Filled with Joy

25 Days Later & An Anniversary Gift

This is the second raised be with the corn that I thought may have been a mistake to plant after seeing no progress during the two weeks of rain.

I'm so excited about the changes! 

I planted two pole beans seeds per cornstalk, one on each side, and have waited to see the results.

Here is a better angle with a clear view of the pole beans growing quite nicely along side the corn.  The beans are growing so quickly that I watching to see if I need to intervene or will they grab onto the cornstalks the same way they do to a pole stuck into the ground.

Yes, the potato plant has also peaked through.  Once the leaves are large enough to clear a second tire, I'll add the tire with more filler.  I plan to grow it at least three tires high.

potato (growing in tire)

the tomato plants have many flowers, as of now, this is the only tomato

bell peppers

pea plants have flowered

At the start of this, I had hoped we would be able to eat at least one thing from the garden.  The continuous radish harvest ensures my lowly goal has been met.  ;-)  Yes, radishes are probably the easiest vegetable to grow (after those tire potatoes) but I am happy. 

After Robert ate some radishes from our garden, he built more raised boxes as a gift to me for our 22nd anniversary of the day we met.

More raised boxes, that I filled right away!

The white containers belong to my three oldest children who begged to have their own place to plant a few seeds.  We are going to have to do a little transplanting because Nathan has a green thumb!  His lemon cucumber and brussel sprouts are going to need more space.

My Littlest Helper

A Hot Weekend

This weekend was unusually hot for this area with temperatures reaching 95!

Saturday, Robert and I were busy working on the chicken coop (pics will follow), but the real fun was in the pool on Sunday.

Even though it was only a few inches high, that didn't stop Nathan, Teresa, and their cousin from cooling off by marching in circles.       

A little more water....a lot more fun.....

Olivia and her cousin....

Daddy took a break from all the backyard work to have some fun, too.

Teresa wouldn't sit on the pirate ship when it was in the pool, but she had a great time with it on the grass.

I thought this picture was too cute.Teresa's face says it all.

She is happy, but the water was COLD.

Spring Showers

The weather hasn't cooperated with my plans. ;-)   It has rained, every single day, for the past  two weeks.  Thinking positively, I don't have to water the garden, right?  However, without sunshine, the garden is growing at a snails pace. 

During my reading, I found out that cucumbers should not be started until AUGUST here in Washington.  Wow!  I jumped the gun by four months. 

Consequently, I decided to experiment and dig up one cucumber plant to bring back inside.  Don't worry, even though this is my first vegetable garden, I am aware that this isn't the way that most people grow their cucs.  However, I had noticed that my tomato plants inside are growing better than those outside even though they were started at the same time.

Thankfully, most of my radishes don't mind the cold temperatures and should ready in a week or two.

 

This is our second raised bed.  Every day I go out there, I stare at it , wondering if it was a good idea to plant the corn. 

I'm keeping detailed notes on what/when/where and amount of everything we've planted.  Next year, it will be very helpful to look over during the planning stage.

Well, the grapes are coming!  When we moved in here last October, the vines were overflowing with grapes. 

 

 

The plums are noticeably further along.  We were about to trim back what we thought were bushes only to find out that we have seven additional plum trees crowded together in an area of about six feet.  They are still young, so hopefully, we'll be able to transplant them to another part of the yard.

The last thing I wanted to share was the apples growing up searching for a bit of sun on the dwarf apple tree.   The bad news is that on the ENTIRE tree, there are less than 20 apples growing on one branch.  None anywhere else.  I think something (moss?) got into the tree.

Vegetable Garden Progress

I didn't realize how much satisfaction I'd get from gardening.

Here is a picture after we had turned over the soil.  The rhodie bushes and ivy hadn't been cut back, yet.

 
 

Here is the garden a few days ago.  After the dead leaves were raked up and the rhododendron bushes were given a good cut I focused on the vegetable garden.

Below is the same raised bed after two weeks:

I made an area for herbs that we often use.  There is cilantro, parsley, basil, chives, majoram, rosemary, oregano, and thyme.  There are several tomato plants, 3 bell peppers, enough radish to share, pole beans beginning to climb the green poles in the middle that are formed into a teepee, carrots, peas, and the A-frame trellis is for cucumbers.  We also added red sunflower seeds to the far end. 

All I'm hoping for is ONE thing to grow.  Please!

Nathan thought his army man would enjoy the tomato plant forest.  Maybe Mr. Army Man can guard my veggies from the invading leaf eaters I'm dealing with right now.

Keeping Busy

I wanted to take a moment to let you know that we haven't fallen off the face of the earth. 

I'm spending every spare moment working around the house, in the garden, and reading stacks of books on chickens, vermicomposting, and vegetable gardening.

Our big news is that last Saturday, we went to a local feed store and picked up our little chicks!  They are absolutely adorable. 

I know I said no more than 5, but the store had a minimum purchase requirement of 6.  That was fine until we got there to see only 7 chicks.  How could we leave one little chick all alone?!  Robert and I had agreed to six before leaving home, what was one more?  We now have 1 Buff Orpington and 6 Plymouth Rocks.  Hopefully, they're all female or we will have to find any males a new home.  The black and cream is one of the Plymouth Rock.

This is Henny Penny, the Buff Orpington.  She is the only chick with a name right now. 

Slowly Going Green

Your Life is 60% Green

Your life is pretty green - and you know a lot about how to live an eco friendly life. So congratulate yourself for being good to the earth. And maybe think about implementing some of the ideas from this quiz!

How Green Is Your Life?

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We've made a several changes here and definately are more aware of changes that we coooould make.  I just don't like getting a 60% !!  That's a D on my grading scale.  Humph! 

HT: Christie @ Motivated to Change

Compost

After a mini unit (read-a-thon) on composting, my children built a compost bin for our organic matter.  We're already making good use of it!

The picture books we read that were available at our library:

Compost! Growing Gardens from Your Garbage

Compost, By Gosh!

A Handful of Dirt

Compost: Natures Recyclers

Compost Critters

Growing in Our Yard

With the weather finally warming up, we are able to work outside in our garden.  The hurdle that I have to overcome is that I know absolutely nothing about gardening. 

Growing up, my mother and I made a deal for the days yardwork needed to be done.  While she did yardwork I did the housework.  At the time, it was an absolutely perfect arrangement to me.  I didn't understand what it was she enjoyed about working in the dirt.

Now, I am trying to make up for lost time.  I am very interested in growing fruits and vegetables to feed my family.  As a beginner, I have a lot to learn and know that mistakes will be made, but everything will be a lesson...right or wrong.  I just hope that I will be able to serve something (anything) grown in our garden to my family.

We planted Blueberries in the full sun of the front yard.

The Strawberry plants bordering along our walk have lovely pink blossoms. 

In the backyard, the blossoms on the Apple tree have just started to open.

Our back fence is taken up with an abundance of Grapevines that intermingle with the branches of 2 Plum trees.

Hopefully, we haven't put the Grapevines into shock after having to trim the vines that had grown into surrounding trees and cables.  We didn't cut too much, but right now, we are still waiting for the Grapevines to show signs of life.

A couple of weeks ago, I started working on turning over the raised beds.  The top bed was overgrown just like bed in the bottom photo.  It really didn't take much work to turn it over and then add more top soil.  Carrying the 50lb bags is another story!!!

So far, the only picture I have of anything growing inside a bed is of one of the three tomato plants I purchased.

We are also planting carrots, cucumbers, sweet corn, peas, beans, peppers, cilantro, parsley,  and other varieties of tomatoes.  A few pumpkins and watermelons (kids HAD to have them) will take space in another bed.  It all seems like an experiment since I have no experience with growing anything.

Have you started your garden, yet?  What are you growing?

A Walking Doll

Teresa modeling a dress my mom knit for her.