Updates

First, the big one... The garden - The squash I planted in the frontyard, in the established flower beds, seem to be healthier, need less water and are growing faster than the squash I planted in the backyard in the just-tilled-and-cleared-for-the-season vegetable garden. Could this be a first-hand indication that no-till is the way to go? There are also fewer weeds in the front, certainly not the weed jungle going on in the backyard. The squash in the back have developed powdery mildew, which I know I won't be able to get rid of for the rest of the season without the use of harsh chemical sprays, so it's not going anywhere. This will not effect the squash except in the longevity of the plant and the quantity of fruit it will produce. Even though both areas are mulched, the plants in the front are dealing with the drought much better than those in the back.

We've had little problems with bugs so far on the veggies, thank goodness. Not at all sure why that is, but I'm counting my blessings. All we've been using on them is fertilizer and no pesticides at all.

The peppermint in the herb bed has spread into the yard... This and the fact that the dandelions can't come up, make me sad that we get the grass cut by a professional every week in the summer. The mint will probably die back because it's constantly getting cut almost all the way down to the ground, but we will see...

Amaya - Amaya is 2 lbs and very nearly 2 months old today. Her eyes are still changing. They have developed a dark but distinctly green ring around her pupil and and the rest of the iris is a deeper gold as opposed to the consistent mossy brown-green they were when we got her two weeks ago. They still haven't stabilized though, so we're not sure what color they will end up.

My wrist & knitting - The tendinitis has calmed down over the last week and I can get back to some serious knitting again until the next time it flares up. I still have about a half-pound of white cotton for baby things. I don't know what I'm going to make. I've already got the blanket, two hats, two pairs of booties/socks, and a bib of my own design... Another bib perhaps? And then what? If anyone has links or whatnot to baby patterns for Peaches n' Cream or that don't require a gauge, please send them my way! I'm thinking a burp cloth maybe?

Indigo - I'll be starting the vat sometime in the next week. Yay! Don't know when the dyeing will get done, but according to Susan, indigo vats can sit for months before use and still work, so...