Seed Starting

I finally got my seeds in their planting medium today, those I 

am starting early. 

The first... 

Park's Whopper 

(from the Park catalog) 

Last year, I bought one plant of Burpee Early Girl, 

which bore and bore and bore on our patio in 

a big container. 

Burpee's seeds are now 6.95 a packet... I just couldn't do it

a month ago, when I ordered, because I don't like to ask 

Keith to buy stuff like this. 

I have grown Whopper before, and it will be fine for us. 

The second...

Park's Supersweet 100

(from the Park catalog) 

I had to go buy cherry tomatoes for salad and pasta, 

so this year, we're going to have one on the patio. 

If you wonder why I am bothering to start seeds... I like it, I think it's fun, and I love to share plants with people.  My friends, my cousin Fuh Fuh, and my son Jim are all getting some this year. It will be Jim's first year at growing tomatoes!  There will be enough for Andrea and Amber, too, if they want some. 

I'm also starting this: 

(from the Park catalog) 

Coleus Wizard Mix. 

Last year, I grew coleus I bought at a garage sale, of 

all places, on our front porch.  They grew and grew, and 

I really enjoyed having coleus for the first time in six or seven years. 

So... I'm trying to start some.  Let me show you the seed. 

Yes, that's the teeny-tiny seed in the envelope inside of the protective 

envelope. 

I have NO idea which containers it went into... it is so fine 

I can't see it with or without my glasses. 

Here's what the current setup looks like, but I think I am 

going to put the clear plastic covers on these containers, (not 

all of which are in use yet... and turn them 

length wise. 

I have two more lights that I can use, and some 

more seed-starting medium... so ... I also bought monarda seeds, 

to get started here in our yard.  I think I'm going 

to try my hand at starting some under lights.  I did 

pretty well with the echinacea I started two 

years ago indoors. 

The medium I am using is Fafards, 

but I also have some Bacto if I need it. 

Last year in the midst of moving, I did not start 

any seeds myself, but I have bought various 

flower seeds to plant, as well. 

I also saved many of the large and small zinnia seeds from last year. 

Would a "real" homesteader not plant Baker Creek or 

Seeds Savers?????  Two years ago, I planted Baker 

Creek tomatoes... while they look great and 

were described greatly in the catalog, 

both varieties were a disappointment.  Of course, one of them, 

Gypsy, bore on volunteer plants last year.  The tomatoes were 

larger than cherries, but not as large as an eating tomato.  The Burpee Super Sauce 

tomato also, while huge, is really not a tomato I will plant again because we won't be making any sauce for canning. 

I have always had luck with Burpee and Park, so 

decided to stick with them... and yes, I am still going to 

order a few from Burpee at the end of the month. 

Look whom I found on Friday, on our way home from the old place! 

He was down in the little valley where the horse herd is, and had stopped on this fence post. 

Dusk was falling, and I wasn't sure if I was looking at a large hawk... or what. 

I kept taking pictures, not all of which came out... and let me tell you, when he took off, he took OFF!  So fast he was out of frame before I could click!  Isn't he (or she) a BEAUTY! 

And yes, it was as large as it looks. 

It hit 70 here yesterday, and 

is 60 right now in Leavenworth County.  A week ago we had snow. 

And a year ago today, we were in Houston for our family reunion on Keith's side.  Since this picture was taken that day... we have had 2 more babies to the family group, including Hailey, born to Andrea and Nick in September, last year. 

We have another boy coming in July, thanks to Amber and Jesse! 

How time flies! 

And Another Year Is Gone

It was the

 

year with something I never, ever thought I would do... move again.

First look at our what was to be our new house... January 29. I still can't believe it. 

I was so happy at the old house, the little house... and imagined I would be there for years seeing scenes like this. 

How I miss them, bad little things!!!  

My little Farm Helper, Abby, became very sick in late January, early February, and we could not 

figure (the VET could not figure out) what was wrong. 

In February she was at least still able to help me do chores in the terrible cold. 

Snow did not stop the Intrepid Lil a bit. 

By March, the snow had thawed and Abby was desperately thirsty all the time... and we 

began going to our old vet in Kansas City, Kansas again... and his new associate told us he was sure she had diabetes... and she did.  We started a regimen of two times a day shots... but we were NOT good at giving them, and Abby was not good at getting them.  It was misery for all of us. 

I started finding homes for all my babies.  Yes, it hurt badly.  It still does. 

Especially my beloved ducks, that I had worked all through the bitter winter to keep watered and protected. 

Moving day came, and the whole family pitched in to help. 

The brothers worked hard and did a man's job.  They spent the night here. 

I didn't think we would get everything put away... ever... and in fact, I am still moving things.  We went from 1000 sq. ft. to 3000 sq. ft. Whew. 

May came, and I was still moving things daily, though by now, all my animals were gone except Abby and Lilly.  Abby was worse, and Keith began to get sick, as well. 

On the fifth, we started our 2014 Kansas City T Bones season, and were back at the ballpark.  Keith began to have to have almost monthly "taps" on his abdomen for the fluid being retained, and we kept hearing from the doctors that his kidneys were worse. 

Our little girl's condition became worse, and she had regular "fits", rubbing her face and head into the floor, or the beds, in this case, the mattresses the kids were using at the time in the basement. These fits would go on and on, until she became exhausted.  

It hurts to see pictures from this time. We lost her here at home, on May 23rd.  We just could not get her blood sugar balanced right.  On the night she died... the vet sent her home with me, and told me her time had not yet come.  I knew on the way home we were losing her that night.  Our poor little doll. 

In mid-May, my friend Valerie had four new puppies in her kennel, Sandy, Shandy, Austin and Billy, three girls and a boy.  They helped the hurt from Abby's death. 

I took care of them all summer, first letting their mama out for exercise while they were nursing, and then, letting the puppies, their mama, and their cousin Mia out to run in the yard. 

They grew by leaps and bounds. 

We celebrated the fourth of July at the T Bones with son Jim and his family. 

We watched a lot of baseball. 

And in mid-July, Keith's daughters and their husbands came to help us fix up the old house.  We were there 9 years, and are still upside down in it, and will be renting it next year... we hope by April. 

Even though Andrea was seven months pregnant!  She watched little Carson for Amber. 

Jace helped, too! 

On the 19th, we had another work day.... but... 

But Keith became very ill and was hospitalized for a week. 

The puppies were almost as big as their mama, Uno, and their cousin Mia, pictured here with Sandy. 

Their owner, Valerie, decided to move back to her home state of Michigan, and I had to 

say goodbye to my babies. 

Lilly Ann and I began walking in the park daily. 

My only surviving sibling, Pete, had had to be hospitalized at the first of the year, after a serious illness.  He was moved at mid-summer to a nursing home in Liberty, Missouri, where they take good care of him.  He suffers from dementia. 

Fall came. 

And Labor Day weekend brought us a new dog, Jester the Boston Terrier. 

My "garden" at the new house began to wane. 

And Keith went back in the hospital, this time, for ten days... from the VA to St. Lukes in 

KCMO... When he came out, he was on dialysis. 

Fall baseball

Jace turned three. 

Haley Kay was born. 

Jes wormed his way into our hearts 

Thanksgiving was celebrated in a small way, as Keith has many new dietary restrictions with his 

new dialysis diet. 

Carson turned one. 

Brynn turned two. 

We Christmas-partied...

and we Christmas-partied some more. 

And I've had a blast this fall learning to use Keith's big Nikon. 

In February, Pete and I lost our brother Mike.  Pete has dementia, and still does not 

understand that Mike has gone on before us, to join our little sister Kathleen, and our mom and dad. 

He left a big family, five kids and many, many grandchildren, as well as a wife to whom he had 

been married for over 50 years. 

I still can't believe he and Kathleen are gone. 

Our Sweet Girl. 

Here's to a more interesting 2015! 

Your blogger and her smiling Lilly Ann