I am a cranky old may, I have been trying to service my tractor, and it is so hard to get under those things, and see what needs to be done, and having the strength to do those things. For the longest time I did not see Madge sitting out there on a stool watching me, she was afraid that I might get hurt, I guess, any way I am so thankful that I have a wife that wants to look after me.

I did plant 11 more peppers today. I am not sure what I will plant tomorrow, but I have a lot more things lined up than I can get done.

We think more and more about moving into an apartment. It seems as though I just got through mowing, and it is about time to mow again.

Larry, Tom is being gracious to me and not mowing most of the property. It's for the wildflowers. Eventually that will end, but I'm enjoying it while it lasts. The neighbors think we're being lazy probably. That's why on my FB posts I mention the wildflowers more than once. So, they know. We are FB friends with most of our neighbors.

I'm glad Madge is looking out for you.

I planted peppers yesterday too. But, not many. Just 4 jalapenos, 2 Dawn peppers (a type of jalapeno), and 2 Lunchbox peppers. The Lunchbox peppers went into the Vego bed. The jalapenos in the kitchen garden. The sweet peppers were planted a few days ago and looked a little limp. We need rain. Plus the wind just beats everything up.

I'm slowly getting those plants out of the hoop house and planted. All that is left are the herbs and some flowers. The "zinnia" bed was weeded last night and is ready to plant. There are a lot of volunteers, but they aren't actually IN the bed. Lol. They're in the asparagus bed (its next door neighbor) and the pathways. I'll put the zinnias and cosmos from Rebecca into the bed. I have a few other zinnias in the hoop house too.

So, although the plants are nearly planted out, there's still some seed to sow: Kajari melon, cantaloupe, Armenian cucumber. And I think the sweet potatoes rotted in their little cups of water. I planted them, but they look dead. I'll pull a few more slips off today and get them going.

Also, once the BI seed order comes in, I'll replant the Jade beans.

Glenda, how are your Kindergarten sunflowers doing?

Those would look cute in my Greenstalk.

I'm thrilled to have a couple of days at home. All the dirty pots and trays are gonna get a wash today and I haven't decided what else. Just a general tidy-up around here would be good.

It's so hard to believe that it's been a year since Rick's work called me. I was sitting on the playground at work when she called to ask about him.

Jennifer I can hardly believe it’s been a year. Hugs to you for all you have done and all you continue to do.

Thanks, Kim. We started cleaning out our shop tonight (we've scheduled a Big Trash pick up) and I'm throwing out his stuff that no one would want...and selling his 2 canners for a really cheap price (and as a result have so many people who wish to purchase them). And an offer on the camp stove which we didn't post, but people could see in the pictures. It feels so weird.

My poor peppers are so unhappy with the wind and the chilly weather. One of the Isis Candy tomatoes was laid over but not snapped. I found a metal stake and tied her up. So far, I've only lost two coleus plants.

Pretty sure I can get all the things planted this weekend. The OKC Flower and Garden Fest is Saturday so I'll (more than likely) pick up a few more plants there. I have a list of things I want. Not a lot, but a few. Sure wish I could find some Valerian plants.

It is hard to believe that as little as I like morning glories, and four o:clocks that I would be starting them on my light shelf.

Larry, I absolutely love 4 o’clock. I have two huge patches at work that are gorgeous. They are light, pink, medium, pink, dark, pink and yellow. And there is also a salmon color one. I did not plant them. They are repeat offenders but at home, I planted some seed that Moni had given me and it came back this year. I need to put a cage around it to remind me to water itbecause it is off my beaten path.

Pretty, Kim!

We had a pretty big storm come through last night but we weren't at home. I am glad I wasn't stuck on I35 during it (coming home from Edmond).

We were at dinner and doing our shopping for the week (and got quite wet in the parking lots).

Good thing is the we got some rain. Some people in my hood had trees down, but I didn't see any real damage to our property. Some of the plants are leaning a bit. Another good thing is we didn't lose power.

We went to the OKC Flower and Garden Fest this morning and picked up a few plants. I am restraining myself. I don't need more native plants as they're spreading nicely in the native garden and around the property. The passion vine didn't come back, Larry. But, I forgot to look for one of those at Lia's booth. Normally the caterpillars destroy it before there's many flowers to enjoy...so a break from it this year is fine.

I went looking for specific herbs and flowers. Was able to find a patchouli. It was a little pricey and doesn't look great. If may become an indoor plant that I might try to propagate. Also, got a dill and parsley. My dill normally comes back each year but didn't this year. (Same as the roselle.) The rosemary that was purchased in December died, so I bought another one of those. Honestly, it might go in a pot and come indoors too depending on how big it gets. It's not the arp variety that I normally get.

Also purchased 2 annual lantanas that live in pots on the patio each year. That's about it.

Still need to find a few more ornamental things like asparagus fern and a few more annual flowers for pops of color here and there.

I'm about to "break it" to Tom that we need to go get more potting mix. I've spent so much on soil and mix and compost this year. Oh, and need to get some compost and/or soil to top off where the okra will be planted. Hopefully that will be it for this year. Hopefully.

Anyway, I'm about to do that. We've gathered up all the big trash stuff to the end of the shop and we need to set it out tonight too.

What are y'all doing today? Anyone have storm damage from last night?

Jennifer, I saw that some people had some storms and damage in Oklahoma. We didn’t even get any rain to speak of. They said in the town where I work that they got a lot of rain, but I did not see evidence of that in the garden at work. I hope everybody has a wonderful Mother’s Day being celebrated or celebrating the mothers in your life. My children typically don’t do anything for me so I took it upon myself to invite a friend out and we will celebrate together. That is what I think Mother’s Day should be is celebrate the ones who are here with people that want to be with you. I was going to buy myself a new Greenstalk since they are having such a great sale right now, but I am focusing all my energy into maintaining what I have because it’s a lot.

Kim, many years ago when I would grow flowers, I did not like the plants that were a problem to get rid of. I have always enjoyed working with the soil, and trying to improve it, then growing something new each year. Now I am trying to make the wildlife garden into something that will have "repeat offenders" in it. I hope to get some native fern to plant in the thicket over there. I have a spot that I call "Big Foot Mancave", where I have taken a brush hog and cut a trail back into the thicket to where there is a strange looking oak tree. I mad a spot large enough to turn my RTV around in the thicket. I hope to plant some fern back there, and put up a bird and squirrel feeder back into the thicket, where it cant be seen from the outside.

Jennifer, I noticed some passion vines in the north west pasture, and in the wildlife garden also. I plan on planting a roselle, a lot of okra, a good supply of peas and beans in the wildlife garden also. I have a 50# bad of sunflower seeds, and 6 large empty beds ready to plant. I doubt that any of my family will fool with the wildlife garden after I am gone, so I want to have some things over there that will come back each year, that will look nice, and feed the wildlife also. I know that something will grow there regardless of what I do, but this is sort of a way to help feed those mangy critters after I am gone.

This is the spot I hope to plant some native fern. I also want to transplant some mayapple from another area into this spot.

I wish that I could say that the last two pictures were of my garden, but they are of my neighbor's garden, he has three gardens, and they all look good. Neighbor has a greenhouse, and got plenty of plants ready to plant early. I was afraid and held back for fear of a late frost.

This is the driest spring that I can remember, and we are having to water already. Our gardens may be toast by July.

Thought I’d just check and see where the potatoes were at…turned into a quick 5qt bucket full. This is at about 90 days. I’ll do the big harvest starting Memorial Day week, but for now this makes a great Mothers Day for my mom. I did pull a few and roasted them up for my dinner last night So good.

Most everything is just in grow mode here. Green beans are getting ready to flower. Tomatoes setting. Cuccumbers thinking about climbing. Onions bulbing. Looks good.

That's great, Rebecca! Sounds like your garden is doing wonderfully well.

Mine is okay.

Larry, I like the wooded area. Love shady and foresty areas.

It was chilly and wet yesterday, but I spent a little time outside. My first sweet potato slips were left in their cups of water too long so I pulled a few new ones. Of course, they made roots right away so I stuck them in a hoop house bed.

All the Big Beef suckers made roots quickly in water, so they went into little cups of potting soil. I don't need anymore tomatoes and it's really the wrong time--but maybe I can give them away if they survive.

Do y'all remember when Tom and I drove about an hour to get a many pots and all? It was about a year ago. When we got there I was really disappointed because everything look so bad. But, we wanted to help the woman out and loaded them up and brought them home. As we we sorting through the shop to get the Big Trash stuff pulled, I gave them another look and set several aside. An SOS pad cleaned them right up. They look new. Not a waste of our time after all. Several are good sized and perfect for herbs, flowers and even peppers. I saved a few for me and a few for my sister. The rest are on the Big Trash pile. Hoping someone drives by and sees the value in them.

The three I cleaned up last night are full of zinnias now. The ones I started from seed. They are in between the two raised beds at the back of the property. It should pretty that area up.

The other night, I cleaned out the zinnia bed that is in the KG and filled it with the zinnias and cosmos from Rebecca....and a few of mine. There's also some Colorado blend yarrow that came back.

Let's see...I also got a few herbs together to give to a friend and my sister...and dug up some Tulsi to give away. There's 1000's of seedlings.

Has anyone direct sown nasturtium seed this late in the year? If so, how did it go?

My peppers--all of them--look rough. The wind has been a killer on them. I think they'll survive but sickly plants tend to attract pests.

I'm in my new office now--one of my unused classrooms. We still have the conference room in the office area. Last week, tho. It's very quiet and weird to be set up in the location, but our new conference room is across from this classroom in another classroom, so it maybe won't feel so weird next week.

Anyway...speaking of conference rooms. Time to head over to my meeting.

I have been disking up more flower beds and planting more seeds. I planted about 5 qts. of sunflower seeds, and a qt. of turnip seeds. The turnip seeds are old, and they not even come up this time of the year, but, I expect they will, and bolt soon. I have let them go to seed in the past, and they seemed to attract some kind of small bird that I liked to watch pick the seeds out of them. The squirrels and crows are eating the seeds about as fast as I can sow them.

I worked for a while this morning, and remembered Madge saying how tired she was. Madge partied all weekend with kids, grand kid and a great grand kid, she is worn out. I called her while I was working in the wildlife garden and ask her to meet me at the corner of Mackenay and Hwy 253 and we would go to lunch. when we came home I worked a while and came in and had a nap, now the day is almost gone. I had better get out and try to put some plants in the ground. My,how time flies when you are having fun.

Jennifer I plant nasturtiums through the summer. Just soak the seeds a couple of days and keep moist after planting. My peppers have been struggling with this weather too and I have had insect problems plus a mole that has tunneled up into the raised beds! Cucumbers and okra come up but then just shrivel up or look sickly and die.

The kindergarten sunflower seeds I don’t have a verdict yet. They are very slow growing. The ones I planted in pots inside every one came up. I planted some in a tub around some purple millet and only 2 of 10 came up. I’m hoping to save seed from these for next year.

I pulled the last of the silky sweet turnips. I’ve been putting them in salad because they have so many vitamins. Will definitely plant in fall garden.

Larry I don’t know how you plant so many areas. I can’t keep up with just my yard and garden.

Husband now has torn rotator cuff and awaiting surgery. I got another shot in mine yesterday and hoping it will be enough.

Rebecca your potatoes are nice! I just started digging ours. They are in mineral tubs. I want to take them out and put sweet potatoes in them. Yes Larry, I FINALLY got a few slips to plant.

We got 6/10” rain Saturday night and Sunday. Missed out on the big amounts but also missed the hail so consider that good. Our ponds are way down- we need a hard rain with runoff to get some water - we are headed into summer with low ponds- not a good situation.

We had 42° Friday and I had pellet stove going then, today we have the air on. No wonder our plants are confused.

Keep posting- I love reading what everyone is doing even when I don’t have time to respond.

I went out and watered this morning. I planted sweet potatoes till after dark, and could not see what I was doing, so first thing this morning I watered, and counted. I have 69 sweet potatoes in the ground, and enough on the porch to take the count up to around 80. I missed a lot of plants, because, in the dark a sweet potato looks a lot like a pepper. I have around 50 peppers in the ground, but most of them look pale. I have a 12 gal. container in the back of my RTV, and go around giving the plants a little blue water to pick them up a little. The peppers that I planted a couple of weeks ago look pretty good, the others will look better after getting a little blue water around their feet.

The first sunflowers that I planted are about 3 inches tall, but none of the last bunch of sunflowers have come, but I have a bunch of seeds planted, some of them are bound to come up.

Glenda, I am sitting myself up for a big disappointment, I am planting much more that I can take care of. My wife and daughter are on me each year about planting so much, but I ask them, " what do you expect me to do, just sit in this recliner and wait to die"? I cant think of a better way to go, than to just roll off of that tractor seat deader than a door nail.

I am tired. I have wasted a lot of time, and, have very little to show for it.

My best looking peppers are in the wildlife garden, where I have no water. These are Ashe County, and have a lot of buds, I don't recall seeing any peppers yet.

My best looking tomatoes are Arkansas Traveler, but I bought them for $.50 each.

I also found a stone age map of Oklahoma, this was before all of the panhandle was formed, and before some of the mountain ranges had eroded..

Glenda, that's good to know about the nasturtium. For some reason I thought they couldn't do the heat of summer. I've only had good germination once--maybe the second year we lived out here. Thanks for the advice. I'll try soaking.

I just love them and there are so many pretty colors.

There was a YouTube channel I used to watch--Calikim--and she had them everywhere and is southern Cali, so they must be able to take the heat if cared for properly.

Larry, I sure wish I had some Ashe County Pimentos....

Okay, that's all I can do tonight. More later.

Jennifer, I sure wish you had some my pimentos, I still have dozens of them in 6 pack sitting on the porch. All total, I have over 50 peppers in the ground, we have never needed that many peppers.

I wish I did too, Larry. I'll get new seed for next year.

My peppers are really beat up, but they'll probably come out of it just fine.

The past few nights, I've really pushed getting everything planted and I'm almost there.

The chives from SF still need to be planted and a couple of things from Kim....and a few store-bought flowers.

However, the okra, Karjai melon, Jade beans (second try), and Armenian cucumbers are still not sown. Tonight, that is my task.

The KG is really making me happy this year. All the herbs that have been added and scaling back on tomatoes and peppers. I've always wanted a cute fence around it, but decided that would be too expensive, but now I'm wanting the fence again.

My neighbor messaged me yesterday. She had 3 empty trays for her next freeze-drying round. So, I grabbed up a lot of the small Tulsi that is everywhere, washed it and took it to her. Also, took spearmint and common mint.

The hope that a roselle would still pop up remained until last night. Don't think it's gonna happen. I checked the "burn pile" to see if one is coming up there but didn't see anything. It's okay. I'll make it. There's still 2 jars of it in the pantry.

Glenda, I'm going to soak the nasturtium seed tonight. Do you have a favorite variety?

Jennifer, I am glad you mentioned roselle, I have 3 that I need to plant, they are on the porch with a lot of other things that I need to plant, but there is no way that I can plant everything that need planting. We are having company this weekend, maybe I can give away some of these plants that I have. I have been told time and time again " don't plant so much", but I never listen.

I did plant more sweet potatoes this morning. I am up to around 90 sweet potatoes in the ground, I have just got to stop planting.

Madge went shopping for groceries this morning, and called from town and said that she was just too tired to fix lunch, and that we should go out to eat. We went to the Pizza Barn, and saw a bunch of school mates. I could not understand how those folks got to looking so old, then I came home and looked in the mirror and saw someone that looked just as old. It seems as though everyone I know is fighting a losing battle with age.

I am going to try planting some of the seeds that I have not been able get to come up over in the wildlife garden, here in the house garden where I can water them. I think most of my germination problems are from the lack of water. As dry as it is I may as well stop planting in places where I cant water.

Hey there! Just checking in. Nothing much to post right now. Hope everyone is having a good weekend.

I just finished watering in the north and south garden. We had company all last weekend, and expect company this weekend, so I feel that I should shut things down for the next two days, and visit.

I started these hollyhock seeds last year, which was a first for me. I have lost some of the plants due to the dry weather, and my bad driving. I am not fond of the color, but so far it look like we will have a lot of blooms.

I have 5 baby pumpkins on my coon pumpkin. I call it a coon bumpkin because it is a volunteer from some of the pumpkins I tossed out for the wildlife to eat. Most of the plants were disc into the soil, but this one just happened to be where I had planned on planting some winter squash anyway. I have not seen any pollinators around, so all of my fruit may abort. I also do not have a water hose out to this area either, but hope to string one soon.

My place seems to get trashier everyday . It seems as the days get shorter and shorter, till there is just not enough time in a day to get everything done.

Everybody is so busy. I am as well. My green stalk tipped over last night. Nothing broken plants seemed okay. I am home from work resting but I will tackle the fenced in area today. It is in jungle mode. I am getting blueberries and greens. Onions need to be harvested. Herbs need to be harvested and dried. Sounds like a lot of work for Me.

Weed eater ran out of battery so I am waiting for it to charge. I moved my green stock layers out of the fenced area for now. When I get everything chopped down, I will put them back. Here’s a few beautiful onions I harvested I have about this many more in the garden yet

I'll make a new discussion thread.