Light Pole

We have a plain light pole in our front yard. It really bothered me to have a metal pole just sitting in the yard. I came up with a plan to add a little interest to the pole and to hopefully make it a little more attractive. I found a pot at Lowe's and had David cut the bottom out for me. It slid over the pole and looks great. 

 

The empty pot just waiting for some potting soil and flowers.

Unfortunately, we had a freeze after I filled it with flowers. I tried to cover it but our winds were just too much. So I have to replant a few of the flowers, but I don't really mind. I just like having another place to have flowers.

I still have to paint the light fixture but I think it already looks better!

 

Freezes and a Proud Mommy

Last night we were 27 degrees.

In May.

In Southern New Mexico.

 

 

Everything was covered and hopefully I didn't loose very many plants. We should be in the upper 40's or the 50's  at night, so every perennial I own has already come up. It just needs to warm up and stay warm. According to the three weather sites I check, we should be finished with freezes. I hope they are right.

 

 

 

Now a little proud Mommy moment. Dallas made Abbit again (A's and B's Because I Tried). He has made Abbit in both English and Spanish all year. Every class he has taken since Kindergarten has been taught in English and Spanish. Twice the homework but he has thrived in the program.

 

He has decided that he wants to be a 'Normal' kid next year. No dual language program. Less homework and more fun time. I am worried that it will be too easy for him, but the school says it will work with him. I just want him to be happy.

Now I am off to work in the garden. Everything has to be uncovered and I have a lot of plants to get into the ground. I hope everyone has a great weekend!



Winter Greens - Harvest Monday

All winter we have had wonderful greens. I have had this box covered all and the spinach and lettuce have loved their little grow house. I took their cover off last week and ended up having to put it back on for the last three nights. Hopefully we have seen our last freeze and I will be able to toss the cover into the storage building.

 

We love cooked mixed greens with a little bacon, onion and garlic. I need to plant a new bed of greens since this one will grow something new this spring. I am still playing with my garden plan but I will hopefully have the plan finished soon - If school and life will let me.

 

Go over to Daphne's Dandelions to see what everyone else is harvesting!

Harvest Monday - February 18, 2013

I am so excited to get to participate in Harvest Monday. Be sure to go to  Daphne's Dandelions to see what others are harvesting!

 

Alex helped me pull a few carrots for our Pot Roast this week. Some of our carrots are still pretty small but it is great to have anything from the garden in February. 

 



4.78 oz.

Sweet Potatoes

I planted my sweet potatoes last spring for the fun of it. I didn't really think I would get any for our table but the vine is pretty. I needed a cheap filler for the front bed and I had a couple of sweet potatoes that wanted to sprout. They were an unknown variety from the Commissary but they grew like crazy in the front bed.

 

Our first frost was predicted for last week - It never happened. I knew I needed to start the fall cleanup before the frost so I started pulling out all the potato vines. I ended up filling our dumpster with them. I only planted two little starts. Two. That's it.

 

They really really liked the front bed. Really. As I made my way to the heart of the vine I found a wonderful surprise. I actually had sweet potatoes! I was able to dig up a basket full from just one plant.

I love my little surprise harvest! I think I may actually try to grow sweet potatoes next year in the garden.

My flower bed looked really ugly after I pulled out the vine.

I still have a lot of work to do in order to get this flower bed ready for winter. I am collecting seeds for next year and trying to mark were the perennials are planted. I have a terrible memory and I know come spring I will be trying to figure out what is a weed and what is a flower.

15 May 2012

I have survived the clean up and it really isn't as bad as it looked. I lost a couple of tomato plants and a lot of my potato plants. After removing the broken limbs and raking the ground, only I can tell the difference.

The buffalo grass with the dog's foot prints.

After raking the yard- it looks so much better.

A close up of some of the grass.

My hubby bought me Foxglove for the front flower bed for Mother's Day. He always buys me a new plant for the garden on special days. I don't like cut flowers - they just die. I am afraid to plant it until I know if we are staying or going. It is sitting in the flower bed looking pretty, just waiting to find a home.

We got about an inch of rain over the last week. It was a very slow, cold, soft rain that would not go away. My garden has really taken off with the cooler weather. Some of the garlic and onions are wanting to flower and I do not know what to do with them. Should I cut them off or let them flower? Back to the books!

Garlic



Onions

Fire and Ice Radish

Southern Giant Curled Mustard Greens

Stowell's Evergreen Sweet Corn

Creole Collard Greens

Tendercrisp Celery

Mystery carrots- I first planted carrots in the large bed by the backdoor, but the wind destroyed the bed and after a month, nothing had come up. I planted the second group of onions in that bed and found a new place for carrots. Now I have little carrots popping up all over the onion bed!

The new carrot bed with really little carrot plants! Yes, those are dog foot prints.



Red Cored Chantenay Carrots

 

Big Top Carrots

Broccoli, cabbage, and spinach after the dogs played. I think most will make it. I need to harvest the spinach soon.

Early Jersey Wakefield Cabbage

The potatoes, after the dogs. They are starting to perk up.

Spaghetti Squash with my first bloom!



Mr. Stripey Tomatoes

My first tomato flowers!

And my beautiful peach tree.

9 May 2012 - Garden Tour

I have spent the last two weeks trying to find a way to help my Hubby's family from New Mexico. I can't. There just isn't a practical way to help with a 5 hour drive. So, on Monday, David is put in for humanitarian orders. If the Air Force approves the move, and they should, we will move home to Dyess Air Force Base within the next few weeks. I think I am in shock. We bought a house in October and now we will have to let renters move in. It really sucks. My garden is starting to look like an actual garden. My flowers look pretty in the front yard. I can see the buffalo grass from my kitchen window. I just want to cry. But that is me being selfish - it is just a house and they are just plants. David's Mom needs us. I will go and start over - again.

Now on to happier things - a photo tour of my garden. My garden always makes me feel better.

The cactus garden is starting to flower.



My Yarrow is almost ready to bloom. It has really started to take off this year.



Corn



Spaghetti Squash



Zucchini Squash



Okra



Eggplant



Yellow Squash



The other bed of Okra.



Kentucky Wonder Beans



Potato Bed



The potato plants are starting to flower!



A visiting bee getting a drink from the water sprinkler.