After 4 Inches of Rain!

Well... 3.75" at least...

It had been dry... sweet potatoes were wilting.... We'd been watering, but it's just not the same as a good rain... so we were ready for some. All day yesterday it looked rainy... and a sprinkle fell now and then, but never enough to move the rain gauge. As we slept, nearly 4 inches fell... so after more than a month, I remembered to take my camera with me to the garden. Here are the latest shots....

September 6, 2009 Garden Views

Old garden with drying popcorn... well... it was drying until last night! :)
From a driveway... with peach tree and weeping willows...

Another peach trees & weeping willows view with the new garden in the background. See the water flowing through the ditch?

Nicely soaked garden....

Driveway view with sweet potatoes through the marigolds and fence.

The sunflowers are looking pretty rough-- but they seem to be a favorite spot of the neighborhood birds.... September... the beginning of the end for summer gardening....

Squash bugs attacked... but the squash are living through it this year. We've eaten and shared zucchini and yellow squash and have butternut and spaghetti stored for winter as well.

July 18, 2009 - More Garden Views

Yes, yes... more pictures of the garden... It's just so much fun to see how it changes-- for me, anyway. And the best part of the change is the ripening produce-- and it is delicious!!

Snapdragons between corn and squash on the fence.

The sunflowers were small, but they survived the big water puddle.

Sweet corn... yummy!

We had a clay shelf here last year... or at least that's what we called it. Some hard-packed clay that would barely grow even a weed.... so during the garden-prep time, I asked Ron to till that spot... I sprinkled some wildflower seeds. They're much prettier live-- and a great pop of color behind the garden. I also transplanted some of the volunteer marigolds in this area.

Asparagus, tomatoes...

Squash, tomato....

Tomatoes... and plenty to share...

Peppers, watermelon....

June 14, 2009 Yard Views

Some volunteer sunflowers popped up near the bird feeders... and they look better than the ones I planted! Snapdragons are everywhere!! But it's ok. We like them-- and shared hundreds... and all because we bought eight flowers from a greenhouse a few years ago. How cool is that?!


Another patch of snapdragons behind the potted white geranium. This geranium pot is one of two that we over-wintered... and now is one of 4.

Three new blueberry bushes! We ordered two from Michigan Bulb. Then Dad said we needed two different varieties for them to pollinate, so they ordered an extra when they ordered some for themselves from Miller Nurseries-- which is also where they go the asparagus they shared.

June 13, 2009 Garden Views

June 13, 2009.... The garden is growing....
My parents ordered some aparagus and shared with us. The two trenches flanking the tomatoes are where they will be planted. There really shouldn't be anything between them like that, but we're hoping it'll be ok this year... since we hadn't actually planned on planting any-- even though I've wanted to plant some for years! Thanks, Mom & Dad! :) It's been a wet spring so far. We've had this puddle near the sunflowers alot... Not long after it dries, it fills up again.

Sweet corn and white corn are growing... The corner plant is a spaghetti squash. Snapdragons are along the right side near the fence. They were all growing in the gravel near our back door-- and are enjoying the extra space of their relocation.

View from the other corner... now snapdragons are down the left side. Next to them (strawed) are sweet potatoes. Tomato in front-left. Next over are two eggplants and an acorn squash. The two tall black pieces past them will hold the pole beans. You can see squash (yellow & zucchini), peppers, and tomatoes off to the right.

Another side... a closer view of squash, tomatoes and peppers.

Last year's new garden is growing quickly! Pole beans are climbing the fence. Popcorn is a foot or so tall... Some volunteer tomatoes and marigolds are scattered around... and the lettuce patch that provided fresh greens all winter wants to go to seed. There are also some potatoes and onions along the back fence and a couple cucumber plants on the front. The peas didn't do much-- again. But the lavendar is back and blooming this year! And the birdhouse in the background was home to our bluebird family.
The other side. The block in the middle has a sprinkler attached for dry times... This raised bed doesn't hold water like the clay patch near the sunflowers.