Strawberries and other good things to eat.

 The strawberries are starting to ripen. Last year, towards the end of the buying cycle of garden plants at the fruit markets and stores,  I got 10 poor sad looking strawberry plants for a super deal....at least I was hoping it would be a super deal.  I was banking on the fact that I could, with lots of TLC, finally get my long dreamed for strawberry bed started.  

 Brianne is now enjoying the fruits of that gamble.

 Mmmmmm, so good!

 Those sad little...almost dead plants perked up.  They not only thrived, but after one year of tender loving care, lots of manure and plenty of water they grew into this!!  Wow, they sure do spread and multiply!

 Our sugar snap peas are doing great too.  Mmmmm, I love sugar snap peas.  Liam especially loves them.  He'll often wander into the garden to pick a handful and share his bounty with me, Brianne and Delaney as we do read aloud outside on the porch swing.

 
 Last year my Swiss chard bolted and turned to seed.  I saved a bunch seeds to replant with, but I didn't need to, so many volunteers came up.  Mmmmm,  we have come to love wilted swiss chard with garlic, butter, and lemon pepper.  The kale (in the back ground of the grow box) is now going to seed.  I'm letting it and hopefully in the fall I'll have self sown kale to eat.

Delaney has a great desire to grow a garden of her own.  She has asked to do this for a few years now, but being a garden selfish person, I've had a hard time letting go of my soil....but I've had to repent and remember that I'm really not growing a garden, but growing a child!!  Okay, altruism aside, I just gave into the pestering and nagging.  But really, how could I say no?  What a fun way to spend time with my daughter.  Besides in a few years she'll get board and I'll 
 wish for her presence in the garden....I have a hard time getting the others to join me--well at least joyfully.   Anyway, she wants to grow cucumbers.  We got a few plants and tomorrow we'll get some seeds started too.  We'll get the old window frame covered with some netting for the plants to climb on.  I got that idea from a magazine.

 It's been hard to get the gardening bug this year. I just haven't been interested in planting this year...but finally after a Monday night of FHE planting (and 1/2 off priced milkshakes at Sonic for dessert) we got most of it planted.

 Hey I'm growing some pretty cute boys around here too!!!