Veggie Tales.

Howdy blogworld.

Iโ€™m so pleased to be greeting you from way down deep in the heart of Texas.

The last time I was in Houston, my parents and grandparents had just planted a garden. ย I wasn’t all that impressed, really, as it just looked like a bunch of dirt and seemed like a kinda boring hobby to me. ย Over the past few months, Mom has been sending me photos from her cell phone of some of the new growth but the pictures havenโ€™t been of stellar quality so I could not believe it when I saw the garden with my own eyes! ย It still has a way to go but I cannot believe it is already bearing some fruit!

I’m so excited for my parents and grandparents to have this new little garden! My grandparents, who are in their mid to late seventies, tend to the garden every single day. Each time the four of them grow something new they quarter the vegetable and eat it together, even if it’s a tiny little Roma tomato. Iโ€™m also pretty floored. I do not have a green thumb. A few years ago Colin gave me his cactus plant to take care of for a few months and I killed it in record time. Iโ€™ve even been known to starve a variety of bamboo, which, according to Colin, is pretty impressive. And please do not get me started on the rosemary I tried to plant during my cooking craze. ย The death of the rosemary plant was the final straw, not to mention a prophetic foreshadowing signifying the doom of my overall Betty Crocker agenda.

Do you have a garden? ย If so, what kind of fun stuff do you grow? ย If you’re like me and you don’t have a green thumb, what is your latest hobby? My latest hobby is photography. ย I can’t get enough. ย I’m driving my entire family bonkers.

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341 Responses to “Veggie Tales.”

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Comments:

  1. 101
    Keri Jenkins says:

    Love the garden, I kill everything too…..except I have kept my kids alive all these years so I’ll just go with that. And the photography bug has definitely bitten me as well……love it!

    Please tell me your mom doesn’t normally look like that while gardening……does she just wake up looking cute? It’s amazing!!

  2. 102
    Andrea S. says:

    We do have a garden….or perhaps I should say my husband and kids have a garden! I like Melissa cannot grow much. My hubby and the kids planted tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, carrots, lettuce, and pumpkins. I love having the kids go out and pick fresh lettuce for salad at dinner time….it’s pretty awesome and I am very blessed with my little collection of gardners!

    In Him,
    Andrea

    PS: Please say a prayer for me. I have an infected cyst on my shoulder which has been very painful for me this week, and I am going to have surgery to have it removed Friday, if they can get a handle on the infection!

  3. 103

    I also do not have a green thumb.
    My husband and I were given a BEAUTIFUL live Christmas tree this past year in honor of our daughter.
    No lie, I forgot to water the thing when it was sitting in my living room!!!
    My very patient and loving husband took all the decorations off, pulled the tree out of the stand and sawed off another portion of the base in order to save our dear tree!!
    Needless to say, our precious tree began to drink water again and lasted us until the 1st of January!!!

  4. 104
    Jill says:

    Vegetable gardens remind me of my sweet grand parents. There is nothing better than a home grown tomatoes, black eyed peas, squash, corn, cantalope, corn bread, and big pitcher of sweet tea!

    I don’t have enough sun in my city yard for vegetables, but I still grow caladiums, impatiens and ferns. Every time I water my plants, that wonderful smell of water, plants and dirt reminds me of them.

  5. 105
    Teresa says:

    Much like you, I DO NOT have a green thumb. I have been determined and persistant in my attempts to grow things over the last couple of years. It seems this year my consistency has paid off. I planted a flower bed and for the most part all of the little guys haved lived for at least 4 months now!!! I love to relate the life of my plants to my faith. If I only water them when I notice they are dying, they may come back to life or not. If I would nurture and take care of them every day, and not let them get to the wilting stage, they would flourish! Much like our faith. When we intentionally spend time in the word with the Father, we live abundantly! Thanks for sharing the pictures! It is so exciting to see things grow!

  6. 106
    Crystal says:

    We planted our 3rd veggie garden this year – my husband is the master at making sure our plants stay alive ๐Ÿ™‚ It’s so great to go out after work and look at how quickly everything is growing!

    I’m pretty sure we wouldn’t have a garden if it was under my care..I’m pretty hard on plants. My interests are more photography & blogging (hmm..sound familiar? hehe). My poor niece isn’t even a year old and already has gotten tired of the paparazzi ๐Ÿ˜‰

  7. 107
    Kristin Takemoto says:

    Hi there Melissa, what type of camera are you shooting with? I have a Nikon D3000 that I am getting the hang of, I have been braving the manual settings as well but so many times I have a almost black shot in the middle of the day, dang aperture!! I would say messin with that has been my hobby lately. We have beach trip coming up and I hope to get some good shot in while our family is there!! I also want to paint a room at our house….not sure when, but soon.

    The garden looks delicious, my sis in law has a good one like this growing too. I don’t grow ’em, I just eat ’em!

    By the way, I have not had that cappuccino we blog chatted about last time. It has been too dang hot where I live to indulge in such things!! Don’t worry as soon as I do, I will announce it proudly. Enjoy the rest of your time home with your fam!

    • 107.1
      Missy says:

      Kristin,

      I bought a Nikon D5000 a few months ago. I’m still getting the hang of it, too, and really could benefit from taking a class! I took it on vacation last month to the beach, NYC, and Martha’s Vineyard. Took about 500 pics that week! Was sooo fun and most turned out really well! Of course, using the editing feature with my iPhoto helped, too. So… to answer Melissa’s question, photography is my hobby right now. Good luck with your Nikon and have fun! ๐Ÿ™‚

      Missy

      • Kristin Takemoto says:

        Hi Missy,

        I could use a class for sure!! I can’t wait to give it a go at the beach. I am glad to read you had so many great pictures from your vacation! There is hope for us new shutterbugs!

    • 107.2
      Bethany says:

      Kristen,
      I have the Nikon 3000 too. Just bought it this spring and I LOVE it! I am learning to use it. If you get Scott Kelby’s digital photogrphy book volume 1 it will really help you out. Very easy to read and understand.
      Shooting middle of the day when the sun is it’s brightest typically results in not very good pics. Best shots usually come at dawn or dusk. The bad thing though is that you usually need a tripod in order to get clear pics but if you set your camera on a sturdy surface you can some great stuff!
      Have fun with your new hobby!

      Bethany

      • Kristin Takemoto says:

        Bethany!! I can’t wait to look into that book!! Thanks for the recommendation!! A tripod could be next on the list of items to save for. I love this camera too and am so happy we have it. You have fun shooting as well!

        Kristin

  8. 108
    Linda says:

    I too have a garden this year, and praise God, I found that the food pantry do take fresh veggies!!! I always grow way more than two can ever use or give away.

    • 108.1
      KYgirl4Jesus says:

      I didn’t know that! … what an awesome way to bless others in need with your abundance of veggies! ๐Ÿ™‚

    • 108.2
      Sarah says:

      What a great suggestion! Will have to get in touch with our local one to see if they will take them too! Thanks for sharing!

  9. 109
    Rene Thompson says:

    I won a cactus at a church raffle once when I was (throwing out a number here) 10. I really thought that you did not water cactus. When I brought the dead plant to my mother some weeks (months? who clearly remembers 30 year old memories)later, I am sure she was thinking how I was really my father’s child and not hers. That was it for me. My family knows not to give me living plants for presents.

  10. 110
    Cindy says:

    I enjoy scrapbooking which to me is the next logical step after photography. I enjoy growing flowers, hosta and lots of perennials but the deer and rabbits eat any vegetable I plant. Maybe our siesta mama would come over with her snake gun and keep those rascals out of my veggies. I am just blessed with lots of friends who are generous with the bounty from their gardens. Loved your pictures.

  11. 111
    Denise says:

    I am a teacher and we have a garden at our school. We had garden camp this summer. We grow sunflowers, cucumbers, radishes, flowers and herbs. Kids love seeing things grow and tasting food after they wash the dirt off.

  12. 112
    Lynn says:

    I love to garden! Back when we lived on our ranch I had 2 huge vegetable gardens, one in our yard and one down on the river hills (it was hotter there) so I could grow things that wouldn’t grow in the yard. I had herbs, strawberries and raspberries as well. Nothing tastes like veggies fresh from the garden!! Now I grow mostly flowers with a few herbs.

    • 112.1
      Sarah says:

      Yum . . . strawberries. Would love to put in a bed of strawberries, but am a little intimidated by the amount of maintenance they require. Any suggestions?

  13. 113
    Robin says:

    Oh Melissa, I am so like you! I can’t keep even marigolds alive. My sister gave bamboo to every family member before leaving for China and I over/under water mine in record time. Many of my family members have a ‘green thumb’ but I must have missed that gene.

    As far as hobbies go I love to read. Right now I’m having some ‘fun & light’ reads before school starts up in the fall. Getting caught up on some Tracie Peterson novels.

  14. 114
    Beth says:

    I have two hobbies of late…crocheting a number of blankets (that never get finished simply because I use all the yarn and have no motivation to visit Walmart for more) and painting.
    I started painting back in January or so as an escape from SCHOOL! I’m sure you understand a need for that. =D It’s relaxing and tons of fun.
    I don’t have a green thumb either..I’ve killed ivy among other things..but mom said it’s hard to kill ivy. I did a pretty good job of it.

  15. 115

    I grow my herbs in pots on my front steps. Not alot, just the ones I use the most. Basil, oregano and yes, rosemary. I’ve given it a haircut once but its not doing that well. I do NOT have a green thumb… unless its an african violet. Ihave one that sits on my kitchen window sink. I think it does well because I’m always reminded to WATER the thing!

    heidi
    Fayetteville, GA

  16. 116
    T_Marie says:

    We had a lovely garden, but everything we grew was in miniature. Tiny soft-ball-sized watermelons, small corn, little pumpkins, and peas (which were normal sized, but even at that, small). It was so much work, but very rewarding. When we adopted our dog, who was a puppy, we had to let the garden go. So, now we grow flowers, fruits and vegetables in pots out front, so a patio garden. Our biggest achievement is our Mexican lemon tree. We bring it inside for the winter and any major storms. We yielded about 6 lemons last year and they were the most amazing pieces of fruit I’ve ever had in my life. We always let our children plant seeds in pots at the start of any planting season, so they can care for the plant and temper how much water and such. We have used that for many metaphorical lessons related to the Bible. And, sometimes the planted seeds don’t yield anything. Lots to discuss there.

  17. 117
    Lisa says:

    I have camera envy now. Cool pics!

  18. 118
    Rachel in Arizona says:

    I can’t grow things either. In fact, when I even talk to my husband about the idea of planting something he calls me the Dr. Kevorkian of the plant world. ๐Ÿ™‚

    My latest hobby? Job hunting! I know, not really a hobby, but that seems to be all I’ve been doing in my spare time since we moved a few weeks ago.

  19. 119
    Angela says:

    If you love photography you should check out these blogs:
    http://ashleyannphotography.com/blog/
    http://erincobb.com/ThePigBear/

    Enjoy…

  20. 120
    Jani says:

    We HAD a small sweetcorn field until July 4th when baseball and golf ball sized hail fell from the sky instead of fireworks – not to mention the tornado’s we hid from in the basement. Some corn still stands only about a knee high, but we’ll see what comes of what is left. Otherwise the growing season in Colorado is much too short so our other growing attempts have been frugal. I also have a small herb garden outside along with some green onions along with all of my flower beds. That’s my summertime hobby, in the winter I knit baby sweaters to give away to our ever growing baby population amongst church, friends, and family. I just sent one out to our newest niece – a little trivia: My daughter is 24 and the oldest of 24 grandchildren on my husband’s side, baby Ava arrived last month (much to the pleasure of her 3 older brothers – 5, 3, 1) on my son’s birthday and she’s the youngest, the 24th.

  21. 121
    Mary H says:

    Hey Melissa,
    I was raised on a farm and never liked working in the garden as a kid. So I had no plans of having a garden when I grew up. Well, my husband has a green thumb and loves to have a garden. We’ve been married 14 1/2 years and we’ve had a garden at least 10 of them. One year we had so many green beens that I learned how to can and we canned them. We love tomatoes of different varieties, squash, okra, bell peppers, hot peppers and green beans…Kentucky wonder is our favorite. We enjoyed our first ripe tomato this week! My husband does most of the work, but I enjoy going out in the evenings and seeing the progress!

    I love photography, too. I’m just not that creative with it!!! Just got back from Yellowstone and I got some really good pictures!!!

    Have a great time in Houston!
    Best wishes and God Bless,
    Mary

  22. 122
    Yvonne says:

    I love your pictures and the garden! Almost a year ago we bought a home and for the first time have a long enough grow season to actually see the fruit! Every day as I look at the cucumbers that are as long as my pinky finger, I get so excited anticipating the first one that will get to be eaten. We have had tomatoes and squash and peppers. The first fruit, because that is usually what we get at a time, just one happy veggie or fruit, we have a blast giving it to a friend or neighbor. It seems kind of silly to give just one away, but that is what the Lord has blessed us with…a firstfruit, not fruits. Our garden is a small 16 square feet, but the Lord is teaching me much about Himself and His ways as Kylen (my son) and I tend our small garden.

    My gardening friend, who has a couple of acres of produce told me that when she plants, she prays that the Lord would bless and He does. This family is generous with all they have and provided dozens of Fairytale pumpkins for donations as our family was raising money to go to Kenya.

    I haven’t had the privilege of seeing the Lord’s provision in this way, first hand on a regular basis, until now. By the time the tomatoes are on my table, they have been through so many hands that I have missed some of the treasure of offering all I have, in a tangible way, to the Lord, no matter how big or small it is.

    Thanks for sharing your hobby with us. My heart is worshipping the Lord by seeing your pictures!

    • 122.1
      Bethany says:

      Hi my sweet gardening friend! I miss you…..glad to hear that Kylen is learning things about the Lord through your sweet little garden. I will need to head down that way for a visit really soon. Love you!

  23. 123
    Georgia Boone says:

    Great pics of the garden Melissa…..I envy all that fresh food. It always tastes better from the garden!! I gave up gardening when I moved away from home. I had picked worms, potato bugs, rochafer’s (?????) off the raspberry plants til I though I would die…..literally. Snipped strawberry blossoms the first year, (so they bear more fruit the next year)…..acres and acres of them. Back breaking work. Anyway, I either go to a farm market or the grocery store. I don’t can or freeze food either…..seems like we canned or froze everything…..beans, peas, pears, tomatoes, peaches, froze strawberries, raspberries, cherries….made all sorts of jam and jellies….nope, Smucker’s tastes just fine!!! ๐Ÿ™‚

    Have a blessed week,…..
    Bible Bunny in NO MI

  24. 124
    WorthyofLove says:

    Plant Killer here. (It really makes me laugh when people give me plants as going away presents or things like that…kiss this baby goodbye.)

    My current hobby is cleaning our new pool. I can see that the fun will wear off pretty quickly.

    Great Pictures!! Really nice shot of your mom.

  25. 125
    moosemama says:

    I’m thinking you are doing a wonderful job at your new hobby. Love the sunflower with the fly (at least I think it’s a fly!).

    Can’t grow a thing. I’m a plant killer. I don’t mean to be, but I am. If we could post pictures here…well, it would break your heart. No garden. I feel it is best not to subject the poor things to my “care”.

    No hobbies right now. Keeping busy with a LOT of different activities (work, church, family, home). But I have done millions of needlework (mostly needlepoint and cross stitch) projects in my life….just not right now.

    Melana ๐Ÿ™‚

  26. 126
    Karen says:

    LOVE your photos Melissa-really pretty! I have also been bitten by the photobug~ and it is totally addicting! ๐Ÿ˜‰
    We are getting ready to be overrun by tomatoes, peppers and pole beans in our garden- so love this time of year!

  27. 127
    kathy Pink Bicycle Arkansas says:

    Brown thumb here! I have peach trees, apple trees, pear trees and muscadines. I do nothing to them. My peach trees were damaged during the ice storm 1.5 yrs ago and again this week during a very sever t-storm. Tonight as I floated in the pool I looked at my peach tree and decided that some of the broken limbs (ice storm) that were still bearing fruit have after this storm now completley broken off ….. anybody want peaches…I dont’ care for them.

    Hobbies….right now it seems to be home projects…not necessarily by choice…stripping a sun porch….

    Have a wonderful Texas visit

  28. 128
    elaine says:

    I do have a green thumb but not enough real estate to grow vegetables but grow lots of flowers and herbs. In fact, my rosemary is so large I could supply the farmer’s market.

    Also love reading, sewing, cooking and Bible study.

  29. 129
    Amanda says:

    I love gardening! There is something about digging your hands into the dark, rich earth that excites me. Being able to plant a tiny little seed and then watch it grow into something edible. Fascinating! Everytime I am in my garden I marvel at what God has created. How marvelous are His works in all the earth!

  30. 130

    I love to have friends that garden and share! ๐Ÿ™‚ I want to garden well…and in my mind, I can. But on the pavement? Well, not so much.

    I have way too many hobbies on the fire…so lately, I have been trimming back. I am no longer blogging, which has opened HUGE amounts of free time! And I love it. So now, I am looking at the plate of the things that had taken the back burner and bringing them back to the forefront.

    As for your photography? I love that!! You should take the photos and submit them to istock or something. I am working on a dear friend and photographer’s website right now. It is such a feast for the eyes to see the perspective of the photographer and the story they tell.

    Sorry again, I write a book here. Love to you, Melissa! And prayers, too!

  31. 131
    Richelle says:

    I share your pain! No green thumb here. I too killed a cactus in my early married life. I felt guilty for a long time because my mother can grow ANYTHING! We do not have a garden. We try tomatoes every year. We had a little place at the side of our property and my husband finally planted the tomato plants in the front of the house with the other curb appeal. I couldn’t resist telling him “you might be a redneck if you plant your tomato plants in the front of your house with all the other shrubs, etc.” The funny thing is they are beautiful and produce the best tomatoes ever. Oh well. What can I say?

  32. 132
    Kelly Ford says:

    I can tell that you’re into photography! I was just thinking “wow, did they have a professional come take pics of their garden for real?” ๐Ÿ™‚
    My husband grows a garden. He’s the oldest 30 year old i know. he wears overalls and uses a plow. And we live in a subdivision. lol. I think in his heart, he belonged to the 20’s or 30’s. Personally, i’m grateful for all the tomato’s, cucumbers, squash, watermelon, corn, pumpkins and zucchini he grows and I do unleash my country girl when i can tomato’s each year, but thats as far as it goes for me ๐Ÿ™‚

  33. 133
    Suzanne says:

    What a photographer you are!! Loved the beautiful pictures of your parents and grandparent’s garden as well.
    We do have a small garden and we do get such a kick out of checking to see if anything is ready to harvest!! Last year, we had a really wonderfully sweet cantalope for dinner one evening, so I saved the seeds and set them on the back porch to dry. Well, I checked the next morning and the seeds were gone!! So much for planting the seeds to that cantalope. Anyway, a few weeks later as I was watering the flower beds, I noticed something new growing??? Well , wouldn’t you know that those stray seeds had taken up in the flower beds! Kept watching and waiting and finally the thing got out of control, sprouting blooms and eventually had 8 cantalopes ! Yum!
    This year , we are growing yellow squash, okra, habernero and jalapeno peppers, and tomatoes!!
    So glad to hear from you. Hope you and Colin have a wonderful summer! Keep sharing your photos!
    Suzanne

  34. 134
    Monica says:

    My husband bought me an orchid for my birthday. It was one of those “3 ice cubes once a week” orchids that he thought even I could handle.

    There’s one bloom left.

  35. 135
    Hope365 says:

    Hi Melissa!

    Glad you are home in Texas :-). Being a Michigan girl, I have to wonder how you put up with the heat way down yonder. It was 86 today and I felt a little ill. I can take temps way below zero though. Can you? I know this was off topic. ๐Ÿ˜‰
    We are growing tomatoes also. Your parents and grandparents look slightly bigger than ours right now. I am also growing mild yellow peppers. I would like to pickle them. I envision myself opening up that canning jar of mild yellow peppers and adding them to a freshly made Greek Salad. Sound Yummy?

    Love the photos by the way! I like to dabble in photography myself.

    Stacie

  36. 136
    Diana A says:

    Oh the sorrow of not being a gardener of any sort!

    My teenage life began the sorrow of my aunt and uncle going on a 2 week vacation and leaving me in charge of watering their beautiful lush garden, and to weed to boot. To say the sorrow on my aunt’s face when she returned, and to know I alone was the cause-well that pitiful girl has still caused death.

    When I had my first son, people gave me plants which of course where gone in the first week of coming home, others thought if they gave me catus or hardy plants that somehow I would gain wisdom and keep them live – nope. It got so I would beg people do not give me a plant – it is a poor long death for the poor thing. Sure it ain’t got feelings but why be cruel?

    God the Great Gardener did not give me the gift. Nor did I receive His genes with regard to plants. I guess that’s why I know that I belong to the adopted side of the family, the one without the green thumb!

    My hobby of late is enjoying the precious gift of new kitten and all the joys/work of being a good adopted mom to him. lol.

  37. 137
    Patti says:

    Nice pictures Melissa. For several years my passion was my garden and yard. I managed to produce some great tomatoes even in northwest Colorado. The newspaper posted me with my 1# and 1 1/2# tomatoe….sometimes I have to remind my husband..yes!! you can grow a garden here. I’ve been featured as “The Compost Queen” in garden articles and speaker at Christian Women’s Club.
    Those years are behind me. I’ve taken up “yard art” now. Kind of fun, recycling things for landscaping use.
    I’m really seeking God’s will in my life concerning my horses…I will ride again this week, first time in over a year. I have told Him I am willing to part with them if it’s His will.

  38. 138
    MollyDolly says:

    Melissa, I’m so glad I’m not the only one with “fad hobbies”. That said, I’m in a photography phase… where are you learning this trade? Any good sites, books, etc. I can look for?

    My other new hobby is jingle writing… I’m in music school ๐Ÿ™‚
    Your pics look great, it makes me miss my family and rural living!

  39. 139
    Barbara says:

    I have to jump in on telling you about my garden. It’s actually my Dad’s. He had a huge vegetable garden for all of my life and then some. Last year my Dad was really sick with cancer and couldn’t garden. He loved it so much, I put it in for him โ€“ from the rotor-tilling to planting, weeding, watering and harvesting. He always loved to sit and watch it grow, He said that was the way he worshiped God the best. Just to plant a seed and watch the Lord do the rest was always his favorite thing. The last big thing my Dad ever did in his life was to muster the strength to walk to the garden and dig up a hill of potatoes. He told me how he loved digging potatoes. That night he went to bed after dinner (with some of his freshly dug potatoes) and he stayed there until he went to Heaven a few short days later.

    I’ve kept his garden going again this year. It is SO astonishing to see what God does….I totally understand now how it’s an act of worship. You can’t help but stand in awe and wonder when you see a tiny seed become a giant plant with great things to eat on it! The other spiritual lesson I’ve learned from gardening is I now โ€œgetโ€ the principle of tithing the first fruits. I always wondered why God wanted the first of all of the crops, flocks, etc. Last year, whenever the first of each different veggie was ready, the first thing I wanted to do (and did) was to pick it and give it to my Dad to eat. I was compelled to give him the joy of the first of the harvest and eating it. And I wanted him to get the best of each thing. It was just a natural reaction. How much more should be our reaction to want to present everything to our Heavenly Father that He allows us to be a part of.

    I thank my Dad for teaching me how to tend a garden. I hope I get even a measure of the pleasure he got from gardening. So far, so good.

    My veggie line-up this year: 6 varieties of sweet corn, popcorn (my Dad was famous for it), 5 summer squash types, 4 winter squash varieties, 4 types of green beans, 4 of potatoes, 9 different lettuces, 3 spinaches, 30 each of different tomatoes and peppers, onions, leeks, and bok choi all surrounded with an electric fence to keep the animal friends out. If I knew how to post a picture of it, I would.

    I love to worship God while tending my Dad’s garden.

  40. 140
    michelle says:

    Beautiful photos! Plants are afraid of me ๐Ÿ™‚

  41. 141
    Sarah says:

    For all of the other brown thumbs out there, there is hope! I used to kill most things I tried to grow, even when I followed the directions they came with. Several years ago my husband wanted to start a garden and as we worked beside each other I learned how to take care of plants. Now I’m the one who gets giddy in the spring time and starts planning out the garden . . . it’s a great place to see God’s provision and miracles!

    We grow just about everything we can in KS . . . tomatoes, squash, spaghetti squash, zucchini, soybeans (edemame), green beans, okra, corn, onions, garlic, potatoes, pumpkins, watermelon, canteloupe, carrots, sweet potatoes, carrots, cucumbers, broccoli and lettuce.

    What’s become a great blessing is that some of our friends have volunteered to help and we plant enough that we split whatever we harvest. It’s makes the hours of weeding, picking and processing so much more fun!

  42. 142
    Olivia S. says:

    Hi Melissa!!
    I guess my hobby right now would be…reading. I enjoy older books like Little Women, Little Men, and Jo’s Boys. But I also like current ones-lately I have been reading a christian series called “The Sophie Series” about a 6th grade girl who has different challenges like grades, friend problems, and she even has a baby sister with Down Syndrome just like me! (except mines a brother:p)

    Well I guess I’ve given my spill, anyway thanks for sharing. I’ll keep reading!!
    Olivia

  43. 143
    Sheri says:

    Girl let me tell you…I can feel your pain. I am from a good ol’ fashion, garden growin’ country family, but I can’t grow grass…I mean really. My grandparents are very similiar to yours in age and garden. Their garden is so beautiful and I love receiveing gifts of fresh veggies, but I can’t do it myself. In fact I bought on of those no fail (yeah right) tomato hanger upside downer thingy and, yep you guessed it…nothing. The didn’t grow more than an inch or so. I guess girls like us weren’t meant to garden.
    Thanks for the post though, now I don’t feel so bad.
    Sheri
    KC MO

  44. 144
    Bethany says:

    I so aspire to be a gardener with a really good green thumb but God just doesn’t have me there right now. Right now I am a plant killer. I am currently living in an apartment so don’t really have the makings for a good garden but I know one day when God blesses me with a house my green thumb is going to just come out and my garden is going to shine…… (if not we do have a really good farmers market)

  45. 145
    Kelly says:

    We are growing 14 tomato plants, 30 onions, 8 pepper plants, and 6 jalepeno plants. Those are all in the ground and we are trying to grow pumpkins in hay bales. Tried the tomato in the bales but I think I didn’t wait long enough to plant ๐Ÿ™‚

  46. 146
    Kim Jacobson says:

    We finally planted a garden this year. My two boys 12 and 3 are crazy about seeds and take them out of their food and set them on the counter for us to plant. We have started small one and have sunflowers, watermelons, and teddy bear sunflowers. We are up north so our growing season is slow and we don’t see the fruits of our labor yet. We are hopeful that it looks as good as your moms.

  47. 147
    Cindy R. says:

    Hey Melissa,
    I’m not much of a gardener although my husband is. One year we had a circle garden. We planted a sunflower in the middle and then rows of squash, tomatoes, beans, etc from the center out like spokes in a wheel. That was cool. More recently my parents (in their late 60’s early 70’s) have had to down-size due to the economy, and they have planted a garden at their new place outside of town. I am so proud of them and their attitude in this adjustment. It’s fun to hear my mom talk about making zucchini bread and picking the flowers for her kitchen table. It’s been a great thing for them to work on together and have something positive to focus on during a difficult transition. Thanks for sharing!

  48. 148
    leighgray says:

    Hey there – I am not really a green thumber either, but I try with my hubands supervision! But we have tomato, green pepper, okra, and yellow squash. Delicious!!

    But I have a question – I can not for the life of me make my green tomatos friend of course, taste like they used to. I am thinking I am not doing something right anymore and possibly forgetting something that used to be just a given!!!

    Can anyone help me figure out how to get that wonderful friend green tomato taste back? How do you bread and cook yours? thanks!!

    Leigh in Illinois – corn country!

    • 148.1
      Joy says:

      Leigh,

      I think you and I have a lot of FB friends in common (CLT area). I’ve seen you “around” some. ๐Ÿ™‚ Are you a former HGBC-er or something?

      Anyway, I dredge mine in salt-and-peppered flour. Then I dip it in a milk/egg mixture. Then, I dredge it on cornmeal. Then fry it up in some veggie oil. Or, peanut oil may make a difference.

    • 148.2
      Sharon in Frederick,MD says:

      Since nobody in my house eats fried green tomatoes (good movie name, huh?) I don’t make them anymore, but I think mixing cornmeal in with your flour and seasonings is the key, probably bacon grease to fry them in, but who uses bacon grease anymore.

  49. 149

    You’re done with your cooking phase?!? Did I miss that update?

    I never gardened growing up, and like you, I had an unnatural penchant for killing even the most domesticated of plants.

    Then we moved to the country and my husband tilled me a huge vegetable garden and everything grew like gangbusters. Ever since, I’ve been all in.

    So never say never….

  50. 150
    Roberta says:

    I have an awesome hobby that I live for, scrapbooking. I do very little for myself as I have found the best gift to give someone is a gift about themselves. Documented memories cannot be beat. I have made over 50 books that I’ve given as gifts. I hope I’m able to make at least 50 more!

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