5/18/26  To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow. — Audrey Hepburn

We have moved up to moderate drought on the map.  However all the rain and thunderstorms that were in the forecast this week have been deleted.  We'll continue to put soaker hoses in our rows.  Cloudy today, a SE breeze, high 63.  A few clouds tonight, a SW breeze, llow 49.  Partly cloudy tomorrow and Wednesday, highs in the low eighties.A brisk SW breeze tomorrow, low of 67.  A west wind Wednesday, low 42.   Sunshine Thursday, a strong NW breeze, high 60, low 38.Mostly sunny Friday, a strong WNW breeze, high 68, low 43.  Cloudy Saturday and Sunday. SSE breezes, highs 71, lows 53.  Cloudy Memorial day, a south breeze, high 64, low 49.  Cloudy next Tuesday, a SW breeze, high 68, low 52. Possible morning showers next Wednesday, a brisk west breeze, high 71, low 53.Cloudy next Thursday with morning fog, a brisk NW breeze, high 74, low 52.  Partly cloudy Friday the 29th and the weekend, NW breezes, highs about 76, lows about 53.  Maybe some showers Monday June 1st, a west breeze, high 76, low 54.

    The orioles and cardinals have been here for breakfast.  One of the orioles has been singing for a mate all day the last few days.  Not as many as last year but we have quite a few hummingbirds now that the females are here too.  Yesterday's wind meant that I kept the waves wrapped up in remay.  The hummingbirds have been going in the greenhouse.

    Yesterday's wind blew a tree on the power line, Which made a transformer catch on fire. Which caught a tree on fire.  Thankfully the Bradford fire department got there quickly and put it out before it started a wildfire.

    Onions are planted, potatoes are next in the main gardens.  My few potatoes are planted, onions and strawberries are next.  I'll be covering them with remay to keep the dandelion seeds out.

     May your day be blessed, Sally

5/16/26  This weekend, let your garden do double duty as your gym.

Sunshine, 52 degrees.  Sun and clouds today, a high of 77 with a strong WSW breeze.   Partly cloudy tonight, low 58.  Partly cloudy tomorrow a NW wind, high 74, low 44.  Partly cloudy Monday, a brisk SW breeze, high 69, low 51.  Partly cloudy Tuesday, PM thunderstorms, high 81, low 62, a brisk WSW breeze.  Partly cloudy Wednesday, a stiff SW breeze, high 83, low 51, PM thunderstorms. Partly cloudy Thursday and Friday, stiff NW breezes, highs 62, lows 41.  Partly cloudy next weekend, highs 68, lows 43 and 46.  A NW breeze Saturday, SE breeze Sunday.  Cloudy Memorial Day, a SE breeze high 67, low 49.  Some showers Tuesday the 26th, a SW breeze, high 70, low 49. Partly to mostly cloudy the rest of the week, NW breezes, highs 72, lows about 53'
   You probably don't think of weeding as a workout, but Welsh researchers measuring oxygen uptake found that digging, raking, and weeding land in the same zone as brisk walking and tennis. And here's the kicker: people typically garden for about 40 minutes longer per week than a typical workout, because there's always one more thing to plant, prune, or rescue from squirrels.  A cross-sectional study in Scientific Reports found daily gardeners are 43% less likely to report anxiety or health problems, and newer research points to immune-boosting compounds released by the plants themselves.

   I didn't get much done yesterday because I had to renew my driver's licence.  A two hour and twenty-five minute wait.  It didn't take me long once I got to the window.  Then I stopped at Sam's, the store was packed, I had to park far enough away to get lots of steps in.

    Five grosbeaks haven't gone north yet.  We seldom see a chickadee or bluejay, they've headed to the woods.  A pair of nuthatches have their nest right outside the window in the horse chestnut tree.

    So many things I want to do outside I'm not sure where to start.  I do know any flowers I plant today will be wrapped in remay to protect them from tomorrow's warm wind.  I have a few plants I will harden off the traditional way.  Setting them outside for a few hours and then bringing them in for 4 or 5 days.

    May your day be blessed, Sally

 5/15/26  Have we have forgotten how to be good guests, how to walk lightly on the earth as its other creatures do?

Clouds, 51 degrees.   Cloudy today with a slight chance of a shower,a NE breeze, high 61.  Some clouds tonight, low 48. Partly cloudy tomorrow, high 75, low 57. a strong SW breeze. Mostly sunny Sunday, a strong WNW breeze, high 73, low 43. Partly cloudy Monday, a brisk west breeze, high 70, low 50.  PM thundershowers Tuesday, a stiff SW breeze, high 86, low 61.  PM thundershowers Wednesday, a stiff SW breeze, high 81, low 51.  Partly cloudy next Thursday through the weekend.  Stiff NW breezes Thursday and Friday, highs 61 and 64, lows 42.  WSW breezes on the weekend, highs 69, lows 44 and 49.  Partly cloudy Monday the 25th and Tuesday 26th with possible morning showers , highs 69 and 74, lows 51.  Partly cloudy the next three days with brisk WNW breezes, higa 75, lows in the low 50's.

    Since I now share the egg refrigerator with milk and yogurt there isn't room for all the eggs. This winter I stored them under the hoosier cupboard.  When it warmed up this spring I put them in the garage.  Tuesday night a critter found them.  The eggs the critter ate had an opening in the top and the egg sucked out, nice and neat.  The eggs it knocked on the cement  floor to get the ones he ate were a mess to clean up. Bekah has seen a possum a few times so that is who is getting the blame.  There won't be any more eggs, room has been made in the refrigerator.

    Potatoes are cut up.  The cut edge is drying over, they are getting little sprouts, the weather forecast says there are some good days for planting.  Kaleb planted the red rhubarb for me.  I dug the dandelions I missed last fall out of my strawberries. As soon as I see a dandelion going to seed I'm putting remay over my raised beds.  Last summer the wind dropped dandelion seeds in them and I think everyone germinated.

    Little League and T ball have started,  Jordn and Chairia coach, son Mike coaches and umpires.

    May your day be blessed, Sally

 5/14/26  Let us never stop giving our appreciation and praise to our Creator.

Misting, 46 degrees.  Cloudy today with a strong SE breeze, high  63.  Showers this evening, overnight clouds, low 48.  AM showers, some afternoon sun, a NE breeze, high 63. low 46. Sunshine Saturday, A strong west breeze, high 75, low 55. Partly cloudy Sunday, a WNW wind, high 76, low 44. Partly cloudy Monday. a west breeze, high 67, low 47. Partly cloudy Tuesday, a stiff SW breeze, high 86, low 60.  Thunderstorms Wednesday, a west breeze, high 75, low 49. Partly cloudy nxt Thursday and Friday, a Brisk NW breeze, highs 64, lows 44.  Cloudy next weekend, showers Sunday, brisk WNW breezes, highs 66, lows 46.   Partly cloudy on the 25th and 26th, NW breezes, highs 67, lows 49.  Cloudy Wednesday the 25th, possible showers and Thursday the 28th,WSW breezes, highs 68, lows 51.

   It isn't very pleasant for outside work but it is calm.  There is too much to do to let the mist stop us.  We're looking forward to this weekend.  The warm temperatures will probably bring out blackflies but  the swallows are hungry.

   I made butter yesterday, it is already turning yellow because Mabel is on grass.  There is plenty of grass, she stayed out in the pasture for the first time last night.

   I bought some Canadian red rhubarb roots,  The variety is hard to find and expensive. It is all red and sweeter but not as robust as the common rhubarb. It will be planted a long way from our hardy, dependable old fashioned Victoria rhubarb.  I'm hoping it will put out seed stalks next year.

   May your day be blessed, Sally

 5/13/26“The care of the Earth is our most ancient and most worthy, and after all our most pleasing responsibility."  Wendall Berry

Some sun, 41 degrees.  Low here on the hill, 33.  Air quality today is poor.  Cloudy with periods of light rain this afternoon ending overnight.  A stiff SSW breeze, high 57, low 43.  Cloudy tomorrow, a strong SE breeze, high 62, low 47.  Showers Friday, brisk NE breeze, high 60, low 44.  Sunshine Saturday, some clouds Sunday, light west winds, highs 75, low 53 and 46.   Partly cloudy Monday, a WNW breeze, high 71, low 49. Partly cloudy Tuesday, a strong SW breeze, high 81, low 55.  Thunderstorms next Wednesday, a NW breeze, high 68, low 47.  Partly cloudy next Thursday and Friday, highs in the mid sixties, lows 45. Brisk NW breezes. Partly cloudy next weekend, West breezes, highs 67, lows about 48.  Some showers the next three days,brisk NW breezes Monday the 24th and Tuesday the 25th.  A brisk SW breeze Wednesday.  highs in the mid to upper sixties, lows about 50.

     I tried to find out why the air was unhealthy.  Only reason I could find was stagnant air.  I double checked the high of 82 for the 19th, it is in several forecasts.

     We have sold many hanging baskets but we still have a nice selection.  Lots of wave petunias but the classic purple is almost sold out.  Between the perennials Bekah has grown and the Prides Corner delivery  there is  an excellent selection of perennials. Lots of shrubs too including several different hydrangeas

     There have been 10-20 evening grosbeaks at the feeders every day.  This morning there were two.  The rest must have gone north.  The female hummingbirds have arrived.  Not as many as last year.

     Suddenly it is time to do everything!  Today is make butter day but I plan to get in garden time.  Jay is still planting onions between customers.  The rows all have a soaker hose and mulch.  Onions love water and hate weeds.  May your day be blessed, Sally

 5/12/26  A home surrounded by flowers and nature becomes more than a place to live. It becomes a sanctuary for the soul.

  Sunshine, 35 degrees.  Some afternoon clouds, high 56, a strong NE breeze.  Mostly clear tonight, low 35.  Late afternoon/overnight showers tomorrow, a strong SW breeze, high 60, low 45.  Possible morning showers Thursday, mostly cloudy, a strong SE breeze, high 63. low 47. Showers Friday, a brisk NE breeze, high 58, low 45.  Partly cloudy this weekend and Monday. A stiff SW breeze Saturday, high 73, low 52. A light WNW wind Sunday, high 75, low 49.  A west breeze Monday, high 71, low 50. PM showers next Tuesday, a strong SW breeze, high 75, low 57.  Mostly cloudy next Wednesday, a NW breeze, high 67, low 45.  Possible morning showers next Thursday, a SE breeze, high 61, low 45.  Partly cloudy next Friday, a brisk SW breeze, high 65, low 47.  Possible PM showers Saturday the 23rd, overnight and Sunday morning.  Brisk SW breezes both days, some sun, highs about 69, lows 49. Partly cloudy Monday the 25th, a stiff SW breeze, high 70, low 60.  Showers Tuesday the 26th, a Brisk SW breeze, high 69, low 50.
      The loop is later than usual this morning.  Maegan usually brings the bus home but it needed to stay at the bus garage today.  Jay and Bekah were both busy with customers so I picked her up.  The greenhouse opens at nine but people know Jay and Bekah live by the greenhouse.
       It was dry enough to plant rotatil yesterday.  They planted onions.  They plant a lot of onions, they'll be planting more today.  They planted the sweet Walla Walla onions yesterday.  Today they'll plant the red storage onions.  0ur soil is warm enough for onions and potatoes.  This has not been a warm spring.  Many saw a frost last night and may see one again tonight.   There are no more thirties in the two week forecast.  I'll be watching the temperatures at the end of the month when we have a full moon.
      May your day be blessed, Sally 


Quick Reference: Minimum Soil Temperatures

Most vegetable seeds require a minimum soil temperature of 36° to 60°F (2° to 16°C) to germinate. Below that, seeds may sit, rot, or sprout very slowly.

36° to 45°F (2° to 7°C): spinach, lettuce, peas
45° to 55°F (7° to 13°C): beets, carrots, cabbage
55° to 65°F (13° to 18°C): beans, corn, squash
65° to 75°F (18° to 24°C): tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, melons

 5/11/26  You're already blessed.  Focus on that.

Sunshine, 44 degrees, a light south breeze.  Partly cloudy this morning, more clouds this afternoon, high 61.  A brisk NW breeze, some clearing tonight, low 38.  Partly cloudy tomorrow, a strong NW breeze, high 57, low 35.  Partly cloudy Wednesday morning, PM showers.  A SW breeze, high 60, low 44.  Rain Thursday, showers Friday, easterly breezes, highs about 58, lows about 48. Perhaps a shower Saturday morning, partly cloudy, a NW breeze, high 69, low 50.  Partly cloudy next Sunday and Monday, Brisk NW breezes, highs 73, lows 51.  Partly cloudy next Tuesday, perhaps an afternoon shower, a SW breeze, high 72, low 49. Partly cloudy next Wednesday, a brisk NW breeze, high 68, low 48.  Partly cloudy next Thursday, perhaps an afternoon shower, a SW breeze, high 64, low 47.  Clouds Friday the 22ed, a brisk SW breeze, high 67, low 50.  Partly cloudy Saturday the 23rd, a SW breeze, high 72, low 51.  Showers Sunday the 24th, a west breeze, high 79, low 50.  Partly cloudy Monday the 25th, a brisk west breeze, high 72, low 52.

   A very busy weekend for the greenhouse, a lot fewer plants to water.  We have two pairs of orioles coming , mostly for the grape jelly.  We haven't seen the indigo bunting again.  We only have a few hummingbirds.

  Lots of phone time with family living far away.  Close by family all stopped by to visit.  Mike thought about taking me out to lunch after church.  Instead he bought pizza for everyone.  The kids loved it and the busy mothers loved that Mike fed their kids lunch!

   Onions and potatoes will be the focus this week.  Usually they are planted by now.  We were happy to see the rains but the storms have put us behind.

    May your day be blessed, Sally