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It was months ago that I decided to attempt starting perennial seeds by using a winter sowing method that I had read about in my Northern Gardener magazine.  I posted (here) about getting everything set up and flower seeds planted in these plastic milk jugs in the dead of winter.Continue Reading

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Although my husband might disagree, it is my firm belief that you can never have too many perennial gardens.  So, after a few years of threatening to expand my gardens, I decided to go ahead this year. I always start my landscaping projects by laying out a garden hose inContinue Reading

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Some time in January, my 87-year-old grandmother, who has always lived on her own, was hospitalized and underwent major surgery.  Eventually she was moved to a nursing home to recover.  She has been there ever since.  It turns out that recovery does not happen as quickly in an 87-year-old bodyContinue Reading

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In: Gardens, Vegetable

Finally.  I am finally done planting my vegetable garden.  With the heat wave we have had lately here in Minnesota, everything has sprouted and is growing quickly. I have planted all my typical crops:  lettuce, spinach, carrots, cilantro, onions, beans, tomatillos, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, corn, pumpkins, gourds and zucchini.Continue Reading

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In: Bees

Our adventure as beginning beekeepers keeps providing us with new challenges and opportunities for learning.  After getting our two packages of bees in early April, we soon discovered that the queen in one of the hives had not survived.  I picked up a new queen from our supplier and re-queenedContinue Reading

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In: Bees, Gardens

The Prairie Fire crabapple tree right outside my kitchen window is in full bloom .  It is quite a sight and smells delightful. Apparently, we are not the only ones that are enjoying the tree.  After two days of rain, snow and freezing temperatures, we were outside Sunday enjoying theContinue Reading

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I posted a few weeks ago about the woodland wildflowers blooming in the woods behind our house.  Those flowers have since faded away and now it is the beautiful Trillium’s turn to take center stage.Continue Reading

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I absolutely love this time of year.  Everything is so lush and green as it springs to life and awakens from winter’s sleep.  The tree leaves are finally starting to emerge from their buds, the birds have returned, the spring flowers have burst into bloom, and best of all, theContinue Reading

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The woods behind our house is a beautiful sight this time of year, awash in woodland wildflowers.  Different varieties of wildflowers carpet large areas and this year they seem particularly abundant. I found a great website to help me put a name to these faces at  www.minnesotawildflowers.info.  Check it outContinue Reading

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Our first bump in the road with the bees this season was to lose one of the queens from our two new packages of bees.  I went to inspect them last weekend to look for signs that the queens were alive and healthy.  Looking for either eggs or bee broodContinue Reading