Sleep is For the Wise

Folks, things are getting pretty crazy here in the Valley!

We’re becoming busier by the week, and our workers are feeling it! I’m sure many of us are elated when our heads hit the pillow at night. If you’re coming by for SPMC Winter retreat, don’t forgo a shout out to the kitchen!

Ah, SPMC Winter Retreat starts today, and we’re abuzz with excitement.

Especially me, for it’s my first opportunity to get the youth in the garden and show them how to compost! Check it out, these 7-12 graders are going to be able to make their own compost pile at home by the end of this weekend, and they’re going to know what it means to work as a team to get growing, fast.

The youth are going to construct garden beds on one of the tiers I’ve been raving about! Don’t worry if you’re busy from 9-12:15 on Saturday, because I’ll post a fast-motion video of the entire construction right here for you to watch their progress! It’s so exciting that I almost want to do pushups instead of go to bed!

Woah woah woah, it’s not that exciting. I’m brimming with jubilation nonetheless.

Donald and I bought redwood boards for the garden boxes.

We’re going to use 8 of these on our three garden boxes, that will total 100 square feet of growing space. (Don’t tell the kids, that’s a figure they’ll have to calculate).

Something I love about having all of the previous tenant’s junk to sift through is that I’ve found some very useful objects amidst it all. Much of what I use in the garden, wood, tools, ladders, are from the junk piles that continue to appear from hard days of work by our ever-reliable jack-of-all-trades, master-of-all grounds employee.

Check out this sign post I made!

This will don the “How to Build a Compost Pile” instructions I’ve recently drawn up. Aw look, we’re becoming an instructional, demonstration garden one small step at a time :).

You’ll be happy to hear my indoor tomato plants are growing brilliantly!

I’m starting to worry how I’ll maintain them as they grow in my increasingly crowded room! (It’s amazing the masses of stuff we accumulate over time, like couches!)

I have also planted bell pepper seeds and am keeping them in another room in the lodge with optimal sun exposure. Jerry has the opportunity of sharing a room with them this evening. I hope he treats them kindly.

With all the groups to be coming through in the next weeks and months, I am running out of options for warm, indoor growing space with natural light. This is my invitation to you to donate from the goodness of your heart a green house or hoop house. Look them up, I’m sure you can find one to fit your financial abilities ;).

Just kidding, I can’t ask you for your money, as much as I’d like to.

Oh, I almost forgot!

I have commandeered a species of the enemy as a pet.

I think he likes his terrarium as a new home.

I figure I can learn cool things about slugs, and who knows, maybe I can be hopeful enough to find a solution to my big pest problem. No! I would never hurt Little Donald!

 

If you’re as thrilled as I am about this weekends events to come, check back next Friday to see how it all goes down! I’m going out on a limb and promising you won’t be disappointed. See you next week!