To achieve great things, two things are needed; a plan, and not quite enough time.

- Leonard Bernstein

I love this quote.  

I'm a planner.  And those who plan are always mystified by how quickly the second hand spins.  Another year has gone by...hard to believe.

Every year I take the last week of April off to get things done around the house.  I'm always surprised by how quickly the days go by.  I feel lucky that, for the most part, I usually get great weather every year during this week.  

This year is no exception.  High's in the low to mid 80's with nights falling back into the 50's and 60's.  Perfect for sleeping with the windows open and perfect to get projects done around the house during the day.

Last year at this time, I invested in starting a vegetable garden and planted 2 apple trees. I started thinking more about fresh, quality eating.  I worried about retirement and what could I do NOW to help cushion the financial blow.  It seemed reasonable that since grocery produce "sucks", that growing my own would benefit not only my taste buds and health, but also my pocket book.

(*Well, maybe not the pocketbook.  This stuff is expensive to start up. Yikes!)

As I researched, I thought that a journal might be in order to keep track of my progress.  I started this blog...and then I found your blogs.  

I've found an invaluable resource and community out there of people who think a lot like I do.  It's comforting to know that we're all in this together.  That there are people out there who value a simpler life and are willing to share their experiences with you so that we might learn a better way to do things together.



Time. 

It goes by amazingly quick. I like the fact that I can go back in my archives and actually read my posts and say..."Yeah, I remember doing that."  

SM has the memory of an elephant.  (I, however, do not.)  I've really enjoyed journaling my progress in my effort to become a productive gardener.  Notice I didn't say successful.  I would never tweak Mother Natures nose that way.  I know she's got some tricks up her sleeve that will likely cause me to pull my hair out in frustration, but "Hey"...I'm having fun with the challenge.  So bring it on Mamma Nature. 

So what's the plan for this week?  Pretty simple and straight forward.  Compost and cleaning.

Today I was on my own as SM had to work.  I unloaded 2 yards of compost into one of the newly built raised beds.  Tomorrow, I'll do 2 more loads again into the last raised bed.  The day after that, guess what?  Yep.  More compost onto the "landing strips" as SM likes to call them.  We're likely going to be putting about 7-8 yards of new compost into our garden this year.  Sounds like a lot doesn't it?  But it has to be done since the "dirt" (ha!) that we've got is worthless.


My day's this week will form a temporary pattern of working outside in the morning and working inside during the heat of the afternoon.  Hard to think about it being HOT already.  But it is.  Welcome to the South.


The gardening outside is straight forward enough.  

The inside of the house needs a deep, deep cleaning, top to bottom.  I plan on taking one room apart and putting it back together again.  One room at a time. Thank goodness the pollen seems to be easing.  I'm tired of wiping up yellow.


So as much as I love to blog with ya'll, I will try and spare you the endless photographs of yet another pile of compost like the one above.  (Grin)