Wednesday, May 11, 2011

A Goal Disguised

Ok so yes, I did exactly what I said I wouldn't, and I procrastinated on my second challenge. You all should have known!! The excuse here is, I am pretty sure that the past two weeks has been consumed by work and extracurricular activities. I am also pretty sure my intelligence level has dropped a few points due to the fact that I have so many dates and obligations piling through my brain. (I never said it was a good excuse)

Anyway, I found a subject that has interested me, and I would like to blog about it now. Go me! I am still very excited about my next challenge but it takes quality time and patience, and with everything being a blur right now, I think I will wait a few more days. So for now, you get a blog that is probably uninspiring (ha like the others were) and personal (isn't that what a blog is anyway?).

This blog for me is about a goal, as we all know by now, and fairly recently Chris and I were conversing with our family, and we discussed the ides of a garden. My brother-in-law and sister-in-law were interested in planting a garden and we knew it was in their plan to grow one. Now, in a few simple words, Chris and I kill all plants. I love plants, but we can't keep anything alive, and the two of us together make one heck of an attention problem. I knew that even with every bone in our bodies this goal was out of reach for us. However, competition and our new found like for vegetables, made Chris's optimism take hold. All other yard plans flew out of the window, and one Sunday afternoon we were planting a garden.

After some time at Lowe's and and about an hour in the yard, we had a small garden full of tomato plants, jalapeno plants, a squash plant, a red pepper plant, cucumbers, and onions. (Chris may have thrown in an okra but I am sure I didn't approve that one) Unfortunately my love for growing things was not strong, due to the fact that most plants I own tend to die. I was so proud of our accomplishment. We had planted! At that point, nothing needed to grow because I was happy we, at the very least, attempted.



We decided to make this, and keeping Cooper alive, our number one priority. We have been watering it every day, and had neighbors take care of it while we were away for a week of spring break. I was sure that after our week away our garden was toast, but it kept on growing. I was so happy it was at least alive and flowering! About 4 weeks passed and it was "thriving" but still no veggies. I visited my parents this past weekend and was depressed/excited to see that they had their very own inch of a tomato. Now, my dad planted his in a bucket, in the backyard, as our were carefully placed and planted and HE had a tomato. I was so proud of my dad, but I was distraught at the fact that I (we) had nothing.  We saw Brandie and Kyle's beautiful flourishing garden as well, and I believe what they call gardener's depression sank in. I watered and watered and checked our garden but I found nothing.

After a few days, I was telling my sister-in-law about my growing depression when then I saw it, A SQUASH! I couldn't be more proud. It was like discovering a dollar while wearing your skinny jeans. After the initial astonishment, I took a second look over my garden and saw a pinky toe sized jalapeno! That's right two vegetables! Right then and there I had gardener's high. I am guessing that would be like a runner's high, if I knew what that felt like. Every day I have been checking, and what a difference a day makes. Maybe we aren't such bad gardener's after all. I have to say that without Chris, it may never had happened. He had faith in it, when I wasn't sure I did. Soooo, I guess another goal accomplished. Now, I just need recipes for mini squash and pinky toe sized jalapenos.....Here are some pictures!