Ground Hog Day

     Well, today is February 2, 2018... Ground Hog Day and it seems old Phil saw his shadow so supposedly we'll have another 6 weeks of Winter.I must admit I've already had about enough of the cold weather. Do I put any stock on some large rodent seeing his shadow or not being a reliable weather forecast?  Nope.The weather this year so far has been so extreme (world wide) I can't put any faith in any forecasts. It's gonna do what it's gonna do.

     Years ago when I lived in Louisiana, on Ground Hog Day, one of the local radio stations was having a contest and the grand prize was 50 pounds of ground hog meat. Before anybody freaks out, I figured out what they meant rather quickly. It was pork sausage... Get it? Ground hog!

     Anyway, I'm looking forward to a week of no nightly lows below freezing again so I can get back to digging in the dirt. A while back I purchased some ginseng seeds. Since I've added the portable carports to my back yard, one of my raised beds gets not a lot of sunshine and since I've heard  "'sang" as the old timers call it likes shade I think I'll try making that one my ginseng patch. It won't command high dollar like wild grown root but I'm not trying to grow it for sale but rather for my own use. It is supposed to be good for all kinds of ailments and Lord knows the older I get the more ailments I have!
     I've a few buckets of compost ready to dump in along with some dead potted plants and the soil thereof. I've seen a few bags of leaves on the curb in front of houses that have oak trees so I'll fetch them up to fill the bed to a depth of about 12" and on an average week I bring home about 10 pots worth of coffee grounds to mix in.

    All in all, I think we're gonna have a good year in the gardens. I also bought a butt load of salsify, or oyster root seeds which I'll dedicate a full 6' x 6' garden to and packed in about a quart and a half of okra seeds from last year's harvest. The okra seeds sold out early in the stores last year and I was lucky to find the last packet, tucked behind some other crap. I possibly could make a dollar or two selling mine but I think I'll just tell my friends that I have plenty and give the seeds to my friends, perhaps along with the hint that should they have any excess produce to keep me in mind. That's the way I feel family, friends and neighbors should be, Share and share alike, right? Love thy neighbor.
 
     Looking forward to a grand Spring, mild Summer and bountiful harvest.  But as Jesus himself said, "Father, not my will but thy will be done".