Challenges

 My Costa Rican adventure resulted in a torn rotator cuff in my left shoulder.  I had surgery to repair the tear in late February.  My shoulder  and arm were immobilized for six weeks.

As a result, my spring gardening has been little more that looking and dreaming.  I have managed to pull a few weeds, but I have been ordered to do no pushing, pulling or lifting with any resistance for now, and nothing more than a few pounds for the summer.  That means no digging, hoeing or using the lawn mower.

My yard is showing the effects.  It is rather sad.  But, I have had a couple of surprises.  This beautiful white iris came up this week.  It is a lone one, but perfect.  I also have lovely purple flag iris near the white one.  I like this color combination, and might plan more purple and white in that bed.

Before I injured myself, we dug up part of the front yard and put in two beds of liriope.  It is doing pretty well.  I had planned to have walking paths between them, but we have decided to plant vegetables there.  I am going to try corn again this year.  Last year my eight plants were wonderful.  Unfortunately my tomatoes were a failure last year.  They were in a new bed and the soil was not good.  I have 12 tomato plants growing in seed cups in southern windows.  They can go out soon.

We (that is an editorial we, I just watched) cleaned out the fish pond last weekend, and re-filled it with rain water from the rain barrels.  There were about a dozen good size fish in the pond.  I also found one frog.  They seem happy in the clean home.  In the fall we had thinned out the plant life, so the pond is looking great.