It should be raining sideways right now in March, but because the East Coast is grabbing all the cold air, we’ve been enjoying 66˙F weather on The Oregon Coast.
Because of the warm spell, we were able to move some things off the light stand in the house and into the garden. These lettuce and Parel cabbage plants, and (bought) broccoli were put into ground today.
March 28…66˙F (18˙C) Looking at tomorrow’s weather forecast, I’m going to have to find a shade cloth for the new transplants. Michael Marlow says it was 28˙F in Western Massachusetts this morning, lightly snowing on the foot of snow already there.
We even brought out the Sun Oven to bake up a pot of beans.
While my wife was transplanting, I was preparing a base for my new log hive. The wood carver said he would bring it out Monday. I think I’m ready with packed sand under these heavy cement blocks.
When I proposed using an old bird feeding station on the log hive, Brian Vorwaller went quiet. I don’t think he really wanted to see that old thing on top of his beautiful creation, so he asked me for another chunk of wood.
March 21…From this chunk of wood (in the care of the wood carver) comes…
…the ‘shake’ roof that will serve as the rain-shedding top of my Grand Kids Log hive. It’s hard to see, but the quilt box is on the bottom 4 inches of it. Brian worked it into the design so well.
March 28…To the bees’ delight, our flowering cherry tree is in full bloom.
The Tower of Jewels echium plants are going to bloom this year…HOORAY! I’ve waited two years for this. They should bloom for about 3 months giving out nectar all day long. How do I know they will bloom?
They have shot up about 4 feet in the last month, but the telltale sign is under the leaves where they meet the main stem…bud beginnings!
Adventures in Natural Beekeeping 