Saturday, June 30, 2012

Cages

Finally, I got the tomatoes all in cages.  I had to split up my purchase over two weeks.  Now, I am set for life!  I wish I had them all a couple weeks ago, as the tomatoes were a bit hard to guide into the cages today.  I am worried about one of the plants.  We've had triple digit heat and it seems a bit wilted.  I water each day, and we got half an inch of rain this morning.  I hope it perks up!  Here's a little photo recap of my tomato plants. 

End of May the seeds were planted.




Today

Monday, June 25, 2012

Morning Inspections

Green beans growing! 

Wild herb patch, needs weeded. 

I think we're going to have cabbage!  Not sure about the broccoli. 

Two volunteer sunflowers. 

My babies have flowered! 


A long view. 

My favorite color. 


First harvest. 




Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Simple Pleasures

There are so many simple pleasures, if we only take time to slow down and truly "see" them.  For me, growing season offers many opportunities to enjoy the process.  It also tempers my desires for more and more plants!  I'd love to have a cottage garden, but I am a renter, so I have plants I love in pots.
 

Another simple pleasure is the ease of a summer schedule that is not over-filled.  This year, we cut back on our activities on purpose.  Gone are art, dance, gym, and karate.  Those will come back in the fall.  Right now we are free to swim with friends, watch an old musical on a hot afternoon, visit the library, and bakery.  Just this morning, we all went outside to enjoy the cooler air, before it heated up. 



Simple pleasures are all around us.   Taking time to really enjoy them is key! 

Saturday, June 16, 2012

A Real Gardener, My Dad

In honor of Father's Day tomorrow, I wish to show you a few pictures of my dad's garden. He's the real gardener in the family.  He's got rabbits, fruit trees and bees, too.  All he needs now are some chickens. 

Happy Father's Day to you, Daddy!  I love you!  





Wednesday, June 13, 2012

A Home, Sweet Home!

I absolutely love this house!  It's darling!  It's cozy!  And I found it here. 

Monday, June 11, 2012

On the Move

The other day in the garden, Grace asks me,"Which plants are your babies? Mine are the green beans."  Well, very good question.  I have not thought of the plants as my babies!  But, if I really think about it, the tomatoes are the ones that I really, really want to see do well.  And not because I like them, because I really do not, but because, my husband loves them! 

So, I decided to move my babies the other day.  I had noticed that they were not really getting the most sunshine in the little garden area.  The most sunshine in our yard is actually in the drive way!  Thankfully, our drive is large enough for a pop-up, two vehicles and now some tomatoes!  Which, are doing so well, by the way.  They are now looking like real tomato plants!  Hopefully the move to more sun will facilitate more growing.  Another benefit to container gardening, too! 


Friday, June 8, 2012

Garden is Growing!

We sure are having fun this summer with our little garden patch.  I am amazed at how it is growing even with the limited sunlight and a few mishaps, like a broccoli plant nibbled! 

First, let's look at the front yard's progress.  


Our little Zenia patch, above, is slowly starting to look less like weeds!  This spot was supposed to be Black Eyed Susan's, but the roofers trampled them.  These are volunteers from last year, and I might add, I am rather thankful for them or else this would be a blank spot this year. 


 This lily is another story.  My sweet husband bought them from a child at church who was trying to raise money for something last fall.  Well, I wasn't expecting them, and I let them sit around too long waiting to figure out what to do with them.  So, I decided to toss them into a pot out front over the winter and if they lived, they lived.  I guess they lived!  I am going to move them to a proper spot this fall.  I promise. 

The above is my Mother's Day gift. I forgot to blog about it earlier.  My kids got me this mat for the front door.  I'd really like to tear the carpet off the front step, but since this is not my home, I try not to worry about it.  But really, who does that? 

Now, onto the garden patch...


The tomatoes are thriving. I know they take some time to mature, but I think, at this rate, we will see cherry tomatoes in late August or September.  Can you see the compost pile, there in the back. I tossed some old potatoes in the corner of it and am waiting to see if they sprout.  It's all an experiment, you know. 

Now for a look at the whole area.  There are some dandelions to weed, but otherwise it is looking good. 


I still have a big empty pot that I'd love to fill.  It seems one year it sat empty because I did not have any dirt.  This year I have dirt, but no money for more plants!  And I'd also love to have a hanging pot by the mailbox, but that is a low priority matter, too. 

~Jenn

Sunday, June 3, 2012

Mulch!

We had enough mulch to put some in the garden.  I am so pleased!  It is looking less and less like a science project and more like a garden!