Lil' sprouts

They're sprouting! They're sprouting! And I took the opportunity to try out my new macro lens. It's kind of fun to get a close up of a little seedling unfolding and shrugging off it's tiny shell.


Spring has sprung on my kitchen counter. Good thing, too. They are predicting up to 10 inches of snow tonight. Will this winter never end?

Starting seeds

We decided to start some seeds indoors this year. I usually buy tomato and pepper plants from the farmer's market in the spring, but it seemed like a fun little experiment grow them ourselves. Plus, we're all getting a little antsy for spring around here, so we're getting a head start with some plants on the kitchen counter.



Walter filled the pots with dirt and when he was done he cleaned up. Without my asking him! I admit I've been on a little cleaning rampage lately. I'm happy to see it's rubbing off on someone.


We planted the seeds and stuck in makeshift plant markers made from masking tape and toothpicks. 

Now we wait, a little impatiently, for something to grow. 
And, yes, we plant seeds in our pajamas. Don't judge. It's Sunday.

Peas 'n things

Oh my, it's been weeks, hasn't it? There's been so much to do and so little time for picture-taking and post-writing. So today, a quick overview and some pictures of pea blossoms. Sometimes the camera is just drawn to the peas.

And those peas are doing great. They were our first planting of the year and they are already climbing up taller than Walter – no small feat! We planted the rest of the garden last weekend and I'm seeing lots of things popping up already. It happens every year – those first seeds sprout and I'm as excited as a kid on Christmas. 

All that gardening last weekend and perhaps my attempt to do a cartwheel (why?) caused my neck and back to go out. The kind of "out" where turning my head meant turning my entire upper body. One week and several chiropractic adjustments later and I'm just about back to normal. And normal feels good! Maybe we need to feel bad sometimes just to remind ourselves how great "good" feels. But no more cartwheels for me for a while, or maybe ever.

I hoping that Walter gets that great "good" feeling soon. Today he was diagnosed with his very first ear infection. Poor kid, his little body like a furnace on this already hot day. We sweat it out together on the couch, playing games and watching Dinosaur Train. Almost 4 years without an ear infection – I realize how lucky we are. 

Nate is exactly one week away from running the Madison marathon. His training has tapered down and I plan to load him with pasta and protein all week long. Send encouraging thoughts his way!
I guess that's it for today. I'll try for a little more than just peas next time...

Late season garden report

The gardening season is just about over. I suppose I could plant some fall crops, but honestly, I'm looking forward to a break from produce for a while. Our first garden here did well for the most part. We had a few failures, but still plenty to harvest. Our bush beans did great, while our pole beans served as a daily meal for the japanese beetles. Picky eaters, they are. The zucchini had a bit of a slow start, but really came through in the end and we are, once again, overloaded with the stuff. The tomatoes were the biggest disappointment for me - hit with blight right away. We have very little to show from those five plants. Better luck next year. 

I just pulled the first few carrots from the ground today and they are looking great. The beets are a bit small, and I take full responsibility for that. I planted a lot, intending to thin them for the greens, but I let them go and get overcrowded. Oops! Still, plenty to keep Walter happy through the winter. He loves beets! My first ever crop of corn was a disaster, but I think I learned some things and I'll try again next year with a different location and more support. 

We had quite a few creatures in the garden this year. The fence did a fantastic job of keeping bunnies and deer out, so they weren't a problem at all. I was amazed at all the frogs we found. At least 3 or 4 different varieties hopping out at me. Today's find was the most unusual, a little green guy, sleeping at the top of a corn stalk. 

And then, there's this guy:

This little stinker has been nibbling on my eggplants. I did a little investigating and it seems to be the destructive tomato hornworm. Sorry buddy, no tomatoes for you this year.

So, things are winding down, but there's still plenty to do. I think it's about time to get Walter to harvest his beets!

Ahhh, nature...

Gardening tip of the day: If you smell something strange, check under your zucchini leaves for dead skunks. 
(Possibly the only thing that could make me shiver in this heat.)

First harvests

We have successfully grown food! We are finally at a point where there is more green than brown in the garden. Peas and beans are climbing. The zucchini and cucumbers have already started crowding out their neighbors. I have a steady supply of salad greens for my lunches and Walter has had a few strawberry snacks. He quickly figured out how to tell which berries were ripe for picking. He's become very interested in where things come from and how things are made. One of his favorite questions about food is, "Does this grow?" I think he might be planning future crops.

Garden report

Things seem to be moving right along in the garden. Nature is doing it's thing out there. Strawberries are starting to appear. The peas will be needing some support this week. Swiss chard thinnings became a little afternoon snack today. I even spotted a tiny tomato already! We planted two types of corn. One is doing well. The other, not so much. Unfortunately, I can't remember which was which. I should have written these things down! Maybe I'll be better organized next year. The flower beds around the house are still surprising us with new things, too. Walter likes to smell the flowers and then pretends to sneeze. Speaking of things growing up right before our eyes, can you believe he's about to turn three? 

Lil' sprouts

Walter and I have been checking the garden every day since we planted last weekend – closely examining the dirt for any sign of green. And we've found some! Just the tiniest bits, here and there. Little sprouts of beans, peas, zucchini and swiss chard. (And a few weeds, which are much easier to find. Humph.) The fence is in place, protecting our tiny plants. Fingers crossed that the bunnies, deer, and other creatures don't find a way in.

Weekend with Mama

While Nate worked, Walter and I had the weekend to ourselves, so we did all the things that Mama likes best. Shopping at the Farmer's Market, visiting with friends, planting, baking, watching movies and knitting. Lucky for me, these are the things that Walter likes best too. Of course, if he listed off what we did this weekend, he'd say we ate cookies at the Farmer's Market, played with friends, dug in the dirt, made monster cookies and watched Toy Story 3 while getting his legs tangled in Mama's yarn.

Garden beginnings

The garden is started! Well, it's built. Ok, mostly built. We've been working hard out there. Nate built the frames for five raised beds. 

We got them set into the ground over the weekend, and filled with dirt today. 


Even Walter pitched in and moved some dirt around. He also buried some cars in there. I wonder if a car tree will grow...

Now that the beds are made, the next step is to protect them. Nate has big plans for a big fence. It should be done just in time to start planting!

Pumpkins, watermelons and cucumbers! Oh my!

What was I thinking? I crammed three vining plants into a tiny garden space. They kept to themselves so nicely in the beginning. But now, well, it's getting a little "Little Shop of Horrors" out there. The pumpkins are knocking the fence down and the cucumbers are taking over the neighbor's lawn. Even my slow-to-start watermelons are breaking out of their confines and are heading towards the apple tree. 


Every time I go out there I expect one of these little guys to look at me and say, "Feed me!" In reality, the only thing they are demanding is space. I'll have to make sure Walter keeps his distance – all those vines just might sweep him away!

A nice, long weekend

I love long weekends. I started on Friday, with a day off, all to myself. I went bargain hunting at some local thrift shops and got a ton of great stuff. The best find of the day: plastic tableware for Walter's kitchen. I found cups, bowls, plates, forks and spoons, all for $3.30. And that got me inspired to finally finish up some of the felt food I had started making for him long, long ago. He's been serving me breakfast all weekend long. He keeps the coffee coming, sometimes two or three cups at a time. 

We've had lots of goodies coming out of the garden this weekend. Walter and I pick and eat a few peas every time we pass them. The cherry tomatoes are starting to get nice and red. And, I just picked our first green beans of the season. (No trouble with bunnies this year!)


Please, excuse the weeds. We've been too busy playing to worry about them.


We hope you enjoyed your holiday weekend too!

Pretty pepper plants

I don't know if it's all the rain we've been getting, or the warm weather, or maybe I've finally found the perfect, sunny spot. My pepper plants are looking fantastic! I usually only get three or four sad looking peppers towards the end of the summer, so I planted a few extra plants this year and put them in pots in a hot spot on the deck – I've heard peppers do well in the heat. These cute little guys are already popping up all over the place. Hooray!

It's growing!

I'm such a dork. I get so excited when the garden starts to show signs of life. I've grown plenty of gardens before, but I still think it's some sort of miracle when the things I plant actually start sprouting out of the ground. I check on it every day, and whenever I see something new come up, I run to tell Nate, "We have beans!" He humors me, and pretends to be excited too. (Sort of.)

No bunnies allowed!

We're getting ready to start the garden, but we aren't going to share with the bunnies this year! Nate is putting up a nice, high fence. And Walter is being a very good helper.

They're here!

The seed catalogs have arrived! I've already marked too many pages – there's just not enough room in my garden for all the new plants I want to try. I need to come up with a plan... and maybe a few acres in the country...