A Warm Weekend

I enjoyed the unseasonably warm weather this weekend, even as I know it can’t be good for the plants that are blooming out of season. There were several flowers on the primroses last week (above), and I saw a flower and many blossoms on one of the strawberries as well.

I used the sunny weather to advantage, however: mulching, dividing and moving some hostas, and working on the flagstone paths. Richard composted the horse and alpaca manure that our neighbors dropped off, worked on strengthening the deer fence and put markers along the edge of the new driveway.

Moving the driveway into the woods was partly practical; it will allow us to construct a large, walk-in hoop house next year on the straight stretch in front of the house – the area with the longest hours of winter sun – that was the previous driveway. But it’s lovely driving into the woods as we arrive home; and it’s wonderful to sit in the garden without looking at the cars (now hidden from view behind the wood pile).

A complete change in perspective, with only a few extra feet to walk between the cars and the front door.

After harvesting a large bowl of parsley (which went into a batch of tabouli for lunch), I dug up four parsley plants, potted them and brought them into the kitchen. Several small dill plants that started to grow late summer from the first crop’s seeds, will follow as soon as I get another bag of potting soil. Along with the rosemary, brought in before the first frosts, they will be right on hand to season soups and stews.

Finally, the warm weather meant that we opened up the low hoop houses, making it easy to admire the hardy greens that are continuing to grow, as well as to weed and harvest. Tonight’s salad included several mustards, savoy (an Asian green not unlike spinach, pictured left), Mizoona (another Asian green), magenta beet leaves, radish, carrot, calendula petals, and viola blossoms. I also pulled a leek and dug up some Jerusalem artichokes. They went into a frittata, along with some stored potatoes and the rest of the harvested parsley. Dinner was, Richard said, “gourmet.”