Growing, Growing...

Growing up, we always had a garden...or five. There is photographic evidence of me, at 2, running full speed to said garden and face planting in the freshly tilled earth, only to start shoving my pie hole with the dirt. Yes, my dad stood by proudly and my mom had time to go and get the camera to document the event.

When I got older, my brother and I would pick green beans or cucumbers, for some reason always at the hottest part of the day. I would eat so many tomatoes during the summer that I would end up with canker sores from all the acid.

Life was good.

After I moved out, I realized my lack of garden space (being in an apartment) as well as my lack of a green thumb.

When I moved in with my brother, I planned on two years of being able to raid his garden.

The first season was spent on wedding planning and other activities. I did not fret knowing I would have another whole season to plant, water, wait, and eat the spoils.

Low and behold, I 'left,' after 18 months and missed out on the second season.

Although CTA doesn't have an affinity for making things grow, he is a hard worker, does his research, is friends with my brother, and listens to me. I fall back on what my family has taught me.

This is the outcome.

This makes us want more land.

This makes us sit on the porch and drink tea and dream about the next property.

This is perfect for right now.

Lemon balm (for future soap making), Egyptian onions, strawberries (that will fruit next year), mint (for mojitos, teas, and Thai food), basil (for bread and Thai food), Italian parsley (for this- sans thyme & basil), and cilantro (that has been picked clean for herb butter, Thai food, and EVERYTHING else...I put it on everything).

Cukes for pickling, 2nd round of Buttercrisp lettuce (the first was a dud), English Breakfast radishes for Bloody Marys, hot peppers, green bell peppers, and tomatoes!

The infamous cucumbers.

These babies were growing nicely, I was watering them every morning, loving them properly, etc. One morning I came outside to find that something had been chewing, eating, digging in their trough. The next day, something had pooped on them. POOPED.

After discussing it with CTA, we realized that our garden used to be the neighborhood litter box.

Great.

CTA installed a fence.

I recently discovered Sun Tea.

And rediscovered mangoes.

These two combined with my need for instant gratification, I've started to brew it.

Daily.

Mmmm.