Happy Wednesday my friends, I hope all is well with you and yours! It’s been a busy week, the baby has made her arrival and is doing well. Turns out that no matter what was happening, she was going to arrive on Monday. My daughter had a scheduled C-section because the baby was breach, well, she was in labor that morning and her water broke before they started the surgery, so good thing it was all set up and ready to go. Mostly no drama!

Speaking of drama, I just received word that some of my order from Jolly Farmer is going to be delayed due to the colder weather and the winter storm Viola. All of my Dahlia cuttings, two different patio combos and my fuchsias will be delayed into April. Though it is out of my hands, I feel a bit of a responsibility to my customers, so I’m not entirely sure how to go about this, other than to wait it out before I start contacting the people who have placed preorders. It’s still really early, it’s possible there will be more delays. I haven’t heard anything about the Stock that is supposed to be shipped next week, so crossing my fingers that is still happening.

Joe just told me that they’ve discovered that the Sun is in a solar minimum. Apparently it makes the weather cooler and less stable, and it happens about every 11 years….but they can’t tell how long it’s going to last. It all sounds a bit sketchy to me, if they can tell it happens every 11 years, why can’t they tell for how long?

My indoor trays are still doing well, after turning off the heat mat and getting this soil figured out, it seems to be doing better. My seed trays in the greenhouse are struggling, I know it’s because it gets down to 40 in there at night, and it’s okay for sweet peas & Bells of Ireland to go through that, but it makes things so much slower, but I know it makes them stronger. I’m hoping to go get the new soil today, they said it would be in on the 1st, but I’ve been on dog duty for my daughter and had a dentist appointment yesterday that took way too much time, so I haven’t made it over there yet to get soil. I’m hoping to start more seeds this weekend, and am debating on where to start them. I see we still have temps dipping down to 34 at night, there might be a table in the house afterall – I’m not sure that Amaranth, yarrow, and the other things I’m starting are going to do so well out in the greenhouse. I have more control over them if they are in the house, at least the first week.

I’ve managed to sell 200’ish of my Stock order that is arriving, I’m keeping 150 of them for myself, I only have 30 unspoken for. I’m good with holding those and selling them at a higher mark up or adding them to some sort of a kit. I think I have about 20 buyers for various items for the presale, I think I’ve come up with a decent system, certainly not without it’s hitches, but it has been just fine. I don’t have the time or energy for a computerized program, and not in the mood to pay more money to put some sort of a system on my web page. Depending on how this goes this year, this might be the only year I place this big of an order. I’ve had people express interest in placing an order together, that would make things much easier to meet the minimums and just share the inventory instead of having to find buyers.

With the Spring and Summer subscriptions, being sold out, I have managed to make back my cash investment, and we are already ahead of the game. I am still having my succulent event, in addition to anything else that pops into my head, (considering a cut flower garden kit, in addition to another dried flower event) so things are positive for now. I was thinking of handing out flyers with the orders to advertise for the succulent event, but I have limited space for the event, I’m not sure how much I really need to advertise for it, I’ve had people show interest in it, there’s such a thing as too much!

When I organized my craft room I found a bunch of embroidery hoops that I had bought for a craft project I did with the high school group a few years ago. I wondered if perhaps there was something I could do with the dried flowers. I did happen upon something on Pinterest, so I will need to see if can pull something together like that! Because I need more to do in my life? Always thinking about crafty things, having fun with friends, and trying something new!

Not too much to report for the day. Until next time my friends – stay warm and dry, Spring is just around the corner! Hugs to you!