Garden woes

My gardening plans are at a bit of a stand still at the moment.

We're planning to remodel our house and convert the garage to a master suite. We live in a rural area and have a septic system rather than a public sewer system. We recently discovered that our current system isn't big enough to accomodate an additional bedroom (i.e., additional people). And the system was installed in 1971, and is probably due to be replaced anyway. Not that anything from 1971 is that old and decrepit (harumph!), but, you know. It's old.

If you've never had the pleasure of installing a septic system, it's not as easy at it sounds. First, you of course have to buy a permit from the county. Then, you have to pay them do to a test to determine how well your soil drains. For them to do the test, you have to hire a backhoe to come to your house and destroy your property to dig several trenches and holes up to 10 feet deep. Then the county determines the specific requirements for your septic tank and leach field, and then you have to hire the backhoe again to come destroy more of your property to dig a giant hole for the tank and giant trenches for the leach fields.

I said all that to explain my latest garden woes: I have no garden right now. And I can't even think about preparing for my garden until the septic system is in, because one of those patches of property that will be torn up is precisely where my garden is going. Drats.

Needless to say, I'm feeling sorry for myself, and especially for all those seedlings in my window that are homeless right now.

I needed a little pick-me-up, so I just spent some quality time with the fruit trees we planted last year. They aren't letting a little septic chaos get in their way. They are budding and blooming like there's no tomorrow.

I love the green and yellow of the plum blossoms.

Just a few more days, and I'll get a front row seat to my own cherry blossoms.

Many years ago, someone threw a peach into the wooded abyss at the back of our property. Last fall when we started clearing out the area, we discovered a peach tree growing among the vines and tamarisk. We saved it, and I think it's delighted to finally get some sunshine now.

We have two quince bushes in our front yard. Over the weekend I snipped off a few branches and brought them inside, and now they're starting to open. They are such a beautiful shade of pink.