The Little Garden that Could

My favorite thing about the garden? The way the smell of the tomatoes plant lingers on my hands after I run them through the leafs.

River's favoirte things about the garden? Watering the garden with his spray bottle  & Picking the strawberries and eating them before anyone else has a chance.

Skyler's favorite thing about the garden? He requested jalepeno peppers and doesn't have to do a thing to grow them.

Charlie's favorite thing about the garden? Burying his nose in the strawberry plants and sniffing out the ripe ones. 

This is our second year planting our raised garden. I was so excited because we got a timely start this year, and I planted some of my favorites veggies, Pear tomatoes & lemon cucumbers -- only to have it ripped to shreds by giant hail storms at the beginning of the season -- Colorado weather! Erg!! But my young garden was a fighter, surviver, and thriver. I thought for sure we lost everything, and we did lose some stuff - 2 cucumber plants- but i am amazed at how wonderful everything is growing, even the pumpkin plant that struggled so in the beginning is starting to get big and stretch it's vine outside the walls. The strawberry plants have been a fun and pretty addition. It's been a fun thing for me and Riverboy to do together this summer. 

{And don't worry River didn't actually bite into the jalepeno, he knows it's "dada's hot num-num", but Skyler was a little surprised by how hot it was when he bit into it. Anyone have any good jalepeno recipes?}

Berry Pickin'

Yet again, Rachel planned another awesome adventure picking strawberries at Berry Patch Farms, an organic Farm up in Brighton. My friend Dasha and her little girl Gracie joined us and we definitely had a "delicious" time. 

It was really neat to be on a farm. River loved seeing the tractor go around and running up and down the rows chasing Harry and Mattix. He was quite the berry picker, taking a nibble of each strawberry we picked. (Sorry FDA, but he wouldn't listen).

I loved the plum orchard. The trees where heavy and drooping with the ripe fruit, a beautiful sight accompanied by the chorus of singing birds. I was considering planting raspberry bushes in our backyard and after this little visit I really want to. 

This was our first "pick-your-own" experience and it was really neat. 

Great fruit, great company, and great fun.

Thanks Rachel for including us! It was a really fun day!

Gracie has the best blue eyes and smile

River's Haul . . . 

 Berry Buds!!

Gracie loved the animals, and the animals loved Gracie, So tenderly smelling her sweet little toes. It was really cute. 

River was really excited about the plums. He insisted on carrying them himself, showing them to Gracie and others, and picking them up to admire.

Of course River finds a running hose and has to plan with it. Luckily no one got too wet.

Today's Harvest

Lunch today was brought to me by my garden. 

Bon Appetit! 

Hopeful Gardener : Raised Garden Bed

Since having our own yard, it was been my dream to have a wonderful garden. I have fond memories of gardens my family did growing up, watching my parents turn up the dirt, create little watering berms around the vegetables, i remember my mom watering with a hose, and the bounty we reaped, especially the warm tomoatoes you could pop into your mouth fresh from the vine. I distinctly remember the sweet peas, yellow pear tomatoes, lemon cucumbers and the squash-pumpkin hybrid.  I loved the idea of that being apart of our family experience.

So during the winter months I planned and I talked of it endlessly to Skyler, telling him all my ideas and about what I read.

Before I knew it Summer was almost upon us, so I began collecting my cinder blocks, slowly. 3 or 4 a day was all I could manage to wheel out and put in the car while River played in the cart. 

Things got busy with work and travel and I was becoming discouraged that my dream of a raised garden bed would pass me by this summer, but Skyler wouldn't let that happened. He put his shoulder to the wheel to make his little wife's heart happy. 

So we spent our weekends getting through the different phases of the build and now it is finished and the veggies are in. 

We're playing it small our first year to see how things do, but I already love it and want more garden beds all over the yard as daunting as the physical labor it would require. 

It's become a family affair. River loves to come our and play in the hose water while I give our tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and marigolds a drink. Charlie stands an ever-ready sentinel to chase off any squirrel, bunny, bird, or other foe that may approach or  little eden. 

So here's to trying out our Green Thumb.

If you're interested in learning more about Raised Gardens, I am no expert, so here's a link to my Pinterest Board where I pinned links to where I found most my info, 

Just Click HERE