Part 4: our little backyard garden

Our little backyard garden is growing so well! I didn't think it would take off but we have already been able to enjoy some of the lettuce and green beans from it. hopefully my carrots will be done soon so we can enjoy those too. this makes me hopeful that when we move back down to warmer climates I can have a real garden, not just a container one.

So here are some pics from last month:


Right after I got everything transplanted outside and new seeds planted.
Back row is all green beans, middle blue ones are carrots, middle red is lettuce, and front has basil and garlic. and yes that's my giant 7yo chocolate lab Bailey who just had to be in the picture!

first flowers on the beans

and more current ones:

look how much its grown! not a great pic i know and please excuse my very messy porch!!!!

3 types of romaine lettuce. i had my doubts if it was going to transplant well and apparently it just needed to be outside! they are so yummy!!!

these are the carrots i planted outside as seeds. they are as big as my ones that started inside!

can you see all the baby green beans in there too?! the next few warm days should give me enough to use in a meal!

So I don't have any fabulous advice about planting a container garden. Especially because the growing season here is so weird, and because this is the first year I have really been able to grow anything other than pumpkins! I will say that I am glad I did start indoors because its given me some plants that are at various stages of development and so I will have a slightly longer season. The kids have really enjoyed watching them grow. They always let me know when there are beans that are ready to be picked and both kids will eat their salad if I put even just 1 piece of lettuce from the garden in it! Quite honestly the plants just make me happy. I feel accomplished knowing that I can grow food for our family, even if its just this tiny amount for now. Somehow it makes me feel a litle closer to God. Like watching this creation happen before my eyes is one way He is just reminding me thats everything is going to be ok. See how he cares for even the tiny plants?

So what are you growing this year?! Any veggies? Flowers? Tell me! Got any advice to help me make the most of this tiny garden?

Growing in Gods perfect grace

A couple of weeks ago (when the weather was amazingly warm) the kids and I planted some seeds for our garden this year. Since we live in on-post housing we have to do all container gardens. This makes my selection of things to grow a bit smaller but fun anyways. I love watching these tiny plants grow as much as my kids do. And its such an awesome tangible way to show them how awesome God is.

So this year we have planted carrots, lettuce, green beans, sweet basil, oregano, and lavender. I also plan on planting blue potatoes if I can ever get around to going back to Lowes to pick up the starters.

I have been in awe of just how fast they are all coming up!!!!! It has been a reminder to me this past week of just how quickly god can change something in our life. How one tiny seed of an idea, or thought, or emotion, can be so quickly transformed into something useful in His kingdom. How awesome is our God?!

For me, I see God really growing our faith as a family. I see Him really starting to use us for things that have been in the works for months. I am so proud of how our family has changed and grown. I am so proud to say that I know we will be ok.

How is God growing in you this week?