First Harvest

Pictured is our very first harvest of a fresh vegetable in Minnesota. Joe pulled up two radishes to top our dinner salads last night. We will be eating radishes for weeks! We were both excited to have grown something this year – we had thought it would be late next spring before planting. While visiting Ohio, in early August, my Uncle Dick suggested we grow radishes this year as they have a fast grow time. He was right!

The original owner of our home was in town earlier this week and he dropped by to chat with Joe. Joe gave him a yard tour. Our visitor’s response, “It looks really nice. My wife can never see this – she was after me for years to plant the trees you have here.” He was  referring to the arborvitae we planted in late August that line the back property line.

He also complemented Joe on his mini-retaining wall he built for the terrace that houses two of the raised planter beds. Since the guy used to own a company that manufactures the bricks for walls, Joe was pleased to get positive feedback.

Today, Joe is outside screening rock from the large dirt pile left by the retaining wall contractor last spring. Joe built a simple screen rack to fit over his wheelbarrow. He scoops dirt over the screen and the dirt filters through. The stones/rocks are picked off the top of the screen and put in a bucket. Joe said the soil is rich and beautiful, so that soil is going into his eight planter boxes. The stones/rocks will be saved for footpaths for the wild garden area we plan to complete next year.

My morning was filled with cooking and laundry. I do not mind chores at all. I am happiest when I have order around me. I started cooking before I had breakfast as I wanted to get the recipe into the crockpot early. If I waited until I had my coffee it would be more difficult for me to tear myself away from the internet rabbit hole! This afternoon, I spent an hour reading Pampered Chef’s online new consultant materials. Now I am off to do my daily meditation and to read (aka take a nap). I LOVE RETIREMENT!