NOTE: This is what happens to flower beds when you use vegetable compost. Yes, those are “volunteer” pumpkins and tomatoes growing in a newly-created front garden bed. You’ll notice the irises are standing their ground. There are three baby pumpkins on these vines!
As fun as this is, I think I’ll be pulling seedlings like this next year before they get this big. Not exactly the look I’m going for in the front yard. 
I hate weeds. I hate that our front walk got this out-of-control. Today was the day I put things right. (That’s Benji above, sniffing out rabbits. He asked me not to use this photo, but I like that he distracts the eye from the menagerie of weeds.)
Here we go. As always, this turned into a larger project than I had anticipated. Not only am I pulling all weeds in sight, but I have decided to make the front shrubs obey.
And here you have it! Look at those sparkling clean sidewalk cracks! How absolutely satisfying. Now, stay like that!
I love gardening.
I love being outdoors and actually taking notice of the changes all around us that happen every day.
One of the things I like best is ending the day watching the sun set and feeling the cool evening breeze on my face. Another day of hard work is done.
Okay, so this isn’t the most appetizing photo, but the peas are taking over and we need to eat them while they’re fresh. They’re making their way into many meals these days.
This turned out to be a super-yummy sweet & sour concoction.
Here’s a quick pic of our garden on Fourth of July weekend.
In front are zucchini and yellow squash, followed by carrots and beets. Then a patch of winter squash varieties, then cucumbers and beans.
Down the middle of the garden are our hot peppers. On the far side, you see the spinach going to seed (whoops), a bed of onions, then our lovely tomatoes (my favorite), followed by green peppers and peas. Joy!
Because Benji is a single dog this summer, he is a very spoiled boy. He got to come along on our trip to buy flowers today at a crazy-big annuals sale at Schroeder’s Flowers. Thank you to their staff for letting Benji peruse the rows and rows of annuals in the greenhouses with us. He appreciated the hospitality and was made to feel very welcome. He even got a drink from the hose!
We came home with loads of flowers. Many ended up in the front flower beds where some color was needed, and some ended up in the back yard, as you see below. I don’t really care for the whiskey barrels in our yard, but until they are moved, I gotta make due. Looks like this one could use some TLC, no?
Had to snap a quick pic of the siberian irises in the front bed while they were blooming today. I love the vibrant color!
Aunt Lisa, if you see this, tell me again the name of the super-tall blooming perennial on the left side of this photo. Someone asked me. Thanks!
I’ve been taking photos of the fruit trees so we can gauge their growth at different times of the season. Here are today’s shots of one of the apple trees and the pear tree. Looks like we should have a nice turnout this year!
Although we don’t fully condone it, we do spray our fruit trees. The quality of the fruit is much better without pests and molds involved. Please wash thoroughly!
So the asparagus patch is looking rather rough. I thought it about time that I weed and fertilize the bed properly. Turns out it is a LOT of work! Is anyone familiar with asparagus maintenance? I need to investigate.
I was very pleased to find several wild rose bushes on our property this year.
Here is a photo of the one I found heading down the trail to the creek. We found others up by the road near the apple trees. They smell wonderful!
