This and That

I much prefer to bike and walk so I don't own a car, but my husband does. When he goes on business trips I used to always be sad. But now without a car, I take it as an opportunity. I made a rule that when he goes he has to leave me the car. He can't leave it at the airport. So yesterday he was gone and the car was mine. I went to Home Depot to pick up bricks for my herb garden.

Though the circle is not a perfect circle, it is pretty good. I wanted the spokes to look straight and even. So I used my handy dandy bamboo measuring stick. I didn't measure anything, but it did tell me if I was straight or at least straightish.

Here is the garden finished. As soon as those herbs fill it in it will look really pretty. And though I think it would look prettier with the thymes together and the chives together, I like them separated. They like to grow together and though their leaves are different, it is easier to make sure they don't overwhelm the other if it is very easy to tell apart.

Some days good shit happens. A friend of my townhouse mates dropped off some composted horse manure. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Two 20 gallon trash barrels full. It probably isn't as good as cow manure as I think it has more weed seeds in it, but still I was thrilled.

I hadn't had enough compost to cover the garden last fall. Two of the beds had nothing. So yesterday we covered one and a half. The other, as you can see, has its pile just sitting there waiting to be spread. I'd like to pick a lot of that cilantro before I do the spreading though. Also there are just a few overwintered carrots in there that need pulling. After that I'll spread it. She asked me if I needed anymore and I said I wouldn't mind another load. I would love to have it in my empty storage bin for adding over the summer as crops get rotated.

Today is going to be in the 60Fs so it was time to start hardening off my brassicas and chard. I put them on my kitchen stairs to harden off at the start. I have a place that gives them direct morning sun but dappled midday and afternoon sun. I'll keep them there for a couple of days, bringing them in at night. They will get moved farther out every day until they are in direct sun all day long. Then I'll plant them. My cabbages are still under lights though. They are in the other tray. I might put them in a small container and bring them and the cosmos out too.