outside

Today was perfect weather for working outside- cool, slightly overcast, promising rain later. Did a lot of work- tilled (with a shovel) the ground where potatoes had been, and the row of weeds I thought were marigolds edging the patio, and dug in two buckets of nice black compost. Half of it was some I had bagged up to let cure in the shed for months. Turned the pile, topped it off with weeds from the front flowerbeds and edges of the main patio. Swept up dead leaves, leaf litter and fallen flower petals, dumped that all on too. The front flowerbeds are still pretty bare, but the Hostas are doing well- they even flowered!- and the low plant I got from someone's cuttings is still there and slowly spreading. (The tall one she gave me died). After I've turned over the rest of the veg beds and raked in compost for fall planting, if there's any left over I'll put it on the hostas.

The red Onions, though small, have excellent flavor. A loves them thinly sliced in salad, or his homemade dip. I've brushed the dirt off and hung them all up to cure in a mesh bag, next to the garlics.