Tomatoes, Okra, Peppers & Squash!

Last year the kids talked Brian into starting a small vegetable/herb garden.  All went well, until we realized it was too close to the house and with every torrential rain, the garden was torn to shreds by our not having gutters in the back of the house.  Our little garden was short lived.

With the weather getting nicer, the kids had started talking about it again - what they want to plant, whether to buy seeds or plants, and where we should put it. With it already late March, I thought we'd better get a move on. 

For some reason this year, I have been very antsy to get outside and work in the yard.  Maybe I finally realize that Houston has a very short Spring and once it gets hot I'm not going to want to work out there?  So I'd better get it all done now?  Who knows.  But this year, I've already cut back all the dead stuff (lots and lots of that again this year), fertilized the yard (a first for me, usually Brian's job), planted bulbs, seeds and lots of replacement plants.  So much more to do but we're off to a great start.

Since Brian is really really busy at work right now and I'd never started a garden before, I asked my dad to come over and help us get it going.  Papa met the kids and I over at the plant store yesterday to pick up everything we would need.  I will admit I got a little crazy and agreed to let the kids buy a blueberry bush.  Birdie just goes nuts for blueberries and it is not a usual vegetable garden plant.  But did I mention that it gets to be 8 ft tall and 8 ft wide according to the label?  It should prove to be an interesting choice.

There was some debate over the size of the garden.  I wanted large, for plenty of growing room.  But since I wasn't the actual person digging up the grass, in the end it was a little smaller than planned. I was overridden by my dad and Brian (who got home in time to help get up the grass).  But it is still a really good size for all our plants.  

The kids had a great time using their wagon to relocate all the grass to spots in the yard that need a little St. Augustine help.  Wish I'd gotten a picture of that.  Or any pictures of us working out there.  For once, I was too busy to get out the camera.

After we finished with the garden and planting a few other new plants, Brian prepared a wonderful dinner of Shrimp & Grits for us and my parents.  None of us had ever tried that combination together (we've seen it on cooking shows), but we found it wonderfully complimentary and extremely tasty.  

Here are pictures of our new vegetable garden!

4 Rows of Vegetables & Herbs

Yellow Bell Pepper

Purple Bell Pepper

Small Vine Tomato

An Heirloom Tomato

Roma Tomato

Basil

Daniel's choice - Cucumber

Cilantro

Green Onion

Jalapeno Pepper

Squash

The garden is to the right of the pool in the back corner with full sun

Because tomatoes are one of Ashley's favorite foods (along with strawberries), we chose 3 different varieties to improve our odds of getting many tomatoes.  If all three plants go crazy, I might have to learn to like tomatoes or have Brian start making homemade marinara. Course, with the tomatoes, jalapenos, cilantro and green onion we might be able to mix up a kickin salsa. The other veggies were mostly chosen for being good starter vegetables or herbs we use.  Daniel insisted on the cucumbers and Birdie chose the blueberry plant.  

We couldn't find any okra plants, so the last row contains okra seeds. We also bought a mint plant, but it is in a container so it doesn't take over the garden. I have some concerns about everything getting big and my yard guys chopping up the cucumber plant with the weed wacker as it spills over onto the grass, but I'll worry more about that when and if the plants really start to grow.  Right now I have concerns over them weed wacking my oleanders to death. (Make a note to call J.C. and discuss.)

You'll notice the blueberry plant is not in the garden.  We didn't think it would fit. Remember the 8' by 8'? It has been planted on the other side of the pool in a flower bed in the middle of that side of the yard where two palms stood.  Those poor palms finally succumbed to the second freezing winter we had and don't seem to be coming back.  I have several palms I'm waiting on to see if they come back for the second year in a row.  

Brian and I would really like to see this garden be successful for the kids.  They will love to watch everything grow and picking fresh vegetables to eat.    

Since this is my first vegetable garden since I was a kid (and didn't do any of it myself), I will accept any and all advice you experienced gardeners can offer. Help us make this garden a success for the kids.

A Sea of Blue

These last few weeks I've been focused on getting our plants ready for the Houston growing season and summer sun. Lots of time spent pulling out the dead plants, planting new ones, weeding and fertilizing.  The yards over all are still a little rough looking and require a bit more work and lots more sun before they look good.  

However, we have one area that looks AWESOME right now.  This plant is always the first to come up and first to bloom.  I LOVE it!!!  

"What is it," you ask?  They are Bluebonnets!!!  

Aren't they amazing!  You couldn't ask for a better state flower.

The best part - I bought one little bluebonnet plant from Wal-Mart for $1 a few years ago and put it in the flower bed.  Now, every late winter it pops back up and spreads more and more.  This year we found bluebonnets popping up in the grass and all throughout the flower bed, so we transplanted the ones in the grass to the flower bed across the pool.  They look incredible.  

Can you tell how bright blue they are?  

I found the plants at Houston Plant and Garden 2 weeks ago, and bought one for a flower bed in the front yard. Hopefully, it will spread to add some much needed color this time next year.

The down side of bluebonnets?  They will be completely dead and gone by June 1st. But even though they are short lived, it is awesome to look out the window in March, when nothing else is really in full bloom yet, and see a sea of blue.  

I smile every time I see them.

First Swim of the Year

While working out in the yard yesterday, we realized while we were sweating that the pool has probably been getting warm also.  The weather has been around 80 degrees with lots of sunshine.  So, I agreed to let the kids try out the pool for the first time this year.  We don't have a pool heater or even a thermometer, so I have no idea the temperature of the pool.  But, when I dipped my feet in, they didn't freeze.  So, why not?  It's a sunny day.  They were all gung-ho!

And like a good mom, I was there with the video camera to capture their screams.

Birdie was the first to come inside after only 10 minutes in the water.  Daniel lasted about 20 minutes and I had to drag Ashley out after 30 minutes.  She loved every minute of it.  We are expecting temps over 80 degrees every day this week, so next weekend should be even better to get in the water. Not warm enough for grown ups, but the kids will enjoy it.

It's definitely Spring!

**Update** I purchased a pool thermometer and the water is sitting at 75 degrees.  Burrr...

Bugz Play Practice

Daniel is very excited to be a Safari Guide for the Fire Ants in the 1st Grade Bugz Play on April 7th.  (If I haven't mentioned it to you yet, mark your calendar!)

He wanted to show Gigi and Aunt Flora while we were visiting for Spring Break since they can't come see it in a few weeks. We heard and saw him practice many many times over the weekend. So much so, that Birdie has learned it also.  Here is a video I took of him at Gigi's house practicing his part with Birdie.

We've always known he is quite the performer.  He's going to shine next month in Bugz.

Ash Wednesday & Lent

Even though it is not a Holy Day of Obligation, Ash Wednesday is one of my favorite days on the liturgical calendar.  There is something very moving about receiving the ashes and reflecting on the journey of Lent culminating in blessing of Easter.  I can remember tears as each of my children received their ashes for the first time as infants.  And each and every year, I say I'm going to take a picture of them with their ash crosses.  This year I finally did it.  

I also did something else for the first time this Ash Wednesday, I pulled the kids out of school to attend the Ash Service.  Since Ash Wednesday fell on Brian's birthday this year, I was trying to find a way to balance getting our ashes with celebrating Brian's birthday.  So, I kept Birdie home from preschool and picked up the big kids from school to attend church.  They were some of the only kids in the service and I had several of my friends tell me they wished they had done the same thing.  Due to the timing of the service, poor Daniel had to wolf down his sack lunch in the car on the short drive from the church back to school.   He survived.  

This year for Lent, it seems we are all doing something a little different.  Ashley & Daniel each chose to give up something.  Ashley gave up playing Wii and the computer; Daniel gave up chocolate; Brian gave up eating meat and drinking Diet Dr. Pepper.  For me, this year isn't so much about giving up as it is about prayer.  In addition to giving up evening tv and talking on my cell phone in the car, I am adding Friday mass & rosary and a few other personal devotions.  This should make for an interesting 40+ days.   Lots of giving up in our house.  

The kids have each chosen a new prayer to learn for Lent.  Ashley surprised me with the Hail, Holy Queen and Memorare.  Daniel has the Our Father and Act of Contrition on his mirror.  And Birdie is learning the Hail Mary and Glory Be.  The kids and I have also committed to praying the rosary together  once a week. So far, they have surprised with their attention.  

This is a wonderful time of year to turn our focus towards the cross and inward as we prepare to celebrate God's gift to mankind on Easter.  

And Happy Birthday Honey!

Texas Independence

The kids and I went over to the San Jacinto Monument to pick up Brian from his Texas Independence Relay.   A 26 hour relay run from Gonzales TX to San Jacinto.  Brian loved every minute (wait, almost every minute) of it.  You can ask him about visiting Wal Mart in Sealy at 4 a.m. to jump start a dead van battery.  

Anyway...  I wanted to get a picture of the kids with the San Jacinto Monument, but couldn't figure out how to get them all in the picture (and not be 1/2 mile away).  So, I came up with this idea.  Laying on the ground.  

The kids were really excited to be at the Monument and see the Battleship.  We haven't been out there since Daniel was a baby.  With Brian not having slept in 2 days, we decided we will have to come back to tour San Jacinto and the Battleship Texas at a later date.