The Garden of Eatin

I WAS just out in the garden plot, and OMG THOSE PLANTS ARE HUGE!!!!!!!!!

I have NEVER seen tomato plants do the things these plants are doing.

Exhibit A, front left corner --

The coworker who has the plot next to ours says we screwed up big time - B threw a handful of fert in the hole when we planted them early this spring, and, according to Gary, fert makes lots of bush and no fruit. Well, I hate to disabuse him, but these plants are going for the gusto.

--Frankenmato

(Yes, this IS a tomato plant!!)

There's a lot of bush, sure... but it's covered with blossom and going for the fruit. Bizarre. I think it's less the fert and just B's green thumb. His philosophy seems to be 'abuse em and they'll come back for more', since we only water every other day or so, but so far so good.
Early Girl has a mato! --

The cipollini onions are fat and nice. Even the zinnias have decided to give it a go. But by far the most promising plants out there are the peppers. We must have six inch peppers on at least one of the four plants. Here's hoping thats NOT the so-hot-it-will-lift-your-head-off one! lol

--Pepperzilla

Someone had sunflowers before us. I saw them coming up, but didn't have the heart to pull em when they were small, so we now have two big plants, one gracing each corner of the diagonal. One is nearly taller than me, big and branchy like a tree, and filled with pale lemony yellow heads with dark chocolate eyes. They are absolutely lovely. I am so glad I left them to live.

Our little plot - #51

That's the rest of the community gardens in the background, as is the one at the top of the page. This shot is from the front of the plot, and the top shot is one from the back. The community gardens are a wonderful idea - $5 to $20 buys you a plot for the season, complete with water, hose, tools, and compost, all for public use. How many people can say they can take a 15 minute break in the middle of their work day, walk across the street, and play in their garden?

It's a peaceful island of green in the middle of the day; a chance to get your head together when you need a break, with nothing but the sweet summer sun, the smell of foliage and earth, and the satisfying sound of the water on the thirsty earth to feed your soul.

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The landlord came by the house last week, while we were having problems with the air conditioner. I have lived there for five years, and never seen him once. This was the first time he'd seen the house since I moved in. His eyes got a bit wide when he walked through. I knew he was noticing the hardwood floor that we put in in the dining room (that we'd failed to ask permission to do). I was nervous, thinking he'd be angry about the rotten white Berber carpet that we'd pulled out of the room (WHITE BERBER in a dining room.... by the time the kids had spent two years in there, the Kool Aid stains and the travel path from the sliding glass door were indelible) "I didn't pay for that, did I?" was all he asked.

"Nope." I said, waiting for more to come, but he just raised his eyebrows. He went to look out the sliding glass door.

"Wow!" he exclaimed. "The yard looks fantastic. That must use a bit of water...."

"Not too much." I said. "It's worth it. I've been working on it for five years, a little bit at a time. We really enjoy it." The back yard, actually BOTH yards, look spectacular. I told every bit the truth - I love to landscape and garden, so for five years I've rejuvenated both the yards, greenscaping, hardscaping... laying fabric, bark and gravel, building brick flowerbed borders, putting in a pond, an arbor, a nice wood fence, trees, shrubs, perennial beds. The house no longer looks like the only rental on the block. In fact, under B's talented fingers, it's become the greenest yard on the block. I was pleased that he had noticed.

I hope he doesn't decide to raise the rent. If he did, it would be his loss.

In other news, I've found a house. The discouraging part about it is that we can't do anything about it, because his ex is dragging her feet. And with the price on this home, it won't last long. B reminds me not to be frustrated, but it's hard. This house is right around the corner from ours, a well kept little rambler owned by some elderly people, neat and trim and just the right size. In the neighborhood we want, under the price we expected to pay, and on a corner lot. I am chomping at the bit, but I must learn to be patient. If this is what God wants, if this is the house for us, it will wait. I must have faith.

We meet with the attorney tonight. I hope it goes well. We've been waiting for the opposite side to make their move, and we'll see tonight if we've had any results. At any rate, we will be getting our wills done, which is more than where we were this morning.

In the meantime, there's a small project in the garage waiting for us, and Caramel Toffee Heath Bar Crunch ice cream in the freezer at home. It should be a wonderful night. :-)