The casualties of an early storm

We had a fierce storm rip through our area and uproot many of my poor plants :-( Below is a video of the carnage...

My blooming garden!!!! :-)

I am so excited, my squash is blooming and my corn is crazy-tall!!! Plus my bean plants have tiny little pods growing and they are so darn cute :-) I have also included a picture of my beautiful tomato plant- it is doing really well since I transplanted it from its pot but I have to keep it covered with netting or else little animals chew its leaves.

Because I'm sure you're all dying to know...

The plants are growing... shocking and unexpected news, I know hahaha ;-)

Anyhoo, here is a video of the main garden and then snapshots of the small and big tomato plants- it is crazy how large they have gotten. I had to plant the big tomato plant into the ground today because its leaves were turning yellow from lack of room! In the picture of the "little" tomato plant (second from the top) you can see the original pot it came in just to the right! :-)

Little somethings...

Ok, I have little somethings at work in my garden (and for all of you out there who don't speak "weirdo," little somethings means little spirits or fairies or something like that). I went out to my garden several days ago and I found my budding squash seeds rearranged- not dug up and eaten, not dug up and taken away, rearranged. As in taken from their current resting spot and placed in another (re-planted). I found it odd but passed it off as birds or some other creature finding the seeds not to their liking and dropping them. So I placed my bird netting over the garden...
Well...yesterday I went out and discovered the same thing (except now my seedlings have grown more and don't resemble seeds so there is no reason for little animals to mistake them as such). A few squash plants were uprooted and placed (they looked placed, not scattered) elsewhere in the garden. I looked all over for signs of hoof prints, rodent tunnel openings/mounds, and bird prints...nothing.
I know it isn't any of the human in habitants here because mom would never do anything like that and rob was in Portland both times...
Hummmmm.... the mystery continues...

My little sprouts! :-)

I know, long time- no blog...What can I say, I've been enjoying the wonderful Oregon summer weather :-) So anyhoo, here is some video of my beautiful little sprouts! :-)

My tomatoes :-)

Here are my pretty tomatoes too! It is amazing when I begin counting up all the produce that is grown on mom and rob's property- the garden (corn, beans, butternut squash), tomatoes (2 kinds), blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, apples, and pears!

First planting! :-)

Hey all!!! I planted my corn yesterday and my butternut squash today!!!! My seeds are so pretty! I am so excited! I am planting my beans after the cornstalks sprout to about 4 inches high because I will use the cornstalks as a pole for the beanstalks to grow up (instead of a trellis).

My beautiful black dirt

It is so pretty!!!! My seeds arrive early next week! Woohoo, can't wait to plant them! :-)

Finished clearing!!!!! WOOHOO!

I am so excited! I finished clearing the garden area, now all I have to do is plant! :-)

Our Summer Storm

I could hear deep rolling thunder in the distance and then occasional flashes of lightning began and then... just started pouring down rain! :-) If it weren't for the lightening I would be outside playing in the rain and thunder! I just love this kind of weather! :-)

The aftermath of the spider

Did I mention that when I swept away the spider on my shoulder, I was wearing dirty/muddy gardening gloves??? :-)

EWWWWWWWWWW!

Ok, I had to post this...

I was out in the garden today and it started to rain. So, I stood under a nearby tree for a few minutes to see if it would let up soon. While I am standing there I see movement on my shoulder and look over to see a SPIDER CRAWLING ON MY SHOULDER TOWARD MY HEAD!!!!!!!!!! Just thinking about it gives me the heeby-geebies (no idea how to spell that).
These spiders are gross...well, quite honestly, all spiders are gross. They remind me of the spiders in the 1998 movie Lost In Space (yes I am a dork for watching and remembering it, get over it :-). EWWWWW!!! YUCK! Ok, I think I am better now...

Day 4...

I feel as though I am moving at the pace of a snail...no offense to all the snails out there. But seriously- 4 days to clear the area? That has to be a record of some sort :-) I would also like to report that what appears to be the entire global population of mosquitoes has settled in the backyard and declared war on me... and I am very sad to say that I'm losing. I took a count today and the running total for my mosquitoes bites is 24- I look like a bumpy, white and red dalmatian hahaha.
I hope everyone is doing well :-)

end of day 2

I had to post this :-)

This is my favorite family picture- we all look completely retarded, except for Nana, who looks a little worried as her children and grandchildren flounder about :-)

end of the final day...

Below is video of what I accomplished by the end of the 1st day. I hit a snag when 2:00 came around and the sun began to beat down on me unrelentingly and forced me inside until 5:30 and then the mosquitoes came out in FULL FORCE around 6:00... ah, the adventures in gardening :-) And I developed the first blister on my hand since I took gymnastics as a little girl.

2 hours later...

2 hours later, I have cleared about a 4x1 foot strip...I am finding that the grass roots are very strong and VERY prolific. One 4x1 strip down, a gazillion more to go :-) The good news is that I am finding many earthworms which makes me very excited! :-)

Enjoy!

The beginning

Hello Everyone,

I started this blog to document the progress of my garden and I am really excited to begin this wonderful project. I have started off small- an 8x12 greenhouse with a 5x6 outdoor garden area attached and as I continue to cultivate my plants I will expand to incorporate more garden area. I hope you enjoy watching the progression as much as I do :-)