Saturday, September 16, 2017

Garden Surprise

I'm not exactly known for my garden expertise.  I'm happy to say that I don't have a black thumb when it comes to planting, more like gray, with maybe a hit of green from time to time if I'm lucky.  You all saw how my green beans grew here  I caught the culprit in my back yard a few days later.



Doesn't he look comfortable and not a bit contrite?  He moved from the beans to the apple tree and laid down for a rest while I went to get my camera. He and his partner in crime had managed to eat what few apples there were on the gravenstein tree this year. 



Fortunately, the other tree has still produced a nice crop, which I must pick this afternoon before the rains begin tomorrow, our first real rain in over 2 1/2 months.

 I tried growing some sunflowers this year too.  I was inspired by my cousin's lovely sunflower post earlier in the summer.  You can see how that has turned out.



Not exactly standing proudly straight and tall.  I planted them in the place we cut down the evergreen trees last year.  Perhaps they didn't like the soil.  Yet, in spite of that, they still bloomed.  I am amazed by this tiny little sunflower.  I wonder if it will make a seed.

Seems like the only thing I have grown successfully this year is weeds.  I have pulled whole mountains of weeds all summer, even without the rain.


So imagine my complete surprise and delight when I discovered a tomato plant and an unknown vine had popped up in the middle of my geraniums a few weeks ago.  I think the seeds must have been in the mulch from my compost pile.  I decided to just leave them there to see what would happen and....  I actually have some tomatoes! 

 

 
  
But this was the biggest surprise.



 




 Cantaloupe!  Something we don't see on the west side of the mountains. 

Of course with September already almost half gone and rain on the way, I doubt that there will be time for a harvest, but what a fun and unexpected gift.  God always brings joy in such unexpected and special ways. We just need to keep our eyes open. I would call this Eucharisteo.




9 comments:

  1. No rain. I would surely cry. Glad yours is on its way. Our son in northern California lives near the wildfires. My DIL talks of being tired of smelling of smoke.

    Happy your garden has surprised you. You're so adorable talking about it!

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    1. I am excited for rain. The wildfires have left the sky brown with smoke many a time this summer. A good clean rainstorm should clear the air and give all the trees a much needed drink.

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  2. Hi! At least what ate your apples is beautiful to look at and not like the worms here! What a nice surprise to find those unexpected gifts! I posted the recipe to make the instant oatmeal in answer to your comment on my blog. Enjoy! Nancy

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    1. Thank you Nancy. I will stop by and take a look.

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  3. How lovely! I was encouraged by your pictures and how God gave you some surprises! Thank you for posting this!

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  4. There certainly is a lot going on in your garden!

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  5. Some wonderful surprises in your garden. It made me smile to see the beautiful deer, the sunflowers, the lovely apple crop on the tree and the unexpected melons. God is good. So glad that you're expecting some much-needed rain.

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    1. Yes, God is good. I did my happy dance in praise as I listen to the sound of raindrops falling on the deck. Everything already seems so fresh.

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