Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Garden Fashion, Carpet Mulch, & the Grandsons


I have three 'good' pairs of jeans and I refuse to wear them to the garden. When I looked in my husband's closet, however, I saw stacks (yes, plural!) of old jeans that he's worn on construction jobs, which invariably results in giving them grease, grime, and permanent stains.

With a little help from a Sharpie, I think I've pretty much ensured that he won't be wanting to wear these particular jeans to work again. What do you think? :-)


If I were younger, it could be a little depressing that I can wear my husband's jeans.  As it is, I'm just glad I could find a pair of jeans and successfully liberate them from his closet. Although they're full of mastic stains, the plants won't care. And what I care about is that they don't have holes in the knees. They're perfect!


These crazy things are parsnips. They're volunteers from parsnips that went to seed last fall. I'll have to see if they actually amount to anything under the ground. We love parsnips, so it would be nice if they did.



I can't wait to be picking berries and making strawberry shortcake! I think I'll cover the rows with a netting, for this year I have no desire to share them with the robins.



My carpeted garden. Not everything is in yet, so not all the carpet is laid down between the rows. All the green stuff to the right is another thick row of parsnips. By the way, have you tried using carpet scraps between rows? I really like it, for when I have to kneel down to weed between plants, the carpet is soft on the knees. And it dries quickly after a rain. It makes a very effective 'mulch.'

2010, mid July
in the carpet garden

Summer is short, and we have to make the most of it. Around here, gardening has begun in earnest.

***

Over Memorial Day weekend, our oldest son and the little grandsons were here with us. It is always fun to spend time with them. I have so many Soren-isms (from our 4 year old grandson) I'd like to share with you, but here are just a few, when he went for a walk with Kevin and me.

Upon seeing a butterfly on the driveway:

A buddo-fwy! It is full of buddo and it fwies. I wonder if there's a peanut-buddo-fwy.

***

After we showed him an 'Indian Paintbrush' plant growing in the ditch, we told him we should take it back to the house and see if his daddy knew (remembered) what it was:


My daddy was in the owmie (Army).
But I don't know if he was in the Indian owmie.

***

That kid just keeps me smiling. And I won't even relate the discussion between the boys while we were having lunch at the picnic table.  It was hilarious. I'm sure that if I were a really good grandma, I wouldn't laugh at the 'mean' things they say to each other, but sometimes they just crack me up! And they're very creative, even when they're insulting one another. :-)

***


The following two photos are the four year old and the eight year old, with the photos they specifically wanted posted on my blog:




 This is the 2 year old, who has already learned amazing survival skills.
Remember, he's got two older brothers!
Glenn, fishing in the garden pond while
Grandpa keeps a watchful eye.


***




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33 comments:

Joyce said...

Ahh, boys : )

You have quite the garden! We love parsnips too, but I've never grown them. I love them roasted in the oven with a drizzle of maple syrup-yum. Oh, and cream of parsnip soup is wonderful too!

Paulette said...

Your grandchildren are cuties, how fun that you got to spend the holiday weekend with all of them. Memories and some darn cute photos were made. You have a huge garden, that must be a labor of love with a whole lot of work :)) Hope your parsnips yield you a good harvest, I don't believe I have ever tasted one.

Lois Christensen said...

You have a beautiful garden! I like how you put "Tarp?" down around the plants. Does that help with the weeds? And what is the other stuff around the plants? Love your grandchildren's pictures! And the sayings are very cute! Enjoy your day.

Lisa~A Cottage To Me said...

That's a huge garden. Great idea for the carpet scraps, I bet it helps with the weeds and the knees. Kids do say the darndest things don't they! too funny!

Yenta Mary said...

Oh, I love the line about the peanut butter fwy! That is just entirely too cute!!!

Unknown said...

That's two cute :) You do have a big garden, very nice. Cool garden jeans too. Have a great day!
Hugs,
Eva

MadSnapper said...

love the funny sayings, so sweet and grat idea for the carpet. wish daddy were still alive, he would love that idea, guard those berries from the bad bad robins

MadSnapper said...

forgot to say great idea for gardening jeans and your grands are sooo cute.

Unknown said...

Wow, Judy, you have a garden that rivals most experts... I'm very impressed :) I'd love to fly you down here and help me start one of my own... hope you can figure out how to get all that stuff to grow in the desert :)

Chatty Crone said...

Gosh so many wonderful things you have on here today. I love to see your farm (?)/garden. Hope you get some parsnips. That garden is crazy looking - good crazy looking. What a great idea. Looks neat. Love what you did to the bluejeans - you are my kind of gal. And the family and your little grandsons are adorable. Peanut butter fwys? Hmmm. So sweet. sandie

Deanna said...

Nice garden! All I've managed to plant so far are 7 tomato plants (had 8 but one died immediately). Now that our big music festival is over I can turn my attention to the garden. We have three raised beds so far. Next year I hope to add more.

Eileen H said...

You have a very impressive garden.
Lots of hard work involved, but the results are worth it. I'm sure your husband won't mind you taking his old jeans to work in!

danika k said...

I love the Soren stories! Also, A-Tiller-the-Hun? I'm dying over here, Mom. :) {that's exactly what I was going to name our tiller once we get one! ha! }

Debra Hawkins said...

I LOVE that you sharpied the jeans! Your grand children are so stinkin' cute!

Empty Nester said...

Oh goodness how you make me ready for grands! Such great times- I'm so glad you share them with us! Parsnips! I love them! I never thought about growing them though- I will have to check this out!

Empty Nester said...

OH! The jeans! What a clever idea! I doubt those will be worn by your hubby again. I would be happy to be able to get into a pair of my hubby's jeans- he's way thinner than I. Men. :)

Anonymous said...

Thank you for sharing the great fashion, gardening, and grandkid tips! Hubby and I both chuckled at the conversation with the four year old. Your garden looks nice.

cgammeter said...

I want a garden.... you make home sick, for home! Looks like you've been busy. Your strawberry plant looks awesome, you can, right? I miss canning too.

Heide at ApronHistory said...

We are trying to grow parsnips this year. Perhaps we should have put them in earlier? They sure look easy to grow!

Ruth Kelly said...

Carpeted garden - I love all those wonderful hints and ideas from my blog friends. You have a beautiful garden and grandchildren.

Rachel said...

Adorable pictures!! And I bet you look super cute in the garden jeans. Why no picture?? :)

I so wish I had the talent to keep up a garden. I tend to kill even plastic plants... :(

I think I've missed reading your blog the most! I'm trying to slowly catch up on it!!

:)

~Lavender Dreamer~ said...

Oh, I love 'your' jeans! I'm married to a tall thin hubby so his jeans might fit if I could cut about a foot off the legs! heehee! Looks like you make your work fun! Love that soap!

Terri @ A Creative Princess said...

I love your jeans! How cute!! Aren't grandchildren just the best?! Your photo's were awesome, Judy! Do you have zucchini in that beautiful garden? Zucchini and green tomatoes are two of my favorite things of summer.

Kara at Petals to Picots said...

Love the garden jeans :)

Amy Burzese said...

I have never been able to wear my husbands pants. My butt has always been bigger than his. The garden Is gorgeous and the carpet idea sounds great. That is so cute and please keep them coming.

Carla from The River said...

Boys! They are great! So much fun and you just never know what they will come up with next. :)

Jillian's Bella Rosa Antiques said...

I am admiring your garden! We had high hopes this year but alas, nothing started on the garden yet! Your Grandsons are cute...love the pics they chose.

Life Happens said...

What a great way to recycle your hubby's pants. Your garden is amazing!

And those grandsons are just too adorable.

Amy, a redeemed sheep said...

I love your new jeans! I have a feeling you started a new fashion trend. =)

Judy S. said...

Nice job in staking out a claim on those jeans! Your DD did a good job on the soap website...much easier to find stuff. Nice photos, too; your 8 year old's photos remind me of our son at that age. Our GS's photos also bear a striking resemblence....

Melanie @ bear rabbit bear said...

What an awesome looking garden!

Etcetorize said...

Very interesting idea to put something down between the rows. Your garden looks amazing! I've been very lazy this year and just got my potatoes in yesterday. Let's hope for a very long summer~

Denise said...

Nice garden.

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