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We Will Rock You(r Garden)

Category: Garden in the Ghetto | Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 12:36 am

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Vexx's Log:
It is now 10:45 am, Pacific Standard Time. I have consumed one cup of delicious Java-fuel and taken a detailed survey of the land. It might not be easy, it might not be pretty, but we will have a foot path by dinner time! Great physical and emotional strength are imperative to this operation... and the occasional fresh tomato.

---------------11:32 am:
Rocks have been set in assumed positions, ready for placement SIR! Although heavy, they offer little resistance. I assume they mean to become my friends and allies.
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1:07 pm:
Heat and humidity have started taking their toll. Said elements will not foil my mission, for I am dedicated to the cause. Surrender is not an option, not even to the little canine insurgent next door that wishes to dig-up and liberate the stones. Half done and ready for more!
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4:54 pm:
Well played. There were interruptive phone calls, attempted cat escapes (Rob has a screen to fix when he gets home!) and a very sore set of arms needing many breaks. Welcome home, river rocks. Welcome home!

I'm really proud of the stump. I planted some of the Ivy-Leafed Toadflax seeds around it yesterday, so I decided it was going to become a focal point. Keep in mind this is my first attempt with aesthetic garden accessories.


*These pictures were taken on my camera phone, hence the poor quality. We used about 20 batteries in the real camera this weekend and the urgency of the situation required me to make due.


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Yard Celebration and Gift Procrastination

Category: Life as a Vexx | Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2007 8:09 pm

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Having been all over the states of Washington and Oregon in the last few weeks, I hadn't started on my twin's birthday present. In an act of desperation and stupidity, I decided to make her a pillow instead of the luxurious bath-robe I'd intended. It seemed like a thoughtful plan, as we share an insomnia that seems to peak in the Summer months.
She labeled herself domestically challenged years ago, easing my guilt of sewing her a "no-brainer" project. Well, as it usually goes for me, this supposedly idiot-proof plan resulted in near disaster and a subsequent tantrum of frustration. I'd forgotten a zipper, didn't have enough ribbon for the edges, ran out of time for fancy piping and ended up utilizing my parents sewing store, having been 50 miles from my own machine! Luckily I sought -out the aide of Gari, one of my fathers employees who I adore, and she helped me with the computerized embroidery machine. These are the results, still needing a hand-stitch at the top end:
It's hard photograph the detail of the embroidery since the fabric is fuzzy, but you get the general idea. One night without sleep, 2 1/2 pots of coffee, lots of running around my folk's store and my own tears went into this pillow. If she doesn't like it, I'll be forced to beat her up on our birthday. That's just how twins roll.
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You know that saying about a watched pot never boiling? I'd been not-so-patiently waiting for a week, and only baby weeds made their grand entrance into my soil. I left Robbie with my usual over-specific instructions on the finer points of gardening. Left Tuesday night, convinced I'd come home to a pile of dead plants and a very un-sprouted yard.
Came out this morning and saw little wisps of green popping up!!! I promptly commenced with the happy dance and rejoiced in the birthday I now share with my grass.



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Triumphant Weed Defeat (For Now)

Category: Garden in the Ghetto | Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 9:46 am

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Still fat and sassy from the celebratory feast of my "Very Veggie" potato salad, pesto pasta and a bottle of cheap wine.
We finally took back what was ours and planted some grass seed in the former stronghold of dandelions, crabgrass, clover and their allies.
Oh, we pulled, raked, seeded and cursed. Endurance and strong drink, in the delicious form of iced vanilla coffee, were on our side!
So, now that the weeds are gone, I suppose I'll share the victory pictures....

Rob being a MAN!

Here I am, basking in the glory...

Dressed for success. Even my garden boots were made to rock and roll.




We wanted to do our version of American Gothic, but the tomato plant takes horrible pictures.

Last edited: Thu Aug 23, 2007 6:21 pm

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The Great Weed Empire and the World's Ugliest Spider

Category: Garden in the Ghetto | Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2007 12:15 pm

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I'll try this again since it didn't post last time, but some of the original fervor will undoubtedly be lost forever to the land of unposted blogs and socks without a mate.
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There are reasons why you haven't seen pictures of my garden. Mainly, it's because my garden is located in my yard. My yard is something you don't want to see, unless you have a strange hankerin' for photographs of weeds. Seriously, lots of weeds.
The thing is, my landlord Steve (who happens to be my half-sister's-uncle-by-marriage, and McPhersons consider that kin!) doesn't really feel the need to give us any special breaks. And by "breaks" I mean the things he gives to all the other tenants free-off-charge. Things like faucets in their back yards, working garbage disposals/refrigerators, grass, etc.
This lack of grass has lead to a maddening frenzy of invasive and unsightly plants. Maintenance (Steve and Gary) are supposed to care for all lawns according to the rental agreement. I think Gary comes by once every other month to mow said weeds, and I still can't figure out why.
Not having a hose is the only reason why I haven't planted my own blasted grass. It's one thing to walk back-an-forth to the kitchen sink 5 times just to water the veggies, but it would get down right tedious trying to wet the entire yard with a gallon water pitcher.
There you have it, my melodramatic excuse for lack of pictures.
On another note I was yanking-up some of the insanity by the porch and this squishy, yellow body scurried out on bright red legs with giant eyes and what looked like pinchers. I thought it was some horrid larvae of a probably plant-terrorizing beetle. I screeched for Rob to put this creature to death. As a kid I would have fearlessly captured it for proper classification and subsequent release, but the dreams of a career in entomology died after 2 spider bites that resulted in trips to the hospital. Rob promptly unveiled this demon from his weedy hide-out and, upon further inspection, found that it was a spider, not a beetle. I advocated it's execution anyways, because I hate red-legged, crab-looking surprises. Rob made a big fuss, as I generally don't condone spider-carnage and force him to put them outside rather than kill. He ended it finally, intentionally making a huge production by using a bark chip as a bad guillotine, instead of his quick and diligent shoe. I felt guilty for a moment, until I shuddered at the mental image of that horrid creature crawling up my garden glove.

Last edited: Wed Aug 08, 2007 12:19 pm

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Tomato Paranoia and Zuke' Regret

Category: Garden in the Ghetto | Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 9:38 am

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The cherry tomatoes are just starting to turn red. I've almost killed that poor plant a dozen times, but luckily she came through. There's 40 tomatoes so far and she's still going.
Now that it seems all right, I'm constantly worrying that someone will steal my fruit! It started when my Grandpa told me that some kids snuck into his backyard and took 15 peaches off his tree. Although it was a hilarious story, I checked all my plants for evidence of theft as soon as I got home.
My partner, Rob, laughed openly as I theorized that everyone in the apartment complex is after our garden. It didn't seem like that far of a stretch, considering a neighbor's boyfriend stole our wallets and cellphones last year. Rob made a good point when he said:
"The meth heads aren't really interested in produce, considering they can't sell it and they don't eat. You bring food to everyone else already."

On another note, I might be the only person on the planet without enough zucchini. I have three plants and barely anything to show for it. Everyone else seems to be pawning theirs off to acquaintances, distant relatives and people they just met crossing the street. Madness. Absolute madness.

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