soil

After a whirlwind weekend of building and hauling and spending much more money than we can currently afford, we are ready to plant. I've wanted to grow veggies for years, but we've spent most of our last few summers moving. This year I am determined.

We discovered permafrost about six inches below the tundra mat, making any kind of garden - even a raised bed - a little ambitious. Not to mention I don't really want to invest in a raised-bed garden in a place we don't own, although Peter is planning on putting some potatoes in the little tree-free patch behind the cabin where the permafrost is further down. Given the local moose population and the experimental nature of this, our first year attempting to grow things, I decided long boxes on our super-tall porch would do the trick.

We've made three trips to the hardware store and spend most of the weekend (and my convalescent week at home) creating what I hope will be a satisfactory vegetable home. I also made a last minute purchase of buckets and black-eyed-susans. Although it will be weeks before we see any green, the nice black topsoil edging our porch is making me just as happy for the moment.
I finally did get eucalyptus oil and started adding it to my steam-pot for a little DIY respiratory therapy. One day later, I'm feeling normal for the first time in over two weeks and only have some residual drainage to deal with. Which means back to the kennel tomorrow, and back up the haul road next week. Ah, mixed blessings. But given how much we shelled out for wood and nails and soil and seeds, it's about time.

And then, my little baby sister will be here for her first visit to the North Country. And have we got a wild ride planned for her ...