Rain on Wednesday

A Peek Into the Garden Shed

It's been just over a year since I cleaned out the garden shed and I took this photo, yesterday, to show that it is still, relatively, tidy.  Garden-related stuff from the garage were relocated to the shed and things have been shifted around a bit, but, it is, for the most part, still organized and functional.  The floor gets wet when it rains and it is a bit muddy, but, I will go in there and clean it once it stops raining, in the summer.

It rained, late last night and early this morning (and it is raining, again, tonight, with more rain in the forecast for tomorrow evening, too!)  M texted me in the morning to say that it was too wet to tend to the garden and he could stop by tomorrow (Thursday) morning, instead.  I said that would be fine with me.  

It didn't rain during the day, but, it was cloudy with some sunshine.  It was a bit chilly, too (for me, anyway) and I stayed inside for most of the day, going outside only to check the mail and pick a few snow pea pods from the plants we planted near the trellis in the front.  

I had a scrambled egg and toast for brunch, today.  For dinner, I had a bowl of the canned stew, with some frozen green peas added to it before I warmed it up:

Canned Beef Stew

I know I said I was going to make beef pot pies, but, I got hungry rather early, this evening, and didn't want to take the time to make pastry for the pie crusts.  But, there's more beef stew leftover and I will make the beef pot pie tomorrow.  I might add some green beans to it, too, before I make the pie, because the canned stew only has carrots and potatoes for vegetables.  

Today, I am grateful for:

- More rain for the garden
- More snow peas from the garden
- Working appliances
- Phone calls and emails with family and friends
- Clean water to drink

Today's joyful activity was playing online word games with my daughter.

Plans for tomorrow include M's visit (weather permitting), some baking, and more quilt repairs!

How was your Wednesday?  What are your plans for Thursday?

 

Sunny and Cool on Wednesday

Garden Shed: New Look

Today, I asked M to move the old computer desk into the shed.  He wasn't sure if it was a good idea to do so, but, I think it will work well to hold all the garden supplies that are in the garage.  The item in the black trash bag pushed into the corner by the side of the shelving unit is the Christmas tree stand and I will try to find a better place for it, later; maybe on the shelf unit, itself, once some of the empty planters have been planted out.  I want to keep the corners clear for easy sweeping.  

I have a few things stacked along the shed wall to the right:

Along the Right Wall

The old yellow recycling bin holds a couple of bags of potting soil and a bag of lawn fertilizer (from when there used to be a lawn!).  The blue bucket holds a couple of  wooden poles and the child-sized garden tools I had bought for my daughter, one year!  A spade, a hoe, and two types of rakes.  I use them, from time to time, as long handled spades and forks, etc.  I think I will store the ladder that is behind them in the garage, along with the other, taller ladder.  It can stay in the shed for now.

The barbecue grill is still sitting outside.  It needs to be scrubbed and brought inside the shed.  

I called and checked on neighbor T, this morning; she said she had some problems, but, didn't say what they were and I didn't want to ask as I didn't want to pry.  But, I told her to let me know if there was anything I could do.  I told M about her fall and he, too, called to check on her (he does her garden, too).

I've had a quiet rest of the day. I had made coconut flat bread for dinner, last night, but, cooked only some of them.  I kept the remaining five flat breads and cooked them, this morning, for our brunch.  Later, I did the dishes and did a little tidying up.  It was a mostly sunny, cool day, with a high in the mid 50s.  Tonight's low is supposed to be 38F (it'll be colder, tomorrow night, according to the forecast). 

Today, I am grateful for:

- M helping me with the shed and the garden
- A sunny, if cool, day
- A warming cup of hot tea
- Handknitted wool sweaters and socks
- A working furnace

Today's joyful activity was getting the shed set up a little more to my liking and spending time in the garden, checking on the plants, and picking peapods and oranges.

Tomorrow, I have a doctor's appointment at noon for a check up and to go over my blood test results from the end of December.  I am not looking forward to that!

How was your Wednesday?  What are your plans for Thursday?

Sunny on Sunday

Blueberry Flowers

The blueberry bushes, growing by the back door, are flowering!  We bought them last year and picked quite a few blueberries.  I am hoping for another good crop, this year, too, although my daughter might not be here to enjoy them fresh.  

It was a sunny day, today.  Still warm, in the low 70s, but, the weather forecast calls for some showers and cooler temperatures in the coming week.  

I spent a little more time in the shed, today, too. So, what is this shed that I've been talking about so much?  It isn't one of those cute "she sheds" that look like tiny cottages and are very pretty!  It is a very utilitarian metal shed, which was a pristine white when we bought it 30 years ago, but, it has since rusted quite a bit (the inside is grey and not rusted):

Garden Shed

It sits right behind the garage and backs up against the side garden wall; it is about 8' x 10', I think, and sits on a cemented area that was poured for the purpose.

This is how it looked inside once M had removed all the cans and bottles (which had been stored in plastic shopping bags which had disintegrated!):

Inside After the Recyclables Were Removed

This photo was taken on Friday, after things were taken out and I had started to sweep the floor:

Clean Up in Progress

Swept Floor and The Old Metal Shelving Unit

This next photo was taken after the floor and walls were hosed down, on Saturday.  There are still some stains on the floor, which I was unable to remove with just hosing it down; it's not pretty, but, I know it is relatively clean, now. 

Washed Floor

Today, I spent about an hour in the shed, removing the items that were on the metal shelving unit, pulling the shelf unit out, and hosing it down.  Then, I hosed down the shed wall that was behind the shelf unit and that part of the floor needed to be washed, again, too.  I moved the shelf unit to the opposite wall, just for a change!  Then, I decided I had to rinse out the old pots and planters before I put them back inside and that created a bit of a muddy mess just outside the shed!  I left the shed doors open to help the inside dry a bit faster, while I picked a few snow pea pods.  The doors were open for less than 5 minutes, but, it was long enough for Stripey cat, as curious as ever, to go inside to check out this interesting place!  So, I chased him away and closed the doors, again!  Later, I put a few things back, because the forecast said there might be a chance of showers in the morning.  I didn't want the ladder, etc. to get wet.  

I am wondering if I should put the old computer desk (that is still sitting outside) in the shed to make a sort of potting table.  

In the afternoon, I took some muffins over to friend R and she gave me some bananas she had bought for me (after I had told her about the missing bananas, yesterday!) and shared some homegrown tangerines a friend had given her!  I also chatted on the phone with neighbor T.

Later, my daughter connected the new modem, without any trouble!  So glad that went well.

In the evening, we watched the Olympics Closing Ceremony.  I cooked salmon, a stir-fry of vegetables, and a boxed rice and wild rice mix for dinner and did the dishes.

Today, I am grateful for:

- Friend R giving me bananas and tangerines
- The shed clean up is coming along nicely
- Harvesting more peapods from the garden
- Daughter was able to connect the new modem without difficulty
- What I was able to accomplish

Today's joyful activity was a quick curbside visit with friend R.

Daughter is off work, tomorrow, for Presidents' Day.  She is happy to have a long weekend.  My plans for tomorrow will depend on the weather - if it rains, for how long, etc., and any activities daughter might want to do.  I will try to wash the rest of the pots and planters and put them back in the shed, tomorrow; M will have to help me with the grill (it probably need a good scrub, too, although I hosed it down, today).  

How was your Sunday?  What are your plans for Monday?

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