So much for warmer.

 I didn't post yesterday because there really wasn't anything to talk about. The clouds didn't really clear off and the same thing is happening today. Perpetual cloudiness that I call Northwest Weather so I can get into the mindset of this being normal for 6 months of the year. Although when I went up there in the summer it was quite sunny most of the time. Most of the pictures are of flowers because the garden right now is holding steady.

I hadn't noticed the epi at the patio blooming until today. There was a second flower that had already bloomed and this one today. Those seem to be the only buds on it unfortunately. It really needs to be repotted and taken care of better. The second picture struck me with a caption, 'The blind frog looks up asking, 'Has it flowered yet?'

I noticed this morning the difference between the two colors of pink between the rose and the Watsonia. Can't tell from the picture but the rose is more of a salmon compared to the Watsonia.

I wish I could get better pictures honestly it looks much better in person. The little white lily is putting out buds but it's shorter this year than the last time I got pictures of it blooming. So many plants that need better care and not benign neglect. All the plants are surviving true but my nurturing instinct wants them all to thrive.

 

The trellis tomato is rapidly approaching the fourth rung. I tucked it back and when it gets above the next rung and then continue to weave it like that. The lettuce...is getting crowded but it is also getting rather big, will see how long that lasts. The other tomato I planted I am winding around the stake when the opportunity arises. The other smaller one hasn't grown as fast so it will be done the same way.

 

My thriving garden with dozens of flower clusters on the cilantro, the peas haven't grown much more so they're busy putting out pods. I guess since those are dwarf peas that's all I'm going to get out of them and that's fine.

I took a hard look at the peppers that seemed to be eaten and decided to relegate them to the compost today. I dumped out the soil in the cup, couldn't see anything that would be causing it and still waffled on what to do. I could have separated them but then would need somewhere to plant them. I realized I really only have three slots to plant so I pulled most of the soil off, broke them in half and put them in the compost bucket. Which was full of fruit gnats.

 

So I stirred that up a bit more and tried to cover the tomato bits and other tasty scraps with more of the compost. It's breaking down really well actually. It was almost a full bucket two months ago and now it's broken down to almost half. Since I have half a bag of soil for my beds I'll probably give Layla the compost for her bed, just wish I had a screen to sift the larger bits out and keep it going. At some point I also need to do a nutrient/pH test on it and see just how good it is. It's better than the native soil I can tell you that and anything is an improvement.

 

The difference a day makes. The one on the left was two days ago and the one on the right is yesterday. You can see where the buds are and the flowers it produced. That is the best picture of that rose I have gotten and the best that bush will look. Dimmer light also makes a difference to the camera.

Oh, I finally collected enough peas that I par boiled them and put them in the freezer. Didn't take pictures as I was fixing lunch as well at the time. They will be ready to eat if I feel like adding them to something. I'm really not a boiled pea kind of person to eat by themself. I have about a pound of mixed veggies in the freezer as well.

Only other thing I wanted to try is celery. Actual celery is rather touchy to grow and in my area it needs to be late winter/early spring or fall growing. It also takes up a lot of room and likes composty moist soil. Could probably do that in the north bed or maybe a fall crop in the raised bed when the tomatoes are done. I looked up how to grow celery and lovage (a celery substitute) and lovage takes 3 years to get to mature size and is huge. Okay well that's out. Looks like I'll have to buy celery seed or flakes in the store.

My mainstay veggies it seems are potatoes, tomatoes, garlic, onions, peppers, peas, lettuce and radishes. Carrots... fun to grow but not a fan of eating them. Might have to try romaine type lettuce in the fall or next spring.

Looks like that's it for today. Soil is good, all my plant needs are met for the time being and all is waiting for sunnier weather. Which according to the weather app it may be partly cloudy next week for a few days but for the most part 60's and 70's with clouds to part cloudy.