Pruning, Planning, and Pumpkin

 

This Sunday has been bout the three “p”s of January—pruning, planning, and pumpkin.

Pruning began last week, when I trimmed the laurel hedge hard on either side, enabling the neighbors to climb into their spare car on either side and open the fence gate while also shedding some light on the day lilies on our side of the hedge. Today, I worked on trimming the fig back off of the roof of the house. Then I hauled the branches back to the compost area, where some laurel, the Christmas tree, and some English ivy where waiting for processing. I am working my way counter-clock-wise around the house. Next is the apple and the plum, then the compost laurel and the hazelnut.  

Seed dreaming is also happening. I have my catalogs with pages marked—do I want to try the tomato that climbs 15 feet this year? Can I find the Green Grape tomato seeds again? What about plain petunias? This afternoon, I sorted through the seed tin to see what was left from last year and what needed to be purged. Soon, we will be ordering and planting, so the greenhouse needs a tidy s well.

Finally, there’s the pumpkins that I baked a few nights ago because they were about to rot. I’ve made soup and shepard’s pie with the results and, right now, there is a pumpkin cake for a potluck and pumpkin bread for our breakfasts in the over. And that is all of the pumpkin. There’s not even ny hiding in the back of the freezer.