A Fabulous Gardener's Day Out

What does a blogger do when she's had pretty much an all-around unfortunate and unhappy week? She's a lucky one, this blogging woman, because better times usually have a way of finding her. 

Reader Judy M. from southern Vermont contacted me this week, said she was going to be in St. Albans, and could we meet for breakfast Saturday. Then as we talked, we planned a trip to Gardener's Supply as well. 

She brought along her friend and fellow gardening enthusiast Julie, who proclaimed she doesn't knit! To which I replied, "That's good, because NEITHER DO I [much]!" Three kindred souls thus established, we were off.

We ate and gabbed at Libby's Diner (I had the most delicious black-bean-and-sausage frittata), and then braved the pouring rain along with seemingly every other gardener in Chittenden County (based on looking at the parking lot) to converse in botanic Latin together. It was the perfect day out for gardeners on a day when it was just too wet, cold, and drizzly for doing anything else.

A welcome sight: veggie plants for sale at Gardener's Supply 

Julie and Judy brought me eggs from their own chickens, some of which promptly became supper last night, with asparagus, mushrooms & spinach. Ommmmmmmmmgggggggggg. 

While at Gardener's Supply, I bought a small-bird water station that was on deep discount, and filled it and set it up in the garden. 

Isn't it cute?

(And Judy, I lied!) 

I told Judy that I had not seen any sign of asparagus yet, but there it was waiting for me when I came home. This is in my old, well established asparagus bed. I even saw a tiny nubbin of a spear poking up in the new bed that I planted last year:

Can you see it? That little phallic thing at about 6:30, bottom center-left of the photo? 

So then I could not help myself: I lugged 320 pounds of potting soil up the hill (40 lb. at a time) in the cold drizzle, and proceeded to plant 25 strawberry plants.

My lovely friends from the Northeast Kingdom, I apologize for this, because you don't want to hear it: All the recent rain (For you it has been snow. Don't hit me.) has been very good for things. Lots of growth is showing on the garlic, the onion sets, and all the seeds I planted at the beginning of April (many varieties of lettuce, micro-greens, bok choy, spinach, beets, radishes). Still no sign of peas, though. 

Comments

[Olivia]

Hi Norma, looks like you had a fun day out and the frittata sounds delicious. :)

[Joannah]

You have awesomeness happening in your garden! Awesome!

[gayle]

We've got one pea up. Despite the snow.
I'd planned to finish weeding the asparagus bed by now, but every time I have any time to do it, it's either snowing or raining. *sigh*

[Jean E.]

Glad you had a fun day! Great pictures, too.

[Melissa in El Cajon]

You make me laugh. I like that.

[Kayten]

I've yet to plant my peas...sigh. But the new perennial bed in the circle by the driveway is ready for planting, and there are strawberries to transplant elsewhere. I was going to put in another pyramid bed for them, but I'm thinking not, as the last took 28 bags of dirt, and there's plenty else to do.
Any chance you'll be coming to Cummington Sheep and Wool? It would be great to see you in a less frenzied atmosphere than Rhinebeck. Try to put the Southern Adirondack Fiber Festival on your radar, too. The first year was great, and I know there will be even more vendors this year.
Happy Gardening!

[margene]

You are the Garden Queen...that's all there is to that.

[Cheryl S.]

Home grown eggs! Yummy!
I have little baby pea plants, and even tinier lettuce sprouts, but not much else.

[Peggy]

Norma, you just have to give peas a chance.

[Carol]

So glad your week turned around with a fab trip & visit.

[Judy]

Wow! I feel famous. Hope my niece is reading your blog today Norma. Morgan, are you jealous???
Great day despite the rain. Thanks for the visit.

[Cookie]

What a fabulous day!

[Renee]

What a wonderful day! Wish I could've joined you all. :)

[Laurie]

OMG...fresh asparagus... Last night, I was at a Ukranian wedding, and one of the appetizers was an extremely spicy cold pickled asparagus. The first bite was breathtaking...after that, it disappeared quickly. Yum!

[elizabeth a airhart]

the gardens of earthly delights

thank you

hgtv new green house for 2010 is on tonight

out on the cape durie really knows gardens

2745 readers !

[Gillian]

There's nothing in the garden centres here yet. They must be so upset at missing the sales.

[Seanna Lea]

Those must be the best phallic objects around!

[Ann]

ahhhh, aspermagus. my favorite veggie!