Hello Summer...

...and the longest day of the year!  Now I think I'll just sit back and watch the garden grow.  Oh, if it was really that simple.  Not that I am complaining!  I love working in the garden and getting my hands dirty.  Which reminds me of a little gardening tip that I read today.   If you are a gardener you probably are familiar with "permadirt"  you know, the dirt that won't come off a gardener's hands no matter how long or hard they scrub.  I hate wearing gloves in the garden.  I feel restricted, but the price I pay is dirty hands and fingernails.  I can't help but think of Scarlet O'Hara saying "momma always said you can tell a lady by her hands".  I don't have to worry about what my momma thinks.  She's a gardener too, but according to the tip I read today, if you run your fingernails over a bar of soap before going out to the garden, (get the soap down in your fingernails) it will keep the dirt from getting in there and will wash right off when you come in and suds up!  I think it's definitely worth a try!

I thought I'd share a few pictures of how my garden is growing.  Remember those seeds I started indoors back in March?  To my surprise they have turned into some awesome plants!

Here is one of the tomato plants that I started.  They are doing so much better than the store bought plants that I purchased.  If they produce well I will definitely be starting seeds again next year.

And so far it looks like they are going to produce great!  Here are some cherry tomatoes!  I just can't wait to get my first ripe tomato!

Another plant that I started from seed.  The marigold!  I planted them at the end of some of my rows in the garden.  They are such an easy plant to care for.  I plan on collecting the seeds from the plants themselves this year!

Corn!  After a poor year of corn last year I am really hoping and praying for a bumper crop this year!   Don't ya just love my little wooden signs! 

Tomatoes!!  This year I found some old wire fencing that I used for tying up the plants rather than having to stake each plant.  We still had a lot to stake.  I know where some more wire fencing is and next year I'll use more.  I kinda like the looks of it!

I planted basil in between some of my tomato plants.  It is supposed to repel aphids, mosquitoes and flies!  I have so much basil that is so lush this year I am going to try a pesto recipe, but I'll save that for another post.

We've been picking plenty of cucumbers!  Yummo!

I planted Nasturtium in between my squash plants this year to help repel squash bugs.  Did you know you can eat nasturtium?  Even the flowers?  Haven't tried it yet, but I'm going to. :)

Green Beans!  I noticed this evening that the plants are full of blooms and some of them already have teeny tiny beans on them.  It won't be long!

You can't really see in the pictures, but I always plant a row of Sunflowers on the edge of the garden. 

So far we have been blessed with rain when we need it and everything is looking great!  I've been picking plenty of lettuce for the bunnies too! :)