Gardening in My Rubber Boots

Jan 22

Why I don’t have a dog…

Don’t get me wrong — I REALLY want a dog. But, because I already have a rooster (in town) I figure I shouldn’t push my neighbors over the edge with a barking dog. They’ve already mentioned they don’t mind Buttercup’s crows because we put up with their dog barking. Plus, Buttercup is sorta like a dog: he digs in the garden, he crows at any noise he hears in the early morning, he poops all over the yard and he eats my plants.

I suppose I can do without a dog for a little while longer. And I guess I don’t need a pesky dog running around chasing my chickens. Buttercup is worth it.

Buttercup crowing while Henny Penny looks on

Maybe one day…

Jan 16

7 Comments

I’m Considering a Composting Fence…

As you may know, I currently have a chain link fence running along the south side of my yard. To help hide the ugliness of the chain link, I covered it with reed fencing a couple years ago. Even though the reed fencing has made it more tolerable, I have a garden tour coming through this year and feel this is the one thing that makes my garden not worthy of the tour. Read more

Jan 15

4 Comments

What’s Blooming January 15, 2011

There aren’t many blooms but it sure is a beautiful 50º no rain kind of morning. Gotta love it.

Helleborus

Garden blog bloom post helpers

They don't like it when I'm this close...

At least she doesn't care how close I get!

Euphorbia

Following me around the garden

Heather

We spotted our goldfish yesterday - they're still alive!

Mickey wants to come outside and play

Now, if I could only get the groundcover to take off!

Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day takes place on the 15th of every month and all started with May Dreams Gardens.

Jan 14

4 Comments

Best Chicken Poo Stress Toy Ever!!

The only thing that would make this stress toy better for me: give the poor chicken some feathers!

Jan 4

5 Comments

Books I Haul to Master Gardener Clinics

Before I took the Master Gardener training in early 2010, I mostly bought gardening books full of beautiful pictures that I could “borrow” ideas from. After the training, I found myself picking out books that I could use to help ID plants, bugs and diseases. And because I was hauling too many heavy books when volunteering at clinics, I had to narrow it down to the essential books I referred to most.

Most of the books are specific to the Pacific Northwest. If you’re not fortunate enough to live around here, I’m sure you can find a similar book made for your neck of the woods. Here are my go-to books when helping people with their gardening questions: