Deconstructing a garden

It is a bitter-sweet time of year.  Time to start pulling up the plants that I have nurtured all summer.  Some are in the midst of massive prodution.  They can stick around.  Others, like our corn, have already given what they had to give.  We are always thankful as we wrap up the season.  We again reflect on the majesty of it all.  Nourishment from a seed and some dirt.  It's still amazing after these many seasons.  The Father still provides.  We will continue to pull and sort until the last frost.  I hope your season has been sweet. 

Oh the bounty!!  Vibrant color from the ground.

So sweet with no chemicals added!

My fridge has been stuffed.

But this is beautiful too!

This was just one color of indian corn that came from our stalks.  My personal favorite.

It was like Christmas to open each husk.  So many colors!

Of course we save seed for next year.

This kid stuck with me all afternoon.  He shucked corn like a pro.

This one just kept trying to eat it.  But come on, you always need a comedian.

We found some okra that was long gone.  So, to seed it will go!

As a bonus, we found some watermelon hiding in the corn.  Thanks summer!

Plots, plots everywhere but nothing finished yet!

Here is our small plot in the front yard.  It is now home to several kinds of squash, a Pueblo Indian popcorn that my Papa gave me, some melons and 2 different kinds of okra.

Taters!  2 different kinds of taters.  These have a cozy home in our alley.

This?  This is my Everest.  It is a huge plot in our backyard.  It is covered in Bermuda grass.  We are slowly digging it out but it is growing back.  I think it's angry.  This will be the home of my tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, cucumbers, lettuce and carrots.  We must conquer!

I just love my chicken house.  I had to share pictures of the finished product.  Thank you to my sweet and talented husband!

They must be happy with life.  They lay 4 delicious eggs a day!

This little chubby hand loves to help put the eggs in the carton.  Sometimes, eggs end up thrown to the dog.  I try to be stern but it's pretty funny.

My Linus.  We have to wash the well-loved blanket several times a week.  Have blankie, will travel.

"Could my brother BE any funnier?"
(Chandler Bing style)

"Yep, he can!"

Bring on the boredom!

I am sorry.  But I must bore you again this year.  I cannot begin my planting without taking pictures of dirt and sharing them with you.  So hang in there.  The green will be coming soon!

It's dirt.  That is all at this point.  Just dirt.

Okay so maybe it's a special organic seeding dirt made moist by a rooting hormone/vitamin solution and labeled with plastic knives marked with a Sharpie.  Nothing crazy.

This is what I am planting in the pots.  Tomatoes, peppers and eggplant.  These must be started indoors.

These are my remaining seeds that can be direct sown once the soil is consistently warm. 

  I had trouble watering my seedlings last year.  The spray bottle took too long and pouring water from a cup would spill over the edge and displace the dirt.  So I bought these plastic ketchup and mustard bottles for about 99 cents.  They allow enough water out to be practical but not too much to make a mess.  So nice!

I am so proud.  I kept two geraniums alive all winter long in my sun room.  They are starting to green up and flower again!  Two plants I do not have to buy for the porch this spring!

This is an experiment.  I want to grow sweet potatoes.  This is the way you get slips.  Or so I'm told.  I'll let you know how it goes.  No roots yet.

Our chickens are producing well.  4 chickens=4 eggs a day!

I'm not sure what happened here.  I think someone just blew his mind.

Awww.  I love the way things grow around here.

Spring Garden 2

So I am a little late. No, no, it is not what you are thinking. I am late planting my seeds. My plan was to plant last week. I don't know why but things just don't go according to plan around here. So tonight I finally did it! I started my tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and a few different flowers. I planted then I prayed. I know that whatever comes up is by the Father's hand. It amazes me that he has given us seed and the ability to grow food and beauty. Have you ever thought about that? Flowers really have no purpose. They are just beautiful.

My planting began with seeds!!!! Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Co. was introduced to me by my darling friends the Emmitts. Get the seed catalog just to look at. It is one of my favorite winter activities. Additionally, they have some really unique varieties and a cool story to tell. Here is the link http://rareseeds.com/blog/



Now I know this looks just like wet dirt in an egg carton. But just wait. I hope!


This, my friends, will be teaming with little green life in a few weeks. I can't wait to show you. I pray!


This is one of the bigger planting projects going on at our home. Trees! Plus a few grasses and shrubs! Look at Asher and his daddy work.



So I know it was freezing and we were all wearing jackets but we had our first meal outside this week! Gooooooooooo Spring!


Finally, oh my goodness. This makes a mama melt and fall into a puddle of goo. Not gross goo but sweet, little, chubby baby in my heart goo.


Blessings to you all and may Yod Hey Vav Hey be with you this Passover season. Shalom!

Spring Garden 1

Oh joy and happiness! It is planting season again! I love the newness of all things green. I love the smell of dirt that has been cradled beneath a crust of winter. I just stinkin' love being outside! I want to share with you, what I do in my garden to prepare and grow the most wonderful of God's creation. Fooooooood!

This time of year is cool-weather crop planting and warm-weather seed starting. I am not quite ready to start seed but for the first time have planted onions, potatoes and garlic. I am very excited to see how they grow. You know, no matter how many seasons I plant, I am always amazed when stuff actually grows. It seems like magic. Not magic, just a Creator who is very consistent in his design. Amazing that a little seed will use dirt and water to make something delicious to nourish our bodies.
These are seed taters.

Now they are in their new dirt home!

These are onions. In a month I will pull up every other one for green onions and leave the rest with more space for bulbing.

Here they are in the really not straight row that I lovingly planted. Who cares about straight?


Here are some other spring beauties to enjoy. I hope all of you are considering doing even a pot of herbs. If you can start small you can build as you learn. I add something new every year!







Doesn't he look like a child from the old days? I just loved this.

And here he is. I just love him too!


Tell me what you are planting this year!!! I would love to hear.