If at first you don't succeed......

 Song - This Land is Your Land by Bruce Springfield

Who knew?  I mean I studied horticulture and botany.  But if you don't replenish your soil, it dries up. Insert (a little late) light bulb over my head!

Some of you that have known me for a while know that I raised chickens (for their eggs) for a number of years.  And while I miss their sweet, sometimes hilarious presence in our garden, I don't miss letting them in and out of their coop every single day.

 

My vegetable garden that was next to their run was just not giving me much of anything over the last 4-5 years.  Every spring I would faithfully plan and plant a garden which mostly consisted of tomato plants, zucchini and a variety of herbs.  And for the last few years it yielded nothing.....not one tomato, possibly 1-2 zucchini and my herbs all dried up.  I blamed the heat waves and the reduced water here in California. 

 This year it was going to be different!  I had the chicken yard area that had become a dumping ground for unused "stuff" cleaned up and I purchased three large tubs for my veggies.  I had the ground leveled and ordered many bags of soil and compost.  The tubs (with holes drilled into the bottom) were layered with logs, dry leaves and tons of fresh soil mixed in with some native soil. Mr. B worked on the watering system so we could travel and not worry about watering.

We had to add a new fence due to deer entering the yard and added some gravel to walk on. I planted my 4" tomatoes in gallon size pots while waiting for all of the work to be finished. 

 

When it was ready I placed them and some pepper and herbs in the tubs.  And while they were getting started I began to replenish my old veggie garden with new soil. That area is for pumpkins for my grandsons and flowers for me!

Mr. B kept bringing home some peppers that he wanted to grow for Chili Rellenos which he loves! Looks like there will be plenty of room....right?

Well I am happy to report that the garden grew and grew and grew....

We now have tomatoes growing taller than me and they are so plentiful.  Yesterday I picked my first real crop.......

And this morning I picked even more that above....I am planning on making Tomato Peach Panzanella Salad for dinner tonight!

So I will continue to add goodies to our soil and enjoy my garden! 

Knowledge = Tomato is a fruit

Wisdom = Not to put it in a fruit salad

Creature Comforts

Song - Birds by Neil Young

Meet my new bird friend "Hop A. Long".  Every morning he shows up on my outdoor fireplace expecting some peanuts.  And again in the afternoon. He hops along (hence the name) any lifts each peanut in his beak assessing it's weight....then he flies off with the heaviest one.

But sometimes......

.....his enemy Mr. Scrub J will show up as well and they will duke it out over who will get the most peanuts.  

God.....I really need a life!

Hop A. Long will keep watch while grabbing more than his share of the nuts.  

But look who is overhead peering down on Hop A. Long......Mr. Scrub J!

I truly need a life.............

 I see you little trouble maker up there......

Help.............

Friday and Saturday I spent the day between my pool and vegetable garden staking up my tomatoes.  The tomatoes are so heavy with fruit that it took me half a day each day to untangle the vines and pound stakes into the ground to hold them off of the soil.  I even used my son & daughter-in-law's wedding sign for some support!

 On Friday I was able to pick two zucchini and three ripe tomatoes as well as a ton of Basil! We have had a heat wave in Northern California and every thing is either frying or maturing rapidly!

And look at this cute little guy - he is a little watermelon!  I have never grown one before.

A dragonfly resting on some of the tomato stakes.

I still see you Mister.....don't even think about raiding the bird feeders!

My shade garden is fairly happy because they don't get that blast of sun but just a little heat and dappled light.  Above is the row of Limelight Hydrangea's that I planted for the wedding two years ago.

The Hosta's are in bloom right now along with the Gardenia's.........

....which smell heavenly!

I have fresh water all around my garden for the birds and they really appreciate it when it's warm out.

But since I have been feeding the Steller's and Scrub Jay's, I have noticed that they are chasing the songbirds away from their feeders.

And they are making a mess on my patio furniture..........so, as much fun as they are to watch I think I am going to have to stop feeding them.  

Yesterday afternoon as I was reading by the pool, a family of five Blue Birds came to my feeders to eat a little and drink some cool water and then flew off happily!  I did not have my camera at the time but I will from now on!  It was a magical moment!

As the day was ending Mr. B joined me in the pool and we both read and relaxed.  He motioned for me to come over to the deck to see something.  So I grabbed my camera (I had grabbed it right after the Blue Birds showed up) and there was a Great Blue Heron looking for fish in the creek.

I guess I do have a life.....in my own backyard!

And look who snuck into the bird feeder while I was busy admiring the heron...........

"Do not take life too seriously.  

You will never get out of it alive." 

--Elbert Hubbard

The Tomato Thief

Song - Intro to "To Catch a Thief"


Someone has found a hole in our vegetable garden fence!

Everyday a few of my precious tomatoes go missing.

A raccoon at night perhaps?

The thieves don't even care if the tomatoes are ripe.  They will eat every green or red one they can reach!

Or perhaps it's a little, white, furry creature during the middle of the day?


Or possibly there is a whole team of thieves working both day and night????



To catch a thief, one needs a plan!




Mr. B came up with it -  a breath analyzer!!!  Brilliant.

(But then again, he most always is......)




So the other afternoon, when Mika had been outside for an unusually long period of time, Mr. B held her up and smelled her breath!

Caprese Salad!

She was so busted......

"It's difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato." --Lewis Grizzard

A Sunday Stroll

Song - Potato Head Blues by Louis Armstrong


Spring has Sprung.

Please join me this week for a walk in my garden.

Come on through the arbor on this lovely Sunday morning!

Last week my oldest son Andy helped me put in my vegetable garden. 

Love those strong muscles!

We put in 9 tomato plants into some great new soil. 

The last few years I haven't been able to grow tomatoes and I don't know why (other than Mika & Max would help themselves to what they could reach!). 


But this is THE year!

The Chives are from last year.  I love their sweet scent.

State Fair Zinnia's planted among the Cilantro and Chives.

And 6 - YES-six-can-you-believe-it-? - zuccini plants.

Mr. Fish watching over the Rosemary & Tomatoes.

I just love Spring don't you?

It feels like a fresh start.

Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie.

Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/vegetables.html#tv7026Ob4ZCW1TPq.99

“However many years she lived, Mary always felt that 'she should never forget that first morning when her garden began to grow'.” 
 - Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden
 

Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie.

Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/vegetables.html#tv7026Ob4ZCW1TPq.99

It's Tomato Season

Song - Traditional Sicilian Polka by Maestro Antonio Calsolaro

I stopped by for a visit with my parents yesterday and they were overloaded with tomatoes in their garden.  So being the "good" daughter that I am, I helped them out by picking a bag full!  Mmmm......a few popped straight into my mouth while I wasn't looking!  And as soon as I got home, I knew what I was going to make with those sweet red tomatoes......Panzanella Salad. 

And boy, oh boy was it delicious!!!

Here is how I adapted several online recipes for what I had on hand at home:

4 c cubed French bread

1 Tbs butter

Garlic Salt

Sauté until lightly browned.

Red onion - diced 

Tomatoes - whole for Cherry tomatoes/lg. dice for big tomatoes
   (they have to be from your Italian mother's tomato plant or your favorite Farmers Market!)

Red Bell Pepper - Diced

Olives

Capers (optional)

Cheese - most recipes call for Mozzarella but I just had some white Cheddar

Basil - shredded and lot's of it!

Toss with Champagne dressing, garlic & a little Poupon mustard. Then grab a fork and a yummy glass of wine!

"If your mother cooks Italian food, why should you go to a restaurant?" -- Martin Scorsese