After spending a beautiful day outside with many willing helpers...
we can officially say we've started planting the garden.
We're about 7 rows into our 20 row garden.
{which may end up being bigger if I can find the space because I have no idea where to plant the cucumbers, squash, zucchini & melons}
We planted salad greens, stir fry greens, spinach, swiss chard, kale, cilantro, basil, red onions, white onions and half of the carrots.
Our garden is full of heirloom organic seeds this year.
I purchased almost all of them from Baker Creek Rare Seeds.
We are all bursting with excitement to see some of the unique varieties come up this year.
I think the Atomic Red carrots are at the top of the list oh and the strawberry popcorn.
Everyone was covered with dirt from head to toe by the time we were done.
Although that is really no different from any other day on the farm. {grin}
The boys... big, medium and small
tilled the garden, made the furrows, raked the debris,
picked rocks, pilled the mounds and played around a lot.
I am so blessed to have so many willing and able helpers.
It really made my job a lot easier.
I most just picked what went where and put the seeds in the ground.
Every year I marvel at the tiny seeds and the amazing machine God created in the earth.
To plant a tiny seed and watch it grow and blossom into something spectacular
...is nothing short of awe inspiring.
I always get a little anxious while the seeds are still covered in the dirt.
Did I plant them deep enough, too deep,
do they have the right amount of water,
when are they going to come up?!?!
And then when I think they must not be coming,
they pop up.
I'm still learning patience....
in the garden and every other part of my life. {grin}
We quite possibly have the most affectionate, beautifully fluffy, wild farm cats ever!
They come up to play anytime you step foot outside...
and with a family of 8 on a farm in beautiful weather, that is all day long!
The girls carry them around like babies,
Ozzie puts them in his dump truck and drives them around the garden.
They climb into your lap every chance they get and purr their little hearts out.
They catch mice and snakes and eat any left overs we send their way.
They are also quite possibly the most pampered wild farm cats ever! Ha!
The girls made dirt birthday cakes for each other....
complete with rock sprinkles and twig candles.
Ozzie delivered endless loads of dirt with his convoy of dump trucks
and the big boys watched the action while adding their encouragement to make the cakes bigger
and the big boys watched the action while adding their encouragement to make the cakes bigger
They sang Happy Birthday and You are my little sister bear
{to the tune of You are my Little Panda Bear}
while dancing around and twirling until they fell to the ground.
I wished I would have stopped to take a picture...
but I was on my knees in the dirt with muddy hands.
Ozzie drove his trusty dump truck up and down the rows rock picking....
in his pajamas.
Yeah, that's how we roll around here. {grin}
The leader of our brood. I am so thankful for this boy young man. I am still in awe that he is 11 and that I am the mother of an 11 yr. old!!
Despite the fact that I didn't do most of the hard labor, as I mentioned above, I was still worn out by the end of the day. I told the boys I thought we should just snack for dinner and they jumped up and offered to make Almond waffles. Well okay then, I'll agree with that!
So while the boys Grayson made Almond waffles and
Gavin and Vance goofed around in the kitchen keeping Grayson company.
Paul took me and the littles on a ride through the fields and down to the lake.
I love this country, it's beautiful never grows old.
Ozzie found his new best friend yesterday...
a yellow and black caterpillar he name Milo.
Which is coincidentially the name of his kitten,
who took to the woods with the feral cats while we were gone this winter.
He kept Milo by his side all day and night.
He asked me to take a picture while we were out driving around the field...
so I snapped this quickly.
Later that night he asked to see the picture and I showed him.
When he saw it he looked disappointed and asked if I would take another picture.
I told him I would in the morning and asked why.
He replied with this....
"I want a good picture of Milo so I'll remember him after he dies."
and yes... he wore his pajamas all day,
but not to bed.
He needed a bath and fresh pajamas to sleep in. {grin}
:: this was written last week ::
I really, REALLY love your words today. A lot.
ReplyDeleteMy kiddos would fit right in seamlessly, all-day pjs and all. Their favorite thing to do outside is bake and cook with dirt. Some of their creations rival the most gorgeous edible dishes with flower sprinkles and grass "chives". They're big on plating and presentation. :)
Please keep us updated on your garden, as next year I want to use mostly Baker Creek seeds. I'm intrigued by them and so excited to watch the progress of those I know that are using them. Being in NC this year, our garden has been in for months, and we're already starting to harvest tomatoes with more to follow soon!
While I like reading about your trip adventures, I LOVE reading about your farm adventures. What a blessed childhood you're giving your little ones! :)