Sunday, May 25, 2008

Totally Worth a Sunburn

"Once the deck is done..." has been the intro to many conversations in the last few years. I have a zillion and one plans for our yard "once the deck is done."

A vegetable garden has been the one consistent plan I've mentioned over and over again. While visiting my parents last week I admired the new garden dad and Neve planted together, admired and complained about not having my own. I'm sure this was the 13 billionth time my dad has heard talk of my future garden, he stopped me in the midst of my whining and asked why I was waiting for the deck to be done, why didn't I just go ahead and plant the garden. My concern was where to put it, what if I dug up the grass and then decided "once the deck was done" that I had dug in the wrong place. My dad, being the kind man he is, managed to not roll his eyes at me when he suggested that if that ends up being the case we could simply purchase a few strips of sod to cover the bare spot. Duh, why didn't I think of that?

A brilliantly simple solution like the one suggested by my dad was all I needed to hear. Saturday I hit the garden centre, chatted with the pros, dug up a little plot in our yard - my father warned Mike today that it's
"the perfect size to hide a husband" when he came by to check out the finished product - edged it, filled it with the recommended fertilizing soil and compost and sat back to admire my work. Yesterday I earned a hideous sunburn while planting and arranging bird fencing to keep out the rabbits. A pina colada was the celebratory drink when I finally made it to this point:

tiny garden b&w

Of course our home isn't our home without a bit of WHAT THE? so the garden needed a little bit of strange to spice it up. Hence the handsome devil sitting in the middle of the plants.

I dug out the head that has been hiding in the garage for the last four years and stuck it in the middle, we've named him Jeremy (I do have a cousin named Jeremy but the head has no relation to him besides belonging to me). I made him (the head, not my cousin) a few years ago alongside my student when a fabulous art teacher offered to teach her to sculpt during her spare. Please do not judge the teacher's fabulousness based on my sculpting ability (or lack of). He's a wee bit creepy so maybe he'll act as a scarecrow. Don't worry, he has no teeth so he can't eat the veggies.

Jeremy

It's just a tiny garden but it's a start and I'm thrilled with it.

I'll be keeping track of what works and what doesn't here, so yes you can point and laugh or if you're not interested in my veggie tales (veggie tales... get it? insert laugh track here) feel free to skip any posts that you see labeled Jeremy.

I know you're all on the edge of your seats waiting for the big reveal.... I'm growing (or trying to grow) tomatoes, red peppers, green peppers, jalapeno peppers, lettuce and peas.

Our yard has been unbelievably bare up until this point. Now it's beginning to feel cozy and inviting.

backyard

Mike and I ooohed and ahhed over it last night after we rearranged things. It might not look like much but it looks a zillion times better than it did last year. After work today I sprawled out on that swing with a pillow and a book for an hour and a half. Bliss!

9 comments:

tanzi said...

Um, okay, so...how do I put this...I'm supposed to be a good friend...

Jeremy is freaking disturbing. When I looked at the black and white pic, it did, indeed, look like you found the perfect place to bury a man...albeit with his head sticking out.

I think you're supposed to put BUDDHA heads in your garden. Not random clay creepers. No offence, of course. Yay for your artistic endeavours...yadda yadda yaddah

tanzi said...

I took another look at your clay masterpiece and came to the conclusion he kinda looks like Ross Gellar from friends. That's what I'm going to tell myself when I come over sip mojitos in the dark in your back yard. Then I won't have nightmares...

EterKnity said...

Great work in the garden .... Looking forward to munching on lots of fresh veggies :-) Jeremy certainly makes quite an unusual - and wonderful - centerpiece!
MM

Gingham Skies said...

Lol! He does look a little like Ross! Mojitos in the dark with Jeremy huh? I won't even touch that one.

I'm hoping my veggies will be sown in time for the next Fiesta Bridie, that way I can come with a nice fresh salad. ;)

By the way ladies, I intend to grow moss on Jeremy to help him fit into his surroundings... I figure it will give him a more natual, and possibly less creepy, look.

Lois said...

Ummm Jaime....you might want to watch putting the moss on Jeremy...not good for the garden...although the Indians, sorry, aboriginal persons, used moss as a liner for swaddling wraps for the babies. It was/is absorbent. History lesson over. BTW Tanya, aren't you suppose to put the whole Buddah in the garden? I would think it would be politically incorrect to put a head only, there. Although it may give Jaime a head's up, or make her "a-head" of the garden game.
One could get heady with excitement with this topic!
Boy (or girl) can we have fun with this one ladies! hee...hee...hee...
Anyway J, your garden looks great!

Granny said...

I would say that if you don't look after the garden Jaime - heads will roll!! Lois started it :-)

Gingham Skies said...

*Insert LOUD GROAN here* What have I started?

I'm only going to grow the moss on his head, not in the soil, I think it should be okay. Thanks for the heads up mom I'll look into it.

Gingham Skies said...

Argh! Now you've got me going with the 'heads' comments!

Lois said...

Arn't you glad you didn't put hands in the garden?