Long Overdue Garden Update, Week 10, Humbled Version

Today I received an e-mail with the stats from my blog, something I get weekly. I am *thisclose* to 3,000 visits and have surpassed 5,000 page views. And that isn't counting at least a few of you who subscribe, and my mom who gets updates via e-mail. :>) I think this is post number 81, and while I only have eight or so in my drafts, I have probably at least a dozen for which I have taken pictures, I just need to write the post out. Thank you everyone for joining me on this crazy ride! Yes, I think I will need to have a giveaway soon. I've hesitated in doing another one because, along the lines of having a party and no one showing up, I'd hate to have a giveaway and have no one enter! But, looking at the numbers, that may not be a problem. For those of you more experienced in these matters, do you know of a place to publicize giveaways other than Money Saving Mom's weekly roundup and the once-in-a-while Bloggy giveaway that Laura @ Heavenly Homemakers took over a few months ago?

Anyway. This afternoon, I had the opportunity to finally use a gift card for a massage that I've had for nearly two years. I also got some tips to hopefully help me keep better physical balance (not *literal* balance, though) and perhaps help resolve my insomnia and some of the other issues I've had since Goose was born. I'm already plotting when I can see her again - I have one more gift card to use!

And now, the garden. It's doing quite well, my friends! I decided to do individual pictures, not that you can see much better in them, though you can click to enlarge.

Sunflowers. The one to the back of the picture (in the shade) got snapped in a thunderstorm at least three weeks ago. I thought it would just die but it is proving me wrong! Considering they're volunteer to begin with, perhaps they're extra hardy.

(There is no picture of the peas, because they're doing nothing. I can get them on sale for 88 cents a pound frozen, so it looks like that's what we'll do.)

Carrots. Except for the random completely bare spots in the rows, they're doing well. They probably should have been thinned, but I didn't have the heart to do it. (I know - they're vegetables, not kittens!) I pulled a few tiny ones and put them in some grilled potatoes the other day, just for fun.

Tomatoes. I haven't gotten in there (it's a jungle, as you can see!) but I did notice some green ones earlier this week. I'm hoping they won't be the proverbial "all hat and no cowboy", though - or all plant and no fruit! One of my sweet cousins picked a ripe tomato yesterday - lucky her!

Onions. I really need to plant these more deeply next year. I have followed the directions two years in a row, and half the onion ends up above the soil. I think, for that reason, they likely won't get terribly big.

Peppers - hot and sweet. Not doing great, but I still have hope.

Potatoes. They look good from up here! I've not counted to see how many of the ones I planted actually came up.

Indian corn. Taller than I am and starting to tassel! I'm thinking of trying to sell some on eBay this year, or some such thing. I have a lot from previous years, too. I love the stuff! Also pictured, volunteer potatoes. Lots of them!

Green beans. I told a cousin today to please come over and pick to her heart's content once they're ready! I should have thinned them, too . . . Last year, I vacuum-sealed and froze them. One of my favorite ways to prepare them is to heat them with a bit of water (microwave or stove) and add a packet of Italian dressing mix - just the seasoning. Though as I type this, I'm betting they would be good with a squirt of Italian dressing, too! (See Laura's recipe for a homemade dressing mix. I've had luck just throwing together seasonings that are listed in the ingredients - the stuff I recognize, that is - but don't have a specific recipe myself.)

Last but not least, my gourds. I had a fair number of blossoms, so I'm hopeful for them, too.