I’m leaving town tomorrow, so…

It’s time to frantically plant the garden.

I don’t know what it is about going out of town that flips some switch in my brain and makes me decide to get done what I have not gotten done in the comparatively long and more open days prior to this, but it happens every time. Like clockwork. I guess that just verifies something I already know.

I am a procrastinator.

Of the worst, worst. sort.

With everything. Work. Kids. Meetings. Everything. It’s why I’m late everywhere. Well, the other reason is because I am actually am more embarrassed to be early, than late. But that’s a whole nother subject into my psyche that I probably won’t explore here because then people won’t believe my rather extravagant excuses as I cruise into meetings and appointments and lunch dates and BSF carpooling driveways precisely 10 minutes late every time. I recognize this is not an attractive trait. And recognizing it has done nothing to improve it. Nor did making it a New Year’s Resolution. So I’m kind of over trying to change. (Sorry Pam)

Anyway. This is about the garden.

Tomorrow, bright and early, I’m leaving for Boston to see my darling niece graduate from Boston College. I sort of forgot about this fact until some time this morning. After freaking out about all the things I needed to get done,  I decided, “Damn. I better get those seedlings in the ground.” Because I was also thinking, “…they will never survive the weekend with Charlie and Dave in charge.” Did I let the fact that I only had about two hours to pack, and plant the garden and get a couple work-work things done deter me? No, I did not. Did I try to talk myself into waiting? –Seriously. This could have waited. — Yes, I did. But I ignored me.

I also have a very warped perception of time. (I guess that is another reason I am always late.)

But I dug in (haha) and ran from the barn to garden, back to the barn, to the house, to the garden, sweating and huffing and being very, very productive. Being the organized person I am, I had calculated that I needed to leave for Charlie’s track meet by 1:30 (tricking myself, because I actually didn’t have to leave until 1:45). And, to make a long story short, I got in the house at 1:50, totally freaked out because I thought I was supposed to leave at 1:30, then remembered I had tricked myself and ran upstairs to change. Then got something to drink. Then grabbed my camera. And… and sped out of the garage at 2:05. Twenty minutes late.

Never mind. Google maps is always wrong about how long it takes.

Not this time, they weren’t.

Anyway. The good news is: I was exactly on time for the estimated start of Charlie’s first race. The bad news is that for the first time in the HISTORY OF THE WORLD, a track meet was running ahead of schedule. I got there in time to see the last 100 meters of his mile. At least I wasn’t lying when I said, “Great finish!”

Anyway. This post is about the garden.

OK. Maybe it’s not about the garden. I got a lot left to do before going to bed. But I did take some pictures:

Here are the sugar snap peas that I planted about 2 weeks ago. I am trying something radically different this year. I’m trying to combat Lola, the pea eating dog, as well as the annual pea plant blow down. Stay tuned:

And here are the stupid leeks. I haven’t grown them for several years and I kind of miss them. These aren’t looking real promising though. I started them from seed several weeks ago. If they don’t make it, I’ll just pull them out.

Garlic and shallots are planted in late October (or early November if you are a procrastinator) and are looking pretty good!

And my favorite photo of the day, the radish soldiers under the “don’t-poop-here-cat-deterrent.” If you look closely at the leaves, they already have telltale holes from flea beetles!

That’s a wrap. I didn’t get ALL my plants in the garden and in pots, so Dave and Charlie will still have a lot riding on their shoulders. If they fail, you can be sure I will let you know.