Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Green Thumbs and Attack of the Tillers

It's foggy and cool in Frog Pond Holler this Wednesday morning. I stopped at the Pump N' Go for coffee and a biscuit on the way to The Asylum. The Amazon was very late for work, which always upsets her, so I wanted to stop by and make sure she wasn't sitting in the corner by the chewing tobacco, doing the OH MY GAWD I SO SUCK little girl cry.

She wasn't, but she looked like she could start any second.

I think this is the first cup of coffee I've had in over a week, now that I can taste again and my tummy isn't doing the cha-cha. If I could, I'd crawl right inside the cup and curl up in a ball.. that's how good it is.

I've been worrying myself silly thinking lately about the garden that didn't happen last year. Once the patch of yard was ripped up, the guy who was going to till it for us broke his tiller. We tried in vain to find a tiller to borrow or someone to pay to do it for us, but no luck. T.A. and I tried to do it by hand, but by then so much time had lapsed that we deemed it hopeless. Over the summer, the garden patch sprouted all kinds of weeds and grass, which then died come winter and now we've just got a big ass hot mess. When I get paid next week, I'm going to Lowes for something to work with. I have a hoe, but it's sort of small. Ma says I need a "tater fork." I'd splurge and buy myself a tiller, but I'm not sure I'd have the strength to use it. I can see it getting away from me and shooting off across the road, chasing down old Dave, who recently had back surgery, as he tries to shuffle away in his walker.

If I have to get on my hands and knees and pull it all up by hand, by gawd I'll do it. I may not be able to plant anything but one tomato plant and a couple of onions, but I'm planting something.

I hope I'm over the Black Plague of Death the crud enough by this weekend to get some other stuff done around the yard. There's the old washing machine to deal with, a wood pile to move off the porch, lest we invite slithery critters to the front door and an old seat from the hippy van. The dog lot demands some attention as well, Ayla keeps digging up treasures and piling them in the middle of the yard, stuff like old tarps, bits of rope and the shredded instruction manual for assembling the dog house. If I'm lucky, the sun will come out long enough for me to git 'er done.

It's almost spring ya'll and I'm tickled pink.

Let's honor this Humpday by hopping on the good deed wagon and finding one thing to do for someone else, however small or insignificant it may seem. You can make someone smile.. and it might just be you.

Hump it hard Taters, we'll talk again soon!



50 Free Prints with any $15 purchase using coupon code: SPRING50. Offer valid 32210 to 42210

4 comments:

Anne said...

Hey Mahala!
The small tillers like mantis & the like are easy to use. (I also have a bad back.. woot for herniated discs!) Old carpeting or black plastic can be used to smother weeds until it is time to work the soil. I hate to say this but.. your Mom may be right in that it is easier to turn the dirt with a pitchfork vs a shovel.
If your soil is acidic, you can also use wood ash (just a little! it is alkaline but does have some nutrients like potassium, phosphorus, calcium, etc. Just make sure it is only wood ash. Chlorine bleached paper, plastics when burned release dioxins which linger.)
Definately would bury compost materials vs a pile. Oh... maybe check if a garden store rents tillers. Best of luck to ya!

Mahala said...

All great ideas! I wondered about those little mantis doohickeys. I might have to keep my eye out for one.

Anne said...

Something while I am thinking about it... save those coffee grounds. You can toss them right into the garden and turn it in. It will help fluff up the soil a bit as well as act as a mild fertilizer. Aside from possibly grabbing ones from work, try the gas station too.
You might still be able to get away with planting garlic. Usually planted in fall, you may still have enough time to squeak a few in. Worst case, you get to use the scapes (the flower stalk, chop up fine you can add it to stir fry, scrambled eggs, in chicken salad, etc.)

painted maypole said...

good luck with that garden!

and thanks for swinging by my place.