How Does My Garden Grow?

Oh dear, how time has eluded me on my blogging duties.  I could blame it all on Christmas in July (birthday central around here).  I could blame it on my (all-consuming) bread.  Honestly, I could blame it on a number of things, but I won't.  Instead, I will do my best to distract you by showing you pretty pictures of my garden.

This is my beloved garden now.  Just looking at it makes my heart smile.

Every morning and every evening I go out and inspect my garden.  I just find such peace and solace in it.  There's something about tilling soil, planting seeds and watching them come to fruition that is therapeutic and spiritual.

Speaking of fruit...

A cherry tomato.  YUM.  They are taking their time to ripen, but I have forgiven them.  They are worth the wait...SO tasty.

So a funny thing happened.  I swore I planted crookneck squash and was so worried about them, as they never got their crook.  I just took a look at the seed packet I used...yup, they are straightneck.  No matter how you slice them, with a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper and slapped on the grill, they are ALL good.

This view is beautiful to me.  Two little pumpkin seeds did this.

And when you lift one of those giant leaves you might just find one of these!  A toddler pumpkin with great promise. 

And when I say "giant leaves", I mean it.  They wilt during the day and perk up in the evening.  Kind of like me in the heat.

My basil (upper right) is so very happy right now.  That, in turn, makes me so very happy.  My peppers are happy too.  I have determined my eggplants are fickle; they are growing but not fruiting...yet.

You know what doesn't make me happy?

Tomato worms (hornworms) eating my cauliflower....

...and my green beans....and tomatoes.  I've sprayed them dead (say hello to my lil friend) and planted marigolds to keep them away. 

And THIS, my friends, blesses my heart most of all.  It might be a small bounty, but it is a bounty nonetheless. 

I now have the gardening bug...I have started seeds for winter squash and greens, and have high hopes.  Only time will tell...