Time to transplant my 48 pepper plants to larger pots. This seed was started on March 28, 2013. (See my March 28, 2013 post.) Today I transplanted them into 5 inch peat pots. These will be kept outside during the warmer days until ready to set out in the garden. I like using the peat pots since they can be directly set in the garden with no transplant shock.

The shelling peas are up and doing well. These were planted on April 2, 2013. The pea weavil damage has been minimal so far!

One of the herbs I grow is rosemary. The little blue flowers add interest this time of year.

I made a blueberry pie for Sunday dinner guests. The blueberries are from my garden and were harvested and frozen last summer. My blueberry bushes are now blooming, so hopefully I will have a good crop this summer!

Yesterday I planted my onion plants for storage onions (Walla Walla, Ailsa Craig, Redwing and Copra), shelling peas (Maestro), snow peas (Oregon Giant), radishes (French Breakfast) and spinach (Olympia). Today I picked my first asparagus for cream of asparagus soup tonight. I can't wait!

Yesterday my Easter dinner guests were served roasted turkey with dressing, potatoes and gravy, sweet potatoes, asparagus, molded vegetable salad, deviled eggs and strawberry shortcake for dessert. These recipes are in my cookbook, Dad's Home Cooking; Traditional Recipes for Preparing Healthy Family Meals available on Amazon.

Time to start pepper plants from seed. This year I am planting bell peppers, Italian sweet peppers, corno di toro red peppers, jalapeno, northstar, biggie, serrano, pepperoncino, anaheim, Thai hot, ancho magnifico, fire ball and cayenne. I use self watering starting containers and place them in the kitchen oven and leave the oven light on. This provides the 80 to 90 degree F temperatures needed to sprout the seed. Once they sprout, I move them under grow lights for 16 hours a day and I keep them watered. When they have 2 true leaves they are transplanted  in individual peat pots and kept under grow lights until they are ready to set out in the garden the end of May.

Yesterday I set out some broccoli, cauliflower, green cabbage, red cabbage and kohlrabi.plants that were started from seed on March 2, 2013 (See my post dated March 3, 2013). These will all do well in the cooler spring weather. I should have kohlrabi to eat by May 1st!!

Last night's dinner guests celebrated St Patrick's Day and of course corned beef and cabbage were served along with boiled potatoes, boiled carrots and Irish soda bread. Dessert was chocolate cream pie!

All these recipes are in my cookbook, Dad's Home Cooking; Traditional Recipes for Preparing Healthy Family Meals available on Amazon.