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.