Skybird - z5, Denver, Colorado says: I'm glad to see you're still "around here," Steve! You suddenly went from Very Active to GONE, and I was wondering if you were ok! Figured you were just "busy," with spring and all (tho when I check your weather up thataway, it sure doesn't look very much like SPRING!) so was waiting to do a post saying: Digit! Where are you!

• June 7: The temperature was down to 41°f that morning.
• June 13: The afternoon high was 92°. These weren't records but, nearly!

My tomato, pepper and eggplant patch looks like the Wreck of the Hesperus -- too much wind, too much intense sun, and too many mornings down to 40° ! What is heartening is that my potted tomato plants at the foot of the backsteps look healthy and happy. One of these days, I'm gonna move all my gardening to the foot of my backsteps!

In the 2019 Big Garden I'm doing lots of tilling. The tractor guy made his usual mess and my rototiller is about the only way to level it. Further, that garden is a little more than 25' x 40' larger than it was in 2018. I think that I can say that I'm again back to the same gardening space as before downsizing that year. I'm not sure why I bother to downsize when I turn right around and increase the size almost immediately.

Here's one reason: I believe the property owner is gonna push for me to take over yet another 40' x ?. It will be watered yet grow only weeds if I don't. I really dislike having those weeds right there. Heck's Fire! I've nearly enough ground to grow livestock feed ...

... My 101 year-old father's monitoring system broke down. He actually had 3 different homecare systems but they were not adequate. So ... I brought him to live with us. ! His health, safety and property require monitoring! Why in tarnation does anyone of that age even have property? I was making weekly drives to his home (over 90 minutes one way) through all of February and early March. By the way, that continued even after he came to live with me ...

Dad needs lots of care. Dad's presence in my home dominated all other activities - as, it must. After right close to 100 days here, his adult grandchildren arranged his move into assisted living, this week. For me, it is a partial relief of a caregiver's burden. There is something that should be understood about the "very old:" Their children are olde, too! At least, ya know, we aren't so much in the "sandwich" generation these days. Both DW and I have health problems but our kids have not been burdens on us for years. They have been a real source of help with their grandfather and continuing. We, together, must find ways to draw to close his property responsibilities.

Gardenweb? I see that the last thread I started was about the new seedlings in the South Window being moved into the greenhouse. Usually, I'm posting threads ever few weeks but haven't ... The plant starts were moved out into freshly tilled ground as it became available and it all was a process as I anticipated life springing anew! (The doctor tells me that I have rounded a corner in the self-care of dealing with pneumonia this winter/spring.) One gets caught up in gardening life, as I knew I would. It is a refreshing experience - daily! DW and I have been out in the distant garden, this week. Worry about what is happening at home was at 1% from the previous 3 months. Woo-hoo! A chance to actually enjoy weeding ...

Steve