I’ve always wanted a garden, a great big garden. The trouble is…I’m not much of a gardener. I just wish I was. I wish I was like Sam. Sam was somewhat of a grandfather to me. The only one I really knew. My mother ‘s father passed before I was born, and my father’s father passed when I was four or five. Sam was my “grandfather” from the time I was born. My grandmother would never marry him, “because  you only get married once!” He had an incredible garden every summer. Tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplant, zucchini, squash, peppers, sunflowers. Enormous.

Back to the garden. Here is Sam’s garden. An abundance of fresh vegetables. The fresh tomatoes, sliced, and still hot from the summer sun. Oh how I miss them. Gram’s house always smelled of roasting peppers (or in Rhode Island it sounds more like pep-iz) all summer long. That smell still reminds me of her. I’ve been wanting a garden since we bought the house. I just haven’t gotten around to it and there is the problem of Avery, the dog who pees on EVERYTHING! Seriously, everything!

I had to come up with a both strategic and inexpensive plan. Work with nature…I gathered rocks from around the yard and I built a stone wall. I’m really hoping this keeps Mr. Pee Machine out. I may have to put up some fencing as well, but so far he’s stayed away. I left it like this for a couple weeks just to be sure. I think we’re good.

I got the plants and into the soil they went. Now I just have to make sure I don’t water them too much because I really don’t want nasty moldy veggies. I need to make sure I water them enough or they’ll just die. Hopefully I didn’t plant things too close together. I haven’t a clue what I’m doing. I do know I have to get those tomato cage things.  I’m really excited about this…I’ll keep you posted. I would really like this to work out and build a bigger one next year. Fingers crossed. Wish me luck!

Do you have a green thumb? What do you like to have in your summer garden?