Oh, What A Spectacle!

Of Hens, kids and flowering plants.

We have been spending a lot of time out back in our bitty garden. I am glad to say not all my corn and other crops have been destroyed. Our malmute/shep puppy is big and likes to frolic in the corn.  Our two year old likes plucking sprouts and then there was the weird frost that hit. Some of the corn is growing crazy and almost sideways. We also have rogue patches of corn from spilled packets of kernels and some....where rows where planted they all have congregated in one area and look like a weird corn bush.

Then hens have yet to lay eggs. But, we still love them and feed them. The kids baby them and I am sure irritate them. But, hey at least they are loved.

I have many flowering beans and maybe next year I will label all my beans where I plant them...crazy me.  The kids have already picked pole beans and wax beans for fun afternoon snacks. Lot's of melons, lemon cucumbers and squashes are flowering. I am in love with flowering plants.

On a side note my very best cousin is in the hospital with failing kidney's and needed a blood transfusion. My friend JRJ who I blogged about, his grandma suffered a major heart attack and stroke yesterday. If you pray, please pray for them both. My heart is aching for them.

Love and Life,

Button

Around Here

...the garden grows

...the paint flows

...little boys turn five

 

Love and Life

Button

Rain and Dogs!

What do they have to do with each other? They damaged my three sisters garden. The dogs ran though and damged a few stalks of corn. It rained pretty hard last night and this morning I about cried. No less than six stalks fallen to the wayside. I guess the hens can much on them. Now I need to replant new ones as there are giant gaps in my "field"

Gaps and dying stalks.

Bigger ones were okay. I think the medium height ones did not like heavy rain.

Big drops still lingering.

 

love and gardening

button

Street People need Love

The corner I live on is busy. I am literally on the main street in town and on it's busiest corner for foot traffic. Daily I see many street people. Some are homeless, some are addicts and some suffer from various mental conditions. In my "old" age I have become more soft to these types of people. In reality I have always been soft to the downtrodden and the lonely. When I was 19 I worked at an Indian Casino and made some good money for a single lady just out of the Marines. It was a good experience and time for me. A friend of mine and I used to take hamburgers to people with "Will work for food." signs. Once I put a guy up into a hotel.  19 seems so long ago.

Now  I am married with five kids, and no monetary income of my own. But, in some ways I find a way to help. For a couple years we gave needy families money to finance their Christmases, gave food to families and individuals. We have also offered prayer and other things. Their are many skeptical people around and think everyone wants a handout. This is so not true.

One way I plan to give this year is through my garden. I was able last year to hand out various vegatables from my small garden. This year we have expanded it and I am hoping to do more. I know it seems silly that a couple ears of corn and some squash can change someones life, but you never know. I am also going to smile more at people. Everyone needs love, even if they don't think they do.

What will you do reach out?

"All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do." Galatians 2:10

 

Much Love and Garden Blessings,

Button

Three Sisters Gardening

Today we started our first in a series of three sisters gardens. We did corn, pole beans and cucumbers. If you have never heard of a three sisters garden, it's time you have. It's companion planting that according  to Iroquois legend, corn, beans, and squash are three inseparable sisters who will only grow and thrive together. This tradition of interplanting corn, beans and squash in the same mounds. Widespread among Native American farming societies, is a sophisticated, sustainable system that provided long-term soil fertility and a healthy diet to generations.

 

Love and Soil beneath your feet, Button

 

 

 

2011 Tallies

Vegtables

 

Herbs

 

Fruits

 

Eggs

1

 

In the Garden 2011

 

HOME

1. Acoma Melon (from seed)
2. Carrots (from seed)
3. chives (potted) (from seed)
4. Eggplant (from seed)
5. Garden Bean ("from seed")
6. Green Peas ("from seed")
7. Guarijio Red Sweet Corn ("from seed")
8. Lavendar (for soap making and drying as gifts)
9. Mexican Sage (for soap making and drying as gifts)
10. Leeks (from seed)
11. Jade Hybrid Cauliflower (from seed)
12. Lemon Balm (potted)(from seed)
13. Lemon Yellow Chili Peppers (from seed)
14. Morning Glories (from seed)
15. Mt. Pima Tomatoes (from seed)
16. Nichols Heirloom Tomatoes (from seed)
17. Ordono Chili Peppers (from seed)
18. Oregano (potted)(from seed)
19. Peach Tree (planted last year..very short due to puppy)
20. Pickling cucumbers (from seed)
21. Pico De Gallo Chili Peppers (from seed)
22. Pinole Corn ("from seed")
23. Pole beans (from "seed")
24. Prescott Heirloom Tomatoes (from seed)
25. Punta Banda Tomatoes (from seed)
26. Purple Assylum (from seed)
27. Purple ruffles basil (potted)(from seed)
28. Raspberries (potted)
29. Rosemary (potted)(from seed)
30. San Felipe Mixed Watermelon (from seed)
31. Strawberry (potted)
32. Sage
33. Spearmint (potted)(from seed)
34. Sunflowers (from seed)
35. Sweet basil (potted)(from seed)
36. Sweet Onion
37. Swiss chard flamingo(from seed)
38. Tabasco Chili Peppers (from seed)
39. Texas Wild Cherry Tomatoes (from seed)
40. Thyme (potted)(from seed)
41. Yellow Sweet Corn (from "seed")
42. Yellow Wax Beans (from "seed")
43. Zucchini (from seed)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

COMMUNITY GARDEN

1. Yukon Gold Potato plants
2. Assylum

 

Oh Wednesday

Woke up to a wonderfully clean out and quiet. Unlike most days  was up before any kids. Jimmy was already gone to work so I cracked open the blinds and poured myself a cup of coffee. Had some time to read NPR, BBC and Al Jazeera. Yes, I am a news snob and read the news from the best sources. Music played softly in the background while I read and enjoyed the sun fully rising. As soon as the kids starting coming to we started opening the windows and putting the ceiling fans on. Life is always good when it's not 90 degrees in the house.

Hezzie had a great visit with his teacher. She is amazing and real. She includes his younger siblings in her thoughts and brought balloons yesterday. It was like a party with these orange things floating through the air and the kids laughing...louder and louder and louder.

When Jimmy got home we took Maggie and Hezzie to the library. It was a Cesar Chavez celebration that I say, did not meet my expectations. It was a story, a less than informative slide show and a worksheet. Okay...but, I did get some good info on volunteering in the summer with the kids program...go me. The kids ended up playing with puzzles and games.

We headed down to the community garden afterwards. Jimmy dig out this huge weed whose root was like a small tree...no joke. (note: that is not even the whole root). He went back home with all the kids and I stayed and did more weeding and watering. I also did a video.

On my walk home I took a wonderful picture of what grows randomly. Not sure if this is part of the house or the church in borders.

Love and Life,

Button

Potaters and what not

Yukon Gold

Going in the hole

row of taters= rowtaters

I really need to find my iPhone. I am s lost without it. Yesterday evening I was in tears. So dramatic and uncalled for.  But, I have a friend number who is in recovery that I need to visit on Saturday. Then I cried and got mad because someone ate half of my burrito. Not sure what is up with all the tears and emotions. Maybe my "old" age or the fact that sometimes stress creeps in and devours my very soul. In the end I went to the garden, connected with God and Nature....came home to a VERY clean home thanks to Jimmy.

So this weekend I am considering simplifying a lot. Time to gt rid of the dryer and maybe a TV. I want to connect more with the family. I am also considering getting rid of cable (now that Big Love is over) and going back to the antennae. All things to discuss with Jimmy.

 

Much Love and 1/2 eaten burritos.

Button

Community Garden 2011

Getting back on track

weeds!

Too pretty to be a weed. I need to figure out what it is.

I love gardening and my hope it to do it year round.

Love and Pretty green weeds,

Button