Everything Out of the Greenhouse, All at Once

This has been a hectic period and it looks as if it will remain that way until my June poetry workshop is over.  We started late on planting because the weather was  chilly and it sometimes went below 32 at night.  Therefore, everything has to come out of the greenhouse asap as the seedlings I started are bumping their heads against the little greenhouse ceiling and others are sprawling out of their peat pots.  And there are almost as many vegetables that have to be started by seed.  The hardy seedlings are all planted except for the Brussels sprouts, that are still small and undersized.     

Over the past week, we planted the paste tomatoes in my garden, along with cucumbers, Arapaho hot peppers.  In the main garden, we planted seven kinds of maincrop tomatoes, zucchini, three kinds, two kinds of bell peppers and one frying pepper and cherry tomatoes.  I also planted two kinds of marigolds and nasturtium seeds.

Down below, the beets are up as are the parsnips and shallots.  No tender crops have been planted there yet.  The next plants to come out maybe tomorrow or definitely by Wednesday are the patty pans, the summer savory and probably the sunflowers and Brussels sprouts.  I’ll hold off a little on the basil. Woody asked for the tallest marigolds for the main garden, so they must be planted also.

We found the right old suitcases used off season storage that held at least my shorts and tank tops and three summer pants – two of them for the garden, one for regular use.  Also silk scarves, summer belts and many tee shirts.  No summer dresses yet, but I did get out three light skirts.

I stole an hour to write on my book manuscript that made me feel a little better,, but no poems, although I have done two group readings in the last two weeks.  When I take some time, usually in the mornings, away from planting, watering, weeding, etc. outside, I am reading and annotating the manuscripts from my June workshop poets. I try to do three a week.  I am still waiting on one from a poet who wanted to change what she initially sent me. She’s supposed to send it Monday. The manuscripts vary immensely in quality, as often poets sends their best 5 poems to get in the workshop and their other work may be just as good or much worse.  I generally give them two to three pages of notes after our conferences.

I try to knock off in the garden by 4 or at the latest 4:30, so I can rest for an hour between all that physical labor and making supper.  I usually spend time with the cats or read.  I feel a bit hollow, not writing.  This has seldom happened, as usually we do a lot of the planting in April and some in March, but this year, only the spinach went in early.  We’re already eating salads form the garden and also bok choi in stir fries.  The rhubarb is up and growing, but won’t be ready till June this year. Same with the spinach. There’s a lot of it, but in the hot weather, it’s growing slowly.