Merlyn, Merlyn, Quite Contrary, how does your garden grow? :)

It was Memorial Day yesterday, and my pop, Earl Brown, used to say that your garden should all be in by that date.

And even tho' he's been gone nigh unto some 16 years, I can still hear him and feel him when I am in the garden. :)
I had a couple of hours yesterday to accomplish my task before I was to "go off and have fun with my friends."

I have long since adopted the rule of "Do the hard thing first" and then the rest of the day will be easier.

Don't get me wrong, I love to garden. Harry had preliminarily turned over the garden and Talon rototilled it for me. I weeded all the edges the day the dumpster came. But what with the dumpster taking precedence for that time being and all the rain we've had, I haven't gotten around to it till now.

And it was Memorial Day! Dad's concrete "deadline!"

I had gone on a fun shopping tour of the nursery the other day in preparation for this.
(Ok, so I made a window shopping tour previous to that, just to walk around inside the greenhouse on a dreary day to see the beautiful flower colors and soak up the smells and sights of the earthy vista :)

Already, there were containers and trays of veggie plants impatiently waiting for me on my porch to plant.
There were also brand new seedlings of Sunflowers and Morning Glories, who were getting tall in their swollen pellet pots awaiting their earthy destination.

When shopping among the myriad of choices at the nursery, I had picked 6 large Cherry tomato plants along with 6 Roma. While I love the big beefsteak tomatoes, we had a blight 2 years back, and I'm dearly hoping that these plants will be fine. There will be plenty for us if they decide not to blight!

I put in some yellow squash this year, instead of green zucchini, thinking that maybe I would see the yellow color better than green, before they turn into hidden garden monsters! The yellow color is intriguing me lately, so I also bought some yellow bell peppers for fun for cooking with.

I put in more herbs too: some fuzzy fragrant sage, 4 cilantro, 6 sweet basil, an oregano and thyme plants to go with my chives and mint that always come back.

The peonies have big buds on them for their upcoming dazzle and fragrant splash here in June. I planted my baby Sunflowers in front of them on the back line of the garden, because by the time they are the huge happy kings of the garden, the peonies should be done with grand entrance and going onto their exit.

The cone flowers always make a lovely show with their big fuchsia color. They are like my dear friends, like a huge (but purple) black eyed Susan. Showy and grand they are indeed, yet homey in some country way.

I planted a big pot of Morning Glories for my front porch and will train them onto the trellis there soon. I was warned by my good friend, Rick, (Swabby my pirate bud :) that the Trumpet vine I desired would become an enemy if I planted it. So, until I find a perennial climber who will play nicely, I will enjoy the annual Morning Glories with my coffee until they decide to sleep in the afternoon every day.

I had a visit from a turtle in the garden, telling me to go at my own pace. I did have to sit down several times and catch my breath. The sun was hot and while it felt good, I knew I would get sick if I didn't pause and refresh occasionally.

The turtle had boogied around until he had got himself stuck and wedged between two rocks. I carefully lifted him and his clawing feet and craning neck, up over the cinder block edging and placed him in the ferns. He laid there awhile, traumatized at the journey from a giants hand, and then after coming out tentatively....slowly....he was gone.

I also saw a most beautiful golden striped shell on the walkway in front of my garden shed. I picked up this little oddity and turned it over and sure enough, there was a snail within it. I put him back down and he proceeded to make a beeline path to the garden. While I like the wildlife, I didn't want to have to give him a beer drowning so early in the season. I picked him up and moved him across the lawn to the deck area by the day lilies. The snail came WAAAY out of his shell on his ride in the sky and regarded me with his inquiring eyes keeping his horns trained certainly in my direction.

I read that "The snail is a symbol meaning the protection of providence, deliberation and perseverance. The snail represents one who has steady footing and stability. The spiral of the snail's shell is a symbol of evolution, expansion, mystery and changing cycles."

The "keep at it" approach. "If it's going to be, it's up to me" sort of thing. I put the snail down and he went on his way like nothing happened and continued looking for his own garden delights.

I didn't think I could do it in time, but I got everything in......

and panting and dripping with sweat, lungs bursting,

I looked around,  proud of what I had done, smiled,

and decreed that it was good. :)