All the little signs of Spring

Late last week I noticed that the apple tree was in full, glorious bloom. We had never pruned it and so it had lots of crossed and recrossed branches. So I got the loppers out and off I went. I decided not to waste the beauties and so made a sweet bouquet. They smelled just like apples.

The peach tree is also blooming and also my lilacs, the few little tulips, daffodils, and the grape hyacinths. The roses are leafing out, the lily of the valley is coming up and soon the snowball bush will be blooming also. I love Spring!

2011 Garden

So far this is all that we've gotten from the garden this year. It was cool for so long in May and we planted a little late and it grew slowly due to the cool weather. Weeds have been our bain too. I didn't need these tomatoes but I canned them and split them with my married kids, eight pints this time. If the warm weather holds we should get another batch.

Squash grow like a foot overnight, I have a friend who can feed these to her chickens.

My lovely beets! I've grown these before with good success, but this year they were a little slow to grow. But we got one good mess which I oven roasted tonight and dressed with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. They were delicious!

My first successfull year at growing carrots! I was pleased since they were pretty much ignored and unwatered. I'll roast them with some potatoes, parsnips, onions, and turnips with some herbs and olive oil. I am grateful for the little successes with the garden this year. We had a good bit of squash, I've two butternuts out there ready to pick, some good peppers, which we made into pepper poppers. The green beans didn't do well, not enough water, neither did the cucumbers. I've got potatoes to dig next. Anyway I'm grateful!