"Hope springs eternal." Isn't that how the quote goes? Well, here at the Conderosa we are living that out! We have jumped into the deep end of the "Gardening Pool" without our floaties. In years past, we have attempted various levels of commitment in this area. But this year, we are all in! For you to fully appreciate the magnitude of this decision, you have to understand a couple of underlying conditions. First of all, we live in arid West Texas. Our rainfall most years borders on "desert" conditions. To make matters a little more challenging, our well water is so hard it comes out of the hose in gravel form. It contains so many minerals that if you accidentally get it on the leaves of a plant it may kill it. Secondly, I not only do not have a "green" thumb, you could actually say that all ten of my fingers and toes are "black". So in that context, you can see why I started this post off with that quote. Quite apropos, don't you think?
If I concentrate really hard, I can usually remember to water a few potted flowers in the front yard. I walk by them everyday and when I hear them wheezing, it reminds me they might be a little thirsty. This year, however, Kregg actually agreed to let me try something new! He built me a BEAUTIFUL raised bed kitchen garden right out my kitchen window. (That way I remember it is there!!) I have herbs and a few vegetables in it. Additionally, we are attempting a composter. As many kitchen scraps as we generate, it seemed an easy project to undertake. We will see . . .
My sweet husband is so patient.
Our house sits on an acre, so our back yard is a nice size. We have a shop in the back that is 1000 square feet with a covered porch that is 15' x 50'. From the shop porch back to the back fence is about 100'. Kregg built me a pipe fence (painted almond to match our perimeter fencing) enclosing the entire area from the shop back, so it is about 35-40' wide by 100' deep. In previous years, it has been our most fertile weed patch. If only there was a commercial outlet for wild mustard and careless weed. Alas! The only use the "volunteers" serve is to hold the sand in place. This area has also been the collection site for things we didn't have another place to store. There are just a few little things, mind you, like extra pipe for fencing projects, Caleb's 12' aluminum boat given him by our neighbor in return for pruning trees, several chain link gates of various dimensions that used to help enclose different kinds of critters, a hunting blind, and an enormous elliptical head (a big metal bowl for those who don't live in the oil patch) in which you could burn an entire cord of wood at a time. All of those things had previously been spread throughout that entire area. Not any more! Now they are all neatly organized right behind the shop so they don't show. At least not much!
I now have an orchard! We have 4 peach trees, 3 apple trees, 3 pear trees, and 2 plum trees. Kregg, in his wisdom, consulted a local expert to find out which exact varieties would actually have a chance of survival on the edge of the great Chihuahuan Desert.
Once again, that wasn't enough. If we are going to jump in the "deep end" it has to be really, really deep.
The kids are very enthusiastic about our little project. They have worked like trojans digging weeds, planting, digging weeds, adding root stimulator, digging weeds, painting the fence, helping Kregg hold the fence panels while he welded them in place, and digging more weeds. Rebekah also serves as the spokesperson for the plants. She tells me how each plant feels about its new home. As of today, the golden apple is not very happy here. The blackberry, however is ecstatic.
I must confess, my commitment to our new endeavor has already received a serious challenge. While helping Kregg with the new fence (isn't it pretty?), a bug flew up my nose. As if that wasn't bad enough, no matter what I did it wouldn't come out!!! I could actually feel it crawling around in there up by the bridge of my nose! I told Kregg I was never coming outside again. He said that was a problem considering all the work he had taken on, on my behalf. Thankfully, it finally ventured far enough "south" that I was able to successfully extract it. We won't go into details here. It was still ALIVE!! Horrifying, isn't it? But once you "get bucked off, you have to get right back on." Right? So I have faithfully been working outside everyday since then and no more bugs have been so reckless!
If nothing else, physical labor is good for the soul. I think it will be especially cathartic when it's 110 degrees in the middle of August. Of course, at times the wind blows so hard it sandblasts your eyeballs and exfoliates every bit of exposed skin (sometimes even non-exposed skin). My complexion should be glorious even if all my plants die!
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