Saturday, April 23, 2011

Hunting indoors

We celebrated Easter a week early this year, thanks to the inconvenient timing of this spring's sport fishing opener.  Fishing opener weekend marks the beginning of the park's camping season, and the beginning of my work-every-weekend-til-Labor-Day routine.  I don't mind working weekends in the summer when I can spend time with my kids during the week, but during April and May while the kids are in school it's kind of a bummer.

Family came to visit, and we painted eggs.  Easter is the only time of year that I buy eggs from the grocery store.  The bright colors just don't work on our own brown eggs.  Speaking of eggs, we're getting at least a dozen a day from the ladies now.  My husband rolled his eyes when I told him I had ordered more chicks for this summer.  You can never have too many eggs, right??




In the background of this picture you can see my seedling set-up. I've got two card tables against the wall.  On top of the tables are my potted herbs and a tray of planted seeds.  I've got two fluorescent shop lamps suspended underneath the tables, giving light to my seedlings.  The seedlings themselves are in paper cups, which are crowded into (new and clean!) cat litter boxes.

Space under the lights is at a premium.  I've already moved my cold-tolerant veges (Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cabbage, chard and lettuce) to the three-season porch to make room for the peppers, tomatoes and eggplant.  Soon I'll be starting my cukes and squash, which will create even more crowding.  I so need a greenhouse.
 

We had the egg hunt on Sunday morning.  I was hoping for an outside hunt, but apparently the Easter bunny thought it was too cold and drizzly (which it definitely was).  So we were indoors.  As you can see, the absence of opposable thumbs apparently doesn't hinder the bunny from hiding eggs in screw-top jars.  Also, here is another rare grocery store purchase of mine, a bag of flour.  My 25-lb bag of organic Swany Mills was running dry, and our local co-op had run out.  Next time we drive through Freeport, Minnesota, I'll be sure to buy two big bags of the good stuff.

2 comments:

Mama Pea said...

Who, of us crazy gardeners in the north country, doesn't need a greenhouse? ;o) Especially this time of year when there is just no way to keep the started seedlings from taking over the house!

Karen said...

Thanks again for taking care of my littlest munchkin! She had a great time!