Gardening in the City - Reclaiming my Passion

Let me just start out by saying living in an apartment and gardening is not an easy task. I love gardening almost as much as I love knitting. I love the feel of dirt between my finger nails and the smell of just good soil. The feeling of watching the plants I nurtured grow. The whole process is wonderful.

Gardening and Apartments are almost two complete opposites. I went back to Wisconsin for a long weekend just a few weeks back and I got a taste at what gardening could be like again. My folks are great people and they have many gardens. I used to love to spend hours out there weeding and trimming and making the gardens look great. They never looked as great as I wanted them too just because the restrictions of them not being my gardens but I took pride in my work. Now the gardens are over run and unruly because my parents neither have the patience, time or passion to do it. I sat down that Sunday morning, gloves on, beat up jeans and an old shirt, hair pulled back and my tools handy. My father literally said "Do what ever you want to get the gardens looking great." I smiled and replied "You really know what that means?" He answered "Yes. Just don't cut down this one tree right here." It was the beginning of cleaning up. I de-headed and pruned and weeded and pulled stuff out. I trimmed trees and worked on getting the garden back to what it should be. I worked for hours, on one flower bed before I was called inside to get ready for a party. I should mention it was my own wedding shower, but my thoughts weren't on it but the plants I was tending to. All the gardeners in my family immediately noticed and came up to me saying how nice the garden bed was looking and what a great job I did on it.

That being said I came back to Washington on that long plane ride half way across the country to my little tiny plot of garden space and my wilting flower pots and felt out of touch. I saw the wilting of my plants and my soul nearly died with them. I had neglected my own little plot because it was grand like my parent's gardens. They have a half an acre with a good 50% of it designated to garden beds. I saw the barely started rock path and the flowers that were for early spring and nothing for the heat of summer. I looked at the black raspberries that were over taking the side of my apartment again and felt discouraged. I felt overwhelmed and underwhelmed in the same moment. It wasn't until I really let that sadness seep into me that I made a change. One day on my lunch hour, after feeding Ronnie (our dog for anyone who doesn't know) and slipped off my shoes and touched each and every plant. I filled up the watering can and gave life back to the burnt plants. I moved the barely started rock path to the other side of the concrete sidewalk to create a nice rain border along the hill. Just with that one little change I was able to make two things look better in one swoop. I opened up the plot of land for more flowers and made the border to my front door look even better but I also re-sparked the passion in me for gardening. I am planning on buying more plants for late summer/fall and planting them this weekend.

I promise to take pictures of the progress and to swear lots at the plot of land that is literally concrete of the dirt world. But I also promise to enjoy every minute of it because gardening is what made me want to start homesteading in the first place and it would be a shame to lose that dream because I lost a part of myself.

Knitting Progress and the Start of Something New

Yesterday marked the start of a new adventure for me. I started on my very first sweater. Okay, well I started it two days ago but disliked the yarn I had for it so I bought different yarn and started over yesterday. The problems of a knitter I swear :)

M came with me and I got buttons and yarn and just enjoyed the whole process of picking out the yarn. I already had the pattern picked out, the needles at home and fingers itching to start working with yarn. The pattern is more of a cardigan than a full sweater but I am excited to start it nevertheless. The color I chose is a close grey color with a bit of warmth to it. Last night I was able to work the starting rib and work the next row of the actual pattern. 

I am still working on a wool blanket that I am trying to play catch up with. It is thin yarn with small needles and lots of stitches. Or in other words, it is taking me a really long time. I started it with the intention of doing a row a day. Now I am playing catch up because I started it last year and do not even have half the amount of rows I should have by now. It is okay though because I do enjoy knitting it. It is my bed time knit that helps me calm myself into sleep. Super easy basket weave stitch that helps me mindlessly drift into relaxation.

I am still working on the dish clothes. I made one that was perfect. The second one has a defect row and then the first one the ball of yarn ran out of just near finishing. Wanted to them to be the first thing in the shop but I want to have a least a pair that are perfect and beautiful before I post them. I will keep you updated on them. They are a beautiful linen stitch that is super thick and luxurious. 

It has been a week of knitting delights. Enjoy the pictures below.

Explosion of knitting

Knitting. Knitting. Knitting. It has been a weekend if knitting. I have almost finished the log cabin knit blanket. I just have to finish the outside trim and see it together. I worked on my wool blanket I had set aside for a few weeks and started on a linen stitch scarf. It will be so warm and beautiful come winter. 

Here is just a few pictures of my progress. 

Relief and Release

This past weekend both M and I have decided to not move to the east coast. It seemed like a great plan of moving our future forward but after careful consideration we realized that it was actually moving us back a few steps. In the long run it might have worked out but it would have been a lot of sacrifice to get close to where we are now. It was a conflicted decision but I think a wise one. Both M and I feel as if a huge burden was lifted off our shoulders and we are now able to start living again.

I was not saddened anymore when I saw the hard work I put into my garden going to be all for naught. Now I actually got my hands dirty again and finally planted my lilac bush. I put the seedlings of vegetables in the little container garden I have and made sure all of them had a good drink of water. I am look forward to actually finding a home with some land again and even started my search. I do not feel like I need to give up everything I own now for a life than might have been.

I think over all it was a good experience for Michael and I. We put our life on hold for another life that might start up. We stopped planning our wedding, worried about ever taking a honeymoon, stopped wanting to hang out with friends because we figured we wouldn't see them in a few months from now anyways. It was a really hard time for us and I think it just showed us that we really have roots in WA and are really happy just the way our life is.

Front Hall! Finally complete

It took a while to find all the pieces I wanted for the small space I call my front hall. The stool is even hollow to store my reusable bags! I love it.

Log Cabin

Knitting has always been a hobby of mine and yet I just figured out how to do the log cabin tiles! Been knitting away at my new project!

Dandelions

I got an email last night from an herbalist from my hometown about Dandelions and it was too good to pass up. I, myself, have been thinking of taking up the challenge of getting used to the bitter but wonderfully good for you Dandelion.

Have a read for yourself because honestly I do not know why we wouldn't want to try this amazing plant.

http://www.moonwiseherbs.com/dandelion-a-spring-tradition/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=dandelion-a-spring-tradition