Lil's Garden

  "Cease to dwell on days gone by and to brood over past history. Here and now I will do a new thing; this moment it will break from the bud. Can you not perceive it?" Isaiah 43:18, 19 (NEB) I have to admit that I have done my share of brooding about the lack of rain, about the intense heat, about the coronovirus that separates me from my family, about the fires in the west and the hurricanes in the south, about the divisions and unrest in our country. But I am amazed about the resiliency of creation. I cannot perceive it. Just a few weeks ago everything was dead, dying, or struggling to hang on to life. Then we had some rain and cooler temperatures, and this is what happened.     This morning I was greeted by a profusion of purple morning glories on the garden fence, morning glories that I didn't plant...   and a cascade of white morning glories all over the garden gate. These beautiful zinnias planted themselves. They were leftover seeds from the long, hot summer. ...

 I woke up this morning to 59 degrees on the thermometer and 4 inches of rain on the rain gauge. Everyone is happy that the long, hot, dry summer is finally over. I did manage to get the tomato seedlings in the ground before the weather change. They had to endure a bit of wind, but they seem to have fared all right. Maybe we'll have some Novas, Juliets, Sun Golds, Sweet 100s, and Black Cherries in another month or so. I love it when the garden plants itself. I don't think I would have planted zinnias and watermelons together on purpose, but we'll see what happens. The blackeyed peas are blooming again, and there is such a variety of big fat bees and wasps all over them. The deer nibbled on them a bit too, but I think there will be enough to share. I've already put several bags in the freezer. They're tasty. The basil continues to thrive. If you need some basil, don't go to HEB, just stop by and pick some. I try to keep the blooms picked off, so the plants will c...

  Robert and I are breathing a sigh of relief. This week we had 4.49 inches of rain, and the temperature has not ventured over the 100 degree mark for several days. The rain lilies came out in all their glory.   And some others are joining in on the joy. I've planted the last of the sweet potatoes. They're all netted up against the deer. I found another little batch of grasshopper nymphs on one of the leaves this morning. Enough, already. We have enough grasshoppers. The basil is blooming all over the place. I've been trying to snip the blooms off the basil, but I can't keep up. The bees and bugs are loving the blooms, though.    The eggplants are recovering from the heat. These tiny ones are called Fairy Tale Eggplants. I'm not sure how to prepare them. I bet I can find out on the internet somewhere. It even looks like we might have a crop of pecans this year.  In the near future we hope to plant some tomatoes,  and some leafy greens. Now, if onl...