Intermission

let's pause our tour of the northeastern united states for a garden status update.

even before that though, you should know that we went camping this weekend with five other couples.   we camped at just above 10,000 ft which means that it was cold.  like upper 20's at night.  it was 80 during the day, but yes, i said 20's at night.  in a tent.  with children.   but it was beautiful.  so it was worth it?

the highlight of the trip was (were?) the four wheelers that a friend brought.  i forgot to take my camera up to the mountains, but snapped this out front when they dropped jack off.

i wish this picture did those flower pots justice.  they're huge and drippy with petunias.   why do flowers out the front door make you so happy?  so bright and happy.  just like that little boy there.

bedhead and glasses, but me and the little fella this morning.

this stuff is called ice plant.  it's a succulent.  it spreads like crazy, grows in bad shallow soil,  requires little water and makes it look like i know how to grow plants.

the lavender came back strong this year and smells so good.

i had planted allysum seeds, but ended up springing the $10 to plant little starters instead.  they're coming....slowly but surely.

we popped in a couple of pumpkin seeds again.  white pumkins and giant pumpkins.

if they can make it past the birds, we may actually have some strawberries.

seeds really do grow.  i'm always amazed.  those dried out little flakes really do become carrots, spinach, arugula and peas.  you just put them in the ground and water them.  amazing, have i said that already?

i planted a couple more rows of carrots so we'd have them at different times in the season.

and more arugula and spinach.

once again the tomatos won't ripen.  i really need to get that figured out.  must be a soil issue...

and peas!  they just got blooms so we'll have some to eat straight off the vine in no time.

QUIP O'THE DAY
my first car was a 1984 VW golf that i had a family friend paint purple.  i worked all summer when i was 16 and bought it with my dad.  i bought a stick shift so i'd be forced to learn.  i couldn't even drive it home.