Deja Vu! Again!

So I got up this morning, saw it was a beautiful day, and decided to build another raised bed.  Because I like growing my own food a lot.  And I think my husband might have me committed if i mention chickens again.  Sigh.  Oh well.  I'll keep chiseling away at that.

So I headed out to the local Home Depot, bought some wood and some new screw bits for my power drill (having ruined the other ones I had on my last raised bed), and headed home.  First I mowed the grass.

Now... I've always been a grass mower.  I was recuited to the job by my father at a young age.  We had about an acre of yard with the house in the middle and I was taught, "Always blow the clippings away from the house."  This method, being tried and true to making a rake-free yard, and making nice even lines on the yard, has pretty much been the norm my entire life.  We moved to our own house, and I blew the clippings away from the house.  away from the house!  AWAY FROM THE HOUSE!!! *twitch*

So last summer, our old lawn mower finally gave up and died.  Plus it used soo much gasoline that I wanted to get something slightly greener, even if it was still a gas mower.  We got a model with a bag.  I was so excited.  I bagged the clippings and added them to my compost where they turned into wonderful food for my gardens.  It also had a mulching feature, which I had read and heard is very good for yards.

Today, after much consideration, I decided, I would not bag.  I would not blow the clippings out of the yard in a certain direction!  It was time to mulch!  And mulch I did.  I feared of clumps of clippings dropping off the blades and leaving ugly green masses that would turn brown and then kill the grass under them.  This did not happen!!!  I was thrilled.  Even the dense grass that I hadn't mowed at all yet this year didn't clump.  And now the clippings are embeded in my grass to feed it!  I am pleased.

So I had the area for the raised bed mowed(sorry about the tangent).  And I got to work.  Mom watched the baby, and I got most of the base done, and finished the second layer after hubby got home.  I think it turned out very well.  Tomorrow I will get dirt and mulch and really work on my gardens.

Three raised beds!!!

My mescalin mix is almost ready to eat!

The broccoli is also doing well.

I really love growing my own veggies.  I hope to get some of the tomatoes in in the next couple of days, depending on my dirt progress tomorrow.