garden .. on the run ; )

   So we've learned a few things about growing at 7000 feet above sea level. 1.) At least in Flagstaff - Mother Nature's hormonal clock is all over the place: Sunny and 75 degrees during the day, then dropping to below freezing at night (such as last night). 30 mile an hour gusts come around this season, and a little later on .. the monsoon kicks in with the occasional hail showers that can tear your crop to smithereens .. and to top it all off, we were only getting about 5 hours of good sun on the side of my brother's place .. so this morning, as is life w/ p&j, we took the show on the road ; ) 

   Luckily our whole farm lives in these buckets otherwise everything would have froze by now .. at the end of long days here at the Roost, we'd check the weather site and make sure the night was going to be warm enough for our babies .. a few nights it wasn't, so at 10 or 11pm, after wrapping up here, we'd drive by Paul's house and lug 25 buckets from the side of the house into the garage. Juwels says she likes the little night workout, but I could think of better uses of our energy at that hour .. so we decided to start looking around for a place with better sun and more protection from the wind and cold.

   And spoiled children of the Universe that we are .. wouldn't you know it, but there just so happened to be an unused greenhouse on the ranch about 100 feet from our Winnie front door. We met with the owner, and asked if we could clean it up, and bring a little life to the space, and he said sure thing! Over the years it had become full of junk, and we said we'd clean it up as soon as we could .. but last night at about 11pm, just after moving the plants into the garage, we pulled past the Winnie farther into the ranch to feel the temp in the greenhouse, and it was completely cleaned out .. as if magic elves or cartoon birds had come in and done the work. Best landlord ever !!

   Juwels didn't want to bring the plants in until we'd decked the place out, but I finally convinced her to just let them stay there in the full sun and warm nights until we were ready .. we could always pull them out when we decided to paint and build tables and shelves .. and it would sure beat the late night chug--lug.

   Outside there's another garden area with soil that's been conditioned over the years ... we'll plant some potatoes and onions out there .. they don't mind the cold ; )

   I started sweeping the cobwebs and dirt .. but a few seconds later found myself in a cloud of dust. Luckily, there's a water hookup, so we gave the whole place a nice splish splash. The damp cement and wood smelled great, and the air was suddenly tropical.

   Looks like one of the kids that ran around these parts in the past was decoding a special message on the wall. Juwels is already picking out colors for the new paint job - we're thinking brick red, but there's also a strong urge to do something really colorful and lively. We'll see ..

   This little fuzzy butt came in through the hole in the roof (sealing soon) and I told Juwels that I didn't think those big bees had stingers, so she scooped him up in her camera pouch and showed him the door : )

Lugging for the last time ; ) 

   And as I write this, our little greens are spending their first sunny morning in their new home. Can't wait to go in there tonight after work, light some candles, and meditate over the fruit and spices these organic beauties will bring us ; )

  More later, love,

 -p&j