Happy New Year!!

I'm back to blogging again after a long break! Sorry about that. I have a lot of catching up to do and will try to get around to posting fall photos at some point. But here we are at winter already. Gifu has had two snowfalls already this year. One in December (the girls and I were in the US and missed it) and another at New Year. The New Year snow is almost gone but we are expecting more tomorrow. During the past 11 years I have lived in Gifu, it has rarely snowed more than once a winter, so this is unusual. Though it snows, the temperature rarely drops below freezing, so the winter veggies manage to hang in under the snow until it melts. Here is an update on how they survived the most recent snowfall.Spinach. Oh spinach. We love to eat spinach. Good thing too. Boy do we ever have spinach. My husband and I disagree on what is a reasonable amount to plant in a given space. As of next year, he will be removed from seed sowing duties. Right now, he prepares the beds and sows the seeds. I thin, pick, and cook. This is a major problem, because he believes he must use all the seeds in the packet, no matter how many packets he buys or how much space is available, or how much spinach one family of four can reasonably be expected to consume. This is just one small bed of many. The spinach is hardy and got a bit flattened by the snow, but still tastes yummy.
Daikon. I told him not to plant daikon, as I am in charge of cooking and a few daikon go a long way. His father grows daikon and gives it to us. Does he listen to me? See above about finishing seed packets. Drowning in daikon are we. Anyone have any good daikon and/or spinach recipes to share?
Hakusai. The bugs got them at first, but they are doing better now that it is colder.
Lettuce from random left over seeds from last year (when I was in charge of seed sowing) doing well.
The broccoli is gorgeous and delicious. And in perfect moderation. Hooray!
Baby strawberries. These are new plants we bought in the fall that are in planters.
The strawberry plants that got accidently transplanted with the raspberries to the embankment are also starting to flower. This poor confused raspberry plant was actually raspberrying under the snow.
My husband built a reinforcement for the bottom of the north embankment and transplanted lots of his baby trees.
Including the red maple which was in middle of the back yard.
Today's harvest. I am off to cook it now.

busy busy

Today was the first nice Sunday in a long time, not too hot either, so we spent most of the day in the garden.You can't tell from this angle, but I pulled lots of these wild flowers in the corner which were threatening to overwhelm a baby mikan tree.
My husband trimmed and staked the cucumbers.
The weeds by the sides of the embankment vegetables were getting out of control.
before
after. Next time I really have to do it before they get shoulder high.
My husband pulled the shiso and cosmos from his baby trees. Both were taller than the baby trees.
I finally pulled the pea vines,and my husband started preparing the space for his next generation of cucumbers. And planted cucumber seeds in pots.
Another view of the former pea site, back right.
I finally repotted these tomatoes which I started in sand from trimmed suckers. They really thrived and grew strong roots. All I did was stick the suckers in sand and water them daily.
My new profile photo, I thought I should update with the seasons. You can even see me by the shed if you squint really hard. My husband took the photo.

flowers and trees from April 30

pink osteospermum. I pruned it rather severely so it was a late bloomer














our yellow magnolia









































red maple















nanjamonja (it's a male, so no flowers)




















my husband's baby trees that he has "rescued"