IT HAS SPRUNG

S P R I N G ! !

The weather has been beautiful all week but this sight almost brought tears to my eyes this morning.  Not kidding at all when I tell you this.  I backed out of my driveway and suddenly see yellow blooms.  I stopped in the middle of the street and ran up with my phone to get a quick picture.

I love spring!

I don't know if I can even call the last several months "winter".  It's been mild to say the least.  I thought it was the wild winter temperatures every year that created such appreciation for the first sights of green.  It's safe to say, that's not the case...

I just love spring!

Earl May is calling my name but remembering we live in Nebraska pulls me back to reality.  It could snow Easter Sunday.  I better wait a few more weeks for flower shopping.

March Madness and Spring all the same week!

My basketball bracket is all messed up...thanks a lot Missouri!

Have I said this yet?

I love spring!

Thank you Lord God for caring so much for your creation that you gave us variety in seasons and plants.  Why would I ever wonder if you care about my little life details? Obviously you do.

The Great Outdoors

YESTERDAY'S HARVEST

On September 1st this is what I brought in from the garden.  Since our garden has been a little sad this year you could say I was doing a happy dance as I was filling my arms.  This one lone cucumber is the last one.  We'll eat it for lunch tomorrow.

It's amazing that even though we did not take good care of our garden (gone 2 weeks in July and then we got lazy) we still are reaping a beautiful harvest.  I wonder if God looks at our lives and sees the lack of effort we put into doing things right but decides to bless us anyway.  He loves us.  He wants to see us grow, bloom and produce pleasing fruit.

After being so proud of my harvest, I decided to walk around the yard and share with my blog world what our outside world looks like.

 

 This pear tomato plant is obviously not done producing and the funny thing is that we didn't even plant it.  It grew volunteerly from last years left overs.  Thank you God for that little surprise.  (Olivia's favorite produce)

 The tomato plant seems to love us or maybe just our garden...usually.  This year our plants didn't produce like they have in the past.  As you can see it's pretty ugly out there.  Lots of rotting and dead plants this year.

Pretty sorry looking, huh?

Far back middle - zucchinni

Far back right - bell peppers

Far left - cucumbers

Front left corner - basil

Everywhere else is some kind of tomato

I pulled the lettuce

The strawberries are hidding behind the basil

If Satan took on a physical form, this is what he would look like.

  B I N D W E E D!!! 

Oh how I loath your existance.  You come to seek and destroy...see just like Satan.

(here that evil plant is growing up my neighbor's beautiful hostas.)

Tis the season for spiders and their webs all over outside.

I caught this little guy in his tunnel web.

This is why I hate those cute little bunnies.

Every year they eat this hosta.

Can you see the butterfly with it's wings closed?

Now starting to open..

And here she is, wings spread while enjoying my Butterfly Bush

(since there's no tail to lift, I don't know if it's a "she" or not)

Gardening

This morning we went outside to plant a few flowers that I forgot we had purchased.  I walked around the corner to see these beautiful flowers.  Last week they were pretty but today they are gorgeous.  What a little gift from God today.

 Below you will see some of our plants in the garden.  Chris is really good about planning, planting and harvesting wonderful food for our family.  We are all looking forward to fresh tomatoes more than anything else.  Looks like the lettuce and baby spinach is ready to be picked.

We are co-oping with some friends this year.  Just to give them a hard time...not sure when the co-op part comes in...maybe they are going to harvest.  ha ha  To be honest we haven't asked for any help yet.

ONION



CUCUMBER



SPINACH . LETTUCE

STRAWBERRY . BASIL . TOMATO . BELL PEPPER



MINT . ZUCCHINI

NOTE:  garden fresh produce should be washed before eating...today my husband tried to "make" me eat a bug.  :)

Gardening Phase I

I don't remember what this little flowering plant is called but it blooms purple.

This morning these had not opened, when we came home from dinner at the church they were open...love it!

Our yard suddenly turned green.  There is still some brown in there but it's about to look great, especially with the help of our friend Scott Gomel.  Scott started a new lawn care business, naturally we decided to support his efforts and hired him to do all the "chemical" care to our grass.

Chris has been working in the yard getting the flower gardens and veggie garden ready for planting.  It doesn't look like much but it will in a few months.  Can't wait for fresh, untainted veggies.

Two nights ago Chris and the girls got the seed starters going.  They planted lettuce, bell peppers, sugar snap peas, tomato, sweet basil, spinach, cucumber and zuchinni.  I might have forgotten something.  There's another tray for flower starters.  The girls love to pour the water on those hard little disks and then watch them grow.