Backyard Garden, Numero Dos





When we move during the last weekend in April (next month, ahh!), unpacking might take a backseat to starting our garden. It will be prime planting season and we are itching for fresh veggies and herbs. There's something so satisfying about eating something that you grew yourself. And the taste... holy moly... is so much better than anything you can get at the grocery store. This is especially true with herbs, which start to lose their flavor within an hour of picking them.

Okay, that's not a fact, just what I've found.

We're still deciding if we want to do a raised bed or start it right in the ground.

The backyard is on a slight slope which makes for perfect drainage, and it gets plenty of sun which will make the tomatoes very happy.

We may have to pot most of our herbs, as well as the lettuce, and place them in a shady area. Wussy plants. Learned that the hard way last year.

Still a lot of planning to do - my specialty! 

Not to mention that we want to do an irrigation system on a timer & make a rain barrel.

Hey, go big or go home.

Our first garden was definitely an experiment, but overall, it turned out well.

The plants I started from seed did terrible. Not enough light, too much watering, maybe I planted them in the wrong kind of soil, etc. And like a true amateur, I didn't label them. DUH.

The only thing that lasted outside when we transplated was the zucchini (below), parsley & basil, which EXPLODED by mid-summer. Like seriously, out of hand.

We didn't know what to do with it all.

I ended up getting tomato & pepper seedlings from our Amish "neighbors" and they did fabulous. I'll be leaving the hard part up to them from now on and buying their seedlings for all of the plants that I want. They are ridiculously cheap, too. I'm talking $2.50 for a tomato plant that ended up giving us about 40 tomatoes.

Bananas.

Basil & Flat Leaf Parsley

And let's not forget all the beautiful perennials my mom dug up from her garden & gave to me. They're baaaaaaaack! Fool-proof garden staples. You cannot kill them.

Yes, I'll be digging some up & taking them with us again :-)

I like having a part of my Mom's garden in mine.

It's like bringing a little bit of your history everywhere you go.

Weekend in Review

Spring is officially here. Our yard is sprouting.

Daylight savings time took a hike. Tim and I chatted about how daylight savings time is totally lame and should be banned. I mean, who does less daylight really benefit anyways?

We went grocery shopping, which turned into an extensive man-hunt for anchovy paste. After trying 2 grocery stores, we ended up finding it at Carlino's, an Italian specialty store in our 'hood. (I know, you're thinking "anchovy paste... vomit" but I'm re-creating a really awesome pasta dish we had in Miami and it's absolutely required to make it. Recipe to follow of course!)

Haircut!

And when I put it in a pony tail and wear a hood, I look like an emo chick.

Not a good look for me.

Mr. Annan and I hit the town for the official St. Patty's Day celebration that was going on a few days early. Naturally, we went to Kildare's, an Irish pub. It was packed with people in bright green t-shirts who'd been bar-crawling since 3pm. Yyyyikes. Clearly we were a little bit behind the crowd as far as drunkenness goes. But we got caught up quickly and even saw cops arresting people. We were those people standing around outside the bar staring. Yep.

And finally, I baked some scrumdiddlyumpcious muffins.

If you want the recipe, stay tuned until Wednesday...

[Apple Cream Cheese Muffins]

 Hope you guys had a great weekend!

Now it's off to finish up the laundry and catch the 5 o'clock church service...