Friday, July 20, 2007

Blogiversary

Well, the calendar says I have been blogging for a whole year now. (Where did that year go?)

My main objective in this blog thing was garden journaling. Of course, I have fallen far from my goal, and instead have had a number of detours instead, mostly soapbox-worthy things regarding the quality of our food. Besides, a journal of "X bloomed on Y day" is really insufferably boring copy, even to its gardener!

But memory fails, often, especially regarding the garden. So I will give you all a tip. I expanded my veg beds considerably last fall, and now it's far too large for me to keep on top of it all, especially as a sketch on a piece of paper. So here is my answer. Recycling.

This is a cut-up piece of a vinyl miniblind. Yes, it's recycled, but from GoodWill: our farmhouse was last decorated in the days way before miniblinds, frankly. If you cut them at 6-7", and write on them with a permanent marker, these things will be legible through the season. A deciphering of my scrawl lists the seed variety, the plant date, the point of origin of the seed, and the date I got the seeds. I usually bury them to a height of 2", and hill mulch around them enough so I don't have to look at them, unless I really want to.

Where this blog will go is a mystery. It has been an enjoyable morning routine for me. I have really enjoyed "meeting" all of you, as that has been the biggest surprise of all: readers!

11 comments:

Carol Michel said...

And I've enjoyed "meeting" you. Happy Blogiversary. And what a great idea for plant labels!

Carol at May Dreams Gardens

Annie in Austin said...

Happy Blogiversary, El - you write well and have a lot to say. Your rural life is so different from mine that I seldom comment, but do enjoy coming here!

Your labels cracked me up - I did the same thing years ago when some Master Gardener friends from Illinois passed the idea along. It's still a good way to recycle those mini-blinds.

Annie at the Transplantable Rose

cookiecrumb said...

Lucky me to have found you!
(I love your mini-blinds trick. Fortunately, with about 20 square feet of plantings, I'm not in trouble yet. Yet!)

CG said...

happy blogoversary and many more!

Anonymous said...

Thankfully, my garden is still small enough that I can remember what everything is. Though I do it all down at the beginning of the season in my garden journal -- just in case... :)

Happy blogiversary. Wishing you many more!

Laurene said...

Congrats! I've certainly enjoyed reading your blog. I look forward to it as part of my 'just before bedtime' reading routine. Hope you will continue on!

Liz said...

The happiest of blog birthdays to you. ;)

I've done that same trick with big yogurt containers. But now I just forget to label!

meresy_g said...

Happy blogiversary El! So glad to have run across your blog. You are always interesting! And that is a great tip for reusing venetian blinds. Maybe the plant marker elves won't abscond with those in the dark of night like they do my others. I was just looking at a pepper last night, not being able to remember what it was and there was no marker to be seen when I know darn well I made sure to securely place them near the plant.

Anonymous said...

Congratulations. What a great year it has been! Thank you.

Unknown said...

Happy Blogiversary, El! I've been enjoying your blog as well and am glad to have "met" you.

El said...

Carol: Likewise! I can't think of my lawn the same after learning about yours.

Annie: I can't remember where I got that tip, but whomever started it should get royalties. I thank you for your thoughts, and hope I can sustain your interest!

CC: It is a matter of time, sweetie. Remember I was pushing dirt in a small patch not too long ago...though then again I don't have your ready access to your farmer's market!

CG! Miss you! Glad to know you're still out there, though. I think of you often.

AMWD: Thanks for stopping by! I agree journals do help, if you keep things in the same place, that is ;0D

Artemisia: Glad to know I am part of a routine! I hope you've found a pal for Edna.

Liz: Wow. Yogurt containers. Hmmm. I have lots of those... But thanks for your warm wishes.

Meredith: Elves! Wow. Not chickens? My only problem with the labels is having enough of them. I have to write them as I plant, it seems, because sometimes I change my mind on where I put things, and of course cannot remember the next time I visit the garden. (Thanks, it's mutual!)

Hank: Miss you, too! You and CG were part of MY routine, sniff. Hoping you happiness in Digitalistan.

Kim: Likewise! I see your gardens and say, wow, I should've done that in MY city garden (we seem to have had the same amount of shade, and space).