The vegetable garden...
Residing way in the back of our property, unruly and wild this year.
August always brings taller and greener growings.
But still, I think, August?
How can it be?
It seems spring was only here yesterday.
As time loops and looms its way deeper into the future.
The future I have not yet caught up with.
And so, as the days of summer tic by, it becomes increasingly important to one's psyche to stop and admire the offerings of its heat and long days.
Boys sniff together.
I get ready to forage and collect.
As you may know I replanted my garden several times this year due to gophers.
(even though the beds are lined with sturdy wire mesh, eeek!)
I lost all my tomatoes and bell peppers.
But tomatillos....
Tomatillos self seeded and are turning jurassic.
They grow inside perfect little lanterns.
Sticky until you wash them up.
Fairy tale pumpkin vines are looking pretty lovely I'd say.
So exciting!
I spy a few babies on their way to flowering.
Sometimes I hide inside the domed garden.
I lost all my beets and radishes in there to birds.
But they haven't bothered my summer crookneck squash, yay.
I think what happened this year as that all the wild life around here figured out that I have a buffet going on for them.
They outsmarted me.
Despite my best efforts.
The good thing is that I learned that there is nothing more liberating than taking a deep breath and saying, oh well.
Ooo, another baby.
The good news, some wild zinnias exploded throughout most of the veggie garden.
And I have to say, it's a pretty decent compromise from nature.
The hummingbirds and yellow belly finches are delighted.
Silly hummingbird.
Those yellow bellies are ferocious.
They pull the petals off of all my flowers before it's seed time.
Cute and rotten, all rolled into one.
The strawberries have been gifting treats all summer, even in mass heat.
There is also lots of basil as usual, which I am always grateful for.
The zinnias and the basil seem to get along very well.
All sorts of shapes and sizes of zinnias, but all hot pink.
Curious no?
Gobs of zinnias really.
So how can one complain?
I think not.
Even giant wild cosmos are coming along.
All in the veggie garden, can you believe it?
Some lovely lil' pumpkins are intertwined in there too.
Even a brussels sprout plant turned up in this heat, odd I'd say.
But, yay!
Hello bird.
It has been a tough critter summer, but the best way to cope was for me to give in...
And say, the weeds and grasses and critters are winning.
And it's okay.
Then all of a sudden hoards of zinnias and pumpkin vines turned up.
So, I guess the garden always has a message/lesson doesn't it?
It's always an interesting journey.
Me and my garden.
It's a ton of work, but always worth it.
Even after I throw a gopher fit.
It's still worth it.
August always reminds me of that.
Happy August.
Can you believe it?!
Love, Vanessa
ps: How excited are you for this?
