Rain barrel

A few weeks back we installed our second rain barrel. The first one we've had for a couple years behind the house, but because we now have a veggie garden in the front, we needed one around there too. One good rain fills each barrel. We put this new one up on 3 layers of blocks so we would have gravity to help us out, then attached a curly garden hose. So far it's working great!

The first picture above shows the view as you are walking down the sidewalk that goes to our front porch. You can barely see the rain barrel from this angle. It *was* completely hidden at first...but we had a little (ahem) accident when it filled up the first time, tipped over, and took out a huge bit of one of the burning bushes. But it will grow back.

The second picture is taken from the sidewalk, right in front of the rain barrel.

Garden update

Here's how our raised beds look now:








Since this is our first year with the raised beds, I had already declared this my "year of experimentation" as far as the garden went. Failure, successes--both are welcome this year as I learn what grows well here and what won't.

In the first bed I planted kale, potatoes, bush beans, green peas, onions, and carrots, and squash. The kale is still small, and the carrots made tiny sprouts, then just withered away to nothing. I think the kale might have been planted too late, because we didn't get the beds put out as early as we would have liked. Everything else looks good so far.

In the second bed we have cauliflower, broccoli, zucchini, red bell peppers, and head lettuce. The lettuce looks great, and one end of the bed has some great looking cauliflower and broccoli plants. Oh, can't forget the dill that is also doing well. I've already been harvesting and drying the dill.

I'll probably go ahead and harvest the little bits of kale that we have so that I can plant something else in their place, and also plant something where the carrots are.

New family member

We were a contented family of two big dogs and one cat. In the past we were at 3 dogs, 3 cats, but unfortunately lost a canine family member to old age, and 2 feline family members to cancer and diabetes, respectively. We had no intention of ever adding another cat into the family. BUT THEN (of course there is always a but)...

We went to visit the in-laws 2 1/2 weeks ago, and there was this tiny little mewing thing in a cage on their porch. My husband's brother found it under his home, along with another assumed dead kitten. The mom was not around. My in-laws were going to take this baby to the animal shelter, and being so young and high-maintenance, I'm sure she would have been killed right away. At many shelters, surrenders are killed as soon as they are brought in, and it's only the strays that are picked up that are allowed to live for a few days to see if they are claimed.

We just couldn't allow that to happen to this precious little kitten, so we decided she would come home to live with us. We broke our Wal-Mart avoidance long enough to buy kitten formula and bottle. She was rather lethargic but perked up after a couple of good feedings.

So now Gabby is with us as a permenant member in her forever home. :) She is currently about 6 weeks old and starting to eat moistened solid food and "get" what the litterbox is all about. She's too young to leave alone at home while we're gone to Chicago, and since she's not had shots we won't board her, so she's traveling to Chicago with us. Should be interesting!

Fun ahead

We are leaving for the Chicago Green Festival soon, and we can't wait! Last year was our first time attending, and we could hardly squeeze in listening to all the speakers, eating all the delicious veg food, and visiting all the booths before the two days were up.

We will have an additional um, living creature on this trip with us. Post and pictures to follow!

"Processed People"

While I am certainly not perfect about it, I try to eat an unprocessed diet most of the time. Along that line, I thought I would share a couple clips from a documentary called "Processed People." I can't wait to see the whole thing!

More firsts

First peony bloom of the year:

My first attempt at growing potatoes:

They finally bloomed!

My mom gave me some irises a few years ago, and I placed them in a small planter next to the back of my house. It gets some sun, but not a lot. The plants grow and become green every year, but never bloom. Until now! I'm so excited to see these beautiful blooms.