Tales of a Garden Rookie

So, this is me:  On Google this morning trying to decide which way is up for tomato cages. 

I waited WAY too long to add tomato cages to our garden.  With the glorious rain we've been having lately, the tomato plants have really exploded.  Yesterday afternoon after an extremely blustery day, I took a look at the garden and noticed that the wind had flattened our tomato plants.  In a panic I ran out with a left over craft dowel and some string to upright them until I could get to the garden store.  After dropping Anna off at school, I picked up 3 tomato cages (my 4th plant was mysteriouly sheared off at the base a couple of weeks ago) and brought them home.  With Lauren and Jacob watching through the sliding glass door, I gingerly tucked the cage in around the leaves and stems.  After carefully placing all of the branches it occurred to me that in that position it would just be blown over by the wind and take the plant along with it.  So, I came inside and asked my dear friend google for a bit of help.  I started over and have them in the right way now...or so I think. :)  Maybe I could invent a little tag to sell on cages for novices like myself that would read:  This Way Up! 

Speaking of the garden, Doug's been really getting a kick out of the strawberries.  It's the first plant to actually yield any fruit.  The kids and I come in really excited whenever we have ripe strawberries.  What makes Doug laugh though is that we only have two small plants and the most berries we've had ripe at one time has been three.  Normally, it's the 5 of us cutting one tiny strawberry into fifths so we can each have a sliver.  I keep picturing great things made with strawberries but I think we actually need a bed full of strawberry plants for any of those recipes to occur!  The zephyr squash and lemon cucumbers are chugging along happily as are the bell peppers.  The eggplants apparently have some little pesty that have been working on them.  The leek and cantaloupe plants have seen better days but at this point are still living.  I'm just  amazed that I have anything left alive at this stage.

Lots to share about the past few days:  Doug and I celebrated our 11th anniversary and attended a Brooks & Dunn concert.  I had new teeth put in and Jacob is busy growing a few more of his own.  We've finally found the right fabric for our family room curtains and they're being made as we speak...err..write and read.  I was offered the opportunity to photograph a wedding in Grass Valley (I'm over the moon about this.  It sounds amazing!)  I finally have a craft room although you can't actually walk in it yet, it's still mine and will hopefully someday soon be functional.  Doug told me I could refresh my wardrobe if I cleared some of the old stuff out.  Ever compliant I cleared out my closet and we took 6 XL bags of clothes to Goodwill.  I still had outfits from our honeymoon and Anna's baptism.  It felt good to lighten the clutter but will feel even better to do a little shopping.  YAY! Jacob has been learning to dance and apparently has inherited his Daddy's mad dancing skills.  Video to follow soon.  Lastly, I'm busy planning birthday parties and trying to get gifts ready for Mother's Day.  More to write about but my smallest assistant has toddled up and is busy tugging on my camera strap, trying to get to the keyboard to check his e-mail and periodically head-butting me in the chest.  I guess I'll close for now.  What have you guys been up to this past week??