Farming in Suburbia

Thursday, May 17, 2007 at 12:00 AM

Each spring I get excited at the prospect of going outside, enjoying the sunshine, playing in the dirt planting and surrounding myself with green and growing plants. One might think, having grown up on a farm, that gardening would come somewhat naturally to me but, unfortunately, I haven’t had much of a green thumb in my past gardening attempts. My poor plants have tended to shrivel up and die in the cruel July sun before they actually produce ANY edible produce. Jeremy has tried to convince me that we’re just not garden people-that it would be wiser, cheaper, and less labor intensive to just rely on the local growers at the farmers market who know how to grow fresh garden vegetables. He’s probably right, but I didn’t plant a garden or flowers last year (with a newborn baby it wasn’t practical invest the time, energy, and funds necessary to maintain a garden), and I really wanted to have a garden this year.

So I spent $50 on flowers, seeds and plants for the garden and outdoor landscaping. I filled in the tree ring around our front maple tree with dianthus, planted petunias in hanging baskets and various annual flowers in a planter. I also started sunflower plants in peat pots which I’ll plant along the fence behind our garden. I planted green beans, peas, mesclun greens, eggplant, watermelon, red peppers, squash, and zucchini in the backyard garden in addition to the onions which came back from previous years. We planted rosemary, basil, cilantro, and oregano in one container planter and hot peppers in another. Hopefully it won’t have been money down the drain. I think the flowers look nice and I am optimistic that the garden will be productive this year.

Outdoor Photos Album

Tuesday, May 1, 2007 at 12:00 AM

Outdoor Photos Album

Lincoln Childrens’ Zoo: Pictures from our visit to the zoo with Grandma and Grandpa Sydik.

Vail Family Reunion: Aidan and I traveled to Colorado from August 11-15 and stayed at a condo just outside Vail, that is shared by several cousins and second cousins on my mom’s side of the family. Unfortunately Jeremy wasn’t able to come with us because he was busy with a summer class and with work projects. It was great to get away, and great to see my relatives, and the beautiful mountain scenery. Thank you Mom and Dad!!

Garden Summer 2007: It would probably be wiser, cheaper, and less labor intensive to just rely on the local growers at the farmers market, but I enjoy surrounding myself with green and growing plants in my garden. I’ve kept a photo record of my garden this summer. Not everything has grown well, but overall the vegetable garden has been fairly productive and I have enjoyed the flowers.

Sunken Gardens and other outdoor photos taken in fall 2006.