July 06, 2012

Babies and Sunshine

Good Morning, good afternoon, good evening, or good night (which ever applies to you)!!  Just check this baby out.  Wow!!  My mother -in -law picked this washboard up from an antique dealer who travels to different countries to collect her inventory to sell.  The dealer told her it came from Hungary.  The wood is so soft and the piece is actually really heavy.  I have it hanging in my guest bathroom.  Thanks for the great birthday gift!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 This is the picture of my garden when I planted it in the spring.

Well look at it now!!  A small plot, but a huge feat for me to be sure.  You see, I am not very good at growing things.  For years I have dutifully planted a garden and for years it leaves me feeling defeated.
I swear after each fall I will never plant one again, but I always do.  If this one didn't do well, it was going to be the last one for sure.  So, I threw up a huge prayer, read my books, and we planted one last time.

Have you ever seen baby purple peas?  Well I hadn't.  My husband came home from visiting a new elderly couple in our church.  He told me the husband used to be a pea geneticist.  I said "a pee geneticists?  What in the world!!" 
"No honey.  He grows peas for companies".  
"Oh.  Good"
Anyway, he gave me some peas to grow and this is what comes up.  See the funny leaves on them?  People in China or some where put them in their salads.  Hu....

Yummy baby sugar snaps for my salad.

Baby corn.  Oooo can't wait and the stalks I use for fall decor. 

 Baby onions.

Baby zucchini.  I planted three plants. Yes....three.  My neighbors will be so happy.  Hee hee.

 Oh baby luscious raspberries.  Hurry!!

 We grow all sorts of hot peppers.  This is just one of them.  

Choco -mint, basil, dill, and lemon basil.  I pick it and dry it all summer.

Baby green pepper.....you are so cute.

Baby tomatoes......so yummylicious right off the vine.

Baby beans.....my least favorite and hardest to grow.  Half my crop came up and half of that got eaten by bugs or trampled by a naughty dog we were sitting.  They are my nemesis and I will not give up!!

Baby beets.

Last, but not least, baby carrots.  We are already enjoying those.

Looks like I am planting again next spring:)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There is a very special lady spreading some rays of love and sunshine around blogland this summer.  I met Cindy last April through Misi's display chain.  I have found her to be one of the most genuine, complimentitive, generous, and thoughtful people I have known.  She is one of my most faithful blog readers and always lifts me up. I received some of her sunshine right on my doorstep yesterday.  A lovely boxed filled with the most beautiful rays.

Cindi told me it wasn't necessary to make a post about it, but how could I not?  It's the best way I feel I can thank her.  
Go over to her blog and meet her.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you have made it all the way down here you are a dutiful reader:)
Wishing you all the best and most lovely (un -hot) weekend.  We are beating the heat by taking the boat to the lake and setting up camp on a beach in the shade.
Take care.




19 comments:

alltheseboys said...

Today is suppose to be the last day of horrible hot, humid, heat index warning days here. We were at the beach yesterday and you couldn't even sit on it. We took floaters in the water and just floated for three hours. It's the only way to survive! Right now I'm sitting out on my back deck and it's really quite beautiful. I'm hoping the crud snuck out early. But I doubt it! We have plans with a friend and her boys for the pool this afternoon! Your garden looks wonderful!

bettyj said...

I am so impressed with your garden. I had one, ONCE. I don't do well growing things either. The peas look wonderful as they one of my favorite veggies. Your unexpected goodies are really nice. Speaking of sunshine, I find a lot it right on this blog!

Trace4J said...

Oh what a cool washboard. I love it.
Your garden is awesome. I have never seen purple peas before. Very pretty. Thanks for sharing.
Cindi is such a sweetie and so are you.
Have a great day Friend.
Hugs
Trace

Pendleton Primitives said...

Your garden is amazing and looks down right yummy! Cindi is awesome and just look at those goodies she sent you! She's so sweet! Have a great day and build yourself a yummy salad.
~Christina

BumbleBeeLane said...

Oh steph!~ I've been looking for one of those wash boards for years,lovely.Your garden looks great.The purple peas are interesting,always fun growing something differnt.Such a sweet surprise from Cindi,she has a big heart.Warm Blessings!~Amy

Primitive Stars said...

Hi Steph, lovin the washboard to, what a great piece. Your garden looks wonderful,growing very good. Cindie sure is a ray of sunshine, what fantastic goodies she sent. Enjoy the lake, Blessings Francine.

Cindi said...

Miss Steph you don't listen well do you? LOL I am glad I made you happy thank you to others for the nice comments too.
Now down to the important things...your garden looks great. It made me really want to get to our Farmer's Market, oh it was yesterday, I missed it this week. Anyway good job!
The washboard is awesome. Isn't it neat when people give you things that you love to collect?
Have a great weekend!
Be blessed,
Cindi

Raymond Homestead said...

Your garden looks great! I always think I'm going to try planting one but never do. What great gifts from Cindi!

Jan - Life on Buttermilk Hill said...

Hi Steph! Congrats on garden success! You will b harvesting by the bushel soon. (especially zucchini) ;)
I used to plant a HUGE garden and can everything, but don't have time anymore. I really miss it. When Brian was 3 we would find him sitting under the cherry tomatoes just eating them by the fistful.His brother HATES tomatoes--I swear one of them was switched at birth!! Cindi is so sweet-she sent you some great gifties. Her posts are always so happy! Enjoy you days on the water with the girls and hubby--stay cool!--Jan

Holly said...

Kudos to you girl! I DO NOT have a green thumb! I kill everything I ever try to grow. Your garden looks great! Love the washboard. What a cool gift! Love all of your goodies from Cindi too! I will head over and check out her blog! Enjoy your time on the lake!
-Holly

Old Red Barn said...

So this time your garden was a success!!! I'm going to look up those purple beans. They sound interesting. My neighbours will be happy too. It seems like all our vegetables will be ready when we're out of the country: tomatoes, zucchini, cucumber, peppers, ...

I'll check out Cindi's blog!!

Goedele

Sheila said...

What a beautiful and looks to be plentiful garden Steph! Don't give up..........your's is way ahead of mine ;-)
I've never seen purple pea's, but they look really neat.
How wonderful of Cindi to send you such an awesome surprise. Oh, and the WASHBOARD is way cool!!!!
Enjoy the sunshine!
hugz~

Liz said...

I'm so impressed with your garden! Mike and I did one last year at a community plot, but the only thing that ever grew was zucchini (though we loved that!). A lot of our cucumbers got stolen as well. So we decided against doing one this year. Maybe once we have a yard of our own we'll try again. I do love home-grown fruits and veggies. Hope you're already able to enjoy some of yours! Well done!

The Hill Clan said...

HOLY COW!! You finally did it!! I'm so proud of you!! Now will come up here and make mine grow!!!!

tdburf said...

I love you blog and I want to enter your giveaway. I have posted about it on my website, added your grab button, and linked back to your blog. heehee, do I sound like I want to win!!! I wish you a happy anniversary and another year of growing and meeting new followers!!
http://timelesstreasuretrove.com

TheCrankyCrow said...

I COVET that scrubboard! LOVE it!! I actually have one very similar I found several years back (had to fight a friend for it), and it's one of my favorite possessions. Your garden looks amazing....I've never planted a full veggie garden....we are too water-shy here (we have a well, and it barely gets us through laundry, let alone "watering"....but I do have an herb patch, and a few veggies in containers...but oh how I miss my peas....(too funny about the "pee geneticist" ;o)) Smiles & Hugs ~ Robin

TheCrankyCrow said...

PS - wonderful box of sunshine from Cindi! Do I spy a pumpkin stitchery??? ;o) Smiles & Hugs ~ Robin

The Hill Clan said...

Awesome garden Steph!

Cailey said...

Ah I want to go boating soo bad! I envy you and your garden! I wish we had enough yard to have one! and enough light. I was thinking of putting some herbs upstairs on our porch.... not sure how that will work. Ah Cindy sure was nice to you! Love the little pillows and 4th stuff! :)