Strawberries and a Toad

Weeding. What fun. It is one of those things that is easier when the plants are little. That is easier said than done when weeds are popping up with seedlings and they all basically look the same. They are the same size and who can really tell the difference! Once there are at least two sets of real leaves it gets easier to know what you are dealing with though. 

I went out to do the last egg check of the day at dusk and ended up pulling a few weeds. I stuck to the asparagus and strawberry beds where there would be no question in the dim light between the weeds and the plants I want to stay. Even in the dim light I could tell the strawberry plants are loaded with flowers! 

They got some Tiger Bloom yesterday and seem to have enjoyed it, this plant has at least a dozen flowers ready to pop open! Pardon my enthusiasm, I am close to harvesting one of my favorite fruits! Slugs better watch out, these little red gems are mine.

While I was pulling weeds, I heard something in the grass next to me. 

I found this chubby little sweetie. I have always liked toads. They eat bugs. That is great! I think that I liked them a little girl because most people did not like them (I was so compassionate that I thought somebody should love them), and also because of the Frog Prince story. I was little and I liked fairy tails. I found a toad when I was about 5 and named her violet and decided she should live in the hollow part of a tree by the iris patch. I put her there every time I found her. She liked being petted. Back to the toad from this evening. I think I will set up a toad abode. I may need to visit Pinterest for some extra ideas. 

May Peas Be With You

Life is exploding back into our world. The daffodils have bloomed, the dogwoods are holding bouquets of flowers,and the redbud trees are trading in their delicate flowers for little heart shaped leaves. It has been a wonderful spring.

There has been some frost in the mornings, but the hail storm from early April did more damage taking a strawberry and a few brassica plants. With the week ahead forecasted to be in the 80s, it's easy to think it's time to plant the whole garden. Don't do it. 

Keep your planting in line with the weather. Read seed packets and plant at the right time of the season for greater success. Broccoli, coloflower, spinach, arugula, strawberries. These are the things doing really well in our garden right now. The peas are coming along nicely as well. 

Everything has a season. May the Peas be with you, happy gardening!