This afternoon, needing a little time to unwind from the day, I sent myself out into the garden. I started, as usual, with the corn. Most of the stalks are well over 6 feet tall now, and have developed tassels. Some even appear to be developing ears. We are really looking forward to having some fresh corn this summer, and if our daughter like fresh peas, I think fresh corn is just going to blow her hair back!
Working my way around the garden, giving each section of vegetables a long soak of water, I was tickled to find that we had four cucumbers ready for harvest. Three of which are the perfect size for pickling, and other...well let's just say it's not going to last that long in our kitchen.
The Jolly Green Giant (aka zucchini plants) have managed to provide us with yet two more zucchini, and looks like there are at least half a dozen more on the way. I think this year we've already harvested at least two dozen zucchini. Last week we even shared some with our next door neighbor as a "thank you" for watering our garden while we traveled back to Iowa, and one of my wife's friends. I though of her as our very own Postage Stamp Garden Ambassador. For her first time in this position, I think she did very well. So well in fact, our neighbor came out into his yard, poked his head over the fence and offered to share his bumper crop of plums. SCORE! Last year when I mended the fence between our two homes, I made a sampling of the fruit (yes, I had permission). They are very good plums. I'll have to figure out a way to preserve them too.
The pea plants are still chugging away, providing our daughter with at least half a dozen pea pods every other day. I have never seen her go that crazy about a particular food with the exception of her milk. Our sweet baby girl is so funny when it comes to milk, or as we like to refers to is as the white nectar of the Gods! One would think the world is running out of the white stuff, with the way she pounds it down. And don't fool yourself, she know whole, from 2%, from skim, and as we have learned if it ain't at least 2%, don't even bring it to the table. With that all said (and having diverged from tell you ll about the garden) she is staring to ask for water more often as she's growing, but if those "milk does a body good" commercials have any truth to them at all...I'm going to be a very...very...very busy daddy, putting the fear into the hearts of all those poor boys who come around.
The tomato plants have a few green fruits developing on them, and so many more flowers lying in wait. Maybe the summer heat will help move things along. Similarly, our jalapeno and poblano pepper plants have produced one or two fruits, and a mess more flowers, but nothing to set our tongues on fire yet.
The beets are about two-inches in diameter now. The white onions are between a nickel and quarter in size. The two basil plants are enjoying their new digs, after being freed from their pots. Our Kentucky green bean finally realized that is was time to start growing, along with the brussel sprouts. We have one baby dixie summer squash growing, and probably two dozen butternut squashes growing on the vines. Which, by the way the butternut squash plants are really trying to give our zucchini plants a run for the title of "largest postage stamp garden plant of 2010". The vines are running everywhere, and anywhere there is space.
Another surprising development has been our black bean bushes. For the longest time these plants have had the smallest purple flowers on them, but no beans, that is until today. The summer heat had wilted the plant slightly, and looking inside I would four or five dozen, two to three inch green bean pods. Looks like they have a way to go yet, but I thought it was promising.
What a great day. Amazing what a trip to the garden can do for you.
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