Quick Picture: Fairy Garden

Jellybean saw a fairy garden at a local nursery last week and fell in love. So, here is the result of today's endeavor. A little fairy house is next on our project list.

Have a Happy Day!

~MJ

Garden Fresh Tomatoes!

Jellybean and I went out to the garden yesterday and lo and behold we found ripe, red tomatoes ready to be picked.  Jellybean had such a look of wonder on her face and wanted to hold all of the tomatoes.  She could hardly wait to get them inside to eat them.  She loves tomatoes.

Sliced up San Marzano tomato.

You probably don't know, but for there to actually be tomato plants in my garden that have produced real, bonafide tomatoes is a HUGE deal.  I have had so many tomato growing disappointments over the last ten years that I had almost given up.

Lovely cherry tomato #2. Hope to have more of these delicious little things.

I have such fond memories of garden fresh tomatoes growing up that I just had to give it one more try. I have another big, beautiful tomato that is almost ready to be picked. It will make a glorious tomato and bacon sandwich.  Just in case you are wondering: I like to toast the bread and put a thin layer of miracle whip. Homemade root beer would also be lovely; good thing I have that in the works...

A mouth full of tomato.

For the record, I think my success this year was due to two factors: More regular watering and a nice big flower garden that attracts billions of bees. I hope to have even more success next year. Maybe I'll even start a salsa garden?

Have a Happy Day!

~MJ

WW- Check Out My Tomatoes

Remember when I planted these? From sad tiny plants to actual tomatoes!

Now if they'd only turn red, we'd really be in business!

Join the Wordless Wednesday fun and Have a Happy Day!

~MJ

Planting Tomatoes

A couple of weeks ago, my awesome sister gave me some tomato plants that she had started from seed. When I received them from her, it was a bit cold to put them in the ground, so I waited.....a bit too long.  By the time I was ready to put them in the ground, they were looking pretty shabby.  I hadn't taken very good care of them.  I went ahead and planted them anyway, though I had written off all but one of them.  After two weeks of care, here's the break down of my 4 tomato plants:

I yanked out number 4, sans post mortem. Enter the replacement tomato plant:

My mom had found some very reasonably priced plants at Costco and gave me one. Hooray! I worry that the other three plants are jealous of the newcomer. Look at all of that gorgeous foliage.

The kids, per the usual, were very good helpers. They generously offered their services and helped me put the new plant in the ground.  Their services included: digging in the dirt, dirt transportation, flinging dirt long distances and watering.

 And a few more photos:

Have A Happy Day!

~MJ

Ladybird, Ladybird Fly Away Home

Ladybird, Ladybird fly away home

the fairy bells tinkle afar 

make haste or they'll catch you and harness you fast 

with a cobweb to Oberon's star

Happy WW! Have a Happy Day!

~MJ

Can you tell the good plants from the weeds?

We have been blessed with some beautiful weather here and there is so much green coming up in the garden. I've been out with the kids for a little while each day weeding our flower beds.  Mostly, the kids will play while I weed, but occasionally, they come over and want to help.  This has brought up some interesting discussions on which plants are good plants and which plants are weeds.

Buddy thinks the concept of good plants and weeds is funny and makes a game out of it.  "Mama, you're a weed, I'm going to pull you out because I'm a good plant."

Jellybean, wants to help, but doesn't yet have enough understanding to do so.  Today, in her efforts to "weed," she plucked every bud off of a little plant that was just about to bloom.  After that, I kept a better eye on her and handed her the weeds I had pulled to place in my trash bucket.   

My gardening buddy.

While I've been weeding, I've been thinking a lot about how I'm trying to teach my children about the good plants and the weeds that they'll encounter in life. Each day, I am teaching them what is important and what isn't; What is good and what is bad.  It is sometimes hard to distinguish between the the good plants (things that will bring joy into our lives) and the weeds (things that will diminish our joy and drag us down). Sometimes, the weed is readily identified, has shallow roots and can easily be plucked out. Sometimes it is difficult to identify the weed before it has sent runners out and has taken over half of the garden.

This plant no longer has buds. :(

As a parent, I want my children to be able to see the difference between what will be valuable in their lives and what won't be.  I want them to have joy in their lives and not be hindered by the weeds that will inevitably pop up.  I guess the teaching starts with my example.  I imagine that a little weeding in my own life would be beneficial.

Have a Happy Day!

~MJ