How does our Garden Grow?

At the beginning of the spring (and quarantine) my sons built a raised garden bed.  It's nothing fancy... just some 2x6 boards and a bunch of dirt that was born from a casual, wishful comment I made.  Thank goodness for sons and power tools! (and boys that love their mom).

 But, it has provided much more than just some plants.  Here is some of what we've been harvesting this summer:

Cooperation ❤️  My boys worked together to construct it, and everyone helped fill it. Watering is a daily task. It takes contributions from everyone to keep it growing.

Wonder ❤️ There is nothing more amazing than watching tiny seeds begin to poke out and unfurl into plants.  The first vegetables we spotted has us all whooping and hollering!  Want your kiddos to want to eat their veggies... have them grow them!

Patience ❤️ Tending a garden is an exercise in patience... it takes a long time for that flower to become a cucumber or that green tomato to turn red.  Watering (twice a day in South Texas heat) is a daily discipline.

Delight❤️ Our garden has brought back delight to our days.  It's a simple, not complicated or complex, delight in watching something grow.  No expectations or demands, just a delight-filled anticipation of what will bloom under our care.  

 Satisfaction ❤️ Each time we inspect our garden, we feel satisfied with our work.  We can see the reward that our investment has grown each time we snap off a fresh, crisp green bean or juicy red tomato.

I probably could go on... But, I highly recommend creating a garden with your children. I know you will harvest the rewards for many years to come!

Happy Birthday to ME!

I'm so excited to show you my birthday present...  I've been dreaming of how to create a garden ever since we moved to TX. 

Our yard is TINY... and our soil is completely a rock (really, it is one big rock).  So, it's a challenge to try to create my ideal garden spot.

My solution - go back to my farmer roots and get some stock tanks.  I had to have my father sit down when I told him how I drilled holes in the bottom of them for drainage... brand new stock tanks, that won't ever hold water :-)

Here is my new baby...

But, she looked a bit lonely over there, all by herself...

And, you can't have an even number of items - so that adorable whiskey barrel decided to join my party!

After filling them with our stick pile, mulch and plenty of extra rich garden soil... my assistant gardeners and I were ready to get our hands dirty!

Here's our first creation - our "Salsa Garden" - everything we need for our south TX salsa, all in one pot!



Can't wait to harvest, praying for a mild summer... those tanks could get mighty hot here!