The garden has become my morning therapy. After some coffee, prayer, and reading my Bible I head out to tackle weeds. Rob feels bad for me taking on so much work with just a hoe. What he doesn't realize is that the more I hoe the more I talk to God. Traci borrowed me her tiller earlier in the season, which I used a couple of times, but machines and I don't always mix well so I went back to the old hoe. I dig and pull and cry and clear my brain along with the soil. Usually nobody ventures out to the garden with me lest they get assigned a row to hoe as well. Last year there was no garden as it got rained out, so I am especially appreciating it this year.
Two years ago Trent talked me into buying grape vines. We get quite a bit of wind in this spot so the original intention was to use them as a wind break. They have gone crazy this year! I haven't decided if we will be making lots of grape jelly or if we should host another home school history reenactment of the medieval ages and stomp grapes into juice in an old wash tub.... decisions, decisions.
The peas are getting lots of fat pods. We usually don't get many past the garden to harvest as we all love them fresh, but I do like to make a supper of cream peas over new garden potatoes just to torture the kids and keep up the family tradition.
The field corn made it to knee high by the fourth of July. I had to plant sweet corn three times. The first round had only 9 plants that came up out of 7 rows. The next spot came up nicely, until the deer ate the tops off. The last planting might have hopes of making some corn if we have a late frost.
The tomatoes, on the other hand, are doing marvelous! We buy our plants from a friend who has a passion for gardening and they are gorgeous and healthy plants with lots of tomatoes and blooms on them. Which is a good thing as I am completely out of stewed tomatoes. There will be plenty of extra for Grandma Lee this year, too. Lord willing.
I picked my first zucchini today and will have to dig through my recipe holder for a baked stuffed zucchini recipe that I've been wanting to try. Something with ham and cheese, maybe cream cheese, can't remember but it looked yummy.
The cabbage is forming little heads. Mmm ~ Mmm, lots of cabbage salad and boiled ham dinners this fall.
And of course all the volunteer (and not volunteer) sunflowers have overtaken every part of the garden again.
The zinnia's are starting to bloom as well. Seeing flowers in my vegetable garden always takes me back to being a little girl and walking through Grandpa's garden.
"The LORD will indeed give what is good, and our land will yield its harvest." Psalm 85:12
The peas are getting lots of fat pods. We usually don't get many past the garden to harvest as we all love them fresh, but I do like to make a supper of cream peas over new garden potatoes just to torture the kids and keep up the family tradition.
The field corn made it to knee high by the fourth of July. I had to plant sweet corn three times. The first round had only 9 plants that came up out of 7 rows. The next spot came up nicely, until the deer ate the tops off. The last planting might have hopes of making some corn if we have a late frost.
The tomatoes, on the other hand, are doing marvelous! We buy our plants from a friend who has a passion for gardening and they are gorgeous and healthy plants with lots of tomatoes and blooms on them. Which is a good thing as I am completely out of stewed tomatoes. There will be plenty of extra for Grandma Lee this year, too. Lord willing.
I picked my first zucchini today and will have to dig through my recipe holder for a baked stuffed zucchini recipe that I've been wanting to try. Something with ham and cheese, maybe cream cheese, can't remember but it looked yummy.
The cabbage is forming little heads. Mmm ~ Mmm, lots of cabbage salad and boiled ham dinners this fall.
And of course all the volunteer (and not volunteer) sunflowers have overtaken every part of the garden again.
The zinnia's are starting to bloom as well. Seeing flowers in my vegetable garden always takes me back to being a little girl and walking through Grandpa's garden.
"The LORD will indeed give what is good, and our land will yield its harvest." Psalm 85:12
Everything is looking great! There is something about the garden that is great therapy. Glad to hear you are processing. Much better than stuffing. :)
ReplyDeleteYour garden looks wonderful! My father-in-law always planted a big garden up at the cabin. He passed in 2009......so only weeds now until one of his kids retires and can be up there more. When you mentioned zuchini......it made me think of one of our favorite recipies called "veggie pie", in which we used alot of his bounty. Zuchini, yellow squash, gr and red pepper, onion and tomotoe. A real meal in itself! Blessings.......my heart is heavy for you and that is good.......as it causes me to take you to the Lord. Linda Emanuelson
ReplyDeleteYour garden looks so wonderful! It weathered the storm well! My father-in-law always had a big garden up at the cabin. He passed in 2009, so it is just weeds for now until one of us retires and then we can be up there more and tend to it. We always made "Veggie Pie" when he would bring in the bounty in Aug-Sept. It has Zuchini, yellow squash, gr and red pepper, onion and tomatoes in it. A meal in itself!
ReplyDeleteThe Lord puts you on my heart at times and I pray for you and your family. Blessings, Linda Emanuelson Ps- Your blog is a blessing...............
Your garden looks beautiful. It's a great therapy place. Someday I may have time to enjoy a garden again.
ReplyDeleteYour photo of the peas reminds me of when my children were young and would pick the peas and eat them in the garden. I don't think any of them ever made it to the house to cook. That's okay though ... they're delicious right off the vine.
They are both growing gardens now for their families. Gardens are great family traditions!
Beautiful! Gardening is so therapeutic. I love being out there. I am glad you have a spot that can help you process.~blessings
ReplyDeleteThank you many times over. Because we do not know when our farm will sell or where we will be in the fall we did not plant a garden this year. First time in 18 years. I have consoled myself by buying LOTS of fresh vegs from farmer friends at our local market. Seeing your beautiful space inspires me for next year. I do so love your "mourning garden" and I am sure God does too.
ReplyDelete