last week

this morning

It’s remarkable what a little rain and a week of sun can do to make a garden grow!

You may notice that grass clippings are covering most of the soil in our garden.  This was something that Pa and I started doing years ago (all Pa’s idea).  Basically, covering the dirt around the plants with grass helps keep weeds from growing quite so quickly but it also helps keep moisture from escaping as easily.  In the Midwest, especially in July and August, moisture is crucial to the garden surviving.  Obviously we water it too but grass clippings (from the lawn) help immensely.

From left to right: tomatoes, broccoli, turnips, carrots (can’t really see them), peas, and newly planted corn (please grow this time)!Yellow onions- so pretty!  I love using these to flavor my veggies in the summer.

The squash is getting bigger…I should probably thin it again but it feels like such a waste!

Basil- I’m ready to make pesto!

From left to right: spinach, green leaf lettuce, romaine, and kale, with peppers in the background.

You may notice that some of the leafy greens rows are not as full as they should be.

If you are doubting my seed planting abilities (which are admittedly questionable), Pa caught the culprit the other evening.A distant relative of Peter Rabbit, perhaps?

Making his escape

I don’t mind intruders- especially cute ones like this- even if he eats all of our lettuce.  But we’ve got another problem I discovered yesterday…

diggory delvet

Notice how the grass is raised?  It’s a mole digging underground.  Ugh.  So far, he hasn’t disrupted a single plant but still…

We aren’t going to do anything to him but does anyone have a humane way to get moles out of a garden?  If I ask him/her to “get out” in a firm tone, will that do the trick?

Have a fantastic weekend!