Growing our own

Getting the garden in this year has not been a smooth and steady process. I bought the Jiffy pots and seeds late last winter, then never actually got any seeds started. Rick got our plot plowed early, but first it was too wet to till, then the rototiller wouldn't work. Eventually he got it tilled, after we hauled and spread composted manure. More time passed. Our neighbor gave us a bunch of volunteer potato plants from their garden plot, and Rick bought some tomato plants and various seedlings. Some of those went in a couple weeks ago, and the rest got planted yesterday, along with some seeds for carrots, zucchini, Casper pumpkin, and lemon cucumbers. Where were the seeds for the corn and green beans? Phooey, I forgot I still needed to buy those. So tomorrow I'll pick up more Scarlet Nantes carrot seeds (the only carrots that have given me satisfactory results here), Burgundy King bush beans, and some kind of sweet corn. I haven't yet found a variety I'm satisfied with....

Here is a view of our plot looking SSW:
At the far end, beyond the potato plants and the Royal Ann cherry tree my husband refuses to remove, is Rick's berry patch. He planted eight raspberries this spring (one has mysteriously expired) and added more blueberries to the bushes he planted last year.

In the island, the marigolds I planted are all blooming (the dahlias on the left are taking their time). See the new house being built in the woods?By the end of the summer the plants will be bigger and the island will look less bare. We need to replace one of the rhodies Rick planted around the Japanese maple; it was broken off at ground level, probably be one of the <@*!~#@^ deer. The rhodies he planted under the double-flowering cherry are all blooming; below are the pink and yellow ones he chose:
While I was taking these photos, Brian's Oreo cat showed up. She's a barn cat, but this holiday weekend she's come to the house several times. Hard to get a good photo of the friendly little thing!

That's it for now . . .