I love to garden and I know many of you do as well. (The worst part is the weeding, but the mulch this year has helped keep that to a minimum.) There are many things I love about gardening. I love to dig in the dirt, plant the seedlings or seeds, watch them grow, and the best part when you get to harvest. I also love watering. It’s a serene and peaceful time where I just chill, hold the water hose, and spray the ground and plants. It’s a time I can zone out and just listen to the sounds around me and watch the animals play. Walking though the plants gives me a sense of accomplishment as well.

I enjoy helping the plants like the cucumbers find their spot to climb the fence…

And its fun trying to find the little cucumbers so you know where to watch for the harvest…

And see them grow…

It gives you purpose to try to keep the tomatoes contained in their cages…

Along with the tomatillos….

And the pretty flowers on the plants, like the tomatillos, are so pretty to watch come up, as you know there will be a pod or veggie there soon…

The squash plants this year are taking over my space between the tomatoes and I am anxiously waiting a zucchini from those blooms…

The tomatoes will be abundant this year as there are baby green ones all over the place…

And some that are already getting big…

My peppers are a little further behind, but I see some coming in now so I can’t wait for them to use in a stir-fry or salad…

The babies have seemed to enjoy watching from their pen close by my garden…

And the big girls are anxiously awaiting scraps from the garden to be thrown their way…

Oh, what a hopeful time of year for the garden as well as for my waiting pantry and freezer- which are awaiting sliced peppers to freeze for the winter, cans of tomatoes, and combining may of these veggies for salsa (which usually gets canned as well for the winter).

Anyone have any ideas for things to do with cucumbers outside of pickles, tomatoes/cucumber/onion salad, regular salads, or snack item? I am looking to get creative as I have in a few day picked over 10 already and there are triple or more the that are coming in in the vine already. Ideas welcome 🙂