Worms and Transplants

With the arrival of the worms it was time to fire up the heater and get the greenhouse warm!

So into the dirt they went. 

If you ever decide to put 1,000 worms in dirt make sure the dirt is warm. These little guys were excellent escape artists and I'm sure I lost more than a few of them as they looked for warmer dirt. After a little while with the heater on it warmed right up and they settled in. 

I also took this opportunity to transplant a few of the crowded plants. I got a little carried away with how many seeds I put in each pot. Only 2-3 next time, not 5. 

Here are a few pictures of the root systems of zucchini. 

This is just a little guy that hadn't even poked out of the ground yet. 

The tomatoes were only one single root with with a few little branches. 

It was pretty fascinating to see the different types of roots. 

Ephesians 3:17- Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your ROOTS will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. 

Progress

It is coming together! Benches, heater, and worm composter are ready to go. I was surprised at how much room there is. I thought it would be a lot tighter. 

We were able to use repurposed stuff for almost everything. The worm composter is an old plastic drum. The shelves are from an outdoor deck that was torn out. The heater is an old bathroom heater from a renovated house. 

I have 1000 worms on the way for the composter!! I can't wait to get them started and making some dirt. 

Lots of Seeds

 I finally had time to plant the seeds this evening! I have had dirt in the pots all week but just didn't have time to fill them with seeds.  

This was the planning stage. I wanted to make sure I had enough pots. It worked out pretty well. 

One of the best things I did last year was write down which plants were which. When they are seedlings they all look the same. They are stubby and green. 

There they are on the greenhouse ready to go! I gave them a little water and I made sure both lights work. And now we wait. 

The first seedlings

The basil has begun to sprout. Still waiting in the peppers to make an appearance. 

Hopefully I can get a few more seeds in the dirt soon!

Adventures in Gardening

This past year I took on the challenge of gardening. I do consider it a challenge. While it might seem simple and dull to some, it truly was a daily adventure. As I undergo round 2 of the gardening era I would like to jot down and pass along some of the stories I encounter.

So the adventure begins and the first seeds have been planted!

I am starting them in my apartment. 

Jalapeños, Sweet Basil & Sweet Peppers

 The greenhouse is moving right along. We were able to get it covered in plastic today.
I am still missing a heater and benches/shelves, but hopefully both will be added soon.
Almost ready for some plants.

Bicycle Touring Part 1

I bought a bike. It only seemed fitting after working all summer at a bike shop. It's a green Surly Crosscheck with white Ortlieb panniers. Once I had the bike the only logical thing to do was ride it out of town. The only road from Skagway goes to Whitehorse in the Yukon. From there flights were cheap to Vancouver. So on September 30th Mike and I loaded our bikes and climbed the pass out of town. After 2 1/2 long cold days (the second night dropped to below freezing, we woke up to everything covered in ice) we arrived in Whitehorse to friendly faces a hot shower and a warm house! The next day we hopped a flight to Vancouver. It was a bit of culture shock to be in a real city after 4 months of Skagway, but fun to see a new town.
The next afternoon we battled the one-way street of Stanley Park and made it to the ferry to Vancouver Island. We spent the night right outside of Nanaimo and woke up the next morning and rode south. At Crofton we caught a ferry to Salt Springs Island and rode the 20ish kilometers to the other end of the island. It was beautiful and such a relief to be off the busy Highway 1 of the main island. One more ferry back to the main island and a fast 20 mile ride to Victoria. While smaller than Vancouver Victoria had plenty to see and do.
The next day Mike and I parted ways in the morning and I caught my final ferry ride to Port Angeles, WA to meet up with Dad. He was there at the dock waiting for me when I arrived! And so began our Pacific Coast bicycle tour.

Upper Dewey Lake

Just off of 3rd ST is the Dewey Trail System. A short mile hike takes you to Lower Dewey and from there you can walk around the lake or take a right to Sturgill Land, a left to Upper Reid Falls and Icy Lake or go straight and hike to Upper Dewey Lake and from there Devil's Punch Bowl. The takes you from sea level to just over 4,000ft right in between Upper and Punch Bowl. The hike is 3.5 miles and after a nice long lunch at Punch Bowl was about a 7 hour day.

This is Upper Dewey Lake

Upper Dewey

Celebrating at Devil's Punch Bowl. There was still ice in the lake

Looking down over Skagway and the valley