I'd Rather Be Planting!

I enjoyed gardening so much last summer that I got an early start this year. In February, I bought supplies to start seeds so that I could plant seedlings as soon as the last frost passed. Some of my seedlings were doing well, so I put them outside for hours at a time to toughen them up before planting them.  They didn't like outside so much, and all wilted. I think I tried exposing them too soon. So I started more seeds, and I finally have some tomato plants that got big enough to be transplanted to bigger pots. I've put them outside one time, and most of them are still OK. I'll keep trying it occasionally until they get bigger and I'm sure they'll be OK in the ground. I'll start a little earlier next year and be more patient. I want produce early next year.

Spinach, carrots and green peas in late April

Spinach, carrots, peas and lettuce yesterday

I made peas in the garden!

I started planting in my front yard garden in March and have already enjoyed arugula, lettuce, spinach, peas, and cilantro. I made some salsa with the cilantro. I'm so excited about growing things in my yard that I plan to dig up a plot on the other side of our front porch. Matt is in favor of having less lawn to mow.

I've also started planting in the community garden out at the farm. Corn, green beans, and purple hull peas are already making good progress. And we've got several other things planted out there and room for a little more.

And I've got a bit of container gardening going. I've got about 15 little pots of herbs started. And some of the tomatoes I've got started as seedlings will go in one of those upside-down hanging tomato planters. I'm looking forward to fresh produce this summer. But I love planting things just to watch them grow.

Spring Semester Complete!

I just turned in grades for my class, so I am officially done for the semester.  I tried some new things and some of them worked.  I still wasn't satisfied with their overall progress, and despite my generous grading, only a third passed again this semester.  I asked my students what worked and didn't work this semester. Overwhelmingly, they thought I should have given more homework. So since only a third are going to pass whether I'm hard or easy on them and since students have told me they want more homework, I'm going to push my students harder in the future.  At least the third who pass will be well prepared.

And now that the semester is over, I have a bad cold.  This time Matt gave me the cold instead of the other way around. He had an allergy cough for a few weeks that turned into a cold cough a few days ago.  I wish he had kept it to himself.  It went from throat tickle to full blown chest congestion in less than 36 hours. I'm feeling a little better today than I felt yesterday, but better is still really bad.

I've started some gardening and will have pictures soon.  Matt will teach summer school in June.  I've got all sorts of ideas for teaching in the fall and a whole summer to make plans.