As happens so many times in life, I started out this years growing season slightly prematurely and with a bang. Added new raised beds, ripped out weeds, chopped tree limbs, removed trees and cleared new areas. I even installed a new fence down the side of the property that is my garden area. As we reached our zones last frost date I began planting some of the crops. Planted a whole new row of raspberry bushes. Built a small grape trellis over the entrance to the garden area and put the grapes in the ground.
For years I had seen people have success with planting strawberries in gutters. So I purchased and installed gutters along the side of the property on the fence. This is where the fun and excitement began to fall apart. Not 2 days later squirrels (or at least that is who I suspect) got into the gutters and destroyed 90% of my strawberry starts. Leaving me with a measly 4 plants. 4 PLANTS! After a brief session of mumbling and cursing and a small pity party I decided I must move forward. I cut a small piece of fence and covered the remaining plants and so far they seem to be fine.
With this pandemic happening this year the local nursery that I typically purchase flats of vegetables that I do not start from seed sent out and email with an order form. This was great I was able to take stock of what I wanted and place and order via email and they would call me when it was ready and I could pick it up curbside. Picking up the plants was an obstacle in itself but that is not the point of this story and I do not fault the nursery for this. Everyone is adjusting.
Somewhere along the line, about 2 weeks ago everything came to a halt. Yes I am still watering the crops, yes I still intend to plant the rest of the vegetables. But that initial early season stall has happened. We had a late chill which threatened the small plants (luckily mine all seem to have survived) and the chill pushed me back into the shop. Tinkering and building as I would during the winter months. In an effort to kick out of this stall. I dragged myself into the garden and planted a row of Cucumbers earlier this week. But I stopped there. Leaving the rest of the beds still bare and the flat of plants on the chair. This weekend I have lined up a ton of projects I hope to accomplish. But will I actually get around to them? Or will I be stuck in this stall funk? What is it that makes us as humans get into these moments? I must battle through to provide for the family. We all must battle through right now.’