Halloween decorations are FINALLY put away (well actually packed in plastic tubs on the back deck while we try to redo the storage area in the basement) and Christmas decorations are up inside and out – they look pretty good if I do say so myself!
My 2012 Christmas Decor
2012 Holiday Decor
Ahhh…. Now maybe I can relax a bit, watch a little TV, maybe focus on my real job for a few extra hours each night, or start planning my wedding that’s in 9 months (and creeping up ridiculously quickly).…
Not gonna happen, because in the mail, along with all of the Christmas cards and bills (blah) – SEED CATALOGS- and LOTS of them. Now I can’t stop thinking about my garden for next year!
My Gardening History
I’m a relatively new gardener – rather, I’m a relatively new, decently good, gardener. A few years ago I dumped obscene amounts of money into pots, seeds, gardening tools; determined to grow a garden on the roof top deck of my rented condo. Let me tell you, ROOFS GET HOT – everything died within a week (although it did enjoy a breathtaking view of downtown Chicago while shriveling into oblivion).
The next year I bought my little bungalow on the NW side of Chicago and in seeing my new neighbors beautiful garden decided that it would be a good idea to rip out all of the horrible shrubs in the front beds with garden delusions of grandeur.
Again, dirt, dirt, dirt, flowers, flowers, flowers, $$$, $$$, $$$. I planted for hours and hours – all afternoon, all night (hey gardening is really fun by street light with a vodka Red Bull ok?). One thing I didn’t realize – that my neighborly gardening pro pointed out the following day – these beds get full sun, those plants like shade. Needless to say; even copious amounts of water (so graciously applied by my neighbor while I was at work during the summer heat) could not save them and within weeks, I was left with shriveled twigs. I almost gave up….until I realized that the 4 green bean plants and 4 cucumber plants in the tiny bed in the back yard were actually surviving. So, I decided that I would make one more investment and bought a green bean tower and a trellis from here. In a few short months – SUCCESS! We literally ate a cucumber a day for lunch and green beans every night for dinner during the entire summer.
2011 Garden Beans and an Extra Long Cuc
Year 3 of my garden (2012) has brought even more success – see below. I’m hoping 2013 will be even better!
My Organic Front Yard Garden 2012
2012 Organic Garden Lots of Zuchinni
2012 Organic Garden – Making Pickles
2012 Organic Garden Pickling Cucumbers
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