Valley Gardening: Hope and memories

As I write this valuable information to share with you, it is Friday—windy, cold and kind of miserable!  Thursday was even worse, when you remember the wind. And of course, there was a fire down Sanford way—not sure how it got started, but we all need to be careful with the extreme drought conditions everywhere! And now I am hearing that the fire may have started from a pile burned the previous day.  If you are going to burn---put the damn fire out when you are done—with WATER!

My hops vine in front of the store jumped up about 15 inches the beginning of the week. I kept telling it to slow down, but it doesn’t listen—just like the politicians, huh? Only time will tell if it gets through the next couple of weeks without being damaged by the frost. It is supposed to get down to 18 next Tuesday so….it’s no wonder I’m not quite ready to get my bedding plants coming in. I am hoping that all you folks jumping at the spring weather do come in and get onion plants next week. They should start arriving next Wednesday and I can tell you that the truck drivers deliver them as soon as they can, to get the smell out of their trucks. The onions can survive some cold weather.

I see a lot of folks have started watering their lawns. Please don’t jump into watering every day this early in the season. Treat your water like the commodity it is, even if you are on city water, or even if you have the deepest well ever drilled. Be responsible.

Mom’s Garden is coming along! Rose Molina-Wesley purchased a bale of FoxFarm Soil Conditioner in memory or her mom Mary Molina. Rose has supported EVERY cause of mine for so many years—thank you! Jim Gilmore and Vinaya Wall also purchased a bale to honor Jim’s mom ‘Toots’ Gilmore. I am loving the energy being created by the help I am receiving. Last but certainly not least for this week was Laura Ast coming in to honor her mom Jean Hart. Laura put it a different way when she said, “if my mom is looking down and does not see me doing this then I will be in trouble.” This gave me a chuckle and made me think of my own mom—and I also thought that guilt can sometimes be a wonderful thing! Thank you Laura. May all our moms look down on us and smile.

I’m hoping you all read the Courier yesterday. There was a wonderful article about the San Luis Valley Cancer Relief Fund concert that will be held next Saturday evening at Society Hall. It’s such a special evening.   

This past Thursday was the third anniversary of my sister, Sharon, losing her battle with cervical cancer.  On May 9th I will celebrate the eighth anniversary of my mom, Betty Iveland’s passing, after battling lung cancer. It indeed was a glorious passing—if you ever want to hear the story, grab me for a cup of coffee.  And now, my oldest sister, Linda (who also goes by the name of Sparrow—although I call her Crow) has just begun her radiation/chemotherapy treatments for rectal cancer. Three totally different types of cancer! What I am trying to say is that cancer can hit any of us at any time, for any reason.

This SLVCRF concert is the major source of funding for the year. It is one way of supporting our San Luis Valley neighbors, friends, and families of those battling this horrible disease. One hundred percent of all funds raised goes directly to those with cancer. An all-VOLUNTEER organization! I do have tickets for sale at the store. You can give me a call at 580-7838 to reserve tickets. If you can’t attend but want to help I have envelopes at the store and you can mail your donation in. From the bottom of my heart, thank you!! When you know how much the stipends mean to folks, you will understand!

It has been another great week for gathering signatures to get the Rickey Recycling Center open for longer hours. Thank you all for caring!

My request for this week is that everyone burn a candle for Peyton Sanchez and send him all the healing energy you can. Include him and his family in every prayer, every thought. Be on the lookout for the business venture Peyton is starting in the next couple of weeks.