Learning a little about gardening

Wow, I realize that it has been a really, really long time since I have posted anything.  I suppose I have a somewhat good excuse between traveling and trying to get the house sorted.  Anyway, as Andrew is supposed to be keeping up our house blog I thought I would post some pictures of my first attempt at gardening.  When we were growing up we always had a vegetable garden.  As there were six kids in our family it was pretty much a necessity.  On the weekends I remember that we all got in the garden and worked together to do whatever was needed.  I also remember that I didn't particularly care for it and did just what was asked of me before scooting off to play with the my friends.  One of those moments when you realize that you wish you had paid more attention to what your parents were trying to teach you!

I am very lucky to have made some great friends here in France.  Dot and Dave have been lifesavers in so many ways and so many times.  They both really enjoy gardening and I am trying to learn as much as possible from them.  As our garden/yard was in such bad shape from over twenty years of neglect it wasn't as if I could just move in and set up a nice and tidy little veggie patch.  I still don't have a spot yet but am getting closer.  I did decide to plant some bulbs in the flower bed last November and was anxiously awaiting to see if anything would come of it.

Then there was nothing left to do but wait for winter to come and go and see if they made it through or not.  Just about the time I was getting ready to go to Kuwait to help Andrew with the shipment the shoots started coming up and then one little bud appeared before I left at the end of March due to an unusual warm trend we had then.

I was convinced that as I was going to be gone for six weeks I would miss all the beautiful flowers that they promised and all the waiting and wondering would go out the window.  But when I got back there were some really nice flowers waiting to greet me.

With the help of my friend, Dot, I also planted some veggies in pots and bags just to get something started.  She gave me some cauliflower, cucumber, yellow squash, five varieties of basil and couple of varieties of tomatoes as well as some morning glories.  I also planted two varieties of potatoes and cilantro/coriander, sage, rosemary, mint and strawberries.  It has been a lot of fun and I have to say now that I can see things popping their heads above the soil and the strawberries starting to form I may just be addicted to gardening.  My sister, Jawana, did warn me that this is how it gets started and next thing you know you have things growing everywhere!

We also planted a few fruit trees and some currant bushes that have started showing promise this Spring.

I am hoping to get a small vegetable patch started in the back corner of the yard but still have so much work to do to make it happen.  Fingers crossed as I really am enjoying gardening and can't wait to actually eat something the was grown right here at Chez Houston!