Blossoming Inside and Outside!

Yes, the kitchen is blossoming into its final form and the apple trees in my neighbor's orchard are in bloom as well.   There has been a big construction delay because the electrician expected to do the project has failed to start at all.  The crew installing the cabinets and doing all the other tasks have done a great job working around this problem. It will not be ready by Memorial Day for sure but I might get lucky and have a sink at least and the cook top in place and functioning. The granite countertop by the window is to be installed on Thursday the 26th and the plumber and gas company are to come on Friday to finish the install of the sink and cook top.  If onl;y the electricity work was done as well so the hood fan, lights and dishwasher on that wall also worked for the weekend!

No new ceiling lights are in place yet, of course so the ceiling and the floor refinishing has to be delayed as well.  Hence the project will certainly linger on well into June.  But I love the look and am anxious to make some rhubarb pies from the rapidly growing rhubarb. In early June the first of the strawberries will be ready for jam making and the canning season will begin.  A functioning kitchen better happen fast!

The weather here has been cold, rainy and endlessly cloudy with minimal moments of any sunshine.  Hence any seed planting has triggered few emerging signs of growth. We really need some sun and heat!  No late frost or flooding as in past years but really no better gardening results with the weather we did receive. I continue to do what I can with wood cutting, weeding and garden bed preparations but yearn to just be planting seeds and veggie plants and watching them grow.

Progress in the kitchen and the gardens

There is a lot to report about for the last ten days. First of all, the kitchen work began again after a long pause with no action.  As you can see below, the new cabinets have started to be installed. Next week should be full of activity with the appearance of the electrician finally so the work can now rapidly progress. I am hoping to have it all done by Memorial Day weekend but that might be a close call.

The weather continues to be very nice with not much rain and slowly warming weather. The May full moon will not bring a late frost as was the case last year. As the weather has been a lot chillier than 2010, the flowers, blossoming trees and early veggies are about two weeks behind "schedule."  My glorious border of tulips along the Raised Bed Garden is in full bloom now and the fruit trees are just beginning to flower. My first asparagus pick finally occured and various seeds have now sprouted: lettuce; peas; turnips; broccoli raab and the first beet seedlings. The onion plants have adjusted and are standing up nicely but the seed potatoes haven't broken through yet. I continue to work on my firewood supply for next winter and now have over two cords stacked and covered.

Even though I am mentioning this last on this post, the most exciting news of the past ten days was my first experience with an exploding airbag and the death of my trusty 1992 oldsmobile.  Yes, a car crash happened but no injuries occured except the death of a long time (since 1995) family friend, the olds. Another car turned into me at a bad intersection and my car is not worth fixing. I still have my reliable pickup truck but will miss this comfortable vehicle that ends its use for me at 192,000.

Check back soon for more kitchen pictures will be posted in a few days!

Blooms Abound and Veggie Planting is in Full Swing

    When the magnolia tree is in bloom the joy of spring dominates the landscape here at the Schlaver Seed Farm. The daffodils, hyacinths are blooming as well and the tulips are beginning to open and sport their bright colors.
     Grass cutting has even begun after the mice nest was removed from under the mower's engine cover and the moveable parts were oiled and readied for use.
    The rhubarb is growing nicely and the garlic gets taller by the day. I look hopefully for the first asparagus sspears to emerge. But it is time to plant the spring crops that don't mind chilly weather at night and spring rains. So the following crops are now planted: peas, beets, carrots, radish, turnip, broccoli raab, lettuce and lots of potatoes and onions. The Brussels sprouts and kale stalk left in the garden last fall are growing again!  The last image is the potato patch and rows of onion plant protected by landscape cloth to protect them from the devestation of weeds and grass that stunted that crop last year. The potatoes total 125 feet of them in six short rows. Approximately 250 onions are in.

Day Two---Kitchen Remodeling Continues...

Wow...Day two and much progress.  The old post and beam are done and I think it looks great.  Next comes some electrical work before the cabinets can be brought in and assembled. I thought I should post a picture showing the company truck.  Great comnpany, workers and ideas that helped the job evolve well as it is done.

Kitchen Remodeling Begins!

On Easter Monday the work began on the new kitchen. The wall between the old kitchen and the living room is disappearing to open it all to the glorious southern sunlight exposure as well as gain the wood heat benefit in the kitchen as well.  A big island will be added thanks to the openness. A huge amount was accomplished on day one and the pictures below indicated. On day two some old barn beams are to be added as two support posts. The ceiling beam made on site will be covered in old barn floor planking as well.

Expect a burst of blog posting now even if no significant garden news. I can say that the spring flowers are now bountiful even if the cool weather and April showers limit the pleasure of warm weather and garden work.

Finally...SPRING!

Yes, I think I can finally announce the arrival of spring in Saco Maine. As of today, April 15th all traces of snow are gone from my property. I still used the wood stove last night as the temperature dipped to 32 degrees but most days are sunny, fairly warm and beautiful...except for the now more frequent rainy ones.  When the ring of crocus aroung the lamp post is in bloom I know spring is here to stay. Below that photo is my garlic bed with the 168 of them growing well.  Most of the flower beds have now been raked clean of their winter's blanket of leaves and mulch and there is good growth of the emerging perennials everywhere. The daffodils will be the next to bloom followed by the hyacinths and tulips.

My main project outside besides yard and garden cleanup is the hard work on the wood pile. I try to have almost all of next winter's 3-4 cords of wood cut, split and stacked before the hot weather makes such work too grueling and the garden projects get too demanding. The two pictures below show that I am almost half way there now. I have several piles of wood pieces that need to be cut into stove lengths and split to add to the covered piles as these below. I am on track though because the cooler, slow to arrive spring of 2011 compared to 2010 has limited the garden work that can be done as of yet.  Grass cutting is still weeks away as is any outdoor planting of the first crops of peas, potatoes, lettuce and the like.

I am also busy getting ready for the kitchen remodeling project that is to start on Easter Monday, now just ten days away. While the crew is busy tearing up the place I expect to be outside gardening and working on the wood stash....and watching the new look inside the house unfold.

April Fool's Day -- What a Joke!

Well...I guess winter decided to play an April Fool's Joke on us today. The pictures below were taken this morning simply by opening the doors and snapping the images. The first one is almost a duplicate of the shot from the deck door taken in February and the front door image shows the temperature this morning as well. It is a heavy wet snow that is expected to bring 3-6 inches of it right along the Maine coast but then turn to rain.  I refuse to shovel it so will await the transistion of warming, melting weather over the weekend. I put my snow blower away weeks ago!

I have started some seeds indoors already but not too many as there clearly will be a slower arrival this year of good gardening weater compared to last year. The temperatures of late have been fairly brisk, only 30-40 degrees most days with a fair amount of sunshine. Before today's snowfall there were only a few snow piles remainig to melt.  I have been focused on wood cutting, spliting and stacking...for next winter's supply. This is the right kind of weather to work on that strenuous task. Very little other outdoor work has been attempted yet other than some raking on parts of the lawn, removing debris from the winter. I have still not uncovered the flowerbeds of leaves and mulch as it is just too cold to expose the beginning flower growth. Only a few crocuses are blooming and the daffodils and tulips have a long way to go before they bloom;.spring is sure slow to greet me this year!