Ladies and Gentlemen, I present

our first zucchini.


As I posted last time, I like to cook zucchini very simply. I have done zucchini gratins as well as other zucchini dishes, but I wanted the zucchini to shine for our first time eating something grown in our veggie garden.

I cooked it as usual, baked with a sprinkle of salt, pepper, and olive oil. It was delicious. Tender and flavorful, we ate every bite.


I accompanied my meal with a glass of white wine and raised it in honor of Barbara Kingsolver, because let's face it, had I not read her book I wouldn't have started my garden. Thank you, Barbara & co., we owe this dinner to you.

I'm on a roll here!

These delicate, tender pole beans brightened up one very dull Wednesday evening.

The boys were doing their own thing, not particularly wanting their mama around, S was hanging out with a neighbor, and I was wandering around aimlessly until I spotted these babies.

Yayness!

Out came my camera and suddenly, my evening had a purpose.


Zucchini is much beloved in our house.

Both my boys ate prodigious amounts of it as babies, since my mom made it part of her world-famous, baby-recommended Veggie Mix. Also, it's one of the friendliest vegetables to us newbie home cooks, all you need do is slice them up, spray some Pam on a baking sheet, plop down the zucchini circles, sprinkle olive oil, salt and pepper, and in 15 minutes you have delicious vegetables full of flavor that complement a veritable cornucopia of main dishes.

Girls and Squash

My beloved Early Girls keep growing, these two are my first to-be-harvested tomatoes.

I know there are many other types of tomatoes, but as I've stated before, my temperament needs some kind of quick result so I don't abandon the project.

I am definitely planning to grow some heirloom tomatoes next season, though!


Our first squash to start blooming.

I love the saturated yellow color. Marigold is the color of 2009 and a vibrant and rich yellow like the one on my squash is just beautiful.

Honey, we're self-sustaining!!!

Our tiny bean plants were the next to make me screech with joy. Yes, I do screech. Not very ladylike, I admit, but very full of sincerity.

S spotted this tiny beauty and told me about it. I only knew that the number of leaves growing on our raised bed was close to obscuring the view of anything that might be growing, it certainly obscured my view of our tiny beans.

Could it be?

I have to confess.

I had asked S to get me some Early Girl tomatoes. I knew I wanted those, I had done my research. Someone with my anxious temperament needs some kind of early result to keep going.

When he didn't get them I was disappointed, but when I got the OSH flyer advertising another vegetable sale, I drove there and got the only Early Girl plant they had. They really don't have much at my OSH.

Anyway.

On the first day of July I spotted some beautiful little tomatoes growing on that plant. I smiled and took so many pictures that S probably thought I was crazy, so I will spare you my madness and only post one.

And in June, unexpectedly . . .

the plant that renewed my euphoria was our corn. We planted this against our fence, and to be honest, I didn't expect it to produce anything. I mean, corn? I'd never considered growing corn, but S showed up with four plants, so along the fence they went.

One went bye-bye within the first week, but the other three began to grow and grow, until they were the same height as our oldest boy.


And then they were taller than our oldest boy, and taller than me, which is not saying much since I am all of 5 feet tall, but still, it was pretty exciting.

I love hearing the water hit those lustrous, luscious leaves.

Suddenly, I noticed tight little bunches beginning to form. Could sweet corn be in our dining future??

Our fruit trees

We are very lucky in that, when we moved in to this house, there were several fruit trees that have provided us with gorgeous, fresh fruit, for the past few years.

Our plums are plump and juicy - twice we have hosted some of my relatives from Peru and both times we have enjoyed several bowl-fuls of plums. Over there they are called ciruelas, and they are a favorite of adults and kids alike.

Next summer I am planning on some yummy plum jam.


I love lavender - the relaxing scent is one of my favorites, and the pretty color is striking against all the green.

I'm making lavender sachet for Christmas, and want to tie up some lavender in pretty ribbons and place them oh-so-perfectly on a white dish in my bathroom counter.

They would look pretty in little bud vases, too.

Le sigh.


Pearlicious!!! These babies are so sweet and juicy, my youngest eats them by the bowl-ful. It helps that my mother, the Goddess of Nurturing, makes pear dessert for him, but he can eat them raw, too.

They are Asian pears, small, crisp and crunchy, and incredibly sweet.

I can't wait to eat them raw and make a bunch of crisps in the fall! My mother in law wants to can some with me. It will be the first time either of us tries canning, so that will be an adventure, too.


We don't get much out of our citrus tree, but the oranges that we do get are very sweet.

I am sure there are things we could do to make it produce more, but so far, we've been pretty lazy about it.

Next year I plan on learning more about this tree and hope to have it produce some more fruit.

And last, but definitely NOT least . . .


The one everyone is waiting for. We have a list of people waiting for our avocados. No kidding.

When my oldest was about 6 months old, we had our first wave of avvies. He was barely beginning to eat solids, and he loved avocados right away, he would eat a whole one for breakfast every morning.

Two years later we had our second wave and my youngest got in on the action. Our avocados are small, but perfect, creamy and buttery and with a wonderful mild flavor. We make guacamole, avocado sandwiches, and eat them on their own.

This year we can't wait to have them!