Everyday Ramblings and Backyard

Here's some things we've been up to lately.  I took down the dried flowers I had on top of my cabinets and instead put vases of fake pears and lemons.  Much cleaner I think.

My two playing under the desk.  Doesn't Zeke look so big?  He took his first steps today.  He falls a lot, but he looks so pleased with himself.  It is enough to make a mother's heart just melt.  He is 16 months today too.  Gwen is saying funny things and testing her limits a lot.  Sometimes when I ask her something she says, "Hum, let me think" and taps her finger against her temple.  Not very comical to her mother at the time, but... she is clever. 

Zeke fell asleep in his high chair today.  I was so surprised I took a picture.

 It seems like  someone just flicks a switch with the season changes here in Kansas.  Last week it was cold and sweater weather... today it went up to 91 and humid.  So... nothing like the heat to remind you to plant things.  I've gotten a little bit in the ground.  Let me show you around.

 I have cilantro on the left and a pretty plant my friend gave to me and hens and chicks that are struggling.

This used to be a table stand, but the table split when the wind blew it over in a storm... so now it is my basil plant holder.  Like my invention?  I was pretty impressed with myself.  I have three basil plants this year to make pesto and put on pizzas and pasta and things.

One of our neighbors sold us his swingset really cheaply and I'm so happy.  Ben is putting it together out in the backyard right now.  He has worked largely by himself taking it apart and now putting it together again.  It was a real beast to take apart.  Here is the slide.

 I transplanted some of my plants that were in this area.  This had rocks around it and I took those away and have planted some Irish mosses around there and hope it becomes my grassy knoll with a little gnome one day.

 Ben getting ready to put the swingset together.  He is an example to me on persistence.  He just keeps trying until he's got it.

One of our little rock wall planters around our tree in back.  We have coral bells and now hastas that I transplanted... oh, and some lilies.

 One more of Ben and the swingset.  It has four swings and a little tree house area thing.  Can you tell I'm so thankful for it?

Here's another rock wall planter that we've put in just in the last few weeks.  Those dead looking plants are actually allium bulbs that never have bloomed.  :(  Boo hoo.

Now on to the garden for this year.  I am excited to share that I have a wildflower patch this year for cutting flowers.  I put the seeds down and I'm waiting for them to germinate.

 

I bought an asparagus plant this year.  It looks like a puny little thing, but next year maybe we'll have asparagus... which I LOVE by the way.

 

Here are the tomatoes.  Six plants in all.  I think they do so much better in the raised bed than in the ground, so that's where they are.  I bought two of each kind.  Two heirloom kind called "Mr. Stripey" that I am totally excited about.  They are supposed to be yellow with red stripes.  Then in the middle they are called "bush Goliath".  I thought a little Bible in my planter would be good... and then on the right, two early girl plants.  They are supposed to yield fruit in 50 days.  We shall see.

 

I have two cucumber plants in the other planter.  I'm hoping for cucumbers the size of an arm this year.  I might pick up some bell pepper plants too or hot peppers or something.  I'd love to be able to make salsa and pasta sauce.