In the Garden: Who Will Win?

They are getting more daring these little squirrels.   

Every year we are in battle:  Us vs. them.  They love our tomatoes.  In the past, because of our abundant tomato garden, we didn't care as much if they were around and stole a tomato, or two, or three! But this year with our scarce fruits- it is on!  First our corn (they ate it all), now the tomatoes.  The plants out back in our garden aren't as easy to keep a watchful eye on, but those on the deck I do.  

It's watching me, I am watching it.

Who will win this time?

Gardening: Outside, Inside

One of the things I love this time of year, is the planting and gathering of our garden goods.  And that is exactly how we've been spending our days, gardening outdoors a bit here and a bit there and then bringing in doors some of that beautiful nature and sprinkling it through out the house.

The herbs I planted last year are coming back beautiful.  I think this year I'll actually be able to dry enough to gift during the holidays.  (To see how I dry them click here.)  The basil though (an annual) I have been watching grow patiently, since I decided to start it from seed.  It is taking its time, soon enough  we'll be enjoying the lovely flavor it gives to our food.

Do you see some Calla Lilies peaking through?  I am super excited about them.  They are one of my favorite flowers.  I had been meaning to plant some for a long time and finally this spring I did!!!  Oh I just cant wait to see how beautiful they look when they bloom!

Aside from planting lettuce in our usual veggie garden out back, we decided to plant some in planters and keep on the deck for easy access.  Well, it is doing great and we've been eating salad galore around here.  Did you know that if you cut the leaves and leave a bit on its trunk, it will continue to grow through out the season?  Indeed it does.  So don't pull that whole thing, out, leave some and you will see how you have lettuce all summer long.

My hydrangea bush is doing amazing once again this year.  It if at it's fullest.  Filled with vibrant ocean blue flowers.  I plan to clip some and use them to decorate a bit during the kids annual b-day celebration, next week.  On the mean time, I have gathered some and placed them indoors.  Aren't they just breath taking?  They make me happy just looking at them.

The kids and I have also been crafting with some of the nature we've brought indoors.  Have you tried using a leaf as a transfer?  Just place the leaf on the bottom of a blank piece of paper, then rub a crayon (laying flat) over the leaf until you see all the beautiful details on the paper.  How about drying out leaves?  Super simple to do.  You can place them in a leaf and flower press like I've done above (I bought mine on clearance several years ago from a local craft shop), or you can place it between the pages of a large book.  The hard part?  Hearing the kids ask over and over, "Mami, is it dry yet?"  No chiquitos, it is not...not for a week or so.

Hope you are enjoying the out doors and sprinkling bits of it indoors.

Friday Favorita: Unexpected

Where I share with you photos new and old.  Photos that inspire me, photos that make me smile or cry, photos that bring out memories, photos that I LOVE!
 
Donde comparto contigo mis fotos favoritas nuevas y viejitas.  Fotografías que me inspiran, me hacen reír o llorar, fotografías que me traen recuerdos, fotos que ¡ME ENCANTAN!

Unexpected

While clipping away the flowering buds from my herbs, and as I grasped them in a bunch, I admired how beautiful the parsley buds looked before they bloomed.  They reminded me of fireworks.  So I gathered them, brought them in, and placed them on my windowsill.  Such beauty in the unexpected. 

If you would like to share some of your favorite photos with me and everyone else to see, you can join my Flickr group FRIDAY FAVORITAS, post your favorite photo on your blog or on your Facebook page and link it to this blog.  I would love to see what you love.

Si tu tambien quieres compartir tus fotos favoritas conmigo y los demás, puedes ser parte de mi grupo Flickr FRIDAY FAVORITAS, compartirlas en tu blog o pagina de Facebook y hacerlas link a este blog.  Me encantaría ver tus fotos.

 

May you find beauty in the unexpected this weekend,

 

Getting Ready :: Preparandonos

It's been just about five years of me saying I will start a veggie garden and for one reason or another I don't. Then a few weeks back, R gets home with seeds in hand. His nice way of saying- stop saying and start doing. Whatever the case maybe, I am happy he did.
:: Ya tengo mucho tiempo diciendo que voy a plantar un jardín de verduras y por alguana razon u otra, no lo he echo. Hace unas cuantas semanas atras R llego a casa con varios paquetitos de semillas (su manera de decir- ya para de pensar y empieza a hacer). Cual sea el caso, estoy contenta de que lo haya echo.

So we took advantage of the few days of perfect weather we had and started preparing for the summer. Little R and A really enjoyed planting seeds in egg cartons. Little R was really excited and took his job seriously. He wanted to see and do all that Papi did. He was great. Little A preferred playing with the soil, climbing the bench, and then climbing back down, and up again. Hijole! (phew)
:: Aprovechamos del los lindos dias calidos que tuvimos para prepararnos para este verano. Mi pequenos R y A disfrutaron mucho plantando las semillas en cajitas de huevos. Mi pequeno R tomo su trabajo muy enserio. El queria ver y hacer todo lo que Papi estaba haciendo. Lo hizo muy bien. Mi linda A prefirio jugar con la tierra, survirse y bajarse de las banca y subirse y bajarse. Hijole!

Here is a picture of some of the seeds we planted. Gotta have the chiles! What Mexican dish goes without them I ask you?!!!! Ninguno! At least not mine.
:: Aqui una foto de las semillas que plantamos. Claro que tengo que plantar chiles! Apoco hay platillo Mexicano sin chile? Ninguno! por lo menos no en mi casa. Ja.

I can't wait for the right time to transfer these to our garden and then see the veggies grow and finally enjoy, enjoy and enjoy. I'll make sure to keep you updated on my first attempt at a veggie garden. I can't wait!
:: Me muero por pasar las semillas al jardin y verlas crecer y por ultimo disfrutar de las verduras. Los tendre al tanto de mi primer intento en el jardin de verduras.