Spud-Tastic!

Trying to live without using credit can drive one crazy at first. Oops, I spent all my cash well before payday. So, now I'm feeling stuck. It's my own fault -I can't go lots of places, but I have to focus on what I can do. What's worse, though, is that I'm not used to cooking everything. Going into the dinner hour with half a loaf of bread & 5 hungry mouths...
I pulled out the Baby and Toddler Meal Planner book (Annabel Karmel) & just flipped through it. The Lentil & Vegetable Purée caught my eye. Hmm, I have everything but the sweet potatoes in the kitchen. Then I remembered the garden. We'd found one growing in the cupboard & stuck it in the potato patch. It flowered a while ago.. Maybe it's got something for me.

Fantastic! There's a few good sized ones, I could have left the plant growing longer. The potato plants were starting to die off & I found some more spuds under them.

I harvested the whole bounty into my apron and surprised the children. I feel so blessed by this! All these lovely potatoes grew in my yard & I hardly had to do anything but water.

After a quick rinse, MissA peeled, I chopped & into the pot went a handful of sweet potatoes. Fabulous!

Potatoes!!

Just checking: yes, the potatoes are growing! Looks like mounding hay didn't do much for a larger crop. We'll see when the flowers are done, I guess.

Sweet Potatoes?

A few weeks ago, I noticed these funny palmate (pointy, really) leaves in my potato patch. What could they be? Figuring that disturbing my potatoes may bring them harm , I left the strange plant.

During swim time, MissB brought out a sweet potato that I'd apparently forgotten. The eyes have sprouted small pointy leaves. Mystery solved.

A Breath of Sunshine

It's a gorgeous day in California (like usual). The birds are singing, the leaves are whispering in the breeze, the children are donning swimsuits.

I took a few minutes in the garden and found the onions are bolting- It's been a cool, wet spring- I plucked the largest one and will use it for some chicken stew tonight.

The celery is starting to look like it has joints. That should be ready for eating come early June.

The strawberries need mulching! Fantastic juicy strawberries in the dirt (sigh). Making a list for the weekend (mulch, irrigation system, timer).

What in the world did I plant? They're growing well.. Let's see..

Radishes!! T.J.'s gonna love this!

We're trying hay as mulch for the potatoes. Last year, I gave them a go in soil, but it was too heavy and they didn't produce. I'm aiming to peek next month and see how they're doing. I think we have early and mid season. Here's hoping they produce!

The artichokes in the background are for Ben, they've got good deep soil in that pot. And, yeah, I've got some serious weeding to do!!

Have you seen the pretty compost container Ben made? It's one of his first wood projects and worked out nicely here.