Monday, June 21, 2010

Summer Lovin' Part 2 ~~ Garden Style ....

So part of Summer for me is a garden. Gardening has become such a love of mine. It is something that has developed for me over time. I absolutely LOVE to garden. I am still developing some much needed skill, and our garden looks more like a jungle than a garden, but I still adore gardening. Even though I don't do it the traditional way.
Last night, when my man and I got back from a bike ride, I strolled out to the garden to harvest our garlic. This is the maiden voyage of garlic for us. I tried to grow it last year with no success. Well, back in October, Martha Stewart showed us how to plant and grow garlic on her show one day, so I decided to give it a go. With wonderful results this time ~~ YAY!!!
I went to our local Health Food Store, yes the ever popular MaMa Jean's and purchased some Elephant Garlic, then I took it home, pulled it into individual cloves and planted them. I then mulched them and let them do their wonderful thing in the winter. grow. And grow they did!! Come spring their beautiful green stems hit the surface. They look much like Tulips at first, and then they became ginourmous and just kept growing. Well the green started dying back and it was time to harvest.
So here you have our beautiful, Elephant Garlic in all it's summer, harvestable glory!!!



Here is my E Bulb next to a reg bulb of garlic. I mean seriously, is this the mac-daddy of garlic or what. I cooked some in our first mess of beans yesterday, and surprisingly it has a very soft and subtle flavor. It was just lovely. It has a light personality for such an opposing piece of lovliness. Yumm!!!!!




Okay so I almost didn't add this pic of me, but then thought oh I might as well. You can see what I look like at the end of the day and sweating after our bike ride. Pretty huh?!! Yeah I know....just keeping it real =)
So here is our garden. These pics were taken at dusk, so they have a strange look to them.....sorry. Some of you are such good photographers, but me, nope not so much. I'm a click and shoot kind of gal =)





This is the way of it most days. Scissors and a glove. Yep takes care of most needs in the garden ~~








Oh look at this lovely. Sunflowers are my favorite flower and all of my sunflowers this year are volunteer. Wasn't that nice of them just to pop in and say hello like that. No work required on my part. Just enjoyment. Hello lovelies!!!















I know, a little overboard on the sunflower pics, but I so love me some sunflowers....


I love how the fresh sunflower is framed by the one already done showing color, now all that is left is the head it grew on.....so pretty together....













Then tucked in amongst the green of our tomato plants is a tomato that will be ripe for the pickin' this week ~~ yay!!!


Below is our okra. It is coming along nicely. I grow it in memory of a dear friend of ours that is now with Jesus. He was such a great gardener and LOVED his okra. We miss you Bro. Earl.










Here is a view from the garden. Beautiful.




























Look at this bean ~~~ Can you see it?!?!!
Yep I'll be picking again today!! These beans are SOOOOO good!!!











Here is our Swiss Chard. I love to grow it. It brings such color to the garden and it is so good to eat. But it is almost done. I'll probably be pulling it up this week. Yes I know it is big and lovely, but it is also bitter. And bitter Swiss Chard is just no good to eat. When it gets hot that is what happens to our lovely greens. Our Romaine is doing the same thing. tear. But both have given some lovely eating this year.














Here is our cilantro, surrounded by volunteer grape tomatoes, chives and sage. Lovely ~~


















































And what post with this many pics is complete without one of Sir Cuteness. Here he is in all his tiredness with his pink bink. Hey a girl does what she has to do. It's all Wal-Mart had that day and we were in need of a bink. I try to keep his other one handy, but this day Mr. Pink Bink was all that was available in my purse.....He doesn't seem to mind =)
Why yes that is a mon-mower (lawn mower =) in his hand. Every boy needs one right. And this one plays his ABC's.....I mean seriously....it's dual purposed at it's best =)













Okay, so don't forget.....tomorrow starts our Summer Bible Study series in Ruth. I'll post a short post (hahaha I crack me up.....short post....haha like I ever do that....hahaha) anyway..... tomorrow and then at 7:00 pm we'll meet right back here at my blog for a chat. I'll start with an Intro to Ruth post and off we'll go!!! Should be LOADS of fun. Even if you are not able to do the study this summer, please join us for the chat. It will be fun, informative and God-honoring.
Love and Big Hugs .....

4 comments:

  1. You look beautiful, even after a sweaty bike ride... the natural, fit look is in! :)

    Look at all your yumminess growing!!! WOW... And I'm anxious for my sunflowers to get up there... mine are about waist high right now...

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  2. Dawn,

    Love all your beautiful gardening pictures! Just this morning I got our first sunflower bloom and it's like God smiling at me. I love it.


    Love and Hugs ~ Kat

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  3. The pictures of the garden are wonderful. I love fresh summer vegetables. But, what, no zucchini or yellow squash? I love those for a light summer veggie.
    I am looking forward to tomorrow night. But how will the chat work here. Will we just post a reply and then read and so on?

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  4. Your garden looks great!! Ms. Charlsie told me this morning she wasn't happy with her beans because they hadn't gotten enough to drink. We've had NO rain in days, maybe weeks!

    Poor Sky with a PINK BINK! Ha!!

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