Friday, December 31, 2010

What??? 2011 starts tomorrow?

I just realized that in 32 days I need to start thinking about putting corn gluten on the area in front of the house because seeds of cheat grass and about 10 kinds of horrible weeds will start to germinate if I don't. And I'll have to repeat the exercise every five weeks for at least four months.

Need to plant seeds and bulbs every month from March on. Need to move two of the raised bed frames and fill them with good soil and spread compost on the other two raised beds. I haven't even opened the seed catalogs to see what I want to buy. I always buy too much and this year I'm going to give my surplus seeds away on FreeCycle.

I want to grow greens, tomatoes, herbs (I'm really good at herbs), beets, maybe a few carrots, flowers (I'm also really good at flowers), and catnip. I'd best get my seeds ordered because I have to start things growing pretty soon.

Bought an enormous deck box by Rubbermaid which a friend brought home and assembled for me. It promises to banish clutter from the entry porch which is 49' x 12'. Now I just need to find the correct size baskets (preferably stacking) to sit inside and hold all my tools, seeds, gloves, hats, and watering tools. The deck box can also serve as a table when I'm sitting outside.

It's a lovely porch, facing north and doesn't get used nearly enough, partly because it's not pleasant out there when the wind blows which we all know it does a lot in Carson Valley, and partly because I haven't made an effort to be out there. I intend to change that.

Beginnings excite me--New Year, new week, new month, new project--and I'm excited about 2011. Being old is so damned liberating. What's the worst that can happen? At 30 there are so many worsts, at 70 there aren't many. Even dying has lost its sting. I still don't want to (I want to live till I'm at least 95 because I promised myself that at 90 I can start smoking again if I still want to) but it no longer scares me as it once did.

Yes, I'm excited and tomorrow I'll tell you more about that.