Just got back from the NW Flower and Garden Show.  Tilth's display garden had a ton of gold medals on it!  I almost cried when I saw it!  It was stunningly gorgeous.  So glad I was able to do my small part to help it happen. Picked up a pair of garden boots (huzzah! No more dirty heels!) and a gorgeous wicker basket to haul my gardening supplies and harvest.  

And a blue topaz ring.  Yes, a ring. For my finger.  Aside from my wedding rings, I don't own any rings. And since I am now 3 months into actually not biting my fingernails anymore (i know, i know. I'm 35 year-old nail biter.  I just refused to be a 36 year-old nail biter), I celebrated by purchasing something frilly and girly  and that had nothing to do with sweating or dirt or stink.   I've decided that this is the Year of Beauty and Being Feminine.  I'm starting it off with this ring. So there.

Seeds
My seed order is trickling in.   Cabbage, Delicata squash, early hot peppers,  3 types of tomatoes, Ambrosia melon, broccoli raab are all here.  Still waiting for the Ronde de Nice squash, Cocozella di Napoli squash (the memory of the taste of that squash just came floding into my memory.  It just needs a light sautee with good olive oil, sea salt, and fresh ground pepper. Totally decadent.), and Petit Gris de Rennes Melon.  Between those, last year seeds, and what was given to me at the last Tilth planting party--I'm full up of seeds for this year (and years to come).

Garden
Of course, I'm just generally worried about the garden these days. Worried that nothing is going to grow well this year.  Trying to figure out how to hedge my bets without having a soil test done. :/  I'm feeling a bit smushed as things are going to be going into the ground in about 10 days.  I will be so heartbroken if I tripled my planting area and don't get a decent harvest.

I've got almost everything planne t out at this point. Or, at least I have finally figured out how much we will need. Where it goes will be easy.

I also have to get all the trellises built this weekend.  And figure out what will go into containers to be trellised vs. in the ground.

Citrus
My citrus plants are seriously unhappy.  The lime tree has 4 leaves on the thing. It's barely hanging on.  My girlfriend, the Meyer lemon, isn't fairing much better either. I've been fighting pests all winter.  The ants seem to bring them in. I can't tell if they are aphids or something else. I suspect it is aphids since the ants are around. I'm not sure.  But things aren't going well and haven't been going well and it's adding to my general malaise about being able to grow my own food.

I say this while also pricing out 2 dwarf nectarine/peach trees that I'll also put into pots and also need special care during the winter.  

This is getting ridiculous.  Seriously.    I keep buying food. It doesn't grow but I won't stop with the obsession.