Well, here we are. Busy, busy, busy. Harley is pooped out, but having a blast with the kids around. They were driving the big tractor and the golf cart around the yard last night while we put the pool together. Andrew was really dragging today, he's the 12 y/o. We didn't get a chance to get the pool filled so tomorrow afternoon we should be able to get that done. It's raining now, so nothing can be done tonight except charge the golf cart and wait for tomorrow. And rest! Chelsea made dinner last night and it was so good. She made homemade chicken fingers, *I know dad*, she loves to cook and I like to be cooked for~! Works for both of us. Kenny and I never thought we could keep 3 teens busy, but we just laugh as they drive all over the yard with the stuff. Chase really likes the tractor, a lot.

Here are the peppers. If you click on the picture you can see close up and see them all. They are doing really well. So far, the heat hasn't slowed them down.

There they are, all cleaned up. Now, they just need to bloom again and we'll be all set. Feeding tomorrow so blooms should be along right after that.

I took out some of the tomatoes before I cooked them and made salsa. The peppers are from the garden too. The salsa was very good last night when I made it, should really be good today. Will have some later on.

Ok, had so many tomatoes that were ripe and have given away all I could. I figured I'd try my hand at 'cooking them down', whatever that is...... So, yesterday I put found info on the internet and went to it. I think it's been a sucessess, but now I just need to find out if I can freeze this. I think so, but I want to check first.

Ok, ladies. Is this better music?

Ok, well, it worked. The circle is all cut out. Of course, like any kid, his mom and dad did most of the work 'showing him how'. Smart kid. I was over by the garden making more mess than anything else. Fertilizing things, replanting stuff and generally just keeping things up. The little guy from next door (he's 6) was helping me with that. When I finish tomorrow I'll get some pictures.

Tomatoes are slowing down. Apparently it's the weather, who knows. I still have enough to feed an army, but later on tonight or tomorrow I'm going to try some salsa and cook some down for sauces. (Yeah, that ought to be a riot) Kenny says I just like to grow things. He's eating them as fast as he can for me.

Joey did pick some green beans for me and I put them in the soup I made for dinner tonight. That was cool, I didn't realize they were still producing.

Poor Harley worked his butt off too. The neighbor kids have a dog, about the size of a pit, but not a pit, and she comes over to visit too . They chase each other until we think they will fall over from heat exhaustion, then they get going again. Back and forth, her chasing him then next thing they are coming back and he is chasing her. She did find water though. I set out two bowls for them, good sized bowls, but she found the pond. Licking it up wasn't enough either. She decided it would work best if she just dunked her entire head in, so she did. Several times.

Hmmm, no picture this time. I just got back from the post office and Lowe's. Now it's time to go out and get something done. I've made an offer to the neighbor kid to dig the grass out for the pool for $20.00. I'm hoping he will take it. I'm too lazy. I miss having kids around. lol. My list of stuff to do around here gets longer with everything I get done. How does that happen?

Chaise, Chealsea and Andrew will be here next week. I hoping to have the pool set up by then to give them something to do. I'm sure they are ALL expecting me to make them read while their here. ha! Poor kids, who want's their teacher for their babysitter. Torture.

Well, off to get something done. If it's picture worthy I'll post later tonight.

This picture is from the back corner by the planning room.  To the right of this picture is the door to outside, but I skipped it.  

The BEST part is that if you look close at the ceiling you will see there are 4 ceiling fans that keep the air circulating.  

The will be taking these tables out and putting in desks.  I hate these tables, they take up too much room and you always have kids with their backs to you.  

The door in the corner goes to the planning room that four classrooms share.  The other door is to a hallway to the class next door to mine, it also has my storage room and my bathroom off the hallway. 

YES!  I Have my own bathroom, just for me!  

There are four classrooms with the planning in the center and hallways across from one side to the other.

Went over to the school to take a better look at the class so I can plan better.  I thought the best way to remember was to take a picture.  This is one of the original, if not the original, High School in Hernando County.  I guess it's been kept up with and modernized, since this looks great.  

Hmmmm.  Kenny thinks I've lost my mind.  Maybe he's right.  I've lost many things lately.  I was searching through the front closet, then my shed, then the scary shed and about then he asked me what I was looking for.  I told him that I was looking for my yearbooks.  He said 'like from when you were in High School?' and said 'yeah, sorta like'.  Didn't want to tell him I was looking for the MIDDLE SCHOOL yearbooks.  I'm not THAT old.  I know they're around here somewhere.  Well, he had some tomatoes tonight with dinner and said they were great.  

I'm out of Challenger now.  Signed out and off I go.  Now, it's time to plan for next year.  

Here is today's harvest.  This is the second of this size.  The beefsteak aren't producing like the little ones.  They also aren't maturing as well.  

Anyone want a tomato?

Peppers are doing just as well. A few more days and they will be ready.  

I remember always thinking "oh, mom's gonna be home from work in 20 minutes, better get the dishes done".  Well, now I am thinking "Oh Crap! Denise is coming, better clean the roses!"

I have put so much on here tonight that it goes into another page.  Keep going until the date changes.  Have fun.  

OK, here is an experiment.  I found these big tree pots at the tractor show for $5. ea.  I couldn't resist.  I am trying them for a take off on a raised bed.  So far so good, but we'll see later on.

These are cucumbers.  I am going to put some chicken wire in the middle in a cylinder shape for them to climb on.  I'm hoping to grow as much as I can in as little space as possible.  

Here is another experiment.  

In this one I have cantelope and one watermelon.  I know, I know, where are they going to grow?  

Well, I've read that they can fall over the edge, down onto the ground with a tarp under them and do great.  So, we'll see.  The tarp is to keep away the bugs and to make them easy to move if they get too wild.  

I just took one picture, but there are two of these guys just hanging around on the swingset.  18 strawberry plants in all, and although they don't produce fast, they do produce.  

As long as you only need one or two berries for the shortcake you are good for one shortcake every day or two.  :)

The squash are also doing very well.  In the lower left corner is the only zucchini plant I put in.   It's a little smaller since it got a late start.  

The cucumbers are in the back.  There are two double rows that will climb a wire fence as they get taller.  In front are the green bush beans.

This box has the sugar snap peas in the back, peppers and lettuce mixed in closer and the bare spot is lettuce that I just threw the seeds out.  When they get a little bigger I will re-place them.  The two lettuce plants in front here were started in the house.

The corn is really looking good.  Last year it didn't get very strong and the wind took it away.  This is nice and strong.  I think starting it earlier this year and the cooler weather has helped.

Here we go.  This past weekend's pics.  These were taken 4/5/09.  This first box is the one with the tomatoes.  They are doing quite well so far.  Although tonight I found bugs, so I'll have to start that fight now.  

Well, what does every redneck need in their yard?  Yep, two wagon wheels on end for a plant hanger.  Poor Kenny has such trouble with the things I ask him to make me.

Here's a rose that just loves to bloom.  It hasn't stopped putting out blooms since I brought it home about a month ago.  Nice pot, huh mom?

The roses are starting to come alive now.  They bloom more each day.  They are getting a bit out of control though.  Talked to Denise tonight and got the 'how to' on how to trim them back.  (Actually she told me once, I guess I wasn't listening, opps)

Wow, it’s been a long time since I did anything on here.  October.  Well, I guess that because every time I thought I was getting somewhere with the winter garden it would freeze for a night or two and then back up into the 70’s and 80’s.  Drove me nuts.    Anyway, I think I’m safe now for the summer.  It’s VERY hot already during the day, although I think it’s only in the low 80’s.  In the sun it’s hot. 

I’m pretty much growing the same as last year with only a few exceptions.  I’ve got an entire box plus some on the tomatoes.  There are several different kinds and sizes.  Then I’m trying the sweet corn again in the Earth Box, we’ll see.  Then of course, we have the beans and sugar snap peas.  Cucumbers and peppers, lettuce and yellow squash are all in there.  I forgot to plant the zucchini so I only have one plant of that, but that’s ok. 

I didn’t take a picture yet, but I have a huge planter of cantaloupe over by the greenhouse.  The strawberries are doing well, but I didn’t get out to water yesterday so there are a little under the weather and wilty today, so I’ll catch them tomorrow. 

The roses are doing very well, but no blooms yet, so I didn’t take a picture yet.  Soon, very soon.  I have to get them going quick before Denise gets here in June.  She’ll have my head.