our garden

My little helpers in the garden.  Weeding, wheel barrel "lifting" and dirt consuming trio.  This year I tried to be better about crowding the plants and I still ended up with a jungle.  And Helena likes to eat dirt while Eva and Theodore like to feed it to her.  Win win all around.

bounty

Going to Old Grandma's house means we all get spoiled.

Last weekend was no exception.

She loves us more than we deserve.

Abundance

Our not-so-great garden from earlier this summer...

has made a huge comeback.

After the drought left, the tomatoes have arrived in abundance.

A crockpot full of skinned fruit...

with a little garlic, onion and a bay leaf.

8 hours later there is a pot of stewed tomatoes ready for the freezer.

I have a few more rounds to go and there are more ripening.

I see a lot of chili and sauce in our future.

Yummy.

Cheaper than a pot

You need heels for this...

at least Eva thinks so.

I wanted to plant some potted herbs and peppers alongside our garden.

Pots are expensive... did you know that?

So instead of $60 pots which were beautiful but pricey,
I bought $5 plastic party tubs...

and made them work.

First I drilled drainage holes.

I thought five seemed like a good number, but no logic there beyond that.

Then leftover landscape fabric and loose rocks were added.

Our driveway is getting replaced in a few weeks,
so remnants of the crumble worked great for drainage.

Fill with dirt.

Liberally spread and share the wealth.

Mix well and pack it down.

We used half peat moss and half potting soil.

I used the peat moss because it was leftover from our raised bed refill.

Plant your plants.

These are basil seedings... grow strong little guys.

And rest.

Because it is hard work... gardening
especially in heels.

Week 20 of 52

Styleberry • Firecracker Mama • Wicked Kate • What We're Saying • Love & Life • Finding Joy
Joining: Communal Global and Sweet Shot Tuesday

Seeds

Clearanced seed starter tray.

Leftover basil and squash seeds from last year...

 that I was really hoping weren't too old.

A bunch of heirloom seeds I attempted to harvest and dry.

Some from our tomatoes plants last year...

and some from the tastiest tomatoes from the farmers market.

$2 and some hope.

As of this morning... we have tiny sprouts.

Tired but giggling.

And thanks for all the encouraging words on this post guys...

felt like a hug this morning.

 

Week 16 of 52: Things that grow.

End

It is the end of our garden season.

Our first garden.

Had to break out the pyrex to hold it all.

Soem sorting was needed.

She did all the heavy lifting.

Love her dirty hands.

Until next year...

well after I figure out what to do with all the green guys.

Joining: Communal Global

Moments: Monday

Our zucchini plant finally grew something other than huge leaves!

I had stopped checking, and gave up on it...

and then I found these.

Our tomatoes are still doing great.

I have learned a lot with this first garden.

Next year we will plant a few less cherry tomato plants and a few more big tomatoes.

Summer is going slowly away.

I wore a jacket this morning... seriously.

My mother-in-law gave me this humming bird feeder a few weeks ago.

Hummingbirds actually come!

They are the tiniest little things.

Fast as lighting - but I am determined to get a photo of one.

I sneak these while the monster is napping...

so I don't have to watch Eva eat hers and mine share.

I just picked up this book from the library this morning.

It was highly recommended by a friend and I am looking forward to it.

I wanted to finish at least a book a month this year.

I thought it was an easy goal - well I am behind.

Keeping track here was a good way to get my but in gear though.

and I am behind.

Lessons

Do you see the way that tree bends?

Does it inspire?

Leaning out to catch the sun's rays...

A lesson to be applied.

Eddie Vedder and Mike McCready - Pearl Jam

Little rows of baby plants.

I almost did them in once...

or maybe a few times.

It was a rough road to this little garden.

Seeing the little plants out the dining room window...

Oh it makes me smile. 

They wanted to grow...

more than I was clueless on how to help them.

So far they have taught me patience

persistence, humility, humor, simplicity

and balance.

They need only a few things...

water, light, and dirt.

With a little room to grow.

Too much of one thing...

not enough of another...

and nothing matters.

When they need more light...

they seek it...

but so slowly you barely notice.

One day you look and

all their leaves are turned up to the sun.

Seeking their sunlight.

Reaching for their happiness.

Love that lesson the most.

Sunshine and Popsicles

It seems like the days are flying by...

the sun is shining from 6 am to 9 pm.

That is 15 hours folks!

We have been working on our garden.

Popsicles and sunshine.

Helping us dig and spread the dirt around.

Melting her mommy's heart with those baby blues.

And getting her daddy with hugs and hand holds.

Highs in the 80's and lows in the 50's...

make for great sleeping weather.

And after all day outside, we are ready for bed early.

Windows open and breeze blowing.

Us big people that is... 

the monster has pushed her bedtime to almost 9...

which gives us more time to play and that is okay with us.

We are loving summer.

 

Tip: 

SOOC is sometimes the best. 

With taking photos of the monster, 

I use a higher ISO and a faster shutter speed.

Outside and bright is nice because a high ISO can be 400.

She moves fast so keeping the shutter speed high means

I can catch the split seconds she actually looks at me.

I love that picture of Eva... messy faced and dirty.

Unedited and just like I saw it with my own eyes.



  

Welcome

The sad, sad seedlings from before are doing much better.

They have been transplanted and are getting acclimated to the outdoors.

It is amazing what little sunshine can do...

it warms my heart and feeds the soul.

I am so excited that they are still green and growing.

You have no idea how good I am at killing the green things.

I raided the recycle bin (and maybe my neighbors) for containers.

It is a mish-mash, but it works.

These last few days have been surprises.

The weather man said rain and thunderstorms...

we have had just sunshine.

The windows are open 

and the breeze is making the curtains wave.

The monster's hair was wet with baby sweat yesterday.

She ran and ran until she couldn't anymore.

Summer... we welcome you.

Lilacs

There are lilacs at the end of our driveway.

The bushes are so huge they hang over our fence until they almost touch the ground.

And then there is the smell...

it reminds me of being little and playing outside.

Running and playing...

getting so warm that you can take off your jackets.



A few branches and some canning jars make a lovely little display.

Every time I walk by, I can't help but smile...

and breath deep.

Both are good for the soul... especially while doing another load of laundry.

Seeds

Every time I plant a seed, 

he say, kill it before it grow, 

he say, kill it before they grow.

Bob Marley - I Shot the Sheriff

I picked my seeds up at Annie's Heirloom Seeds.
I have no reference for them, just google landed me there.

The basil has sprouted.
I planted 50 seeds of heirloom tomatoes last week and no action yet.
Next week the peppers and squash get there turn in the soil.

I am dreaming of fresh tomatoes.

I haven't killed them yet...
yet.

Joining Sunday Citar at Fresh Mommy.