Garden patterns and experiments

Returning to the garden after being out of town, days of rain, and being too busy with work overwhelms me. There is so much to weed! So today I decided to weave working in the garden into my studio time, and do a little bit throughout the day. This morning I picked strawberries, (harvesting takes time too!) washed them, and froze ones that were a little soft from rain. They will be great for summer smoothies while the firmer ones are perfect for eating right now. Or perhaps I'll make a strawberry shortcake for the long weekend.

This afternoon I freshened up a few vases to spread around the studio while I do my big bi-annual studio cleanse. Bringing the garden inside keeps my spirits lifted while I work.

Then this evening I harvested and pulled all the spinach, some of which had already bolted. It filled a garbage sack full, and since it's way more that we can eat, we'll be sharing with friends. Next we plan to plant okra in the spinach plot and my husband wants to try using the spinach plants as mulch (he's the one who has all the bright garden ideas!). So I spread them along the edges of the plot, leaving space in the middle for the okra seeds. In a nearby area, we are using the dried stalks left in the ground from last year's okra as a natural trellis for the sugar snap peas. It's working pretty well so far, but I think we may space a few wooden stakes for extra support.