Heavenly Sunshine!

“Heavenly sunshine! Heavenly sunshine!  Flooding my soul with glory divine!”  After four days of rain a big dose of heavenly sunshine was just what was needed!  I spent most of the day in the potager doing bits of this and that, since everything is so muddy.  Lots of deadheading was needed in the potager’s interior border, and sadly, the adorable “Bright Gem” mini tulips edging the main paths were the main victims.  They were glorious this year and it was sad to see them faded to beige and shriveling, but since they were no longer adding to the beauty, they had to go.

The over-wintered spinach was beginning to look the worse for wear with a bit of yellowing here and there and definite signs of bolting.  Since the “Gangbuster” spinach planted this spring has nearly hand-sized leaves already, it was time for the old spinach to go.  The big colander of gorgeous spinach was joined by the first radishes of the season, always a happy occasion.

More plants were moved outdoors in late afternoon to begin hardening off, and more were moved from the basement.  By then, some of the potager’s beds had dried out enough to allow some Italian Red Scallions to be added to one of the new strawberry beds.  No use wasting that space until the strawberries need more room, and by that time the scallions will be ready for the grill.  In Florida, “strawberry” onions are grown right in the strawberry rows as a companion crop, becoming extra sweet and tasty so it’s a practice I’ve adopted here.

I’m still finding peas “planted” here and there throughout the potager, which explains why there are so many gaps in the “Strike” pea rows.  Squirrels?  Mice?  Sometimes it’s a single plant now about 3″ tall, and sometimes it’s a whole cluster.  I’m returning them to the designated rows.  It will probably make for some uneven maturation, but that can be managed.

It was so lovely just sitting in front of the Lady Cottage with a cup of tea brewed there, listening to the birds, who were as thrilled with the sunshine as I.  And even better?  The forecast is for a least partial sunshine until rain again on Sunday!  Hopefully the first load of mulch can be brought in, and then I’ll be more than thrilled!