Just Because You Think You Can...

From Dictionary.com:

set·back:
[set-bak]
- noun
1. a check to progress

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As long as I can remember, I've been told "girl, you can do anything you put your mind to." Papaw told me that whenever I would get discouraged about math problems, especially those story problems, where I would always want to know why anyone would need to know how fast two different trains from different directions were going when you can only ride on one train at a time. Ahem.

Daddy told me that whenever I dared to utter those forbidden words "I just can't do it" (whatever "it" might be at the moment). Giving up was never an option. If I've heard Winston Churchill's speech once, I've heard it 10,000 times...both the real one and the one that is often misquoted...:)

So, naturally I grew up believing I could, in fact, do whatever I put my mind to. And I'm a believer in the concept that sheer will and determination will gain you ground when everything and everyone around you are saying you are done for. Remember: put one foot in front of the other, and move forward.

But I have run into that immovable object that no amount of irresistible forcing will bend: my body. It seems that I can do what I put my mind to, only IF my body is working properly.

My mind was determined to make significant progress on our Way Back Garden in April. Well, as any gardener will attest, there's a mountain of chores on the To Do List for the first full month of Spring. And we have even more items on our lists because this is the first year of our newly revised WBG Plan, with the four gardens in play: the Orchard, the Berry Patch, the Kitchen Garden, and the Rose garden.

Things have been rolling right along, with lots of progress in all the gardens. Then, last weekend, I eagerly tackled the planting checklist for the Kitchen Garden, following the average last frost date for our area (typically quoted as being April 15). Since we had experienced a later than usual frost, I had held off on getting many of the transplants and seeds in the ground (although I had to make a mad dash one evening to cover some tender plants when I heard the weather forecast).

I'm happy to report that I got eight tomato transplants in, along with seven pepper plants. In the tomato row, I planted a German Johnson, a Marglobe, a Bush Goliath, two Early Girls, a Lemon Boy, a Bonnie Select, and a Rutgers. In the pepper row, I planted four sweet green bell peppers, a yellow bell, an early bell (which matures to red), and a Cubanelle. I still have seedlings of Better Boys, Jet Stars, Romas, and Juliets under grow lamps, along with Fish Peppers. These will all be ready to go into the garden in a couple of weeks, about the same time I plant the next four rows of corn.

I also got seeds planted for pole beans, bush beans, okra, yellow and zucchini squash, cantaloupes, watermelons, and cucumbers. I've interplanted herbs and flowers, such as basil and marigolds in the tomato row and nasturtiums with the squash...attempting to add some natural pest control. (I already have sage and onions planted with the cabbages and the broccoli.)

The blueberries and the blackberries have already flowered and are fruiting up nicely in the Berry Patch.  We knew if we wanted to have any fruit this year, we'd better get the bird nets up, so we did.  We also are seeing lots of strawberries, even though we probably should have removed all the flowers this year to let them take root...as this is a new bed from the runners of the old bed (formerly in the space now occupied by the Rose Garden)...but I ask you, who can remove the pretty flowers?  Not I.

And I'm proud to report Mr. T put the last three trees in the Orchard, and got the last order of the English roses planted in the Rose Garden. We have three more hybrid teas on order, and that should do it for planting for this year...except for the perennials and annuals for accents, of course. There is ALWAYS an "except for...," isn't there?

All was going swimmingly, until Sunday. I was wrangling the soaker hoses, trying to test them for major leaks and then place them for maximum coverage. We have to get them pinned in place before we can put the mulch down, especially in the Rose Garden. Well, after rearranging one length of hose for the third time, my head truly began to swim...and I had to yield the day to vertigo.

A day in bed to get rid of the spinning symptoms brought on my back problems again. I'm beginning to believe they are in cahoots.

Anyway, I'm taking another little break while I deal with these setbacks. These "checks to my progress." And deal with them, I shall.

Because, as anyone knows, you can do anything you put your mind to...right?

Winston would approve heartily of this plaque
from Missy M, don't you think?