Get Your Garden On

I’m a bit beat but I am still making a diligent effort to get my poem a day done. It’s amazing how tired sitting and listening to people show and tell can be, no matter how interesting the topic is to you.

I went to a Home Landscaping and Garden Fair put on by the U of M Extension Master Gardener Program. The event ran from 8 AM to 3:30 PM and allowed you to choose three classes besides the joint classes the event began and ended with.

The fair got off to a great start with Dr. Bud Markhart who spoke on “Why Grow, Buy, and Support Organic Food?” He was very passionate and excited about his topic and his enthusiasm was contagious.

 Most of his talk was fun and entertaining but he got pretty serious when he talked about industrial farming and the high cancer rate amongst these farmers and their families due to the pesticides that are used. The more farmers that can switch to organic and manage to make a living from it, the better off health-wise they will be.

My favorite class of the day was “The Kitchen Herb Garden” partially because she had samples of chamomile tea, cupcakes that incorporated lemon verbena, and bread chunks available to sample herb-infused olive oil and herb butter.

In a class on annuals, I was introduced to a ton of varieties that I hadn’t seen or heard of before. There were numerous oohs and ahhhs as all the variations of color combinations blazed across the screen.

In my own yard, a few perennials are just barely beginning to peek their heads out.

How Does Your Garden Grow?

Biodiversity

Do not overwater
Shade tolerant
Locally grown
Seaweed fertilizer
Pest management
Beneficial insects
Variegated leaves
Native plants
Good drainage

The words spin
Around and around
Spilling onto the ground
Taking up root
At least
That’s what I hope

Madeira Deep Pink
Senorita Rosalita
Colorblaze Alligator Tears
Rebel Rouser
Simply Scentsational
Superbells Blackberry Punch
Dreamtime Jumbo Red Ember
Platinum Wallaby
Scooter Garbo
Little Shark
Burgundy Ice
Fantasia Purple Sizzle

How do you choose?
Cotton candy pinks
Stormy blues
Bruised purple
Blazing orange
Shade your eyes yellow
Combined into a sunrise
Of bursting colortastic

My mind explodes
Overloads
With flowers
Veggies
Herbs
Fruits
Dirt versus soil
Dead versus alive

Sigh…
Brush aside leaves
See what peaks out
Bits of green
Musky smellage
Peace and harmony
Save the planet
Aaagh…

And just in case you were missing seeing photos of Java and Latte, here’s a few of the lovely pair. Really, no dogs were hurt in the making of these photos.

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5 Comments

  1. Gosh the dog photos still make me laugh…they are so funny with teeth showing and carrying on.
    I love the poem and especially love that you used the word smellage in a poem…awesome : )
    I’ve noticed we have a few things popping up too…there is hope.
    Sounds like a great class!

  2. Looks like Latte can hold her own with Java. Have you ever tried fly ball with Java? I just watched some this weekend and thot of you and your dogs. It would be a fun activity when there is no snow for skijoring. Good work on all the poems.

  3. lol! The photos were great…two devil dogs!

    I am going to have my very first real garden this year….a tough venture here in the high desert to be sure. But hopefully with planning and the help of my family we’ll be able to grow our own produce.
    We’ve been enjoying the fresh, delicious peaches and apples from our orchard for the past 4 years, so it’s time we start growing some more of our food. The best thing I discovered is that we have plenty of composted manure around here: horse, llama, goat, and chicken.
    I didn’t have to buy any dirt at all for our raised beds. yay!

    ~Lisa

  4. Lynn – I enjoy making up words and even have a word for that “Maeryisms”.

    Lori – It looks pretty scary sometimes but no one is yelping or trying to quit the game. They keep going back for more.

    Cowgirl – I’m not sure what flyball is. Java loves frisbee. Unfortunately, I’m not very good at throwing a frisbee very far so maybe she only catches them because she doesn’t have to run far. I think Latte might be agility material.

    Lisa – My seedlings are looking too tall and thin. I heard I had too much light going on them so I’ve toned it down. I’m looking at it as an experiment. I can always go buy from the nursery if it’s a big fail. Yes, I miss my old manure pile for filling in gardens and pots.

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