Productive weekend

Now that the sun is back out and shining it's been easier to get back into the swing of things. Last weekend was mostly dedicated to gardening though there was also brewing and other fun activities. This weekend was

Starting earlier though, I had a chance to take in some old boots of mine to the cobbler for some much needed repair. The rubber had worn off of most of the heels and was wearing into the wood. So I think I paid somewhere around $50 for these boots originally and having new heels put on is going to cost me around $25. I find this to be more than reasonable and look forward to seeing how they turn out.

The garden is coming along nicely. Most of the planting is done and we are now just hoping that things grow well. Last year there was a issue with powdery mildew on the squashes so this year they are further spread out and we are watching for any early signs of blight. Most of the herbs overwintered just fine except for the basil plant which needs to be replaced. Some of the chard overwintered and the hops are going crazy. So currently we have growing: salad greens, chard, corn, beans, squashes of various types, peppers, tomatoes, hops, peas, artichoke and rhubarb. I have 20 asparagus starts coming that I need to find space for and will hopefully be producing by next spring.

We are still figuring out how to deal with the neighborhood cats since their owners have seen fit to allow them to wander the neighborhood and crap in anyone's garden that they please (yes I am a little bitter). We dug a new bed this year and covered it with gardening cloth, hoping that will discourage the cats since there is no dirt to dig in. Other than that the coyote fence is still up and the smaller beds are spiked. I don't know what to do for the really big bed down at the bottom of the yard but I'm sure we'll come up with something (like live traps and a no kill shelter).