Still Gardening without my SuperPowers!

You may have thought that I abandoned this blog but that is not the case. I have however, abandoned the idea that I am Superwoman and by doing so have given myself permission to focus on the big stuff right now and let all the small stuff wait. Unfortunately, compared to my Daughter's J.M.E. everything is small stuff.

That doesn't mean I've given up on gardening. No, I'm far too addicted for that! In fact, I've even expanded my gardens! Yes, it has taken me this long but I finally have my Vegetable gardens planted. Yeah, me!

But sadly, the grand plans and schematics that I had hoped for were scraped due to well...lack of time between Dr. appointments! After hours of back breaking work by my strongman hubby a plain lawn was transformed into 4 equal plots for veggies. Equal in size not in soil quality. The soil from one plot to another varied immensly from perfect topsoil to pure clay.

In the background you might recognize a rotatiller under that tarp. You may be thinking that my husband isn't the strong man I've discribed but I assure you he is! That Machine is the most contrary piece of gardening equipment to ever be invented! It ran well for about 2 minutes and then it would over heat. My hubby called it the "one row workhorse". You'd complete one row and then it would rest for 15 minutes before it would start again. So all in all, hubby did about 6 passes with the Machine and instead broke all that sod up with an old fashioned Maddox. What a Man! What a mighty fine man! All in all, it took him about 3 days of work. (Of course, with our schedules he did it over a two week time period.)

Then it was time to plant. At last!!! I was so proud to put in the peppers I had started from seed myself. They looked as good as the ones from the Backyard Farmer. While there I also purchased my onion sets. And as soon as I planted these prized possessions of mine I began to worry about a little creature I had seen in making his escape from my flower gardens just a few days before. Was I doing little more than setting up a free buffet for this cute vandal?

We've discussed fencing but we haven't gotten there yet...

After planting we carefully laid out our new watering system. We attached a 100 foot regular garden hose to our water spicket. At the other end we attached a four way splitter to which we attached four Seeper flat soaker hoses (by Gilmour Gardening Innovation from Wal-Mart for approx $13 per 75 foot hose). With one easy step I can now water all four gardens without wasting water, energy, or time (which is highly prized at this point). My new gardens are now ready. But will they grow?

Peeking Peppers in my Peat Pots

This the first year I've used peat pots or peat pellets. I've heard so much about them (both good and bad) but I have to say they are so easy and convenient that I may be hooked! I started a most of my seeds on 3/22/08 and have seen great results! And more importantly, today I...

Peeked Pepper Plants in my Peat Pots!

I'm a Happy Gardener!!! And lookee at my greenhouse:

Lots of Green!

Peter Piper Picked a Peck of Peppers...

After some dedicated gardener spent hours toiling away in the dirt planting the seeds, praying for sunshine, and protecting them from varmits! Yet, does the gardener get any recognition for the vital role that they played? No the only thing remembered is:

Peter Piper Picked

a Peck of Peppers,

Peter Piper Picked

a Peck of Peppers,
Peter Piper Picked

a Peck of Peppers!

Well, Peter just better stay away from my garden because if I see his grubby little hands on my precious peppers I might just get violent! I have just planted Burpee's Signature Big Dipper variety of sweet peppers. I find myself very being very protective over my little pepper plants (and they haven't even sprouted yet!). I have to ask myself why I am so emotionally connected to these tiny little pepper seeds. Maybe it's because of those childhood memories that flood back when I see the seed packets.

In my childhood home a Pepper seed packet meant only one thing to me...Pepper Relish! Mom's homemade pepper relish would make any plain-jane meal into a tasty treat! I realize now that my children have had this extrordinary treat only occassionally!!! I have done my children a grave disservice and this is the year that I WILL rectify the situation!

I vow this is the year when I fill my cupboards with the tasty treat and that we have stuffed peppers on a regular basis! This is the year when we mix fresh peppers in our meatloaf! This is the YEAR!

So if I am seen softly crooning love songs to a flat of soil with no obvious signs of life do not think me a mad woman! For I am the dedicated gardener upon which Peter Piper depends!