Hi-Ho-Cherry-O

My garden? Well, yes, Memorial Day came and went. You’re right, that definitely means that the long-awaited time FINALLY arrived to plant a garden in my NEW gardening zone. It’s much colder here than in ATL. Anyway, I have been impatiently awaiting the day after Memorial Day, when it is safe to plant here. I bought seeds, and planted seeds inside in Jiffy pots, and absolutely could not wait for the day AFTER Memorial Day to begin my gardening journey at this Farm.

Oh yes. I’ve dreamed of getting my hands into that old gardening soil, where the previous owners of this farm planted their kitchen garden for years and years. And years. I’m told it is the same place where their parents and grandparents and great-grandparents also planted their kitchen gardens. Last year was a gardening bust for me because I had taken down that line of 12 big white pines between the ancient gardening spot and the barn. And, as a result, there was the enormous mess of those 12 trees left laying right in my garden spot.

This year? most of that mess is gone. Not all, but most.

And then the Girl Scout Camp-Out arrangements were changed a bit. 30 people were coming to our Farm for the Camp-Out. Oh my. The site that was originally picked here on the Farm was changed. There wasn’t enough shade in the original site and access to the creek was more difficult. I had also seen a bit of poison ivy in that area and wasn’t sure how to eradicate it quickly without chemicals.

So, the original camping spot, the one I had already mowed and began to clean up, was abandoned and the a different spot was chosen. The new spot was an area of the farm that we have barely even walked on. Since we first saw the farm this spot has been waist high in weeds.

It is beside the old milking parlor and old dairy barn. These buildings have not been restored. (One day, one day…)

What a perfect camping spot this turned out to be! Perfect! Lots of flat land close to the creek. Some trees for shade. It was a lot of work to clear it and clean it up, took me almost a week, but it was beautiful. (Them: “Oh, I hope you didn’t go to too much trouble for us.” Me: “Oh no, not at all, not at all.”)

But first. Before I began with that clean-up. A group of ATV riders went out for a ride and invited us to go. They even provided me with an ATV to drive. (Love the neighbors here!) We packed a picnic and joined them. I don’t know when I’d had so much fun. It was a glorious day in the mountains.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So refreshed and renewed, I began the sweaty process of preparing for the Girl Scout Camp-Out…..here it is, done. whew. I wish I had made a “before” photo. Just imagine seeing only over-grown waist high weeds.

I brought over some picnic tables and put them beside the creek.

The girls set up tents all over the field. Some close together, some far apart. There were 15 tents in all.

Here’s mine!

Here’s what I did about drinking water. I brought the dispenser I use in the kitchen outside with several extra containers of water. We also had bottled gallons for cooking and cleaning.

Here’s what I did about a potty. I set up this tent and inside had a portable “loo.” It was a bucket with a seat on it. We had shavings inside and a different bucket for used toilet paper. I had an air freshener inside, hand sanitizer, and a light for night. One of my jobs as hostess, I thought, was keeping this clean and welcoming. After two winters cleaning out a barn after 4 horses, keeping the “loo” clean didn’t bother me at all.

Dinner was “Hobo Packets” on the fire. The girls took a hamburger patty of beef, turkey or vegetarian and put it in a large piece of heavy aluminum foil. Then on top of the patty, she could add any of the veggies we had there: chopped onions, sliced potatoes, sliced carrots, frozen corn, frozen peas. Then add a big ole dollop of butter and seal the foil. Throw it very close to the flames of the fire, NOT on the fire. Mine was perfect, but a lot of the girls burned theirs.

When night began to fall, they sang campfire songs and made s’mores.

(I never post identifiable photos of other people here, so I used this blurred pic on purpose…)

 

Night was magical out under the stars. Although it was cloudy and we couldn’t star-gaze, we knew they were up there.

It wasn’t my “event” in that I wasn’t in charge of anything other than the aforementioned cleaning out the POTTY and providing the GROUND. (And that was hard for me because I’m both a control freak and an organizer and I love to plan activities.) But. I stayed out of it and just lent a helping hand when needed.

BUT. I did butt in to teach the girls my all time favorite Girl Scout campfire song: Boom-Chicka-Boom. I told them that was their “fee” for staying there: to sing this song with me. They loved it and sang it to their parents at the Court of Awards Ceremony the next day. It was cute to see the parents and grandparents sing Boom-Chicka-Boom “underwater” style (that’s where you move your lips with your index finger to make your voice quiver.)

The next morning, the girls cooked eggs (from my chickens, of course) on the camp stoves they had made at their last Girl Scout meeting. They used the “sternos” they had made with cat food cans, melted candles and melted crayons, and rolled up cardboard. It was quite impressive.

And enjoyed the creek some more. And goofed around.

And then it was time to say goodbye.

And so, my Friends, the garden hoeing has yet to begin. But it’s on my calendar this, the week after Memorial Day. Can’t wait.

Hi-Ho-Hi-Ho-It’s-Off-To-the-Garden-I-Go!

Until next time, Friends, Savor the Flavor of Life!

Lots of Love, The City in the Country Farmgirl, Rebekah