Happy Easter Vacation Everyone!!!

I'm happy to be on vacation, and feel pretty accomplished in the last three days.  On Friday, we bought the municipal compost I wrote about last time, and spent much of the day raking and shoveling it around.  We had bought some river rock to put in the firepit area after we laid out the area in bricks.  We're quite pleased with the effect.  Then I used the leftover bricks to build the front garden bed I've dreamed of since the day I moved in.   A quick trip to Lowe's supplied some bedding plants, Polka Dot plants, white Dianthus, two violets that came up in the herb garden this year that I transplanted, a Red Russian kale, to move in the direction of edibles in the front garden, and some lemon balm, which I'm both hopeful and fearful will do well with just some morning sun.   Hubby also helped me put the straw bales in place, so I made the vine bed, and what may end up to be a three sisters garden.  I was thinking maybe I shouldn't plant corn, but now I have decided screw it.  I will move the arch back to the other bed, since the corn will be supplying most of the trellising.

I've started the straw bales with two cups of Milorganite each, and daily watering.  They overwintered in the open Walmart parking lot, so I feel as if they are composted enough to start plants in within the next week. This was a tough decision.  I saw that Milorganite was composted sewer sludge, and did some research.  I have decided at this time, I'm OK with using it in the vegetable garden.  Even though it is labeled as organic, it is not for use in an organic garden.  I have heard that people have gotten some great results from this product.  Even the salesperson at Lowe's was surprised I asked for it and told me he usually recommends it.  Also, it is rumored that it repels deer and rabbits.  For this alone, I am willing to try it out.  

Dawn and I went to the farmer's market, where we succumbed to pie and plants.  (Speaking of which, my rhubarb is coming up!)  On our way, I spotted an upturned plastic bucket indicating a yard sale. We vowed to return on our way home, and could have never imagined at the time what we were getting into.   

After purchasing tomatoes and kale from a lively character who urged us to spread copious amounts of lime on our red clay to improve the soil, we returned to the yard sale only to be greeted with a pile of refuse, the likes of which I haven't seen since garbage day in front of a block-long Manhattan apartment building.  Piles of trash provided a fence for a few worn pieces of furniture and assorted glassware, among some other odds and ends.  Hosting this event were two native Charlotteans, whom sadly enough were helping out the brother, who had not paid taxes in seven years.  It was as if Hillbilly Blood met American Pickers.  There was so much junk.  The man told us that we could have anything we want for $10.  Dawn and I looked at each other, and in a few moments, it was clear we weren't leaving without a truckload of stuff.  

We had spoken earlier in the year about possible starting a weekend home-grown business, maybe flea market booth.  Sadly, as both of us are lacking the funds for starting up said business, it's been on hiatus.  Well, after this trip, we now have enough furniture to start flipping to start it up!  After making a pile, including most of the furniture, used greenhouse pots, random bricks from around the property, glass wine jugs, a lamp, a rain barrel, and other stuff, we promptly returned to my house to empty the truck of the mulch that still resided there from the day before.  Feeling like proud multicultural Picker Sisters, we slept well.  

Hubby and I spent Easter watching a Season 4 Game of Thrones marathon.  It felt really good to relax and do nothing all day, but eat candy and watch TV.  This morning, I started to catch up on Outlander, installed a second clothesline, hung up a few loads of laundry and contemplated the garden layout.  Today I will make a compost sifter, get the strawberries planted in the soda bottle column,  and plant the concord grape in a container.  If there's time, I can finish Dawn's Giant Jenga I started before Christmas.  Still lots of sanding and painting to do for that.  Then I might finish in time for knitting :)