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| August 4 early evening light... |
I pulled the terra cotta planters out the day after we said good-bye to The Girl, which as you can see/read, continues to be a reference point for me. It was the last week of May, which is 'on schedule' for 'planting on or before Memorial Day'. I knew it would be therapeutic and I am not a newbie to planting, so the timing could not have been better. It was a group effort. The Boys, once again did all the heavy lifting with the many cubits of soil we bought, to the large burlap bag full of mulch we picked up at Whole Foods for free, along with the emptying out of last years soil from the 3 tiered raised garden bed. It was allot of soil! The many many many decisions later of what to plant, which I found out yet again, carries the high possibility of things changing once everything is in the soil. For example, squirrels eating the strawberry flowers, or moving some plants around before rooting, etc., during those first critical couple of weeks. We have a wonderful garden center near us called Tagawa Gardens. This year, I actually counted, and they had 13 varieties of basil alone!! I bought 5 varieties, all with the goal of filling up the freezer with pesto (last year I had 61 4oz. containers, some of which we are still using!!), while enjoying the fresh plucked herbs, basil well included, with the flat leaf parsley and cilantro for summer salads. I found 3 varieties of thyme as well, thinking ahead to lentil soup for the winter months. I planted 3 or 4 varieties of tomatoes, eggplant, acorn squash, cabbage, curly kale, sweet red, although the one which popped was green, peppers, and strawberries. I am not sure if the strawberries will ever happen because the cabbage leafs/leaves are so ginormous now, they get absolutely no sun. I am watching the tomatoes pop and it is amazing because it has turned into a veritable jungle. The tomatoes are strategically planted in the 3rd tier, where the soil is at its thickest/highest, so the roots can go deep to grow sturdy stems. The bamboo stakes I use are taller than me, and you can barely see them now, as the tomato vines grow taller and taller while I sleep. I am agog!! My concern lies with the eggplants, as they are flowering, but then the flowers are dying and not producing any eggplants. Last year I planted white eggplants and they were clearly eggplants by this time of 'the middle'. This year I planted the 'normal' purple variety, so, hmmmmm, jury is still out on what might happen. I am keeping a close eye on them. Anywho, it is my joy and delight to take care of the garden, pray that everything actually produces vegetables, hopefully have some food at the end, which I am more than happy to share the come harvest time. (Wish some of you lived closer!!!) Each year is different, as it should be, and I remain grateful to get my hands dirty, all the while, sacrificing manicures for the cause...
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| May 28 |
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| June 2 |
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| June 24 |
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| July 6 |
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| July 20 |
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| Eggplant flower...having issues, hmmmm.. |
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| Cabbage leafs/leaves... |
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| This first one I spotted, there are many many many popping!! |
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| Early on, cabbage leaf after the rains.. |
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| Acorn squash blossom... |
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| July 26 |
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| This morning, daisies, monsoon season in Colorado.. |
'And the LORD will continually guide you, And satisfy your desire in scorched places, And give strength to your bones; And you will be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water whose waters do not fail.' Isaiah 58:11
And for a post script, we have made a visit to a really beautiful animal shelter in Castle Rock, which is about 25 minutes south, to sort of kind of start looking for another kitten/cat....sort of kind of ready...
