Garden Glimpses

There are things we like about where we live, and there are things which are challenging where we live. It's probably true of everyone. I could list all our challenges, but like I said, it is probably true of most people.

You probably don't want to hear me complain about our less than 1/4 acre property is situated in an area with at least 7 houses qualifying for the next door neighbor title, or the fact that every neighbor with a two story house can see into our back yard despite our privacy fence. And, really when you get right down to it, that's me complaining. Dare I say it: being discontent. Which I hate.

Certainly, I have lived with a lot less and should be more like Paul in saying I can do with or without. For all things I am grateful. And, really I am. But I struggle sometimes. Maybe you don't, but I know, I struggle to be content and not wish for a different lot or situation.

It's during those times of discontentment that I start to count my blessings {seriously!}. This is not a Pollyanna moment or even one that comes easily all the time. It is just the way to combat discontentment - with gratitude. I learned it from Ann. She counts blessings in the now famed One Thousand Gifts. For a little over a year, I counted along with her. I still do, really. I just don't share it here anymore. Except today.

So today, I offer you my gratitude from a piece of property, which is small in size, but abundant in blessings. Right now in this season of summer, I am grateful for:

• ability and space to have a garden
• the bravery to grow all but the mint and hyssop from seed
• spending less than $15 on our garden this year and knowing we have and will reap much more in food
• living in an area where I can have two goes of cool weather veggies {we can plant in vegetables like peas and lettuce in the spring and late summer - two harvests - what a bounty!}
• the tasty food which will become a part of our meals, our friends' meals, and maybe even our neighbors'
• the enclosure my husband made for our garden which keeps out Peter Rabbit {no worries, our sweet little guy is kept away from the garden}
• a teenage son who every spring turns the garden soil for me
• an extension to our garden which allows for more cool weather veggies to grow
• extra pots placed about the back yard which house lavender, spices, and even a cucumber plant
• bees, butterflies, and birds who visit our backyard because of what we grow
• new-to-us peppers which grow upside down! {from a friend at church}
• feeling fresh dirt under my hands and knowing I had a role in growing something my family and others will eat

~ Dorie

From Peter Rabbit to Mr. McGregor

I used to like Peter Rabbit.
Identifying with the underdog and cheering him on as he evaded Mr McGregor, while reading The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter, were familiar to me.
I loved reading his wild escapades, narrow escapes, and amazing adventures to my children.
Always, we rooted for Peter Rabbit.

Until...

I became Mr McGregor.
It happened when a Peter-Rabbit-wanna-be showed up in my garden.

Having moved the entire garden to a new place in the yard, we have worked hard to create a place for a bountiful garden to grow.  Most of the plants were started inside in garden boxes.  They will be moved to the garden as the weather warms.  However, the lettuce seeds were sown with care into the freshly tilled soil.  Anxiously, I awaited the fresh leaves, checking their progress each morning. 

Almost twenty lettuce plants of varying types emerged.  All was well.

Until one morning, I saw a tiny baby bunny munching on my tender new lettuce plants. 
Then, I became Mr. McGregor and wanted to reach for the shovel.
~ Dorie

*No baby bunnies were harmed in the writing of this post, yet.

Blessings in Bloom

The lilies are in bloom.  A magnificent sight to behold,

each blossom a blessing.

Or perhaps, each blessing is a blossom,

budding, blooming, and bursting forth with beauty and fragrance.

Showering our lives with vibrant color to share with all

the goodness of the Lord! 

...continuing my gratitude listing...

545.  lilies in bloom

546.  roasting marshmallows

547.  dogs chewing sticks

548.  flip flops

549.  children with bare feet

550.  air dried laundry

551.  domino messages

552.  Father's Day fishing trips

553.  children catching fish

...and so it continues...

Brilliant Blossoms

One of our daughters grew this fabulous flowering plant from a seed.  Admittedly, we were unsure of her gardening adventure's outcome, but wanted to encourage her efforts.  We had no idea the seed would survive let alone thrive.  Way to go, Sweetie!  Her success now adorns our front porch, greeting our family and guests with its brilliant blossoms.

Some Like It Hot!

The peppers are thriving in this August heat.  With temperatures averaging in the 90 degrees, our pepper patch has taken off.  My husband, who enjoys a variety of hot and sweet peppers, hand chose about a dozen different pepper plants for this year's garden.  We are enjoying fresh peppers almost daily.  Earlier this summer, I was able to make fresh salsa right from the garden, and due to the variety of peppers, we had both a hot salsa and a mild salsa.  Since we don't all enjoy a mouth on fire, the variety was a blessing!

Squirrel Troubles

This past spring, we decided to grow corn.  Despite it being our first attempt, it seemed easy enough.  A bunch of kernels and a good size garden plot, and we were on our way to growing corn - succulent sweet corn.  By July, it was growing beautifully.  We could imagine the ears of corn cooked with just a bit of butter and salt.  Oh how good they would be!  The opportune time for harvesting, not too early, not too late, had arrived.  It was so close.  The day dawned.  I went outside to hang a load of wash on the clothes line.  Out of the corner of my eye, I saw movement in the pepper patch.  I stopped, turned, entered the garden by the gate, and stood face to face with our constant nemesis - the squirrel!  There he sat shaded from the sun by the pepper plants, munching on my corn.  It was obvious the corn was fabulous by his blissful appearance.  I was dumbfounded.  After the shock wore off, I chased him right out of the garden, and inspected the damage.  To my dismay, and later my family's, only three ears of corn remained.  Not only did the squirrels take most of our corn, they decimated our corn patch!  See how it looks today, a brutal reminder of the squirrels' feast.

Stop and Smell the Roses

These beautifully fragrant roses were left by the previous owners of our home.  Her father cultivated an assortment of rose bushes.  Only two remain on the property.  We transplanted this one to a location closer to the other remaining rose bush.  The other rose bush blooms are a stunning crimson color.  This rose bush, while not as spectacular in appearance, has an amazing aroma.  Sometimes, I pick the flowers and place them in a vase near our kitchen sink.  I can do the dishes, overlook our yard, and enjoy the upclose fragrance of this pretty blossom.