Garden Mania!

Hi! I know it's been a while but I've been busy with more projects! We're all moved in and we are loving it here.  Each day I complete a little something more. Lots of small  things to do but they'll get done in time.

But there's something I've set as "high priority": the garden! I have been itching to grow our own food for years. It hurts my heart every time I have to buy a store bought tomato in the summer. Ugh! The easiest freakin' plant to grow and here I am forking out money for it. :|

I have been so antsy to put the winter garden in before it gets cold! Luckily it's still quite warm here in good 'ol Northern California. Since its way too late to start from seeds, I was on a mission to find some non-gmo starter plants. Because my beloved town of Chico had such an amazing farmers market with seasonal starter veggies, I thought I'd first check out the local fm here. I'd been wanting to check it out regardless. Before you locals call me an idiot, I KNOW the big market is on Saturday by the Convention Center. However, I was really excited to see what the Thursday morning market at the outlets had. 

WHAT. A. TOTAL. LETDOWN.

  

There were SIX tables. SIX. Doesn't it look depressing? And there weren't even any veggies. I almost cried. Don't call me dramatic. After looking around for seven seconds, I asked a friendly-faced older gentleman, "is this it?" "This is it, well, a few of us aren't here today, the pie lady is usually right there", he said. :|  I'm not here for PIE. But wait, what time does she get here?...

After that pathetic endeavor, I drove straight to Wyntour Gardens. When I walked into this nursery, my inner dialogue's sound effects crew made that heavenly "Waaaaahhhhhhhh" sound with harps in the background. I had been here years ago and knew it was good but here I was seeing it with new eyes! 

Look at that lettuce. LOOK! I wanted to just lean down and munch on it like a rabid bunny. Do bunnies get rabies? Also, why are bunnies so cute? Oh, don't the white ones with the red eyes gross you out? Me too. 

All these veggies are non-gmo. Woo! And quite the selection too. I loaded onto my 'ill blue wagon: 

Broccoli, cauliflower, sugar snap peas, onions, cabbage, spinach, butter lettuce, kale, and celery! 

Oh yeah, I probably should have told you that I built some little garden beds. Check it out:

They are embarrassingly simple, short, and shallow. Don't criticize them. And the drill wasn't here when I made them so I had to use a dumb hammer. Look how dumb:

What is this? The 1500's? I'm a simple gal but I love power tools. Those nails were tough. Too tough that I switched to these tiny nails that went in easier.  I'm not even showing you in detail because it's so pathetic. I knew that I just wanted them up and I could reinforce them later.

After planting this morning. I still had tons of veggies that didn't fit in my infant beds so what's the solution? MORE BEDS! I ran on down to Payless Building Supply and grabbed six more cedar fence posts at $1.19 each. That price makes me happy. Then I got crazy and did THIS:

They're.... TRIANGLES! These are just the boards making the shapes but I ended up securing the frames using brackets that I bent to fit and now they're nice and sturdy. I just need to get more soil and pack it in there. Oh, and I really hope I don't kill all this stuff.

Also, since I've had (until I planted this morning) basically oversized litter boxes in my backyard for the past two days, I've come out to find a freaking cat turd in one both mornings. Those skanky wild cats next door, pooping in MY garden. I've taken to scaring them (running at them in my garden Crocs loudly yelling and waving my arms). I'm hoping that will deter them. ...Unless they want to get revenge, they hate me and they hate Crocs, and I'm most likely going to wake up tomorrow morning and see 10x the amount of cat-butt logs laying amongst the newly planted veggies. Nope, I won't let that happen. I have plans A-D in order, I just hope I won't have to resort to that.

By the way, Crocs are the nerdiest shoe ever made but have you ever tried some on? Wow. Wear them in your garden, not in public. 

Also, I started painting rocks the other day. I have a life, I promise. That just made me think of The 40 Year Old Virgin when he's defending that he has a very fulfilling life then it cuts to him doing things like this by himself.  This is actually a lot like my life... and I'm married. It's not sad, I'm just independent and know how to entertain myself when Scotty's not here or is in a coma because his 4th graders wore him out.  Here, have a laugh. It's good for you:

Ok, look at some of my rocks. Joe Dirt reference, anyone?

We had a ton of these stepping stones in the yard so I decided to add a little color to them.  It's just acrylic paint with a decoupage seal.

I plan on adding some more beds and planters around the yard, some smaller yet taller beds perhaps.  I've been looking at repurposing ideas for planters so stay tuned.

Ok, that's all I have for you this time. I'm sure I'll find something else to update you with.  I'll let you know if I start painting cats or something equally as cool.