Actor Jack Nicholson says that the worst thing about growing old is that you can never trust a fart. Any farmer or serious gardener will tell you that the worst thing about the next 10 days is that you can’t trust Mother Nature. The question of the day: is it safe to plant? The beds are waiting.

This is the first year since we purchased our Humble Little Cottage that Anne and I are attempting a serious garden. It’s also the first year that one or both of us hasn’t had to spend the planting period cruising up and down I-81 to the DC area for family or professional reasons. Add to that fact that practically everything we’re attempting from remodeling the house to managing the land, we’re having to learn as we do it.

Last night taught us the importance of understanding microclimates. We live in a “holler” which is defined as a small valley between mountains. Because of the topography, we have a half dozen or more microclimates. Last night we experienced what I hope was our last frost of the growing season. In some parts of our 3.25 acre mini-farm the frost was heavier than others. One part received no frost at all. After consulting the various weather services, which can only give general information, a few long term residents, and our weejee board, we covered what we could and hoped for the best. We’ll know in a day or two the effect the frost had on things like the tender iris blooms and our strawberry patch.

With rain predicted off and on for the rest of the week, the question we face today is whether or not it’s safe to start planting the dozens of vegetable and flower seedlings we’ve got stacked around inside the house and on the front porch. We’ve decided to cross our fingers and go for it. If we’re wrong, expect another profanity-laced post on the benefits a good cussin’ can have on stress relief.

strawberry blooms

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Elena Kagan, British Petroleum, and the Gulf Coast. What do these have to do with today’s post? Nothing except they’re 3 of the most popular google searches today. Big city folks aren’t the only ones who know how to manipulate the media.

Y’all have a good one.