The Garden

Weeds are overtaking the garden already this year, but field work and other work have to come first. But we did spend some time weeding and watering finally. The tomato and pepper plants are looking great. Cucumbers and salad fixens are coming along well. With the current dry weather though we have had to start watering.

The flower gardens are coming along too and I sure hope they will be giving us their beauty real soon. The flowers near the house get watered but the two foot by one hundred fifty foot garden along the road is on it's own to fight against whatever nature throws it's way or doesn't...

One of the really young apple trees I thought would die because the hungry rabbits chewed off so much bark this past winter has survived. Crazy thing about that is, it looks healthier now than it did last summer. The rest of the older apple trees had plenty of blossoms this spring but if the weather stays dry they probably won't have a whole lot of apples.

The cherry trees are doing great and should soon start to ripen and give up their fruit. I can't wait! When they are ready I seldom eat much for breakfast, I just go to the trees and gorge on fresh ripe cherries. Then when the apples get ripe I do the same with them.

Between the two there is the garden. I'm known for eating right at the garden and never cooking what I pick. I'll even take some bread with mayo on and sit by the garden eating fresh tomato sandwiches for lunch on hot days. Followed up by a cucumber for desert.

But we plant plenty of tomatoes for making our own sauce to last until the following year. I'm no fan of any store bought sauce and would rather season and can my own. Then also we just can some tomatoes for stewed tomatoes or for making a different type of sauce with them.

Don't know why but I can't wait until the hot banana peppers are ready this year. I'm really hungry for them stuffed with cheese and some with meats. I also like to have some stuffed with sauerkraut. I like to make a whole bunch at a time and the freeze them in smaller bags for a treat during the cold days of winter.

Years back when I was living in a small town I had a garden in the back yard and did the same there. It's really not all that hard but is more time consuming. But an evening a week taking care of the weeds and a little time every two or three days watering is well worth the effort.

Besides when living in towns and cities what else is there to do anyway. A garden attracts birds and even the occasional bunny. They are both fun to watch and talk to. One of my favorite things every year is talking to the birds who come to the garden until they get so used to me that they stay and chirp instead of flying away. The bunnies though have to be chased off. They'll eat up all your work before you get a chance to enjoy anything.

Then there are kids. Gardens magically draw kids. Then you have the chance to explain to them what gardening is about and you really get a great smile from them when you feed them some fresh ripe veggie's from your garden.

Some even come back and offer to help. Help eat more that is!

So consider smiling as you teach a kid something new. Like the old saying says. Give a kid something to eat and he eats for a day. Teach him how to grow food and he eats forever.