Sowing the Seeds of Love

Since the initial preparation and subsequent sowing and planting of our wee garden, the Pint has enjoyed getting his hands dirty and morphing into the Pint-sized gardener we all know and love. Admittedly, most of this has involved him pointing at the various flora and me trying to teach him the names of things, this in concert with vainly attempting to train him not to step on the vegetable beds and/or plants. Because most toddlers don’t know weed from watermelon, I have assumed the role of main cultivator and harvester for all but the most basic of plants and he hangs around before getting bored and heading for his tricycle. We’ve gone on this way for a few months now and all has been as it should in our Pint-sized, partially Pint-maintained garden.

This morning, however, I found the boy feeling horticulturally ambitious. With the rising heat, my desire to stand outside and meet the garden’s increased watering needs with the shower nozzle has vanished. So in order to keep the full-of-vitamin goodness reaching for the sky, I have instead begun using the soaker nozzle, periodically moving it from bed to bed in between laundry loads and Pint entertainments.

To keep the boy happy, I changed him into his bathing suit and sent him out back while I ran in and out, folding laundry and cleaning the kitchen in full view of his exploits. He could play on his climbing set, ride one or all of his various scooters, tricycles, and ride-in cars and/or splash around in the baby pool we set up beside the larger one for those times we cannot join him and keep him safe.

Well, all of a sudden I couldn’t see him. Panicked, I ran outside and instead of what-has-become-more-typical toddler misbehavior, I found this. What a good Pint-Sized Farmer!

Sometimes watering the dirt was more interesting than irrigating the plants.

The sky won out a few times as well.

All in all, he did a darned awesome job watering the garden and raising his Gramma’s pride and admiration of the little guy even though I got watered as well. (I truly don’t need to grow any more; I hope it doesn’t happen again.)

Join me in admiring the boy and the fruits (vegetables) of our fun.

By the way, that yellow pepper? Chile de arbol. I have great plans for it but for now, I’ll keep you guessing as to what they are.

Comments

[Michelle]

See? That is your payoff for living under the broiler. Fresh garden veggies MONTHS before we'll see the like!

[Michelle]

See? That is your payoff for living under the broiler. Fresh garden veggies MONTHS before we'll see the like!

[melanie]

Wow! What nice looking veggies! I am months away from anything, and I've never managed a cauliflower that beautiful. Is the Pint for hire?

[Kathy]

Great produce! I'm just planting ours...I just know there's at least one last frost here that'll kill my tomatoes just like last years July 4 frost!

So, when are you putting up the roadside market? Eggs, veggies...you just need a few bees and jams and you'll be all set!

[Julie]

How do you keep the rabbits out of your garden with a fence like that? I just plugged all the drain holes in our cement block wall with a mesh that will allow the water to come and go but keep the rabbits out. This am woke at 4:30 to a wandering herd of long horn cattle when they were bleating woefully outside our bedroom window. Going to set up our corral and entice them in and shut them up and see who they belong to if they keep this up. ;-))The bull is a big un'.

Julie

[Beth T]

Yep, we have yet to hit the magic planting date of Memorial Day. It's a well-known "fact" (ahem, ahem) that in this part of Michigan it's not safe to set stuff out earlier. Sadly, I lost all but 6 tulips to the April blizzard here. (I'm thinking Yard Bunny may also have had a spring snack at the same time). Sometimes I think I'm a bit "fetched in the head" to live here. Why DO I live here? Oh. Because I'm married to Mr. Pi, a native.