10 years of blogging (with big time lapses...)

I was thinking the other day about this blog.  I haven't posted in 4 years, but I was reminded of how many people I've met through blogging.  I mostly frequent Facebook these days and have continued my friendships with many of the people from all over the world that I first met right here on blogger. I thought I would at least do a 10 year anniversary post, the first trick was remembering how to sign in to my blog. 

The Littlest Gardener baked a Vasilopita - a Greek New Year's Cake

Since I first started gardening in this yard (almost 21 years ago) up until I started blogging 10 years ago my style of gardening has changed.  I first started gardening by just planting pretty flowers.  After a few seasons I understood why more experienced gardeners say to start with the "bones".  So I started working backwards and added more trees and shrubs as well as hardscape. Then, I went back to just planting flowers because I think they are pretty.  I truly love perennial gardening more than any other type.

Our garden late summer 2018.

Over the past few years I've had issues with my neck and back which has again changed my style of gardening to a more low maintenance style.  Gardens are fun but they require a lot of hard work.  I realized I realistically couldn't keep up the type of gardening that I was doing forever.  So back to the "bones" of gardening I'm heading and using more containers for the flowers.

Signs of life in the winter

What's changed around here?  Well, first off Sweet Pea is now a junior in college majoring in astronomy and physics.  She has continued in her passion for the outdoors and now is very into hiking, rock climbing and backpacking.
The Littlest Gardener is now 12 and in 6th grade.  She loves soccer, basketball and baking.
The Muscle (aka my husband) is still getting nervous every time I mention that I have an idea, and he still is the best vegetable garden waterer there is.  That has become his favorite part of the yard.
Stella, our labradoodle, is still around and driving us crazy 🤣.  We love her, but she does have a never ending supply of energy and loves running laps around the front and backyard kicking up gravel and everything else while she does.

Sadly our "little white dog" Gracie died in February.  During the summer we added a tiny little puppy named Maizy to our family.

 We made the pond about half the size.  It has been much easier to clean and take care of.

The pond is about half the original size.

 We still have chickens, they are currently in two different coops, but I'm working on combining them into one so it'll be less work. One of our original chickens Sunny is still around and even lays eggs once in a while.

We gave one of our Silkies fertile eggs, she hatched all but one!  It was so much fun to watch.

After a long hot summer, followed by smoke and poor air quality, followed by my back going out I'm more than ready for spring to arrive.  For now I'll keep wandering around the yard looking for flowers and and signs of spring.

Mason bee house.  All tucked in for the winter.

Maybe I'll even get to posting on this blog a little more often.  What's been going on with YOU?

PS I have no idea where the green word press box came from.  Any suggestions on how to remove it?

All words and photos in this post are property of A Gardener in Progress.

I'm still here!

Every so often I get an email or a message on Facebook wondering if everything is okay.  It's nice to know people still check here!  I'm still here and things have been good.  Blogging seems to have dropped to the bottom of my list of things I have time for.
Since I last posted in March I was very busy trying to finish my first years worth of volunteer hours for the Master Gardener program.  So, I have spent many hours helping at the Bothell Children's Garden both working in the garden and helping with the preschool program, helping with the Bothell High Culinary Arts program, clinic hours at the Home Depot, potting up tomato seedlings for the Master Gardener Sale and working at the Master Gardener Sale.  Then there are the post graduate tests and other various things that needed to be finished for the MG program.  I will have to do that all again for 2015, after that I will no longer be considered an intern and then the mandatory hours are much less.
So, as you can see I barely had time to work in my own garden after all of that on top of the usual busyness here.   I do try to look at blogs, but usually don't have time to comment, although I hope I can try and do more of that soon.
Our summer was very hot, I spent a lot of time watering trying to keep plants alive.  The upside is we have tons of tomatoes still in the freezer.

Since I last posted the Littlest Gardener turned 8 and Sweet Pea turned 16!! 

 We added a few Silkies and built them their very own coop.  They are great egg layers, but all three went broody at the same time and crowded into one tiny nesting box.  At this time of year they are laying much better than our regular sized chickens.

 And just when I thought we couldn't get any busier we decided to get a puppy.  She is a miniature Labradoodle.  She is now 14 weeks old and named Stella.  I forgot just how much work puppies are.  Luckily Sweet Pea had taken on a big chunk of the time she needs spent with her.  Sweet Pea has already taught her quite a few tricks.  Now, I just look forward to the jumping, biting, chewing phase to be over.  I can tell she is a smart girl and she can be very sweet when she's just about to fall asleep. ☺ 

Since fall I've been cutting down and digging up and moving things in the garden.  I'm anxious for it to warm a bit so I can get back out and do more work out there.
Hopefully 2015 will be a good year for all us gardeners.  May we all have time to find some therapy out in our garden!
All words and photos in this post are property of A Gardener in Progress.

March sun!

 After record breaking rain in February and the first part of March (in the first week we got more than double the monthly average), we have finally had a break in the rain and clouds and have seen the sun!  Everything seems to be better when the sun comes out, at least that's how I feel, especially after so much rain.
One good thing about the ground being wet was that the weeds and other plants I wanted to dig up came out very easily!

The fish are much more active now.  Lots of bulbs poking up.

Golden Mock Orange leaves are so pretty when the sun shines through them.

Hellebore 'Cotton Candy'

Old fashioned Bleeding Hearts have really taken off growing.

The path garden.

Gracie liked the sun too.  

The Littlest Gardener got a new rabbit, she named him Huckleberry.  He is a Holland Lop, but his ears never lopped so the breeder sold him as a pet.  Apparently his father is the "top Lop" in the country.  He is very small and very sweet.

Rainbow the Brahma chicken has been hanging out in the nesting box lately.  I think she may be broody, which means she wants to hatch some eggs.  We have no rooster so that won't happen.

Lots of plants coming up.

I don't have good luck with daffodils, this is one of two.  Not sure why they never return the next year.

Last week I couldn't wait any longer and started some seeds.  I put row covers on and now a week later I already see some spinach sprouts!  My biggest gardening goal this year is to grow a good and productive vegetable garden.

The copper tape around the bed is to hopefully keep the slugs out.  I learned in the master gardener program that copper will repel the slugs, but you have to be sure there are no plants or anything else to make a bridge over the copper.  It will be a good experiment to see how well it really works this year.

Lots of fresh soil waiting for plants!

Cherry and plum trees are starting to bloom around here.

The new little pond with a glass float I bought at the Northwest Flower and Garden show.

Tiny tulips that add a lot of color!

The front porch.

We are trying something new this spring, a project that Sweet Pea wanted to do.  Once we get started I'll share what it is.
My sister, who moved to Vermont this winter, told us they got 19 inches of snow overnight!!   I can't even imagine, and that is just from last night.  I keep seeing on the news about all the snow and cold in the Midwest and back east.  Hopefully spring is on its way there soon too!
All words and photos in this post are property of A Gardener in Progress.