Not much time to blog lately, so let's catch up on things. This is the crowd that resulted from my seed starting, as you can see they were beginning to get out of hand.
And over Memorial Day weekend we had a big warmup, so I figured it was time to start hardening them off. The first day, they went out for a couple hours, then the next day for 6 hours or so, in a spot that only gets morning sun. The third day, I decided to make the eviction permanent...
...so most went on this old baker's rack, and some on the sidewalk next to the house. I decided to add the burlap to prevent any major sunburn, as the morning sun in this spot lasts up until about noon.
It was so warm that my
spring peepers were out in force...
....I even set up the water garden tubs.
After a couple days of seedlings outdoors full time, I decided to go ahead and plant many of them out. These 'Psych White' cosmos turned out especially nice, and every bit as large as anything I'd have bought for sure!
I had planted some lettuce, spinach, 'Little Finger' carrots, and 'Golden Purslane' seeds in this deck planter, caged up for protection. They were sprouting well too...
....another cage of seeds, at least until the plants are vigorous. My chipmunks dig in the planters regularly, and I don't need their "help".
There! I left one uncovered with portulaca (moss rose) seeds, just to see what happens.
This dianthus came back from last year, so I just added a cosmos and woodland tobacco I started from seed, plus some alyssum seeds...
...put this nice 'Crystal Apple' cuke next to a trellis where some roses used to be...
...but after a couple weeks it lost leaves and wilted away! So I sowed some of the seeds next to it, hopefully they will make it.
My 'Papa De Rolla' beans are coming up nicely, I've removed the cage since this was taken.
Planting basil seeds where I'd usually put annuals...
...fortunately the rains have been kind thus far.
This setup has a 'Minnesota Midget' muskmelon in the bottom planter, with my fancy refrigerator shelf trellis. In the top tub there are two tomatoes, some basil, and something else I can't remember :)
This annual planter has some white borage seeds, alyssum seeds, and night-blooming phlox seeds...
...here we have 'Tasty Jade' cuke, two swiss chards, a lime basil plant, and a 'Caraflex' cabbage.
In this planter is a climbing cherry tomato, 'Green Zebra' tomato, 'Volcano' pepper, woodland tobacco, cosmos, and lime basil.
Another "annual planter" with a tomato, lime basil, cosmos, and a 'Fajita Bell' pepper...
....and the aformentioned lettuce needed thinning in about a week!
There!
After all that work, our night temps began an ugly trend, with several "frost warnings"!
Since many plants were still on the baker's rack, I decided to use the "space blanket" from my roadside emergency kit in the car. I clipped it to the rack over the burlap, but the plants on the ground had just the burlap with this cooler in front of them to hold in some heat...
...and it worked! I've taken this extra measure a few times, but after two weeks of these stupid lows, I'm over it. The stuff I already planted was so scattered around the yard, I decided they're on their own...
....and there was some pouting/wilting...
...then a few days later-animal damage! Rats! So I re-sowed the cuke, and planted two cabbages on either side of the victim.
More wilting, but no all-out death yet...
...this planter is part of my "night-blooming garden", and has moonflower vine, evening-scented stocks, woodland tobacco, and some alyssum...
...and after the cold snaps, moonflower is droopy (luckily not dead
yet).
One droopy leaf on this 'Little Lucy' okra, and we're due to have continued "unseasonable lows", but I'm hoping my seedlings are adjusting well enough. If all goes well, then the only other problem (besides bugs) that I can think of....
...will be him!
C'mon summer, please hurry!
...taking note of my presence...
And then taking off to patrol the yard.
Next the Mrs. arrives...
...also taking note of my location...
...then going about her business....
...with a parting glance and a "What are you looking at?"
...this is a BPA-free sport bottle , and I love the color!
Check out the lid! I like the metal ring that locks it shut...
They also sent me this very heavy-duty tape measure! It has inches, metric, and a locking slider to keep it where you want it. (Of course it auto-retracts too, which I always found entertaining, much to my father's chagrin! ;-)
What's this?! It's a "Gizmo-approved" garden stool of course!
So if you're having an event and desire some custom-printed swag, the folks at Forte Promo have the quality stuff you need at reasonable prices! In fact, these items would be great for the next Garden Bloggers meet-up! Hint, hint! :)
However some things are very much "business as usual", like all the pollen floating on the river...
....and the dynamic weather patterns...
....continuing to bring welcome precipitation.
My yellow ladyslipper blooms are emerging...
...and the mason bees are filling their nest tubes. They're filling up so fast, I think next year it will be time to buy another nest block (or two).
This moth is a newcomer for me, and after much searching I've decided it's likely a Red-Bordered Emerald Moth . 
More spring insect action-aphids! Yikes! I'm not worried though...
.....cuz' there's a ladybug to the rescue! This is my favorite part of organic gardening-free pest control courtesy of hungry beneficial insects. I didn't have to spend a dime, either!
The mountain ash looks like it will be loaded with berries this year, stellar performance from such a small tree (like 3 feet tall).
This beauty is Polygala paucifolia, or Fringed polygala...
...I have tons of these at the woodland edges of my gardens.
Uh-oh, looks like a bird dropped its' egg a little too hard!
....and check this out! After coveting this yellow violet on another blog, I see that I have one already! Yay! 
This is also the time of year to get together with friends to celebrate the end of winter. This was a "Circle the Wagons" party according to the host...I just called it fun!
...an overhead look...
...though all together they don't look like much...
...compared to last year. I think the cool temps threw them off, plus the grass got a head start this year. Ah well, any blooms are a welcome sight to me!
Like this "Rosy Lights" Azalea. The bush is tiny, but manages at least one bloom every year. I'll try and amend more around it this year and help it out.
...white bleeding heart purchased just this spring and blooming its' hearts out! :)
...and this one with the birch in focus. I kinda like it too...for the perspective or something. (Heh, or I need more coffee :)
Flowering almond blooming like a rock star...
.....and my nanking cherry bushes are working on some cherries-yum! I hope I get to taste them...
More nice tulips...
...very pretty!
And the bugs are swarming like crazy, too. Too fast for the camera, even!
More great smelling bouquets for the house...
Looks like a lightning bug is here already! Seems kinda early to me...
...as do these iris blooms. These are the minis though, which apparently bloom in spring (I got the rhizomes last fall without foliage, so I had no idea what kind of irises I had.)
All of my epimediums are doing great this year, except my yellow that never came back at all, and it's the listed as the hardiest one! :( Ah well, this is pretty...
...lupines opening up...
...her "husband" seems to agree...
...even this Downy Woodpecker enjoys them! And when the oranges are too spent for the feeder, I toss them in the yard..
......where the Red Squirrels snack on the leftovers!
...even my "contraban" cactus from last year is happily growing a new pad!
This is "just Jack", looking dapper as always...
So that's all for now...as you may have guessed these images are a couple weeks ago, and this will have to suffice for my June Bloom Day, too. My health has been lousey lately, and I have no time to blog or even visit blogs lately. But hey, that's life...hope everyone else is having a great season!
....another cage of seeds, at least until the plants are vigorous. My chipmunks dig in the planters regularly, and I don't need their "help".
This dianthus came back from last year, so I just added a cosmos and woodland tobacco I started from seed, plus some alyssum seeds...
...but after a couple weeks it lost leaves and wilted away! So I sowed some of the seeds next to it, hopefully they will make it.
Planting basil seeds where I'd usually put annuals...
...fortunately the rains have been kind thus far.
This annual planter has some white borage seeds, alyssum seeds, and night-blooming phlox seeds...
...then a few days later-animal damage! Rats! So I re-sowed the cuke, and planted two cabbages on either side of the victim.
One droopy leaf on this 'Little Lucy' okra, and we're due to have continued "unseasonable lows", but I'm hoping my seedlings are adjusting well enough. If all goes well, then the only other problem (besides bugs) that I can think of....
