It has been a beautiful day here also.

I have to work with thin top soil also. I was out showing off my south garden to my stepdaughter this afternoon. I was gathering organic matter to start the garden almost 3 years ago when I found out I had cancer. March 11Th I will be 3 years cancer free, also the soil in the garden is beautiful, thin but beautiful. I plan on it even looking better next year.

Larry

It was a beautiful day here too. It was sunny all day, we only had mild wind, and our high temp hit 67 degrees.

I'm not going to get carried away and start planting anything on the basis of having a couple of nice days, though nice weather makes me want to plant something. Our soil temps are still in the upper 30s, so it still is too cold. Now, if the nice weather continues for a couple of weeks and the soil warms up another 10 or 12 degrees, I'll start getting in the mood to plant.

Larry, Congrats on the 3 years cancer-free. I am 13 years cancer-free. Your garden always looks so beautiful. I don't know how you could make it any better. To me, the soil in my garden always produces better than I think it should based on how the soil looks. I'm starting to think that the soil may never get into the condition I'd like, but it performs well anyhow.

Today I had honey bees and sulphur butterflies in the garden with me, and tons of birds. It was just so nice out there.

Dawn

I am in the process starting treatment for the same problem. Things became more important when you wonder how many gardening seasons you have left. They think they can remove it and I will not need any other treatment. I am asking the Lord to make it so. Have to lose another 30 lbs for safety then the operation

We pulled some stuff out of the greenhouse to get real sun and weeded the garden. We do the "back to eden" method and weeds pretty much jump out if the mulch. Its was beautiful today!

Mike

Oldokie, I hope all goes well. My daughter will be 1 year cancer free the 25Th. of this month. It is amazing how much therapy there is in gardening, and how much cancer can change your out look on life.

Larry

I am grateful that all of you are beating that terrible disease. Sometimes when we survive the horrible things in life, we are stronger people afterward.

Oldokie, thanks for telling us so we can all pray for you. Carol

Yes, my prayers are with you, too, Oldokie. Cancer can be a frightening experience. It has been over 10 years since my DX and so far, so good. It does change your outlook.

I guess I am fairly lucky with the topsoil issue, since I live in the older part of OKC where the soil is continually being layered with leaves and which I have improved and continue to improve each year. I have lots of long pine needles that have composted and been worked in over much of it over the years, too. It is wonderfully friable in most parts of the garden. Other parts still need some work, but isn't that an ongoing process, lol!

Susan

Interesting to see how many gardening folks are praying folks ---- love it!!
And a pic just for you Oldokie

ponderpaul - If you garden in Oklahoma you had better be 'praying folks'. We are down on our knees for more than pulling weeds, and sometimes we even get a crop. LOL

I am greatly blessed to have the use of two 20x96 greenhouses at my disposal for veggies a couple blocks from home in Kingston. One has tub planters the other has 4 raised beds with drip systems. However, bugs and weeds love greenhouses too. And oh yes, I believe in prayer!

Yes, it was beautiful! Specially for January!!! I had a couple of loads of laundry on the line, while I rode my bicycle to the library to join the knit guilt for their monthly meeting. Now, the wind chimes out front are noisy... which means, the north wind has arrived in Oklahoma City.

Guess, I'll stay indoors tomorrow.

Moni

Oldokie, I planted everything early last year too and it really paid off. I have a feeling that if these drought years hang on a while, it will pay off to plant early and try to get good harvests before it gets too hot and too dry.

I will be praying for you to have a positive outcome with your cancer surgery. I know so very many cancer survivors these days and there's all sorts of wonderful options for treatment that didn't exist just a few years ago. I hope you will be one of the lucky ones, like me, for whom surgery alone is all that is needed.

Larry, I am so happy to hear your daughter is doing so well. Y'all have been through so much the last few years and it is good to hear that things are going so well.

Y'all, I suppose a person doesn't have to believe in the power of prayer to live here but I do believe in it, and the weather gives us a lot to pray about, doesn't it? So does the gardening. If we ever have a nice, normal, fairly wet year with only moderately hot summer temperatures, I don't know if we'll even know what to do.

Moni, I am glad you got to ride your bike today. Tomorrow it might be a little windy and chilly.

I think y'all are gonna be colder up there in the northern half of OK than we will be down here in southern OK, but at least the cold won't last long and it will be nicer later in the week.

Dawn

I'm praying for you, too, OldOkie....be sure to keep us updated - on your treatment AND your gardening :)

Sharon