Summer Summary

Sorry all....this was supposed to be posted 2 months ago...but, had a computer fail and couldn't bring myself to doing it again until now. :-/ Enjoy!!

Hard to believe it, but fall is here! It definitely looks and feels like it today too. Football is on tv, we are all cozy in long sleeves and sweats today. We have mums on our front stoop, which will be joined by some pumpkins very soon. I love fall. This summer has been so busy, so super fast and so wonderful. The girls are getting so big and have been so much fun lately. Things feel a little easier most days....or maybe we're just getting the hang of it all. :) Here's a little glimpse of some of the highlights (in no particular order)....

The Current State of Things

Holy Marigolds!! I guess I should have heeded the instructions and actually thinned these bad boys out. They are taking over!! I also mixed varieties, so we have a few very tall large flowers and some shorter, smaller. They are pretty, but I can't see my green beans!! ;)

We are out picking tomatoes nearly every night. Not many actually make it into the house. Green beans either. The girls just eat them right off the vine. And that's ok with me. I wouldn't personally eat raw green beans, but the girls do love them. Most of my early girl tomatoes get half eaten before they make it in too. We've got plenty though, so I'm not too worried. My carrots are also still growing surprisingly well after the rabbit attack. I put a pinwheel up and that seemed to work great. They are still tiny, but, again, I should have spaced them after they started growing. Audrey has eaten quite a few of those already even though they are tiny. They still taste just like a carrot is supposed to taste.

We also got one green bell pepper off each plant (I hear now that they don't do so well next to tomatoes...better luck next year.) I also got a few jalapenos, which helped make some delicious guacamole and a small batch of salsa.

I really thought I would use my basil a lot more often than I have so far. I think next year, I'm going to plant a separate herb garden and grow some mint and cilantro as well. (I recently discovered I like a good mojito!)

my veggie eaters

It's Friday night and Jason is grilling hamburgers and building a campfire. Sounds like a great night to me!

Garden Update

Getting closer to harvest time. :) SO many green tomatoes right now. My peas and carrots were picked over by, I believe, the bunny that lives in our yard. The girls have almost caught him, but it will be too late. Also have two very oddly shaped green peppers and a few jalapenos going. The marigolds barely bloomed before they were picked by some little blonde girls for their mama. (not complaining too much though)
I already have a few adjustments to be made next year. Have to change the placement of the tomatoes. They have blocked Sun from the peppers and the sunflowers never had a chance. I really underestimated how big those tomatoes would get. Might also pre-grow the marigolds or buy the plant instead of seed. Although they don't seem to work all that well anyway. Could make room for more peas/beans that way....and some chicken wire to keep them safe. We will see how the beans do. I had aphid farming ants on then briefly, but a spray of water seemed to get rid of them.
This has definitely been so fun so far. I would love to even have more beds but the sun is limited in our shady backyard. We will see.....

Week 3 and look at them grow! I think I might have got the wrong kind of pea...they look like they need a trellis :/ but, I'm not sure. The birds have eaten at least half of every strawberry that has turned the tiniest bit red...so, those will probably have to go soon. Maybe good to make some room anyway.
Audrey wants to go out daily to check the beans. She is loving it. And today she spotted our first tiny green cherry tomato. :)

Our little fairy princess at the Arts and Crafts Festival this weekend. So fun that she's getting to be this age...all of this starts getting more and more fun.