Early start

In my third year as a gardener, I’m extending the planting season. I started a couple weeks ago with a few seedlings. I’ll be building a cold frame very soon —already have the materials out in the front.

Sadly, an unfortunate thing happened today: Accidentally while taking a shirt from the dresser, A knocked down a tray of about 20 seedlings. I’m almost positive five will survive; about six or seven definitely did not withstand the fall; and about eight or so are struggling. Hopefully, my future plantings will have better luck.

See more progress on: eat from my own garden

Rhododendron

Craigslist can be such a wonderful thing. Today I responded to a “you-dig-you-haul” ad which was just three blocks away from my house. What a treat! I’ve been dreaming about a Rhododendron (Washington State’s tree) for so long, and today I got a one-meter tall plant!

Little by little, my garden is taking shape. The tulips and narcissus are not out yet, but the “surprise” irises and the orange irises (both also from Craigslist) are adapting well to their new surroundings. The potager built in the “Square Foot Gardening” fashion is also coming about.

This weekend, I’ll be attending the Northwest Flower & Garden Show and will get a ton of ideas for this coming season :)

See more progress on: landscape my garden

2008.02.20 19:26 PST

Half a year after the last total lunar eclipse, the Sun, the Earth, and the Moon meet again. And Seattle again was benevolent with its weather and partial clouds. Just before totality, the Moon rose above the horizon clouds. What a splendid view! These spectacles always awe me.

See more progress on: Watch a total Lunar Eclipse

February 19th: My first 43 year

Wow! A year has gone since I first came to 43 Things. My first-year anniversary might not be really so, since I have not been as active these past three months as I was the first nine. Funny, I’ve been distracted doing activities suggested by fellow 43ers, but I have failed to post them here. Yet, today I had to come back and make a statement about this date.

Many Things have passed in this last year; many Things have been accomplished; many Things resist to be so. And 43 Things has been witness of them. May this coming second year bring many more things, and places, and people, and lists…

See more progress on: Celebrate my 1 year anniversary on 43 Things

Haiku #7

Rain, sun, rain, sun, rain
Oh, capricious Seattle!
Clouds, sun, clouds again

See more progress on: write haiku on fridays

Not this time

I wanted to repeat the spectacular experience from 2004 —when I watched the silvery-blue, rapid meteors across the sky for the first time—, but clouds obstructed the view this past December.

We’ll see what meteor showers 2008 will bring us —Seattle clouds permitting, of course.

See more progress on: watch the geminid meteor shower

Out of season, my first carved pumpkin

Three months after the Halloween celebrations, I finally come around to carve my very first pumpkin ever in my life! So I might be late with the festivity, but this was quite entertaining and am very proud of my first project —especially since I grew its parent plant from seed :)

An eclipse of the Moon and the Sun proved more than appropriate for my first carving. This was a good-feeling-all-around project and will definitely be a repeat every October —instead of on Groundhog Day/Día de la Candelaria :P

See more progress on: Carve a pumpkin

Haiku #6

Meteor Shower
Geminids shooting above
Alas, the dense clouds

See more progress on: write haiku on fridays