it's that time of year

it's that time of year

a middle tennessee garden blog


finding beauty in the natural things around us makes for one happy self and a lovely life. ~marmee

dash home farm, leiper's fork, tennessee

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

spring chores

after running errands...not bad scenery to run into leiper's fork.







after cleaning out the potting shed...with jade keeping me company...and my darling hubby putting new screen in the
back screen door.

















after plotting out new plans for expanding the veggie garden
and wildflower gardens with a path to join them together...

i finally got to sit on my front porch and read...it's my new book.



isn't it beautiful. it is full of wise organic gardening tips
for companion gardening to help with my potager.















it's lovely reading and easy to follow. sally jean cunningham has been
at it for so many years. meems @ hoeandshovel.blogspot.com/
recommended the book and i am loving it.

after that...time to enjoy my first sprouts grown in my own sprouting jar.
sherry @ q-corner.blogspot.com/ inspired me to try these lovely little
tid bits of pure goodness.
it's been a busy productive day.

29 comments:

Susie said...

Sounds like an absolutely wonderful day to me Marmee! I bet that book is great!

Meems said...

One of those non-stop days. Glad you got to sit a spell and do some reading. I am so glad you picked up that book. Mine is so marked up, flagged and dog-earred ...it's like I've had it for years. I carry it with me everywhere lately. I do hope you love it like I have.

And oooohhhhh those garden plans are looking just SO! I think you are going to be a very busy girl but you are going to create a place you will want to hang out in and so will others. Can't wait to see how it comes along.
That salad looks yummy too!
**hugs**
Meems @ Hoe and Shovel

Anonymous said...

Hi Marmee, that sounds like a perfectly delightful spring day. Very warm here too with lots being accomplished before the return of cold. We know it's coming back, don't we? Sigh. But your book and porch reading spot are a joy, as is the very cute Jade. The plans for your veggie bed are beautiful, even on paper. Can't wait to see them come to fruition! :-)
Frances

Roses and Lilacs said...

That salad looks wonderful.

Looks like you're getting a head start on your new garden. It was 9-degrees here this morning. You can't imagine how much I envy your porch chair.
Marnie

Q said...

Dear Marmee,
Your garden plans look wonderful!
You will enjoy the space to grow lots of veggies. Looking forward to seeing your harvests. The wildflowers so near will be nice for the bees and butterflies too.
I have made a note to look for this book. I do companion planting and am always looking for more ideas. Thank you.
You live in a very beautiful area. I am charmed by your stream!
So glad you are enjoying your sprouts. They are tasty!
It is cold again at my house. I am cleaning closets!
Happy Spring,
Sherry

marmee said...

susie,
it was a wonderful day and now we are back to the low 40's around here. you should check this book out. i think it lays things out easily.

marmee said...

meems, it was a day to get things done. today it is in the low 40 and rain is expected. but it feels so good to have some of the stuff out of the way. dh till the veggie garden over the weekend so now it's the wildflower garden's turn, when it warms up again.
i was hoping to get a little more input from you on the garden layout but maybe by email. that was just my first drawing because dh and i always see things so differently.

marmee said...

frances,
it did come back the cold i mean, it's in the low 40's. which i know it's as cold as some of our northerner gardening friends. still we knew that spring was teasing us. i absolutely love sitting on the porch to read, play games, listening to the birds, relaxing with hubby...
on the drawing, that was my first attempt to show dh how to till for me. he bought himself a new tiller to do the expanding.

marmee said...

darla, it was great and now we have the cold again...

marmee said...

marnie,
yikes 9 degrees! we are cold but not freezing. i do so wish you could come sit with me on the porch
with coffee in hand and we could chat about gardens.
this is my first attempt at growing my own sprouts and they were delicious. it was simple too.
here's thinking of warmer, sunny days in the not to distant future.

marmee said...

sherry,
i am surround by beauty wherever you look from our place in the country. i am very blessed to be living in such a place as this.
now i am trying in cooperation with nature to enhance our plot of land. the veggie garden will be planted with flowers and the wildflower garden and meadow on either side to invite good pollinaters to be close at hand.
i think you will like this book, i like her philosophy on looking at the garden. she has the book you reccommended, "roses love garlic" on her reccommended reading list.
thanks for inspiring me to try sprouting, i am enjoying the whole process.
we have cold again today so i am glad we were able to get so much done over the weekend and first days of the week.
i have lunch with my oldest daughter every wednesday so i am off to do that now.

Deb said...

What a wonderful day! I love the little iron bed Jade is resting on :-)

marmee said...

deb,
it was a wonderful day filled with many different aspects of life.
that is actually an iron gate that jade is in front of, i plan on using it in the garden somewhere. she is laying on top of a glass top patio table. i have always wanted an iron bed in my garden.

ShySongbird said...

Hi Marmee,

I was led here by the comment you so kindly left on my blog. What a beautiful, warm and welcoming site you have, I feel an affinity with the quotations you have and see that two of your favourite books are also mine, Little Women... ah how many times have I read it since the age of eight or so! Also the lovely Jane Eyre.

We have not long eaten dinner but I could easily start again on that salad! Thank you I shall visit again soon.

marmee said...

shy songbird,
i am so delighted to have you visit "things i love". you are most welcomed here anytime.
thank you for your kind words about my blog. my hope is for anyone who visits to feel at home.
i am hoping to go see a play in march about "little women" with my youngest daughter.
hope to see you again.

Q said...

Dear Marmee,
It is wonderful that you have lunch with your oldest daughter every Wednesday...
Extra hugs with her....I am going to see my daughter next week..it has been 15 months since we last hugged! I miss her.
Namaste,
Sherry

Cindy Garber Iverson said...

If you've never companion planted before, you are in for a real treat. I haven't had to use insecticides for about 7 years now because of companion planting. It really works that well! Can't wait to read more about your experience and discoveries.

Cindy

P.S. Your little assistant is absolutely adorable!

Gail said...

Marmee, Favorite books are really treasured and worn out...mine have dirt stains and spilled coffee. I might have to see if this book is available from the library...both you and meems recommend it! Beautiful garden plans and speaking of beautiful...what a lovely spot to read and rest after working in the garden. Keep warm for a few days then back to springtime. gail

Bren Haas said...

I love your blog... I have a little black kitty who looks alot like yours. His name is Jack... and will have to blog him to day to show you.
Stop by my garden sometime. I can't wait to see what spring holds for that garden you plotted out. WONDERFUL!!!

marmee said...

dearest sherry,
i love spending those lunch times with my daughter, it is so important to us because it's just us talking about whatever without children and husbands. we truly stay connected that way.
hope you and your daughter make up for the 15 months apart with lots of hugs and face time.
special thoughts to you and your daughter today.

marmee said...

cindy,
i have done some companion planting but i am learning more and more about it especially here in tn where planting is so different than fl. the author of this book is so excited about it you can't help but catch her enthusiam.
jade is a very sweet kitty and loves to keep me company.she is part of my entourage of animals that follows me everywhere i go.

marmee said...

dear gail,
we have having those back and forth days of march. a few days warm and a few days cold/rainy.
it is close to spring, no doubt about it. we tilled our garden area last weekend so i am happy for the rain.
some of my books are the same way. this new one sure does look pretty all pristine. some of my fav recipes have bits and pieces of cooking on them. i have little corners here and there to read and love sitting on the front porch in nice weather.

marmee said...

bren,
so glad you decided to stop by "things i love".
our little kitty jade is a great garden companion and a very sweet girl. we rescued her at three weeks old she was so tiny and seems like she is going to stay pretty little.
is that a bunny you are holding on your photo of you>? we have had so many wonderful bunnies.

Leedra said...

Sounds like a nice day. Really like the first photo.

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Photography By Leedra

Chuck Dilmore said...

Wow, your site is just great!
Thank you.

peace,
Chuck

joey said...

Top o' the mornin' to ya, Marmee! Busy days are the best, especially when we take time for ourselves. Wish I had a fork to taste your greens. I'm itchin' to get outside ... 65 today! Happy St. Patrick's Day!

marmee said...

thank you leedra! hope you are enjoying the coming of spring.

marmee said...

chuck d,
thanks for visiting "things i love".

marmee said...

joey, we have had the best weather the last few days so dh and i have been out in the garden, tilling, raking, weeding...etc...
hope you are enjoying the beauty.