Weather issues

It's been awhile since I last posted.  That is because I have been fighting a very tenacious cold that just won't go away.  Just seems to have the ability to linger on - mostly through a cough.  But I figured it was time to check in so here we go.
Lots going on actually around the area.  Spring has taken leave so Winter has been the dominant feature of the weather.  We had temps hit lows in the teens and actually had a "snow" event this past week.  Today, Sunday the 10th, was probably the mildest day we have had in awhile.  Temps have been in the 50"s today and we're supposed to see a general trend of warming for the coming week.  All good news indeed as I need to get the garden rolling.
I have recently been adding vegetable scraps to my composters(pictured below) to try to get them reignited with micro biological activity.  Each of them have had about two sets of scraps put in them.  I will wait until we get more consistent weather then I will begin adding more mass to them.

They are about 1/2 full each with seasoned compost ready to use once the temps moderate. I will have to prepare my three beds first by cutting and working in the winter rye that is currently growing in them.  Here is one of the beds I have.  The Rye grew well despite the colder temps we have had.

I will wait for about a week or more before I begin the process of cutting the rye down to begin working it into the soil.  The reason I am waiting is that we are possibly going to have yet another set of colder days around the 21st through the 23rd.  I am trying to let the Rye grow as much as possible in order to maximize the input into the soils.  One week of good temps has often added and inch or more in the past.  

Well, next week, weather and health permitting, I will begin diving in big time into the gardens.  Till then, have a great gardening week!

Sunday, Sunday

Here's hoping all the Mothers had a very Happy Mother's Day. I sit here looking out into my backyard.  It is sunny and warm while my garden buddy Barkley is running amok with his youthful exuberance.  It has been quite the eventful week as our son graduated (Yeah!) from college yesterday. Both his mom and I are very proud parents.  So, I have a bunch of things to get caught up on as the garden was on minimal maintenance this week.  All the plants are still alive so there was no harm done by my absence.
And that is a very big lesson right there.  Regardless of how much we may think we have control and can affect the outcome of our gardens, the truth is that we are just stewards of the garden and not the master.  There are just so many other variables that go into a garden season that one has to be grateful for the harvest you do get each year.  I don't believe we should take credit for the output from our garden as I believe God has so much more influence.  We can only help the plants along the way.
I have a ton to do as I need to get my peppers and tomatoes planted along with starting the cucumbers.  Much to do very little time to spare.  It is unseasonably warm for this time of year which is having a negative effect on my lettuce that I planted.  Most, but not all lettuce likes it cool.  So far, because the hydroponic system gets the early morning sun and is shaded from the afternoon sun, the lettuce seems to be growing albeit at a slower than normal rate.  I can only hope that we will get back to the 70's which will help with that immensely.
So, for this week, the theme will be plant, plant and plant some more.  Here's hoping your garden is coming along well.  till next time, happy gardening everyone.