Faith...planting my garden

My garden seeds came! Every year I have a big garden, about 60' x 40' intensely planted. I start the seeds myself and nurture the plants from March to May. Then more are sown directly into the garden in spring and early summer.

I can and freeze everything. I make spaghetti sause, ketchup,grow 6 kinds of tomatoes! Do pickles, all the veggies, Pretty much everything you can think of but corn, Takes too much room.  

I have always said my garden is my sancuary. I have a big fence around it with a beautiful garden gate my DH made. "I won't have you putting all that work into DEER FOOD!" Bless him! My mother-in law made a beautiful wooden angel that is on the gate. I can litsen to music or just be alone...well a few cats at my feet and the dogs checking in...guarding from the wild horses. HAHA, they like to feel useful!

My big leap of faith was to buy that $150 worth of seeds. They think I might have lupus and the sun can do me in and bring on a flare. Now with this gyn thing and all I really was so close to not doing anything but a few tomato plants bought from the store. SO NOT ME!!! AND I AM STILL ME! I chose to go on as usual....totally on faith!

I don't have control of my health but I can still have control of my life! I may need more help out there this season but I WILL BE OUT THERE! The week I usually strt my seeds...3rd week of March is the week right after my surgery. Maybe I can start a few flowers...the veggies can wait a few weeks. Don't freeak...I mix dirt in my kitchen, fill cups and stick in a seed.

Be positeve and plant a few seeds!   I AM! Cind

[MickeyVicki]

Having a chuckle over here...while waiting for my pre-surgery testing and  lap surgery in late 2004, I kept my mind busy by reading the garden catalogs, and ended up spending about twice what I normally spend on seeds and plants!

Just do what my friend does: she has a straw hat with a brim wide enough to cover a small county, wears a tank top covered by a over-sized white long sleeved shirt, and loose-fitting, baggy long pants while she gardens.  As long as she is not outside in the hottest, brightest part of the day then she is fine, and she fends off enough sun to avoid an outbreak.  I dress similarly, just to keep the damaging rays of the sun from my pale white skin, and I have helped her with her garden.  I am sure folks driving by think that we are a strange site!

[Gatsby]

You are truly a woman after my own heart.  I too am an avid gardiner, and I can and freeze everything too!!!  I find so much peace while I am weeding and tending to my garden.  To this day, I am always thrilled to see the first shoots of what I have planted break through the soil.  The garden is my sanctuary and my place to meditate and talk with God.  I am always in awe of the abundance of produce from such small seeds.  As I garden this year, I will always be thinking of the wonderful women that I have met here.  This is also a sanctuary for me.  Godspeed to all.
~Tascha

[xrayu2]

My crocuses are blooming and my daffodils are getting ready to bud.  My pansies have stayed pretty all winter long.  WE will not plant our garden until May.

[dian07]

I cannot wait to get out there to play in that rich black earth here in NW Iowa.....I love it.
I have not been able to get out there like usual for the past two years.....last year chemo messed me up......the year before I was unable to get out there because of my broken leg (my husband, who is always late, was late for his uncle's funeral; well, there I was...running in heels; stepped in a hole; heard, and felt a snap...went down like  a wounded animal.....missed the funeral!).  Still,last year, during chemo, I did manage to can some green beans, spaghetti sauce and stewed tomatoes.
Afterwards, I froze 87 quarts of corn. That takes up a lot of space.... my family loves sweet corn so much that my husband bought another freezer.
I love watching my garden grow...the peppers...the egg plant (wow! how beautiful)....the pumpkins, and watermellon...the peas and beans....the squash and cucumbers...the cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower...now I'm getting hungry. Think I'll have a salad for lunch!
Sounds like Peace awaits us all in the garden.
dian

[AnotherKatie]

Thank you for the lovely visuals guys.  I am jealous, the growing season here in "Brokeback" is about 8 weeks!  We get frost til the end of June sometimes.  No corn can grow and often not even tomatoes (sob).
I'll think of you lucky Holly Hobbies down south as I buy my sad veggies in the grocery store. It has been so darn cold and snowy, I wouldn't want to go out even if I could! (one week since the hyster, doin' OK)
Love, Katie
PS glad to see you post Dian, everything OK with you and your daughter?

[Raynbow]

That's sooo nice, I liked this thread....I too plan on doing a garden, last year was our first time doing one...I've learned from it...I need to plant less zucchini!!! Ha,ha...It was awesome though....Rabbits ate my beans, dangit. Try, try again.
We were so surprised to grow anything anyway because we got clay dirt out here behind the house. We just put grass seed down last week because it's startin' to look like a mud pit where there's supposed to be grass!
Bless your gardens and Happy planting!!
(((Raynbow

[dian07]

I had a terrible time with rabbits four or five years ago; tried everything (they were even eating my marigolds!). Finally I read they will not go anywhere near human hair as they think an animal died there! They don't want the same to happen to them so they stay away.....It worked!!! My sister in law is a beautician so hair was in abundant supply!
Remember, now, you heard this on the ovarian cancer thread! Who's gonna believe that?!
Happy Gardening, and Peace, Ladies!
dian

Katie, thank-you so much for asking about my daughter...she divorced last year and now is involved with a criminal (actually he has more time to serve, but they are letting him live in a half-way house so he can keep his job). Not that I don't believe in second chances (this would be his fourth or fifth), but my daughter's life has gone down-hill desperately since he came into the picture. My two grand daughters are there also (age 8 and 6). He isn't a child molester or anything, but he has a drinking problem, and I think a past history with drugs. She is 30, though, and I cannot tell her anything she doesn't know! It is very stressful; and I hate hives!
I know I need to chill...her brothers and father really dis-like the situation (guy) and want things to change. Oh well, this is life in a family.....the good and the bad. It will be okay eventually, but the road is rough right now.
Peace to you all.
dian

[vixen28]

Autumn has arrived here is Aus and soon we will get almighty frosts! In the meantime, the garden is looking very healthy. My hubby is the gardener in our family, I do the cooking and freezing! Soon I'll be making our annual batch of tomato sauce (ketchup). Know just what you mean about the zucchini's Raynbow! They sprout overnight and if left a day or 2 too long, become monsters! (Perhaps a bit like some of the aliens I've been reading about - was it 27lbs!!! WOW.)

[Spicegirl]

I know what you mean about a leap of faith.  I went out and bought me a brand new vehicle last week - Hopefully I'm not under the weather for too long after my surgery as I love driving the thing.  I have  alot of relatives in the U.S. and hope to do some travelling in the spring.

[AnotherKatie]

Hmmm I was trying to tie in the hair with the less than suitable boyfriend....you know like, sprinkle some around the house and maybe he would stay away?  Did you ever see Practical Magic?! Now that was a BAD DUDE.  I thought about what you said and can I chirp in my opinion? (Dr Phil watch out). I taught spec. ed. for many years so of course I am an expert on everything.  I think all you can do is be supportive of her and say very little.  She reached out to this guy, there is some connection somehow, for whatever reason.  Expect the BEST and maybe that's what the result will be.  I wonder if she just is a very nice compassionate person (hmm wonder where she got THAT from Dian?) and doesn't know how to extracate herself from the situation. Build her self esteem (her dad is crucial to that) and maybe she will find the strength to leave.  She is probably lonely, scared and overwhelmed by the last few years.  I'd bet boyfriend had a tragic childhood eh.  I got my daughter away from the All Time Loser by sending her away to University in another province.  Worked like...magic!  Guess that is not possible for yours with the kids and all.  Sometimes you have to get creative.  The brothers and father feeling like they do can have a reverse effect on the situation.  There is always "You can catch more flies with honey!"
Geez Oprah on the ovarian site!  Just my thoughts.  Your recent OVCA may have shook her up more than you realize too. You are in my thoughts and prayers... and I wish YOU some peace.
Love, Katie

[Raynbow]

I never heard of the hair trick until now....I'll try it 'cause my dh cuts his hair with clippers, we have also had a deer run through the neighborhood, but hopefully won't come near the garden because there's a cow pasture right on the other side of it (our "bunny trees" are on the fence row).......we really need to clear that out since it's getting warmer quickly...It's supposed to be 70 this Friday here in TN!!! Well, we also planted little 12in. trees last year that we got from the Arbor Day foundation....Doesn't look like the dogwoods are gonna' make it. I don't know though, I'm just a beginner. It would be nice to can and make stuff like you more experienced gardeners do. I'm sure I would need a deep freezer though. Maybe one day. Thanks for the helpful hints!
(((Raynbow