Sanity....

This is how it begins....every year. Just plain dirt!

And it turns into a beautiful garden.

I grew up in a family that valued a garden. There isn't a time that I can remember, that we did not have a garden. Not only was it a garden....it was a perfectly kept garden. A weed would not dare show it's face there! As busy as my Dad was, he always made sure that the garden was in perfect shape, and very often the children helped too. To this day he has a a few....very beautiful.....weedless.....square foot gardens. His yard is never unkept.....EVER!

Perfectly manicured, always. My Mother has always had house plants....and flowers...and has been blessed with a very green thumb. So you can imagine, between the both of them, they have a fantastic yard and fantastic gardens.

Our first home....in Ohio...we didn't have a yard....we had a deck.

We purchased large pots and filled them with flowers and tomatoes. Oh how we loved those tomatoes! I think they were the best we have eaten.

When we moved to our current home, the planting began. The Farmer wasn't so interested this time because he had his own farm to take care of....and my little farm seemd like alot of extra work. But the need to garden was strong. And so I found a little piece of land, next to our house and began to prepare it. The Farmer would often say that it was easier for him to farm hundereds of acres, than it was for him to help me with my garden. But when it came time to eat the produce....he was the first in line! (Is this sounding like the story of the Little Red Hen???)

And so for several years I was blessed to garden in the same spot. The garden would always be filled with tomaotes, squash, sunflowers....always sunflowers....okra, beets, green beans, onions....and flowers mixed in. Often The Farmer's uncles would pass by while I was out in the garden, and comment that I probably was gowing the most expensive vegetables in the state....and likely the country. And they may have been right....but gardening, for me, is about much more. It is about my sanity.

When the day has been too long, or sad or discouraging, I find my peace in the garden.

Everything seems better after some time in the garden. When The Darlings we babies, they were in the garden with me. I can remember setting the baby swing along side of the garden while I was working. And having a toddler beside me, wanting to pick everything they saw. Or other times babies sitting and just digging in the dirt while I worked in the garden. Such fond memories for me. I hope The Darlings will grow to love gardens, as I do. I must say that The Boy does a great lawn! I mean great! He leaves no detail unfinished.
Across the street from this garden lives the greatest gardener in our community. Often I would look at his garden and wonder why he didn't have weeds and I did!;) He would spend hours in his garden making sure it was perfect. Not only did it look great....but he produced the best tomatoes, and lots of greens beans...among other vegetables. His presence....across the street....provided motivation for me.....to keep up the "neighborhood" standard.

I appreciate his example. Although my garden has again been moved....and I cannot see my neighbors fantastic garden....I do drive by it daily....and the standard still remains....

The Farmer's Mother, has also been a great inspiration to me. She has always kept a beautiful yard....full of flowers and fruit trees. All through the years, she too has kept a wonderful garden and served yummy meals from the vegetables grown there. My yard is full of plants that have a "story" and some that have been passed through generations. She even gave me a garden owl one year...to scare off crows...it sacred off more than that and became a great conversation piece.
Everything is perfectly beautiful this year, I am not sure it is that we missed Spring's beauty more than usual this past Winter....or if it really is extra beautiful this year.

These are all pictures taken in our yard and garden.



The Farmer planted a few new trees for us this year. We are trying citrus....who knows if it will work...but we are trying. We planted grapefruit, lemon and orange trees. We also added a new peach tree...our favorite variety, and a Golden Supreme apple tree.

The tomatoes have blossoms, the aritchokes look perfect and every couple of days we are able to pick a bowl full of fresh strawberries. Perfection!

And slowly, but surely....they emerge....

the new plants, from the seeds recently placed carefully in the ground.

I can't wait for a fresh bowl of green beans!!!

Thank you to the gardens, that through the years have helped me remain sane;)

And thank you (gardens) for the joy and satisfaction that you have so generously given me!