Garden and Life Update

So earlier this year I blogged that I expanded my garden and doubled the gardening space. The garden beds were ordered, delivered, set up and filled. I was also able to double the pots on the outside of the garden beds as well. There were times where I have definitely questioned my sanity when it has come to the garden beds. I had the same anxiety with the first two raised garden beds as I had with the second two raised garden beds. It has definitely been a rewarding learning curve. With the extra space I have been able to plant a little bit more and have things spread out a little bit. I have been able to put the rosemary and basil in the garden beds instead of outside in the pots. I have been able to plant more basil, sage and thyme and a couple of new herbs and some flowers. Things are definitely growing. Almost everything in the garden beds has started from seeds. There’s a few things that haven’t. I have learned that with my garden beds that marigolds don’t transplant well and that starting marigolds from seeds grows so much better.  My peppers have been slow to start growing from seeds but I am seeing some sprouts around the label tabs I put in the garden. Most of the herbs are in the dirt and out of the seed starting cups.

My next project is to build a greenhouse behind the garden beds. One of the ladies from church posted that they were replacing their windows around their house and asked if anybody wanted any. The boys and I went over there and grabbed over 20 windows. They are 2 different sizes but I’m sure I can figure it out. Another friend is replacing the cabinets in the one house and she’s going to let me know if the person hanging the cabinets is going to take them and reuse them or destroy them. If they are going to destroy them I asked if I could have them. I repurposed the concrete pad that the old AC unit sat on because they were just going to destroy it. I’ll use them in the greenhouse. I could put the plants I want to start on the top and bags of dirt and extra cups on the shelves. I could use the shelves for whatever gardening things I need. I just need it to be big enough to start enough seeds for 4 raised garden beds that are 12 foot long by 4 foot wide by 1 foot tall. I would also like to be able to stand up in the green house as well. I’m 5’2” tall so it does not need to be huge. The other thing I want for my garden is a rain collector barrel or two.

Today is day 2 of it raining. I know my garden is happy. We have at least 3 or 4 more days of rain with the upcoming forecast. If it rains on those days like it did yesterday and today then I don’t need to water my garden until next week. I am excited to see the growth in the garden over the next few days from the rain. It’s been cool enough this morning to have a few windows open in the house to air it out. I was able to do a few things outside yesterday during the breaks in the rain, including a walk with Wyatt. I needed to get my steps in and I was able to get to my 5,000 steps. I do have to update my virtual race tracker. We were going to go over to the house where my mom is house sitting today but it’s not warm enough to go swimming and the rain. 

Friday I attempted to donate blood. They had a hard time finding a big enough vein in my one arm so I switched to a different bed and they found a vein that was bigger but the blood wasn’t flowing out into the bag. I was upset that I wasn’t able to donate but I was still able to get the points to turn it into an Amazon gift card. I was able to get something that I have been wanting for a while. It’s a 40 pound barbell set. The ETA was originally between June 2nd and June 5th but I got a shipping notice email the other day and FedEx has picked it up and the new ETA is on Wednesday. Right now it’s in New Jersey so it doesn’t have too far to travel to get to my place in South Carolina. I’m hoping it does get here on Wednesday so I can start using it this week. I used it a few times at the gym when I had a membership thru my friend. I know that there’s a ton of videos on YouTube that I can watch to learn how to use a barbell. Right now I don’t need any new plates for it until I get stronger.  The barbell set comes with 3 different size weights. It has a set of 3.3 pound, 5.5 pound and 11 pound plates in different colors. I’m sure I can get some new plates at Walmart or Academy, or wherever plates are sold, as time goes on. I can probably also pull down some of my books from college to come up with my own routine. I’ll see if any of the routines that I have bought use the barbell.  I am excited that it’s on its way. 

With mom being gone for house sitting for 2 weeks I don’t have to cook everyday. I get so tired of cooking something new everyday. I completely understand not wanting the same thing everyday. When mom is out of the house I cook 1 or 2 different proteins, and a side or two to go with it and pick a vegetable out and eat that for however many days it lasts. It’s generally 2 or 3 days. I have some marinated chicken that I was going to take over to put on the grill but I am going to stick it in the air fryer instead. The last time I think I put it in the oven or on the stove.