Jul 20, 2008

This and that

Haven't blogged much this week but have been busy, busy, busy! The vegetable garden is really coming along beautifully. Brayden picked our first cherry tomato, and he was so excited! He is also able to see "baby" cucumbers on the cucumber plants from the seeds he helped me plant. I have green beans ready to pick, zucchini about a week or so away, eggplant coming along nicely, and baby green peppers. We even have a baby watermelon, which is a first-time plant for me. Brayden and I go out to the garden and do 5 or 10 minutes of weeding every day he's here. Although it's been terribly hot (high 80's to mid 90's), we also had rain every few days. This morning was the first time I've had to water the garden. I've added mulch to the garden this year, and it's made a big difference. When I have mulched in the past, I've used straw, but this year I've been shredding newspaper and junk mail, collecting it in trash bags, then watering it down in the bag and letting it sit for a few days, then adding it as mulch. I don't use any paper with colored inks or any shiny texture to it. I have read that this will also increase worms in the garden, and with my Ohio heavy clay soil, that would be a great benefit. Obviously, the frugal side of me is loving it because I don't have to buy mulch or straw, and the recycler in me is loving it for putting junk mail to use! I'm almost done with my list of housework. Still have the family room and some window washing to go, but then I'm done. Everything looks nice again -- fresh, clean and dust and clutter-free. Ahhh. Feels so much better. I've ordered some new sheets for the guest bed and am crossing my fingers that they arrive before the guests! Today Jeff and I are picking up Brayden and heading to a NASCAR show here in town. We go every year, and think Brayden will really enjoy seeing the cars that we watch on TV. They usually give away freebies, like die cast cars, so he'll have fun with those too. It will be another busy week this week, with JJ and Lisa arriving for the afternoon on Thursday, then back for Sunday, Monday and Tuesday until they leave. I am so looking forward to visiting with them. JJ is insistent that he will be cooking dinner for us on Sunday night -- woo hoo! Any time anyone besides me cooks, I'm in heaven!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Make sure you get some good photos of JJ and Lisa! And how about a photo of JJ and Mary together for old time's sake?

Joan J said...

I will definitely do that! I don't get much chance for pics of JJ and Mary together, so I'll take advantage of it while they're all here.