Welcome to my blog!

 Welcome! Today is the day I give blogging a whirl. I'm so glad you are joining me. I'd like to start by introducing you to my new obsession: my garden. I am, for all purposes, attempting to "greenize" my life in as many ways possible. Logically, a garden with organic soils and growing methods is a good start. I have had gardens in the past (including another one for herbs located in the front of the house in terraces), but none to rival the size of this baby I have going on now in the backyard. Complete with a "pest" fence (a dog keeper-outer) and sprinklers! Whoo hoo, I am on my way to fresh organic veggies!

Since planting in April I have managed to kill a cucumber plant, a bell pepper or two, and there is a good possibility one of the other pepper plants may not make it either. Tragedy, but alas, my swiss chard and fennel rows, japanese eggplant, blueberry bushes, jalapenos, parsnip and broccoli rows, and ohhhh the 3 kinds of squash, are outpacing my daughter in growth which is a hard thing to do since she is herself, a weed. I planted everything according to the seed packet instructions and I now have 9 large mounds with as many as 6 squash plants growing out of each. Anyone for free organic squash this summer?? I'll have it coming out of my nose and ears by then. So speak up now for some free goodies! (Zucchini, cocozelle, and yellow crookneck).

 This is also the case for the tomatoes who need a paragraph dedicated to themselves. They are fantastic! I better learn how to can tomato sauce since I have 6 fast growing bushes already with lovely little yellow flowers all over them. I'm most excited about the crazy looking (and sweet tasting) heirlooms, but the plums, cherries, and others are looking really great too. I read in Jamie Oliver's book that you should grow things like chives, basil, marigolds, and other "smelly" plants around the tomatoes to keep away pests. So far the only pests I have had to deal with are the typical ones... my nemesis, the evil and voraciously hungry garden snail. I have tried everything in the past from tuna cans filled with beer, to copper tape, to an outright cayenne pepper wall. They laughed at me while getting a good buzz off the beer, having a snail orgy on the copper tape, and watching the rain wash the pepper away. I have now resorted to the un-godly expensive eco-kill-all from Ortho called Eco Sense Slug and Snail Killer. So far it has been successful, and I can't complain too much about the price since it is in fact the only thing I have used that really works.

http://www.amazon.com/Scotts-0243110-Ortho-EcoSense-Killer/dp/B001H1GPXM

A few pics of my herbs this spring which grew a tremendous amount since last year! (Sage and thyme shown)

Best cooking and gardening combo book ever: Jamie Oliver's Jamie at Home:

http://www.amazon.com/Jamie-Home-Cook-Your-Good/dp/1401322425/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1277768439&sr=8-1

p.s. I loooove Amazon so you'll see that a lot of my links are from there.

Next time: Composting... ohhh you THOUGHT it was lame, or hard, or both, but just WAIT 'til I show you how unbelievably cool it is! Not to mention the organic soil that I make from my scraps goes into the garden and makes everything Awwwwesome! You will be amazed. I was.

Ciao Chau!