The Big Green Field

Our family loves the big soccer field behind our house. It is truly an endless source of entertainment. Right now I am watching (what I suspect is a church group) play a rowdy game of dodge ball. Yup. Dodge ball. It is hilarious.

In other parts of the field I see a young family chasing after toddlers, another family lounging in the grass, and a couple of soccer players. Earlier this afternoon I saw a man flying a huge kite. A cricket league plays in our field several nights per week. Kids' soccer practices are always fun to watch at supper time.

I think we love our field because it is fun. Almost without fail, people visit the field to play and relax. We hear lots of laughter. The sea of lush, green grass is rather intoxicating and people enjoy playing within it.

When I think of all the ways God has blessed our family, I am truly thankful for our beautiful house. Most of all, I am grateful for the huge grassy field it sits upon.

Hooray!

More sprouts today!  

Black seeded simpson lettuce and lots of radishes.

Big Excitement!

Sprouts!  We have sprouts!  Hooray!

We planted our garden a mere 6 days ago, so I wasn't expecting to see any green for another week or so.  However, this morning my little helper and I spotted tiny green sprouts poking through the soil!  We have a wee row of spinach and a few eager radishes!

I've started keeping a gardening journal to log these exciting discoveries.  The journal is nothing fancy.  I'm using a pretty notebook I've been squirreling away for ages.  (The notebook is perfect because it says "maison des gardins" on the cover.)  Each day I jot down the little things that happen and the work we accomplish in the yard.  Since gardening is a new adventure, I'm hoping the notebook will prove to be a handy record.

The Garden is Planted!

Didn't Ben do a great job building our garden beds?  

The veggies are planted and now we wait!  I followed the plan for "square foot gardening" and between our two beds we have about 30 sq. ft. of space to work with.  Today only half the beds are actually planted, though.  We'll successively plant the rest of the garden over the next few weeks in hopes of spacing out our harvest.

What did we plant?

Carrots

Radishes

Beets

Zucchini

Pole beans

Peas

Black Seeded Simpson lettuce

Buttercrunch lettuce

Spinach

Sweet peas

The kids and I will plant sunflowers at the corners of the garden this afternoon.  Next week I also plan to plant one or two tomato seedlings. This is all a grand adventure, so we'll see what actually grows :-).

Next on the list ... put up those gates to keep the bunnies at bay!

All About the Yard

This week it's been the number one topic of conversation. 

The yard.

What to do with the yard?

The good thing is this:  Ben's plans and my plans are pretty well in agreement.  We are certainly on the same page.

The bad thing is this:  We don't have enough time!  A few hours each weekend just aren't going to cut it.  (And let's face it --- we don't want to be slaves to our yard either.)

Oh yes, and there's also the issue of our budget.  Home improvement projects can get very, very expensive.

Ben and I have been riding high from last weekend's productivity.  Ben did a fantastic job with the raised garden beds.  They truly look great!  I was also happy to get the weed barrier put down under our mulch.  We reached our goals before the poor weather set in and it felt good to work out in the sun.

So, what's the plan of attack for this weekend?  Here are our priorities:

1.  Mow and water the grass.  Green Drop is scheduled to aerate and spray our lawn today.  They were supposed to arrive a few days ago, so Ben's been putting off the mowing and our yard looks like a jungle!

2.  Plant the veggie garden.  I am very much looking forward to this! Last night I actually dreamed about planting our garden.  I was worried we were planting too late in the season, however I found an extremely useful chart in The Calgary Gardener.  The chart lists May 24 as the best day to plant many veggies in Calgary.  Looks like we're right on track!

3.  Figure out where to build gates.  This is a rather pressing concern. Our yard is fenced but not gated.  Ben and I discovered evidence of a furry friend living under our deck (a veggie-loving rabbit) and need to fortify the yard!  We may rig a temporary barricade until we decided where to install gates.  Sadly, utility lines and a water spigot interfere with the most logical placement.

4.  Power wash the house and deck.  This is ambitious, and if it doesn't get finished I won't sweat it.  The house is grimy from winter.  The deck is in sorry shape.  We were upset to discover the previous owner failed to seal our deck last year.  It is now a mess!  We don't want our beautiful deck to rot away and need to strip, stain and seal pronto.  This was not a project we had anticipated and it will likely require a lot of effort.

I think my mom and I will visit the garden centre on Saturday.  I may be sorely tempted but I'll probably wait another week before buying flowers.  (We had a frost advisory last night in Calgary!)  It will be fun the look, though.

Mr. Sun, Where are You?

Ben and I have BIG plans for the long weekend.  (Big plans to work on the yard, that is!)  We have our fingers crossed that the rain will dry up and we'll finally see some sun.

A couple weeks ago Ben edged our flower beds and filled them with mulch.  They look great --- except for all the grass and weeds now poking through!  Yuck!  We did not use a weed barrier because I thought I would plant some flowers.  Guess what?  Plans have changed and "low-maintenance" is the word of the day.  This weekend I plan on scooping out the mulch, laying down weed barrier, and putting it all back together.

Meanwhile, Ben has a project of his own in the backyard.  After weeks of deliberation (and seeing the soggy results of recent downpours) we've decided to build raised garden beds.  Last week Ben dug the foundation for the beds along our back fence.  We plan to use landscaping ties to build up the garden.  This is our most ambitious yard-improvement project to date, so we'll see how it turns out!

In other news, I booked Green Drop to look after our lawn.  To tell the truth, I'm not sure how I feel about the decision.  I certainly look forward to green, lush grass.  Will it be worth the expense?  I guess time will tell.  Ben is the first to admit he is not a "lawn guy" and our poor grass could use some TLC.  The bigger issue is the chemicals, though.  Green Drop offers a 100% organic program (and it costs the moon).  We've gone with their standard program of aeration, fertilization and spot-pesticide.  (Green Drop will not spray the entire yard with weed killer.) Ultimately, Ben and I plan to lay paving stones over most of the backyard.  (Who needs grass when we have a gigantic field out our back gate?)  Maybe lawn maintenance will be less of an issue in the future.

Over the next week or two I look forward to making our yard "pretty".  I have four flower planters and plan to hang some baskets on the deck.  We'll stick with easy, colourful flowers like petunias.  The kids and I will also plant our veggies (providing the raised beds work out).  The following book has been a great source of information and I highly recommend it:

Phew!  That looks like a lot!  Ben and I are quickly realizing that yard work is HARD work.

Beware!

A ferocious dinosaur lives on our driveway.  He faithfully protects the house from intruders.  Yes, his form is a tiny bit lumpy and the extra leg does slow him down.  Just don't let the smiley face fool you into thinking he's friendly...

Spring, Will You Ever Arrive?

I can hardly believe we woke up to snow again this morning.  Will it ever completely melt away?  I'm just itching to get outside and play in the dirt!

Ben and I spent most of the weekend talking, planning and dreaming about our yard.  We even made two separate trips to Home Depot. (Scouting expeditions.)  We have grand plans and a small budget, so we'll see what actually gets accomplished!  Ben and I have never done anything with a yard before.  It's all a great, big adventure.

I've been mulling over the flower beds I dug out along the driveway last fall.  Ben thinks we should just fill them with bark mulch this year.  I sort of agree.  I also sort of disagree.  I'd like to fill the borders with an easy, pretty, low-growing perennial.  I'm thinking pinks might look nice, maybe cheddar pinks?  (The name alone is almost enough to sell me.)

If the weather improves I hope we'll rake the lawn next weekend.  We may even start digging out the veggie patch along our back fence.  I'd love to clean off the deck and bring out the patio furniture, but then I'm sure we'd be guaranteed to receive another dump of snow!   

On This Day in History...

One year ago today Ben and I placed on offer on a beautiful home.  The offer was accepted and six days later (mere hours before we signed the final papers) our fourth little Inkling was born.  What a crazy start to a very busy year!

If Ben and I had charted our own course, we certainly would not have chosen to buy a house last spring.  In our eyes the timing was all wrong.  However, God had a bigger plan and we are very grateful He was guiding our steps.  Ben and I had no idea the housing market would take such a nosedive and we sold our condo at the best possible time.  God's timing was perfect.

Looking back, we have lots to be thankful for: terrific next-door neighbours, our school right across the street, a huge expanse of green just out the back door, a safe and beautiful home.

We've been totally, thoroughly blessed!   

Green Thumb (Not)

Calgary has been caught in a deep freeze these past few days.  I think the temperature is hovering at a balmy -20C this afternoon.  It's been cold!  Last week's chinook teased us into thinking spring might be just around the corner, but of course, we have several months of winter still ahead.  It is certainly a dreary prospect.

At least I can dream about an end to the snow, can't I?  This will be the first spring Ben and I have our own yard to contend with (for good or for ill).  I figure now is the time to decide what we'll do with it! Hopefully, we can get right to work in May when the city finally thaws out.

I've been reading a couple of excellent books (loaned to me by my Mom and my dear neighbour).  The first is a book I would gladly recommend to any Calgarian:

The Calgary Gardener: The Essential Guide to Gardening in Alberta's Chinook Country

I am only a few chapters in to The Calgary Gardener and I've already learned a great deal.  As anyone who's lived in this city knows, our climate is unpredictable (at best!).  I am slowly becoming more aware of our changing seasons and am learning the names of some plants that grow well here.

I've found the above book to be a great general reference.  (My book's pages are full of sticky notes at the moment.)  I've found terrific information on topics like composting, laying a stone path, hanging a gate, planting trees and caring for a lawn.  I love any book with glossy pictures and illustrated diagrams, so this one is tops for me!

Ben and I have also found this book helpful:

We referenced Lois Hole's book extensively when we planted a tree in our front yard this fall.  The book specifically features trees and plants that grow well in Alberta.  Ben and I plan to plant several trees in our back yard next fall and will again use the book as our main reference.

So, what do we have planned?  All my reading, research and pondering has led me to the following conclusions:

• The next couple of seasons we should focus on building good foundations for our landscaping.  (Work on the basics.)
• We do not have the time or energy for fancy gardening plans!
• Like most families this year, we are watching our budget carefully and our modest landscaping will reflect that.
• Vegetable gardens are a lot more work than I had first realized.

Slowly but surely, a series of goals are starting to gel in my own head. My natural tendency is to get carried away with elaborate plans, therefore, I am trying my best to keep things simple!  Here are the areas I think we should work on outside:

• Take good care of the front and back lawns.  (Aerate them in the spring, deal with the weeds more effectively.)
• Hang gates at the entrances to the back yard. 
• Stain the fence in a natural shade.
• Spread bark mulch in the beds along the driveway and around the tree.  Run plastic edging along the sides.  (I dug out these beds last fall.)
• Install moonlights in the beds along the driveway.  (We bought the lights last fall.)
• Plant two or three containers with annuals to brighten up the porch.  (I already have the pots.)  Buy a couple hanging baskets (an annual fundraiser at the school) to brighten up the back deck. 

I am still debating the wisdom of planting a small veggie patch.  Will it be worth the effort?  I've read that a tiny garden (only one square meter) can supply a family with salad veggies for the season.  A garden twice that size can provide a fair amount of vegetables.  Should we do it? Maybe I could plant a few tomatoes and peppers in a sunny pot out on the deck.  That sounds less intimidating to me!

I also have a couple of goals for next fall:

• Plant some bulbs in the beds along the front driveway so that next spring we can enjoy the colours.
• Plant three or four trees in the backyard.  (The trees go on sale 50% off in the fall.)

I am slowly coming to realize that "slow and steady wins the race".  We plan to live in this house for a long time.  We'll have many years to slowly build up the yard.  In a few years, when our kids are a little bigger, we may also have more time to devote to gardening.  Until then I will be satisfied with simple plans!

Quote of the Day

We have a small flaw in our kitchen floor.  There's a 1/4 inch gap between two of the hardwood pieces.  This morning our two-year-old got down on her hands and knees, pressed her nose to the kitchen floor, and wailed in great distress:

"Oh no, Mommy!  This house is broken!"

Wide Open Space

I am watching some men drill post holes into our field. I like to think of it as "our" field but the land is actually owned by the city. The field is more correctly known as an "stormwater dry pond" and it stretches several hundred metres behind our house.

I'm told the northern half of the field belongs to the Calgary Board of Education. One day they plan to build a school there. The section of land behind our house, however, will never be developed. I pray we'll always enjoy that beautiful grassy expanse outside our back door.

And, so it seems, after today we'll also have soccer matches to look forward to!

Scary

Today I am grateful for guardian angels.

I was out running errands for most of this morning and returned home just before lunch. As I pulled into our driveway, I clicked the button on the garage door opener. Nothing happened. I clicked a few more times. Nothing.

"Drat," I thought to myself, "The remote's battery has gone dead."

I put the van into park and stepped onto the driveway. I punched our code into the key pad on the side of the house and waited. Nothing. The garage door didn't budge.

Double drat.

I punched in the code one more time and listened carefully. The motor was running inside but the garage door wouldn't move. Something was broken, for sure.

The kids and I left the van on the driveway and went in through the front door. I walked through the house and out to the garage, flipping on the light. I pressed the button from the inside.

The garage door motor started, the chain pulled the lever across the ceiling, but the arm was no longer attached to the door. All the bolts had pulled free. It took a moment for the ramifications to sink in.

What if those bolts had given way when the door was open?

What if one of the children had been under the door when the bolts gave out?

Our children had run under that door just hours earlier as we left for school...

I shuddered.

And I thanked God for sending a big, burly angel to shoulder that heavy door in order to keep our family safe.

A Wee Bit Greener

Our new compost bin is officially operational. (Thanks Sandra!) Ben put it together the other night and I've started adding soil and kitchen scraps to the bin. For the time being we've placed the composter beside our lower deck, near the patio doors. We'll see if smell becomes an issue. However, I plan to compost through the winter and Ben thought the bin should be near a door. (No need to trudge through the snow banks!)

I have grand plans for our yard next year. (Ha! We'll see what happens in the land of reality.) Maybe our little composter will help make the yard a bit greener.

The Never Ending List

Don't get me wrong, I love our new house. It is a complete and unexpected gift from God. Every day Ben and I find something else in our home to be thankful for. For example, this week we were grateful for our west-east exposure. (This is something we never would have thought to look for in a house.) Our backyard faces east and by mid-afternoon it's nice and shady. The kids can play outside without frying in the hot weather.

However, our new home has come with a list. A long, long, long, long list of tasks. We've accomplished a great deal over the past seven weeks, it's true. But every day I feel like the list of unfinished tasks grows longer. The weeds in the yard stare me in the face. The poorly painted bathroom mocks me. The curtainless windows make me feel naked and exposed. The unstained fence seems shabby.

I know most people don't even notice these unfinished details, but the perfectionist in me constantly cringes. I want everything to be done. Finished. There are only so many hours in the day (and limited strength and energy). I hate the fact that I can't get everything accomplished.

As well, Ben and I try to live by the motto "people before things". Time spent with our family and friends (and one another) is time well spent. This is harder for me to live out than it is for my husband. He is a natural people person. Most days I'd rather paint the fence. (It's a selfish attitude, I know.) Without a doubt, we know God has blessed us with a gorgeous home so that we can bless other people. We want to practice hospitality. God is teaching me to be humble because I'd rather not invite people over until our house is "perfect". I'm quickly realizing that the "perfect" day will never come!

So, please forgive me if my yard looks unkept. Believe me, it bothers me more than it bothers you. I'll try to be gracious and not point out all the flaws in my house. This home is a gift from God. I know that. It's beautiful and gorgeous and spectacular. I must keep reminding myself of that fact when I become mired by the details of my never ending list.

Thought for the Day

If humans can buy wasp bombs at Home Depot to take out the wasps, can wasps buy human bombs to take out the humans? (Do the wasps shop at Nest Depot?)

The Continuing Saga...

I have such mixed feelings about our new washing machine. It still smells bad. I finally ran a load of bleach through with some old towels and the mildewy smell decreased noticeably. Unfortunately, the stench has not disappeared completely. I have also been leaving the washing machine door open and wiping out the seal between loads. This helps, but it's fairly inconvenient.

I do enjoy the perks of using a front-loading washer, though. Our clothes dry very quickly because a great deal of water comes out in the spin cycle. The dryer always finishes before the washer. (I love the dryer's moisture sensor.) Our laundry gets finished in half the time it used to.

The kids also find the washing machine fascinating to watch. Yesterday our two-year-old sat through nearly an entire cycle (45 minutes) because her special blankie was in the wash. Her running commentary of the entire process was priceless.

I also enjoy the large counter in our laundry room. I've started the habit of folding our clothes straight from the dryer. I can arrange everything out on the counter until I'm ready to put the clothes away. No more piles of folded laundry cluttering our living room couch! It's funny how simple things, like a counter, can make a huge difference.

So there you have it, another fascinating look at my little laundry room drama. The never ending saga continues...

Workin' the List

I love the feeling of satisfaction at the end of a productive day. Our new house is great but our move has resulted in a looooooong list of things to accomplish. Unfortunately, I'm the type of person who has a hard time relaxing when I see unfinished tasks all around me. I like my house to be just so. The past month I'm slowly learning to accept the principle of good enough.

That said, it feels good to chew through my task list. This afternoon I took an hour to sort through all the documents / unfiled bills / random paper mess associated with our move. The pile on the corner of our counter was becoming quite monstrous. Clutter totally stresses me out. It's funny, but organizing our paperwork improved my outlook dramatically. I now feel like we are finally getting on top of things around the house.

This week I'm looking forward to breaking out my paint brushes. I plan to start with refinishing the fireplace mantle. Within the next couple weeks I hope to repaint the living room and kitchen. Ben and I bought a sectional couch for the living room today and I'd love to have the painting completed before our new furniture arrives.

Slowly, slowly our house is starting to feel like home.

I Guess It's a Wash...

I've done some digging and I think I must accept my washing machine woes. The problem of smelly front-loaders appears to be extremely common. The manufacturer recommends leaving the door slightly ajar between loads to air out the machine. They also suggest wiping out the rubber seal around the door. (Not much help, I'm afraid.) I've yet to try running a load of bleach through. (I'm scared of bleach hiding in the seal and ruining my laundry.) Several advice sites also suggested using Pine Sol to kill the mildew. (I'm not terribly comfortable with trying that either.) At least my machine isn't as disgusting as some of the ones I read about...

Things (I Will Learn To Love) About Our New House: The Paint Job

I love the colours of our new home. I love the paint job a lot less. It's sloppy. It's patchy. It's far from perfect. I've tried to turn a blind eye, but I end up grinding my teeth every time I look at the walls.

Thank goodness, paint is a relatively minor thing to fix. I like to paint walls (when I can get some time away from curious little fingers). Here's to hoping I can survive our messy walls until I have opportunity to re-do them...