were two plastic planting markers and two teeny resealable bags, the kind that might get you busted for drug paraphernalia, about 2" x 3". On them were labels and sowing instructions. All thousand tobacco seeds would occupy maybe half a teaspoon, and the seeds themselves would fit two or three INSIDE the O in WASHINGTON on the dollar bill. -YEAH, the one below the dude's head.
Daunted but feeling it was a bit urgent, as its a bit late to be planting, I filled two trays with 1/2" of sand and the rest of the way with compost dirt, then topped it off by shaving the coal off a burnt log with a trowel.
I carefully tipped half the seeds onto the back of a Christmas card (from Dad), and Mike tapped them more or less evenly into the dirt.
We did the same with the second tray. Then came the not-so-fun part of clearing out and tidying what we call "up top" which is the storage area/guest room above the cab of the RV. Mike handed me up the trays and I placed them in the very front under the window, which in our usual parking spot is facing SouthWestish and is slanted upward.
They should have as much light as weather allows. In 20 days we should see some wee plants, then we'll have to separate them and either put them in starter tray thingies or let them take their chances in the front corner of the property. Not sure yet. It's hard to believe these things are supposed to grow larger than pillow cases.
The bee balm I put 4 to a cup in two starter trays and put those in Bobbie's indoor greenhouse thingie, she's mad for bee balm, so I figure she won't have a problem with it.
Otherwise I moved dirt and rocks, filled some new planters, swiped a bucketful of rocks, which I dumped next to our front door to stave off mud, helped Pete unload dirt from the truck, and played with drainage a bit in the clay to get rid of the mosquito farms that seem to be starting in the back pasture.
Also looked after the chickens, letting them out of their coop when I got up, putting them back in when it got dark, and dumping more feed in their feeder. Twisted toe becky & one of the (soon-to-be-enormous) black austolorps got to be held whether they wanted it or not, and the ducks, which so far have proved alarmingly dumber than the chickens, were helped into the coop as they haven't yet figured out that they can go UP the ramp.
The ducks also haven't recognized slugs and worms as food unless they're IN their water tray, nor have they realized that I usually have food I would happily feed them. NOR have they realized that I will help them into the coop instead of eating them, no matter how many times I prove this. I can only hope they'll get smarter, but I'm not very optimistic.
Tonight was a smattering of web work, a dinner of mashed potatoes, the last of the leek soup, bacon, cheese and broccoli. Then Doctor Who: Flesh & Stone. That was buttock-clenching fun, the second half of the new weeping angels episode. Amy's crack in the wall looks like the new Bad Wolf. River song is a hoot.
Mike's sexy back muscles were out in all their glory, turning over soil in the front corner.
Oh yeah, and I made granola. As if I needed more hippie cred after today. Sheesh.
Tomorrow: Planting?