Saturday, October 23, 2010

Gardening Success!

Is there anything more exciting than plucking the Pac-Man patty-pan ghosts from the garden? Especially when they started like this...
Well, my little seeds are finally becoming amazing little plants. The flowers I planted from seeds are going crazy and reminding me of all things happy and joyful!
Every time I see them I think of my dear sweet dad...who grows flowers for a living. I guess I never appreciated that effort until now. Thanks Dad. Thanks for planting seeds.
Heirloom tomatoes are coming on strong, though the heat has finally subsided enough to actually maybe see some good production. They have been stunted for a little while.

Those little butternut squash plants from a few weeks back...





As well as the pole beans...






are making themselves known.


The dill I thought had died...decided to show up.
Hooray for that. I can't even cook without dill. How does one cook without dill?!

Most exciting perhaps to me...is the start of the cabbage patch. I never got a cabbage patch doll as a kid. I still have emotional issues when I see one of those dolls. Never show me one. You may not be prepared to see me in that state of insanity. Red cabbage is coming in! Hoooooray! I want to braise a few heads of my own cabbage! Won't that be wonderful?! I also put in broccoli, cauliflower and Swiss chard. We'll see how they do.
I don't buy fancy electronic stuff. I did however get a blackberry. It started as a twig from a mail order nursery. I couldn't be more thrilled with it's downloads right now. Oh dear...someone please tell me that it will have berries soon. I'm desperate for a real blackberry.

So, the patty-pan squash survived the hail storm of 2010. Hail. Hail the size of freakin' baseballs that actually stranded me inside the bank for an hour. I wasn't sure the little squash plants would make it. They did however get a little mutilated on some of the leaves. The plant...still pumpin' out little happy squash that look like they belong in a Pac-man game.

Pole beans have been going crazy. You may be shocked to see me still bare foot gardening. Why yes, I do feel rustic thank you. Plus, it's the end of October in Arizona and I can still go outside without shoes...or a frost bite kit. That feeling you're feeling right now, it's called...respect.
The surprise perk of the week...a hearty oregano bush where I didn't expect it. I don't know why it's still going strong, but I'm happy to see it.


What is it about the garden that makes me so happy? I'm still trying to define it, but then again, that may be the whole point. If something makes you happy, do you have to define the joy, or just bask in it?
That being said...I'm flicking off my shoes and gardening some more. Life is good.

5 comments:

Janae said...

Just looking at your garden makes me happy... and kinda jealous ;) I really need to get my act together and start a garden. Lovely pics! Enjoy!!!

Anonymous said...

;) Still barefoot gardening in NE Kansas, as well. No frost/killing frost to date. Received a blessing of rain last nite, sounded so good to fall asleep to. The lightning was dramatic, though I didn't go out to the porch to enjoy it... Gardening- veggie bed is almost cleared of plant materials for the fall turning by my neighbor's small plow. The large pots by the porch that held flowers through the summer, now have kale, pansies and even some brussell sprouts. I didn't get broccoli started :( Have been making notes on seeds to watch for...

Gourmified said...

Man! Totally jealous! We've been ripping out our garden this past week. It's going to snow tomorrow in UT. Sniff. Goodbye warm weather. Ever grown basil? I am at a loss as to how to get that stuff to survive. Any ideas and/or tips???

Chef Tess said...

Oh my gosh! My basil is out of control! I was just thinking...do I have any tips on how to keep it from overtaking everything?! It went to seed and now all the seeds are growing. I'm excited though! More pesto for me!

mlebagley said...

One word for you. Jealous. We have been turning the garden under in my neck of the woods in anticipation of winter and freezing snowstorms. AZ is good for gardening, eh? If I could escape the scathing summers I would totally move there!