The Great Pea Assassination

The aftermath...little pea nubs...enough to make a farmgal scream!!!
I returned home from an anniversary get away to discover that my peas had been assassinated!!!  All around my kids' sandbox, I had planted sugar snap peas.  It's a great use of a very small space, and since they grow vertically, they make almost a little hedge around the play area.  They have been coming up nicely, I had just placed all of the old apple branches around them for support, like I do every year.  It's a great use for the pruning from fruit trees.  I collect the straighter branches and use them like a trellis support for beans and peas.  It looks really natural and it's very eco friendly, and that makes me feel like I am doing my little part to help the Earth.  After the peas are finished, I tear it all out and start again with climbing beans.  The kids love that they can play in the sand and eat peas and beans while they play.  What can I say, I am all about dual purpose!!!

WANTED for crimes against botany!!!  EGG, JANE, and LIZZY!!!
(Helen, aka Bind Chicken, was not in on this...she can't even find the peas!!!)

As I walked toward the scene of complete annihilation, it struck me as to what happened.  Chickens, bored and hungry, decided that the pea shoots looked tasty and fun.  Chicken dinner thoughts crossed my mind!!!  I hate to admit that, but I really thought about how capable I am at wringing necks...I have serious muscle mass from all of this farm work!!!  After coming to my senses, I decided that I would have to find a way to keep the girls out of the peas...can you say BIRD NETTING???  The criminals were grounded to their coop this morning while I ran to a garden store to find some netting.  I don't know what kind of things would happen in chicken prison, but I hope the girls thought about it!!!

With  the bird netting, you can hardly see it.

Netting strung around the peas, the girls were released early for good behavior.  You can't even see the netting unless you are close, and it will deter them from a tasty snack.  I am really hoping that the peas recover.  We have more coming on the farm, but these are tasty and serve an aesthetic purpose...cross your fingers and pray for chicken change of heart!!!

What the peas should look like...
hopefully the others will catch up.
I have to show some the fantastic pictures from the Salt Lake Temple Square gardens.  For our anniversary we stayed at Haxton Manor (a B&B downtown).  It was a great break from our crazy lives, and we took a little walk through Temple Square to see the spring gardens.  Honestly, I think I need my own staff of gardeners and my yard would look as good as this!  Enjoy the photos!!!

Tulip beds by the Joseph Smith Memorial Building

These beds were amazing, the colors changed as the bed went along.
Absolutely beautiful!!!

Yellow and blue beds.  They use a clumping technique when planting to make
everything look naturalized.  I love the yellow and blue together.
There were deep blue pansies too.  

English dasies everywhere.  I LOVE THESE!!!  

This bed is by the Visitor's Center.  I fell in love with this one.
Red tulips, orange and yellow poppies, pansies,...the colors were so vibrant!
These beds are surrounded by moss, not grass, FANTASTIC!

Spring!!!  Is there anything like it?



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