Harvest

You know the rule - the heavy posts must be tempered.  You can't be all 'doom and gloom and my life sucks' all the time - it's boring.  So how 'bout some tomatoes?  Don't worry - it'll make sense in a second.

Remember this?

Our backyard just after it was landscaped

This morning

I was really worried that the lines from the sod wouldn't fill in and we'd have these weird grids but Mother Nature did her thing and it's looking good!  It's not completely filled in and lush and all that, but then again it looks pretty good for having an 80-pound dog trampling it daily.  And have a look at this!

My new vegetable garden back in early April

When we first planted everything I was concerned that it wouldn't grow - I know nothing about planting and we did no research.  We basically just dug a hole and put the stuff in.  Amazingly enough, Mother Nature had pity on us and we got our first harvest a couple of days ago!

A couple of months ago, these tomatoes didn't even exist!

I'm a die-hard city girl and I didn't have gardens growing up so I haven't ever gotten a first-hand look at the wonders of Mother Nature.  This is so flippin cool to me!!  To think that these plants were put in the ground and nature just took over and made those tomatoes is amazing.  I also have to admit that I was nervous to eat them - yes, I'm a lame snob and didn't think they would taste as good if they didn't come from the grocery store.  Well guess what!  They tasted better!!  They were juicy and firm and fresh and wonderful!  I know I'm gushing and I sound retarded but seriously you guys!  These were no doubt the best tomatoes I've ever had - maybe because we grew them, or maybe because I've never taken much notice of tomatoes before.  I just know I can't wait for some more to ripen!

  Hurry up baby tomatoes!

Coming right along!

There are some bell peppers coming in too!

The chili peppers belong to Drew - I do NOT do spicy!

We also planted white and red onions.  I wasn't sure how long to let them stay in the ground but I couldn't resist and pulled a couple to see how big they'd gotten.

Not that big but they were still beautiful.

All cleaned up

I brought the onions inside with the intent of using them in my sandwich for lunch along with the tomatoes and all the fixins.  You guys!  I cleaned them off and cut off the roots and the smell!!  It was so clean and fresh and onion-y.  There really is a plucked-from-the-earth smell!  Fresh stuff really does smell and taste different and it's so much better!!  My sandwich was amazing - of course the onions were tiny but the flavor!  I've never had a better sandwich, I'm so serious.  But back to the garden.

It's hard to tell, it's so tiny

Remember the herb garden?

Everything on the right was from last year

You can't even see the edges anymore - anybody want some herbs??

I have to go back in and clean up the garden.  I've already cut three bags worth of oregano to dry because I have no idea what else to do with it.  I'm going to try my hand at mint tea later this week and I have to figure something out for the basil.  It's almost hip-high!  I also think we're watering the vegetable garden too much.  Isn't that what yellow leaves mean?

I need to get tomato cages, lay more mulch and pull the weeds. 

I also have to figure out a solution for all the vines!

I told you we don't know what we're doing!

If I ever get to have kids, we're definitely having a garden and I will teach them how awesome it is to eat something you planted yourself.  I don't want them to be in their mid-thirties before they get to taste something fresh out of the ground, it's too cool of an experience!