With the burst of serious growth in the land around us, I have noticed that in my mumbling of plants I recognize, and constant looking up of those I don’t some little ears have been perking up and cueing in.  These little botanists have picked up more than I can recall sometimes!  We did a little scavenger hunt yesterday after a really ugly and long morning.  (I truly hate those type of mornings, but in the future I am promising myself I will stick my toes in the cold stream a little earlier… perhaps that will cool us all down a bit quicker.)  The boys found and checked off wild columbine, strawberry flowers, st. johns wort, spiderwort, a few types of ferns, and some stray jack in the pulpit fading quick in the warmer weather.  It was quite fun with lots of distractions along the way starting the day again on the right foot again.

A peek through our back yard into the neighbors farm during the hunt, (our CSA purchase for the year too.. in case my efforts in the garden are a little off) and we were filled with wonder of what they are growing.  A lot of their crops are under the sheer white fabric that protects from insects and deer so well, keeping our suspense high.  We wandered over, careful to check for ticks periodically, and peeked under a few of the cylindrical tents to see what we could see.  Sweet peas, corn, brussels, squash, and pretty much everything you can imagine was already giant-sized, putting my little seedlings to shame.  But alas, they are professionals and I will not let that discourage me one bit!  It was quite good timing to get so curious anyhow for my cravings for fresh greens had turned into somewhat of an obsession.  The maple leaves and long blades of grass have even become so appealing they cause me to salivate on dewy warm mornings.  I was beginning to wonder if I had the deficiency causing pregnant women to crave dirt!  But luckily my want stopped at the green stuff, and as even more luck would have it, I got an email that I could pick up my first CSA share!  Oh pounds and pounds of greens were carted home in our little red wagon, and a whole pound between the four of us was devoured!  Seconds were had by even the little ones among us!  It felt wonderful to have a table full of food grown by either us or our neighbors.  Milk and eggs, spinach and mesclun lettuce.  What could be better on a late spring evening… Not much.

As for my own garden, things are coming along!  Though my fear of nothing growing at all still reigns true, I am seeing some serious growth over the last few warm, wet nights.  Carrots have sprouted and are being thinned little bits a time, radishes and second batches of radishes are growing tall, potatoes are popping up and Jerusalem artichokes too, all the lettuce, peas, spinach, and onions are settling in quite nicely; Polka dotting my garden with green slivers that make me impossibly giddy.  My close observation of the soil, (some may say over the top obsessing) waiting for seedlings to emerge has come to an end.  Now the picking off of beetles and weeding will commence.  I placed some of that magical white fabric over the top of my squash in hopes that little yellow striped beetles will stay away… and so far it seems to be working!  I was informed, by the experts across the street, that those beetles really like a new plant, but will stay away from my grown squash a bit more, so not to worry.  Whew.

Have I mentioned how proud I am of this almost complete fence my friendly husband made?  It is a sight to behold and now complete with a gate so the crazy chickens and dog and cats will keep out.

I feel like a true gardener when I take my walk through the mulched path several times a day.  It is a passion we have all gotten involved in and that is my most favorite part!  Anything good growing in your neck of the woods?