Daily Notes- February 21

                                      

This image came from a gardening feed that I get and read every morning.  The content was Native Plants and Trees feeding the wildlife on this day.  That was the same subject as the class I taught on February 8th.  Planting native trees and edible plants and trees- to feed ourselves and the birds and animals.

I even dipped the toes of the seven people who showed up for the class- into Permaculture. And Composting (my first love).  I am forever collecting things to add to my compost piles. G made me a little model of a three bin composter for classes.  I layered things into the little bins during the lecture- and I think it was often the first time people really understood the dry/moist principles. The percentages. Dry has to be the highest proportion in the mix.

I no longer have that little model composter- the local Boy Scouts came and very very nicely asked if I would donate it to them for a project they were doing in the community.  Yes.  Happily.  And I have recently asked G if he would make me a new one.  I have a class in Mid March at the library and I would like to have a little composter on the display table.  Perhaps a one or two bin.  Not three.  He had also made me a little raised bed model with hoops--I carry that to many classes.

I have a list of new trees we will be looking for this spring.  Sassafras.  American Persimmon.  Washington Hawthorn.  Quaking Aspen.  Perhaps we'll find one of the five?   They all make fruit,   berries or host larva for the wildlife to eat. I have to work on providing larva for the birds.

My Willow tree is covered in furry little buds.  The Witch Hazels are getting ready to flower. Even though the yard is covered in a few feet of ice covered snow.  Snow is such a good manure for the Earth.  All sorts of minerals and water.  Slow to melt so the soil gets saturated.

I am starting seeds in my milk jugs and setting them outside on the deck.  And I have two avocado pits on the window sill- trying to see if they will split and sent out a root (its been a week so I will check them today to see if the cloth around them needs to be moistened).  My citrus (lime) is covered in flowers and the Botanist says a few look like they might have set fruit. (I was hand pollinating with a paint brush)  We'll see.  I am fighting white furry sticky things on the orchids and little black gnats from one of the plants here in the house.  And today is orchid watering day.

Nice to have things to do.