Almost Time!

   For the past week or so, I have spent my mornings readying the gardens for the winter crops.  The tiny seedlings were in dire need of their permanent growing spots so there was a lot of digging, hauling mulch and watering.  Planting during a drought has its drawbacks but still cabbages will not grow unless given space...plenty of space.  So...for 10 days, I worked...hard.  I am tired but several hundred tiny plants are now situated where they are to spend the next couple of months.  Cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, mustard greens, radishes, beets, chard and peas are all happily growing.  Now, I have a few minutes to breathe and tend to other chores!

  As I was taking a break from planting, I wandered back to check the citrus trees. While the grapefruit trees have seen better days, the others are doing fine.  My poor grapefruit trees were treated to some bad soil (my mistake...never trust anyone to bring good dirt....it does not happen).  My next chore will be to pull back the tainted dirt and clear the area, put in some of my mulch and hopefully save the trees.  The satsuma, navel orange and lemon trees are loaded with fruit, however!  They did not receive any side-dressing of the bad dirt.  While looking at the fruit, I could hardly resist from pulling one to taste.  I kept reminding myself...not yet!  Let them get sweeter.  It was hard!

  If all goes well, the citrus fruit should be ready to harvest just when the grandkids finally get to come to the Bayou after all of these years.  The plan is that they will be able to come for Thanksgiving.  I sure hope so.  Hopefully, they will not mind helping their old grandma pick the fruit like they did four years ago.  It has been a long time.