Seedlings

Spring has finally come to the Midwest. Trees have been blooming like crazy (causing my allergies to flare) and my lilac is blooming. Hubby has tilled part of our garden up. Cool weather crops are being planted. The cabbage seedlings we started some time back have been transferred to the garden. Broccoli and tomato plants are being hardened off, awaiting their time to be planted in the garden. The tomatoes will have to wait until later this month to be planted until night time temps get into the 50 degree range. The plants are getting huge so we're hardening them off getting them ready to go into the ground. On cooler nights, they'll have to be brought inside to protect them from the cold. Frost will kill them and too cool temps will stunt their growth for awhile. Brussels sprouts, peppers, eggplants, and more tomatoes are growing steadily under lights in the basement.

We buy seeds and start our own plants. This allows us to grow varieties you'll never find at any greenhouse or nursery. We grow for flavor, disease resistance, and productivity. Here's a peek at some of the pepper seedlings in the basement. We start our seeds in jiffy pellets and transfer them to peat pots as they get bigger. Plant roots will grow right through these pots. Sterile potting mix is a must if you don't want damping off or other diseases to kill your seedlings. Our grow lights are kept close to (not touching) the plants. They're mounted on chains so we can adjust them as the plants get taller. We use shop lights and full spectrum florescent bulbs. Grow light bulbs are good if you can find them.

Our onion sets are in (red, yellow, and white) and their green tops are poking through the soil. Seeds have been planted for carrots, lettuce, radishes, kohlrabi, bok choy and other greens. Potatoes are scheduled to go in this weekend. Squash, cucumbers, corn, and melons will wait for warmer weather.

My energy is coming back again. I've been spinning. Here's some rainbow merino I finished this week. (2 oz/437 yards). I've spun this for long color runs like Noro. Now to find the right design to knit it up. My friend Jamie sent me some more lovely batts to spin. She's getting a drum carder for her birthday. I sent her a huge box of fiber to play with. :)

I've completed a bunch of new designs--two felted bags, a baby bib, a drop stitch stole (similar to a Clapotis), and a new take on the flower washcloth (mine is knit in one piece from the outside in). Here are pics of a few of them. All of these have to be test knit before they are released. Some projects have names and others are waiting to be named.

May is always a very busy month for me. Mother's Day is Sunday, closely followed by my SIL's birthday, hubby's birthday, our 17th wedding anniversary, my mom's birthday, and ending the month with my dad's birthday. Whew! I've been shopping for cards and trying to figure out what to give to everyone. Hubby's gifts were ordered online yesterday. I'm crossing my fingers they arrive in time. I'm covered for my SIL as I have some things put back for her. Mom and Dad will probably get cash. Parents can be so hard to buy for. :)