Memorial Day. The day
that we are supposed to stop and give thanks to those that serve and protect
our country, our lives and our families.
I did read several facebook posts and tweets about thanking the brave
men and women that risk their lives to keep us safe, most posts were about the
shore, bbq’s and a day off. A great big
thank you to all past, present and future military! Thank you for protecting us so we can
continue to live footloose and fancy free!
All across the country Memorial is the “unofficial” start to
the summer season. A time when travel is
high, generally to a beach related destination.
Well, this gypsy is not real keen on crowds, so she took the weekend off
from traveling and opted to stay home and prepare the gardens for her family to
enjoy while she is away all summer.
Oooh, did I peak your interest a little? Me being away all summer means one thing…
Lots of adventures to write about! And
many interesting facts for you to read. Well,
they might not all be true facts, but by the time they get to you, in my head
they will be. I have been known to embellish
a story from time to time. But it is
ok. I come from a long line of
embellishers. My grandfather is the greatest
embellisher of them all; he always says, “say it today, believe it tomorrow!”
Now, back to the original thought process; gardens. Summer time is a great time to easily eat
healthy, fresh and local. What could be
more local than your own back yard? If
you are on the ball you can start planning your garden in February and plant
seeds for as cheaply as 99 cents a package and you get a ton of seeds. But if you are busy and just don’t have the
time, toward the middle to end of May you can safely plant outside store bought
plants. I like to plant all organic and
heirloom varieties when at all possible.
That way, I know that they are truly chemical free and unaltered. The organic plants will cost you a little
more, but the harvest is much better.
The tomato plants I purchased were about $5.00 each, which will yield tons
of fruit. In the peak time for tomatoes,
you can buy them for about $2.50 a pound in the store. So, planting your own is really quite cost
effective. The same goes for all veggies
and herbs.
Here is a list of what I planted so far this year:
- 3 types of tomatoes
- Cucumbers
- Zucchini
- Green Beans
vegparadise.com - Potatoes
- Acorn Squash
- Red Bell Peppers
- Poblano Peppers
- Basil
- Parsley (actually came back from last year)
- Oregano
- Chocolate Mint
- Spearmint
- Cilantro
- Lemon Thyme
- Thai Basil
- Rosemary
- Lemon Verbena
- Sage
- Chives
I am looking for suggestions on other veggies or herbs to
plant. What do you suggest? I have a limited amount of space that needs
to be utilized most effectively.
Gardening is also a great activity to get the kids involved
in. It could be a real learning
experience and fun for the whole family.
Just think how rewarding it is to actually eat the fruits of your labor.
A little too much?
In other news this week...
- While digging up the garden I found a GI Joe! Good Luck omen? You might not think so, but I beg to differ.. A little later in the day the ice cream truck stopped by and offered me a treat.
- I am embarking on a vegan challenge with a friend. Wish me luck. I can do without meat, but cheese! Oh cheese! How will I live without you? I will post yummy recipes when I come across them if y'all are interested.
- I am also taking on a fitness challenge this month. Check out http://queenmum-queenmum.blogspot.com/ for some inspirational and slightly intimidating awesomeness.
Thanks for stopping by for the gypsy times report.
This week’s message… Love, Laugh, Grow!
