I certainly hope your weekend has gotten off to a great start! Our Friday night was spent sharing a meal with Joe’s brother, an enjoyable easy dinner of steak and potatoes with a nice green salad – followed up with a lovely chocolate cake! Today looks like a visit from my cousin, her little one has been chatting about Jade and Joe, and the tractor ride he had “yesterday”. Just love the concept of time with littles….the tractor ride he was referring to was this summer-which to a four year old is just “yesterday”.

My second cousin and uncle will also be visiting to do some target practicing. It’s not unusual to have visitors sweep in and out over the weekend, people enjoy the comfort and quietness of the place, and we certainly enjoy having company. Nothing too spectacular and exciting, but simple and relaxed – and always inviting.

A few updates on the seed starting. I’m certainly ready for the freezing temps to go away completely and let me get on with the seed starting in the greenhouse, but alas, there really isn’t anything else to start until next weekend. Purchasing plugs has been an interesting experience in that I haven’t had to worry about filling up the house with seed trays. The four in the laundry room are doing okay – I think they are struggling, but I think that every year, and they turn out to be healthy, productive members of the garden. But honestly, I am worried….so tiny and so precious are the Mountain Mint and the Spearmint….only one chance to get these right, if they don’t go well, I might have to wait until next year.

The four trays in the greenhouse also worry me. I understand that Bells of Ireland and Sweet Peas are cold hardy plants, but being in the greenhouse when it’s 35 degrees might not be the best idea I’ve ever had, but the temps in there yesterday went up to 90 degrees-with only 47 being the high outside. I’m pretty sure the temps of the soil needs to stay at 65 or higher, but I could be wrong. Today looks to be a chilly day, but sunny, thankfully that will warm up the greenhouse again. I’ve put in a transponder (I didn’t know that was the name of the thingy I put in there until Bruce, my brother-in-law, mentioned it at dinner last night) in the greenhouse because I obsess about the temperature constantly. I was working from home yesterday so kept checking on the receiver throughout the day to monitor the situation. As if it really matters what’s happening….but it’s always fun to track and learn. I was hoping to have the receiver talk to my phone, that way when I am in town working I can check on the temps – again – why…? What does it matter….? What will be, will be, there’s no control I have over it…but it’s a thing I like to look at and kinda keep track of.

The transponder and receiver are part of a larger weather station that may or may not be put into place. I want a little bit more out of the weather station, but not entirely sure they make the type of beast I am looking for. I want to keep track of my temps in my greenhouse when I have babies in there, but also want to keep track of the wind, rain and temps outside and want to be able to check it via my phone. Goodness, what in the world did they do back 100 years ago, when there was no records of any kind? I can’t even imagine what it was like to wander across the land, come upon some slice of land that looked great….set up a homestead only to find out that there was a full 3 months of cold and nastiness and the seeds you’ve been packing along the trip had molded. We certainly live in a day when things are easier, but we still manage to complain and gripe about silly things.

Back to the seeds – the Artichokes still look great! The Asters are coming along, there seems to be one color that’s not doing so great, I believe it is the Salmon. Hopefully I don’t miss it too much, but really, it is what it is. Mexican Feather Grass, Flamingo Celosia, Feather top Grass, Russian Statice, Mountain Mint, Spearmint, Snap Dragons, Blue Monday Sage Salvia, and the four Sweet Peas are all trudging along. I’m not entirely sure what the Dusty Miller is doing, I think once it warms up a bit more and I get the other soil I will give them another try.

The soil I am waiting for doesn’t arrive until the 1st of March – maybe….crossing my fingers that it will be here. I will not buy a lot, but I do want to do a comparison. I will most likely reseed the Bells of Ireland, because out of the 12 I started in the house only 2 have sprouted, which is kinda okay, they give me at least 15 stems for each plant, so at least it will be a start. I’m hoping the 15 I started in the greenhouse will do something, but I will start more every two weeks to keep those coming. Big or small, they are so nice to have for bouquets.

My daughter and daughter-in-law both love carnations – I had a thought the other day that perhaps we should buy plugs next year. It took me a hot minute to process what I was actually saying…wait, did I just bring up next year already and this year has hardly begun? Oh goodness….

‘Ya all…I have plugs arriving in approximately 10 days!! 350 Stock flower plugs will be arriving at my door step and I only am planning on keeping 150….what in the world?! I’m not even sure where I’m going to put them!!! Thankfully they are also cold hardy, and will most likely be just fine since our temps are only dipping down to 34, between my heat mats and lights I’ve managed to keep the temp in the greenhouse 3 degrees warmer than the outside temp, but know that the dirt is warmer due to the heat mat. I need to hop on it and get those advertised ASAP so people can come take some off my hands! I’ve applied for my nursery license also, and chatted with the insurance agent about coverage – hopefully we are set to go.

I hope your weekend goes well. Until next time my friends – hugs to you!