Lesson 188: A Mobile Garden

The 2014 Ashbaugh family garden is going to look a little bit different than last year's.

The reason?

Well, as I mentioned in my last post, we are looking to move. Since we're not sure when exactly, we don't want to devote all our hard earned compost to the ground only to leave it behind.

Like we'll have to leave the chickens. 

And maybe my white picket fence. 

Speaking of, have I shown you our compost lately? It's incredible.

I digress.

So, it's kind of ridiculous how much we have grown to love having our own garden! The third post ever written on this blog was all about how excited we were to be growing four herbs for the summer. 

And now? Now we have schemed as to how to proceed with our much anticipated summer garden ... and be able to pull up stakes at any time.

Y'all, this is progress. This is finding out. This is why I keep a blog.

Mark built a beautiful box for a raised bed (with found wood) back in February.

Before it snowed.

We were eager.

Unfortunately, the box will never be allowed to reach its full potential, because, as I've mentioned before, we don't want to waste our gardening gold (compost.) Thus, we're experimenting with something new.

You ready? 

Hay bales.

Has anyone else heard of this?

Apparently you can simply cut out a portion from the middle of the bale, fill it with a compost and sand mixture, and kazaam. Transportable garden.

We've also utilitized all my decorative pots, that were purchased to beautify our porches, but have never been filled with anything as useless as flowers. (TJK. I love flowers.)

(Also, TJK about using the phrase TJK).

I'll warn you. The result looks super-ghetto. But, it's hidden behind our carport, out of any normal sightline, so who cares?

One more disclaimer. I returned the awesome lens I was using (which is why all my pics were looking better recently) and so, for the time being, my pictures will be lame again. Sorry.

Ok. Without further ado. I give you Mark's newest masterpiece.

Tell me this is not random, and yet kind of amazing!

Eventually, there will be chicken wire attached to the back so the cucumbers, zucchini, and squash are able to grow up. The tomato plants all came from our neighbor, who grew them from seeds in her windowsill this winter. The compost? The compost is ours!

As I'm sure you can imagine, I promise to keep you updated on this little experiment.

And yes.

We are devastated to be leaving this propery and all the wonder we've discovered here. We even had plans for constructing an outdoor brick oven ... for pizzas. How fun, right?!?!

But I read this quote recently, and in a totally cheesey way it helped calm our hearts about moving to the big city.

"It's not the amount of land you live on, it's what you do with the land that makes you a homesteader."

We're also beyond excited and humbled by what the Lord is calling us to next! 


Lesson Learned: Will the hay bale prevail?

Lesson 187: On Mother's Day 2014

I called my mom every day this week.

And every day last week.

And the week before that, there were some days when I called her every hour.

I called her, because Mark was discussing a new job, and then interviewing for a new job, and then accepting a new job.

I called her, because I found a house online that I loved.

And chairs to go in that house.

And then I made an appointment to see the house.

And then I saw the house and liked it, but wasn't sure.

And just how important does she think a big ole'  yard is?

And is it reasonable to recarpet an entire upstairs?

And any idea the price of cutting a window into the side of a house?

And man, how stressful to consider buying a house.

Oh, and guess what? We bought the chairs, but not the house.

It's ok, I found a bunch of new listings.

And we're going to see them tomorrow.

And what do you think of this other set of chairs? How much to reupholster them?

No, no a new set. 

You get the picture?!?!?

The best thing about my mom these days ...

She does not screen my calls! 

(I'm not sure moms are allowed to screen calls.) 

If she can answer, she answers, and she listens, and she asks typically insightful (and only occasionally annoying) questions, and she gets excited when new opportunities arise and sad when something falls through ...

and she prays about the whole situation after we hang up.

My own littles, including the one growing inside me, take a lot out of me physically these days. It can't be helped, it's the nature of the stage. Throw in the possibility and then acceptance of a new job, the pending prospect of a new town and church, a first-time home buying experience, and a chicken catastrophe, and you have the ingredients for becoming the kind of friend everyone tires of hearing from!

It's at times like this when a girl needs her mom.

Times when the give and take in the relationship is slightly reminiscent of the toddler years. I need your attention now, Mom, for this most pressing matter, about me! And my life. And my future. And my concerns.

I'm not saying it's right, but I'm not sure it can be helped. It's the nature of the stage. 

The difference?

This time I understand what it's like to be on the giving side of things. I'm beginning to know what it takes to be a mom.

And all I can say is, wow. I am the most grateful for mine.

 Lesson Learned: Happy Mother's Day! Love you, Mom!

Lesson 186: The Blueberry Progression

You'll remember from post one and post two that this season's most exciting garden adventure involves berries.

Blackberries on one side of the fence. Blueberries on the other.

Here's the progress.

Tell me this is not the coolest!

Hey look! There's my farmer. He's the one responsible for my white picket fence.

Oh, and there's a baby coming too. But that's a post for a different day.


Lesson Learned: Nothing beats backyard blueberries. Except maybe watching three little babies enjoying them.