3.22.2013

Anxious Seedling-Mama and other stories

Next week being Holy Week, I'm going to take it as a break from blogging.

I need a little time to get caught up on reading, to get some gardening done, to prepare music for the Triduum, to write. And to pray. Much as I love blogging, there is a time for silence. When it comes to the internet, I talk a lot for such a quiet person. It will be good to be silent.

* * *

So, after last year's repeated mini-tragedies with seedlings, look!!

Sweet peas! Reaching for the sun, of course...

Black cherry tomatoes!

And behind the tomatoes... some kind of squash! I don't remember
what I planted in which part of that tray...
Mom gave me the pumpkins and Hubbard squash, so I didn't actually start these, but still:


The trick, I've discovered, is heat and careful watering... very careful watering. The shelves are hung above a baseboard heater, which I've kept on during daylight hours, and the warmth is apparently very good for germination. (Mom starts hers under her woodstove.) As for watering, I've gone all anxious mommy on the seedlings, making sure they never do more than just dry out, but never drown, either.

Anxious mama.
My only trouble is that I threw extra tomato seeds in, suspecting they wouldn't all sprout—I saved them from one of last year's tomatoes—which means pinching off one whenever two come up together. It hurts to kill baby plants. They're so beautiful.

Also, the daffodils are blooming!


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There's nothing a cat loves more than a cushy small space... like the spare towel shelf.


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Music of the week: Antonio Lotti's Miserere, which the mixed schola I'm part of is working on for Good Friday. The text is from Psalm 51, which, in the breviary version, reads—I'm not going to try and translate the Latin myself—"Have mercy on me, God, in your kindness. In your compassion blot out my offense."



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Have a blessed Holy Week and happy Easter! This blog returns a week from Monday.

7 comments:

  1. Happy Holy Week!

    See you at Easter! Umm, kind of..online anyway ;)

    Your seedlings look lovely! I can't wait for that time of year, though I'm not such a good seedling mama..Last year I left half mine outside in a downpour..and then tipped them all over trying to bring the poor drowned things inside.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Seedling time of year is one of my favorites... but it's SO HARD to get them to grow... I know how you feel. My little basils from last year got dumped over twice. I have one that survived, at least. :)

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  2. Congratulations! The pig tails are very cute, by the way. c:

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aww, thanks! It's one of my go-to summer do's, though I'm being awfully ambitious treating a Washington March like summer. :P

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  3. Maia: "As I sit in my comfy spot, I'm plotting the death of all those seedlings. Whahahahahaha!!!!"

    Blessed Holy Week & Happy Easter to you all too!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hahah. You've got Maia's thought process nailed. ;)

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  4. Have a blessed Holy Week and Easter, Jenna! I like the idea of taking the week off from blogging -- I may do that next year. This year I've already committed to at least some posts for the week.

    Oh, and best of luck with your seedlings! May they grow into strong and happy plants.

    ReplyDelete

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