Dolly's New Duds

Since Dolly wore the same dress all year last year, and since she was a sodden heap this spring, I took pity on her and went shopping. Ball gowns were on sale at the used clothing store, so I thought this one would be perfect.

I wanted red anyway. Did she want red? I don't know. It has sequins and sparkles and probably by mid-summer it will all be pale pink. But at the moment she looks dazzling.

The garden is barely started. The onions are just rooting, the garlic is barely up, the lettuce is maybe 1/4" high, and, wonder of wonders, we have the teeniest, tiniest 1" high tip of asparagus coming up from where we planted the roots a week or so ago. It was so thin, thinner than the stem of a Q-tip, we hardly saw it.

But no bees. I am looking everywhere and no bees. This spurs my desire to get a hive this year or next. I know nothing about keeping bees, but I am willing to learn. You can see what no bees has done to my mania for fresh strawberries this season. The plants are all a-flower but not a single passer-by to dawdle in the pollen-laden blossoms.

So here I am, hand-pollinating the blossoms. I think this photo pretty much shouts "Botanic Loser!"

Besides being on my hands and knees in the strawberry patch, I have begun two other projects. These deal with rust-covered items that I plan to restore and make a part of my flower garden.

This is a small, metal folding chair I discovered out in the woods as part of a deer stand. I have big plans for this small chair. I see it painted a soft, pale buttercup yellow, holding a large pot filled with dark blue salvia and pale yellow nasturtiums. At least this is the plan in my mind. Flower gardeners are notorious for floriferous, blowsy dreams of colored blooms. (I have really no idea what sorts of dreams vegetable gardeners have. Last year's vegetable garden was a surprise and a miracle.)

Here is my next project. The "Ross Europa III" which means nothing to me, but the Viet Nam veteran who sold it to me (after some haggling) for $15, assured me it was worth far, far more. "The seat alone is probably worth $40!" Perhaps. Perhaps not. This, also, I plan to spray paint pale yellow, attach a basket to the handle bars and plant it overflowing (overflowering) with cheery annuals. At the moment it's a rust heap. (But still rideable!)

It's still cold here, highs only in the low 50's, and we're still covering the strawberry patch almost every night since it dips down into the low 30's at night. I still don't know what to do with myself most days. The garden doesn't keep me busy enough. I'm sick of cooking. I'm completely sick of cleaning. Frankly, going into town to shop for a new dress for Dolly was probably the highlight of my week.

We have lived here for exactly one year now. I suppose this blog is a record of how well, or how poorly, I've adjusted to farm life. Does anyone read this blog? I have no idea. I suppose it's a form of journaling, and perhaps that's good enough.