Garden IN, Gardenin'.

I have to say, few things in life make me as happy as my garden in full bloom. However, this has been one of my most challenging years, as it's proved challenging to till, prep, and plant the garden with a big old belly. It normally takes me about two weekends to fully prep and plant my garden, whereas this year it took close to four. I move at the speed of molasses these days, but my determination to get this garden in has helped push me through. I've also had to ask for more help than I ever normally would in order to get it all done. Thankfully, the garden is IN, planted, fertilized, and ready to go for summer.
I've spruced up a few things this year, as we removed the grape vine and added a real fence (my husband didn't think it was the safest idea for me to be stepping over chicken wire every day!). My eventual goal is to fully plant out the entire left side boxes of the garden with perennials like salvia and sage, so there is bright color that also attracts the honey bees for pollination. I made some fun signs with saucy titles to label my garden, and got a couple of cool decorative pieces. We also had part of our fence blow down during the winter, which was what prompted the grape vine removal, and we plan on slowly replacing the entire back fence over the next few years.

 This is the time of year that I look at my garden and say "it's so little!".. but in a few short months will be enjoying a glass of wine at the outdoor table lit by our cafe string lights or candles in big blue mason jars, eating a healthy meal from the garden in full harvest.. thinking to myself: "Life cannot get any better than this".

The difference this year is that there will be three of us at that table enjoying and appreciating our little life :)

Blackboard MDF cut to size at Home Depot, then glued using Liquid Nails to left over pieces from our fence project. I sauced things up a bit with "Hey Mickey you're so fine BASIL", "Identity crisis cucumber: Am I a lemon? Am I a cucumber?". "Tomatoes: killer and attack of...", "Peter Rabbit's Carrots", "Who you callin' yellow?! Squash", "Vampire Deterrent", "Heart break onions", "Mini Jack Skeletons: Pumpkin Kings", and "Turning Japanese Eggplant". 

Grow little guys, grow!! I'm so excited for this years crop: Herbs: Rosemary, basil, mint, cilantro, garlic. Green, red, and yellow bell peppers Japanese eggplant, lemon cucumber, Armenian cucumber, onions, potatoes, crookneck squash, zucchini, mini pumpkins, carrots, and tomatoes. MMMmmm. I can taste the pico de gallo, grilled squash, pickled carrots, and mojitos now!!