Veggie Garden, Before and After

Before: This is how we found the veggie beds when we moved in. Kind of overgrown, a weed festival.....

We've been working on it, slowly and surely.


And here are the afters: I was super pleased when the strawberries, and what I believe to be Peonies came back, but I've also turned the soil, added more, and planted a bounty of yummies: Herbs, Heirloom Tomatoes, Zucchini, Rhubarb, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Soy Beans, Onions, and Snow Peas. Yummmmmo. Over the long holiday weekend, we also we also put down weed-preventing cloth and mulch in the pathways. Sunflowers, Nasturtium, Pumpkins and Gourds are seeded in the garage, and just need a few more weeks in their pots before being planted int he garden. I also added two new rose bushes. Hubby put together a large compost bin for the summer months. A lilac tree to round out the backyard is on it's way. I'm starting to pull up the bulbs as the plants die. This year, I'll pull them up and get the rest of my layout complete, and next year's positioning will hopefull be somewhere I can leave them to naturalize. Hopefully this will keep me busy while I wait and hope that all my pretty little perennials in the front grow big and strong and get ready to bloom.

My New Hobby

Now that I have a yard, I have become a little obsessed with gardening. The beds inside the stone wall were sparsely planted when we moved in, and something about that lit a fire. I'm not sure if it's the farmer in my blood (although, this isn't exactly a citrus orchard....), or my dear Papa's influence, but I am absolutely loving it so far.

Last fall, all I had time to plant were my bulbs.... 150 of them, almost all of which bloomed. Sadly, we were on vacation for the best show of tulips, but I have plans to dig 'em up, and add many more for next year.

This spring, it's been nonstop! I ordered over 100 plants from Bluestoneperennials.com, Burpee.com and Harrisseeds.com and got them in the ground after extensive attempts at designing. I went with all perennials in the beds hoping that the work will be more maintenance in future years. I've supplemented with annuals in pots, and will add a few to the border to keep things blooming.

When we were considering the house, I was also excited to see that there were 4 veggie beds in the back. I've started snow peas, onions, carrots (the only thing that's worked from seed so far), herbs, zucchini, broccoli and cauliflower. My heirloom tomato plants and soy bean seeds should arrive shortly to round out the spring/summer food. I'm also going to keep trying with the lettuce, which is an epic fail thus far. I'm also starting seeds indoors for pumpkins, sunflowers and nasturtium, hoping to add those to the mix soon.

Ill.

Baby E is sick with a tummy bug. This is not amazing. What IS amazing, however, is the fact that her projectile vomiting did not bother me in the least. I don't like that she's sick, I hate that it upsets her, but the vomit itself was the least of my worries. Mop it up, put the towels in the washer. More puke....change her clothes, change my clothes... repeat. No problem. Wow. This is the motherhood.

P.S. It DID really bother me that I spent the last three days cleaning this house from top to bottom, only to have it soaked with puke.

Perfect Springtime Dinner

Mmmmm... I just love spring produce. Last week we had a great and easy spring dinner. Everything made with light, fresh ingredients.

We started with Asperagus on toast, topped with an over-easy egg. Sounds bizarre, but the combo is soooo yummy.

And, springtime means RHUBARB CAKE! I just love the tart taste of that beautiful fruit! I hear it grows well in New England. Here's hoping that the 4 stems I plant this year produce like crazy!

I just don't get it....

What is it with New Englanders and Dunkin Donuts? The coffee sucks, the donuts are mediocre, and yet, the stores are EVERYWHERE. One day, on the way home from Trader Joes, I decided to count. There were EIGHT Dunkin Donuts in the 12 miles I drove. Two were directly across the street from eachother. I just. don't. understand.