It has been another very windy and mostly cloudy week here in central Oklahoma. I didn’t get to go to check on the farm garden last week but we’re planning to go out there on Tuesday or Wednesday this week. I did pick up a few small annual plants from the local nursery Marcum’s for $1.50 each. I got a Durango marigold, a violet pentas, ageratum, and thyme. When I was at the garden center, I saw a cabbage white butterfly and a new butterfly, the American lady. I planted the pentas and ageratum on the balcony at the apartment since the squirrels have been digging up the pansies constantly. I’m not sure if the pansies will be able to bloom with this hot weather. I will take the marigold and the thyme out to the farm doon. The thyme we had planted two years ago didn’t make it and needs to be replaced. We have also gotten twenty more sunchokes and we will plant them this week. I also got a new water dish for the squirrels and birds this week that is made of metal and looks cute. I will take the old plastic bowl to the farm and the cat can use it as an extra water bowl. I did some drawing this week but didn’t have much time to paint. I’m always wishing there was more time for art in my life. It is so enjoyable for me that I am always trying to find ways to make time for it. I am hoping to do a painting next week of a ladybug for my mom for Mother’s Day. I also want to paint a robin for my sister’s birthday gift since her middle name is Robin. I will be planting as many seeds as I can when I go to the farm next week. Of course, the garden is really full of weeds now. So my strategy is to pull the weed and then plant a seed of something I do want where the weed had been. However, I have learned that some weeds multiply more when pulled instead of cut. Our primary weeds this year are chervil and prickly lettuce. We also have a lot of Carolina horsenettle and poison ivy. It is hard to believe that May is almost here.
Lisa Ledbetter 