Green Space

My mom is great with plants.  For years and years she had violets.  I know next to nothing about violets, but I do know they need special food and they don't like to be touched and the sun has to be just right.  They're beautiful.  And I would never even try to grow them.

Her yard and garden is always pretty and creative.  Her plants thrive. 

*****

I have trouble keeping plants alive.  One of the first gifts Dave ever gave me was a miniature rose bush.  It came with a beautiful speech comparing our relationship to the rose bush.  It was immensely touching.  A few weeks later I had effectively killed the poor thing, and he begged me to forget the analogy.

*****

Despite this history (and the bunny scourge) our garden is actually flourishing.

I LOVE having fresh basil outside my back door.  Caprese salad has figured heavily into our diet this week.  There will also be pesto.  Lots of pesto.


Nate is most excited about the cherry tomatoes - one of his favorite foods, though he does prefer the orange ones.

Dave chose these heirloom "Mr. Stripey"s and they are doing well.

Of all the pepper plants (multicolored bell and Holey Moley) the green bell pepper (blech) is the only one with fruit, but I'm staying optimistic.

I could not get a photo that does the watermelons justice.  I (or rather Nathan) planted three watermelon seeds.  Three.  Those three seeds have generated about 50 feet of vine and about a million flowers.  They are invading our neighbor's yard.  They are climbing the other plants in the garden.  They are probably  making enough O2 to keep our family alive for the summer.  They are not yet making any watermelons, however.   I am patiently using positive imagery to conjure watermelon and grilled watermelon salad and watermelon slushies.  It may be that our friends will be getting some watermelons as well.

Stay tuned to find out what I learn to do with a million tomatoes and a bushel of basil.

Yum!!