Green Amidst the Grey

We planted a number of tulip, hyacinth, and daffodil bulbs, but there were many left, so I asked David's mom to pick up some bulb vases. The choke-necked vases allow bulbs to sit a few centimeters above water and grow roots and stem/flowers in the middle of the winter. I don't understand how they will exist only on water and sunlight, but they seem to be flourishing -- even the daffodils.





I had only five forcing vases, so I used other vases and glasses and jars to set up some more. I've gotten addicted!

David's mom wanted an amaryllis for Hannukah, and since they were on sale, I got for us too (and one for a friend). Meema, my dad's mom, used to get me an amaryllis every Christmas (and sometimes paperwhites, which smell like urine -- blech), so it was a nice reminder of her. Inexplicably, the amaryllis that is planted in the plastic container from Home Depot, and sitting in the semi-dark kitchen, is doing better than the one I replanted in a nice little pot. What gives?

Seeing the growth up close is a nice change from what happens in the spring outside: one day there is a riot of color. Now I can notice small changes, and I appreciate the green growth before the flowers even appear.

The tulip stems are blueish green, as opposed to the daffodils' (light washed-out green) and the amaryllis' (bright light green), something I would never have noticed when they nudge up through the soil outside. I put more bulbs in shallow glass dishes with soil on top, but I have no idea if that set up with prove fruitful. Um...we are now up to 21 bulbs inside! Desperate for some green amidst the grey of this winter, I think I've found my December hobby.


We bought Stephanie an orchid last year, a cheap pedestrian one from Home Depot, and (we all) loved it so much she returned the gift this year. The color is spectacular. I just repotted it today, not in the recommended orchid mix (which was $11 for a small bag), but with the cheap, pedestrian mix that cheap, pedestrian plants get. Stephanie's plant flourished on the stuff, so ours will be fine too.

-- Camille

An End to Work

Does raking fall under the big umbrella of gardening? If it doesn't, then it should, if for no other reason than I am justified in complaining about it. In spite of the late date, Camille and I finished our raking for the year on Thursday afternoon. It was a brutal slog, spanning two months and approximately twenty man-hours, during which time we officially became old. Our backs ached, we demanded compliments from each other for "doing my share," and finally, conclusively, we decided to pay someone else to do it for us next year. There is a small amount of shame that goes along with having someone do work that you are entirely capable of.
That is unfortunate.

One potential boon to our spring and summer gardening endeavors is the bright green, squirrel-deterring bird feeder that is hanging from the edge of our porch. Our (read: Camille's) thinking is that the birds will stick around until spring, when the vegetable-eating bugs begin to swarm. As we ween the birds from our feeder, they will naturally begin to eat the bugs. Of course, some of us aren't so sure. Some of us think that all the birds might just go ahead and eat the vegetables themselves. We shall see.

In the meantime, it's been wonderful to have the birds in our lives. We're keeping a birding journal, and even in just a few weeks we've seen an increase in the number of birds on the porch. This morning, for the first time, we saw cardinals and a bluebird (which our neighbor Billy claims is rare this time of year--I attribute this to our impeccable selection of bird food). Very exciting.

--David

Tinsel Town

David has decided we should film a video and get some help from a HGTV program to make over our garden -- build raised beds and do landscaping. Great idea, but what angle should we take for the movie? Goofy couple? cute and sweet? nerdy? chatty or reserved? newlyweds (awwww)? new gardeners or oldish hands? Who knows what they want? I think we fall right into their demographic.

I'd also like some show to redo our walk-in closet for a future kid, but that's because I am a cheapskate. Better get on making the kid, too.

We still have leaves to rake in our yard. Supposedly, they will ruin the law. Ugh. It's miserable work, something that we both agreed we'd be fine paying someone else to do. I don't think I'd mind the mowing, once we get a mower. But the raking is boring and hurts my hands.

Harumph.

In happier news, the birds are really eating seed from the back porch. We have identified four different birds and noticed another species besides. A pair of doves are in the yard, but don't seem to want seed. I hope we get some vividly colored birds, especially cardinals. Sawyer and Finley stand watch and chitter-chatter at the window. Today Sawyer got out and hid behind the barrel that used to harbor lettuce. He made one swipe at an unsuspecting tufted titmouse. That little guy had no idea how close he was. I dragged Sawyer in, and he fussed at me for 30 minutes. I am obviously interfering with his ferocity.

Who loves fires in the fireplace? I do!

--Camille

Compost

David loves, for some reason, pictures of rotten fruit (and vegetables). He likes to photograph them (evidence at right) and he wants to hang them in my kitchen. I am all for avant-garde art, but this rotten fruit doesn't lend the appropriate tone to the place where I try to make palatable food, so I've refused to let him hang those photos.

We do have up (as of yesterday) some terrific ones from last year's garden. Now we just need to get the spice racks up and the kitchen will be complete.

Making this house our own has been one of the most satisfying events (or string of them) in my life. I think I have always yearned for the time when I could build my permanent nest.

--Camille