Time of the Year.

  We still have ice and snow covering the ground. Although, its supposed to be warmer outside, we've had several snow storms in the last week resulting in more snow on the ground.

By this time of the year, I am ready for summer to get here.  I am ready for the flowers to spring up but I won't see them out here.  When the snow melts, the ground turns into a slippery nasty mud.

I get tired of the white patches interrupted by patches of brown.  I want the color associated with spring flowers.  I know it will be a few weeks before that happens, so I provide my own spring scenery.  You might wonder how I can get flowers out here? 

I collect DVD's.  I have several gardening DVD's, a couple showing me more of Hawaii, Tahiti, and a few public gardens.  I know, I know, its ust night the same thing as being there but I can watch several hours of beautiful plants, warm sunny beaches, and pretend the trade winds are teasing my hair.

Saturday, I watched part of a DVD discussing edible perennial plants from Massachusetts, Mexico, and Florida.  Edible perennial plants are those you plant once and last for many, many, years such as Elephant Garlic, Seakale, Bananas, etc.  Many of the plants featured in this DVD are ones I either didn't realize were edible or I'd never seen before.

The narrator included information on raising spreading perennials such as edible bamboo.  If you haven't heard, bamboo can really spread and take over large plots of land. There is a yard in the town my parents live in where someone planted bamboo and it through a half a block of houses.  I have seen a small, low to the ground type of bamboo but I don't know if its edible.

Another DVD I have is on setting up herb gardens where the woman shows how to plant various types of herbal gardens including preparation and patterns.  I love fresh herbs and in the past when I lived where I could grow herbs in the ground, I planted tons of mint in areas surrounded by cement pathways. 

I had sage, tarragon, horehound, and so many other herbs.  Where I live in Alaska, I cannot plant any of these herbs outside because the cold tends to kill them.  Right now, I usually grow herbs in pots but they don't do well during the winter when sunlight gets down to nothing.

The third is one on growing roses from start to finish.  I do have roses spread out around my property but they are wild ones, not cultivated.  Often the wild roses produce rosehips used by natives to provide vitamin C over the winter.

Others as I said are tour type videos of paradise type places like Hawaii and Tahiti.  They take me away and allow me to enjoy summer before it hits here and I do not go stir crazy.  I need to see it or the long winters get to me.

These DVD's keep me from going totally crazy.  Let me know what you think, I"d love to hear.