Gardeny Goodness

by Tawny

It's no secret that I like to make things. Books, crafts, trouble... (okay, really I don't make trouble. I do tend to find it somehow, though). So I am so excited to have a garden this year. I'm making vegetables!! Or, at least, I am trying to make vegetables.

The first step was the wonderful raised garden bed my husband built for me. Isn't it pretty? I planted lettuce and tomatoes and squash and peppers and herbs and strawberries and so so much more.

I had high hopes. I planned for big, crunchy salads and strawberry shortcake and hot salsa and jars and jars of tomato yumminess. But despite my hopes, my wonderful large garden had a slow start. The plants weren't growing, the leaves were turning yellow. We had an abnormally rainy spring and very little warmth to make their little roots happy. Once my clever husband found the right fertilizer that made these little plants perk up, things started getting interesting. I've had two lovely salads, but that's about the extent of my gardenly goodness so far. I have hopes, though!!

But while I wait for my garden to grow, I was thrilled to see my plum tree overflowing with delicious fruit. Last year, we missed the bulk of the plums because, well... we didn't realize what we had LOL. And by the time we did, the dogs were snacking on fruit off the ground (and boy oh boy did they get tummy aches!) This year we were prepared, though. Some judicious pruning and a careful watch and we were there to harvest bags and bags of plummy goodness. I spent a few hours this week (okay, 4) making plum jam. I have plans to make another big batch, but have to get more jars. I've only done jam a couple times before, but have to say I love the the process!!

So even though I'm still waiting for my salsa and salad, I will be having yummy plum jam on my english muffin. And, better yet, I'll have a dozen or so cute little jars all ready to go for the darling Christmas baskets I'm planning.

So how about you? Are you a gardener? Do you love homemade goodness? Any suggestions on what to do with my multitude of plums? And do you think it's crazy to be planning Christmas gifts in July?