Barnaby and Compost

Barnaby hanging out on the back porch furniture while sucking on a ball of compost.

Barnaby is a garden dog.  I realized it back in June when I dug a hole for a plant. When I stopped digging, he laid down in the hole and smiled up at me.  My heart melted.

We recently finished spreading 7.5 yards of compost and he loves the hard compacted balls of compost.  He walks around with them in his mouth like a jawbreaker.  Just watch out for his muddy kisses!

A Bouquet and Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day: July 2013

I forgot about Garden Blogger's Bloom Day, but that's ok, because I had already picked a bouquet showcasing my July garden flowers.  I picked it to celebrate Gravy Lesson's one year anniversary tomorrow. It's already been one year...can you believe it?  172 posts and I still feel like I'm just getting started.  

Alstroemeria psttacina 'Variegata'

I picked up this little hottie, Alstromeria psttacina 'Variegata' at Xera Plants Retail Store last week.  Normally, my garden is set by the beginning of June, but this year is different.  Perhaps this blog is giving me permission to pursue my plant lust all year long.  I like that.  And I'm so happy that you are here.  That's been the best part of this experiment.  Happy Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day to you!  

cardoon blossom bud tangled with bronze fennel

Don't forget to visit our lovely hostess, Carol at May Dream Gardens!  

Lobster and Potato Salad

Please come visit my Victory Garden Menus post on the Lobster and Potato Salad that I made for the Posh Progressive Picnic!

Empty Poetry Post

Uh-oh!  The poetry post is empty again.  Do you have any poem suggestions or submissions?  Poets, I'd love to feature your original work in my poetry post and on my blog.  Just drop me a line.

New Herb Beds

I don't know about you, but I don't like the idea of dog pee on my salad greens and nasturtium blossoms.  So, we decided to add three new raised beds behind our split rail fence in the front yard.

 Then we rented a sod cutter.  Because I value my back and my marriage.  It only took us thirty minutes to cut the sod in the front and back yard.  Charlie pushed the sod cutter and I pulled on the front bar to keep the cuts accurate around the curves.  

The lawn lifted right up after cutting it with the sod cutter.  I highly recommend using a sod cutter for bigger projects.

After we returned the sod cutter, we put the cut sod in the back of the pickup and took it to H&H to be recycled into compost.

Our front yard slopes down to the sidewalk, so we had to dig in the raised beds to make them level.  Of course we decided to do this during the heatwave.  We bought green fir boards for the beds at Home Depot.  They made all the cuts for us and didn't charge us.  Sweet!  We assembled the boxes with leftover deck screws.   The beds are filled with a mix of soil, potting soil and compost.   

Ta-da!  I'm excited to fill these three new boxes with greens and herbs.  Any greens or herb suggestions?