Friday, May 24th

It rained all night starting at about 7:30 in the evening. It was wonderful for all the plants I got into pots and the ground yesterday.
I wanted to grow tomatoes along the west side of the bird yard but there use to be an old drive in that area. I have carried out dozens of large base rocks, sorted out hundreds of smaller ones, added hundreds of pounds of compost and a few cups of fertilizer in the past 4 years but the gravel just keeps working its way to the top. So I decided to make a raised area of sorts for the tomatoes. We have a lot of mobile home skirting a neighbor gave us last year that didn't work out for the project I had planned for it back then. Yesterday I removed the perferated midsection using a utility knife and used the remaining solid sections for the walls of my bed. I lined the chainlink fence of the bird yard with one wall and used stakes I make from some scrape lumber a friend brought to us a few weeks ago to hold up the outer wall. The ends are hog feed pans filled with compost and have various plants in them. I laid down an inch or so of rotted silage, some 6-24-24 plus epsom salts, then a layer of 3 year old stable cleanings, more of the 6-24-24, then topped it off with rotted silage. The spade worked the fertilizer and layers to gether roughly and I planted 8 Roma tomatoes, 6 Straight Eight cukes, and 3 Italian Large Leave Basil in the 13"W X 7"D X 23'L bed. Chicken wire along the outside will keep the poultry out and the inside of the chainlink is permenently lined with chicken wire. Then I weeded,tilled and admended the south side of the bird yard fence and planted 4 Celebrity tomatoes and 4 Habanaro peppers there. I worked in pouring rain for over an hour but it was worth it. I was so tired when I finished that I just ate a little bit, showered and went to bed. I'm still tired this morning, but it sure feels good to have those tomatoes, cukes, and peppers planted.
I'm debating whether or not to drive to town and get my hair cut. I really don't feel like doing it, but it is in a terrible to manage stage. I work this evening so I do eed to look presentable. I have scarves I could use to cover it and may do that.
I sure miss Lisa. But moving and settling is such a task. She has spoken of all her plants and that takes a lot of work to replant.
GOD bless and keep each and all of you.
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