How Does MY Garden Grow?

Well, my garden has gone from this:

To this:

 

This is my first real attempt at gardening.  I have tried before and put a lot of work into the start, but didn't maintain it very well...I did get some cantaloupes out of that garden, but my dog pretty much turned them into balls and smashed them all over the back yard.  That happened with our pear tree one year too. 

But this year - semi success!!  Things I have learned from this experience:

1)  Spend some time and effort making a good organic pest control spray!  A lot of the veggies had some bug damage!
2)  A garden attracts a lot of birds!  They have perched on the back fence just stalking the produce.
3)  I need to put a bit more into the soil prior to planting and I've read to fertilize about every 4 weeks.
4)  Space the plants according to directions.  Putting them closer doesn't mean you are going to get more veggies because you have more plants.
5)  Put the label right in the front of the row.  I put mine to the side and then couldn't remember if I put the label to the right or the left of the row.

It was still a lot of fun and the kids enjoyed watering it and checking to see if things were growing.  I know I'll turn my thumb green eventually.

This fall I'm going to try again - maybe even have our own small pumpkin patch!

Chihuahua Sleep Over

My brother-in-law's dogs have spent the past two nights with us.  We have a Chihuahua, Mr. Beane and the slumber party friends are Chihuahuas too!  They were also guests for Mr. Beane's birthday party...I had some fun taking pictures of them this morning.

Titus is the guy on top.  I think he is 6 months old.  He's sporting Mr. Beane's too small British rocker shirt.  Mr. Beane is the handsome reddish-brown boy playing with the pink sock...weirdo.  The teenie tiny black one is only 3 months old.  Her name is Nightmare.  She looks much to dainty for a crazy name like that so while she has been here I have been calling her Miss Mary.  She looks pretty fierce in the photo on the bottom left though so maybe Nightmare isn't too far off.  Yeah, she handles herself.  Anyways, they have all had a great time and are worn out napping right now - thank goodness!!

Father's Day

This is a belated Father's Day post because I spent all day making this

and homemade Chicken Parmesan for dinner.  The German Chocolate cake is my husband's favorite, but the icing only turned out so-so for me.  He thought it was delicious so that is all that counts. 

Here's a bit of internet therapy for me, however.  I grew up without my father.  My parents divorced when I was just a year old.  I never really knew him.  He remarried and had two step children and one child with his new wife.  I saw my brother once when he was an infant.  Recently my father made an attempt to contact us.  I was so excited.  Funny, even when you are grown with children of your own you still crave a connection with where you came from.  Well, sad to report, I apparently came from a pretty jerky guy.  We emailed back and forth for a bit.  He told me some basic information from his past, things he enjoyed, that kind of stuff.  Then I asked about my half brother.  His response was rather rude and cold.  He basically said that I should never try to contact my half brother and maybe we should end our correspondence.  I was devastated.  I wrote him a prompt, but scathing, reply about how children don't get to chose their parents or what happens to them as children.  We are just left with the scars that they inflict.  I also informed him that he really missed out knowing me and my sisters.  We were great girls growing up and we are terrific women now.  I told him that this was the end of our correspondence and not to ever allow his guilty conscience to contact me again.  He made the mistakes, not me. 

I did have some pretty terrific male role models growing up.  My grandfather, uncles and my stepdad all showed me different attributes of men that would later guide me to choosing my husband.  I am so grateful for that. 

My husband is a great father, even if he doesn't think so.  He always feels like he doesn't do enough, but he always has their best interests at heart and wants so much for them.  He loves them more than himself.  That is the way it should be.  So here's to Dads, whether they are single dads, stepdads, grandfathers stepping in to take the place of dad - hats off to you guys.  Setting that positive male remodel for your daughters and sons is the greatest accomplishment of your lives! 

Elvis Presley Cake

A lot of recipes that I found for this delicious looking cake contained a WHOLE lot of sugar.  I can see why Elvis packed on some pounds.  I toned it back a bit and Oh.  My.  Goodness.  This cake is awesome!  I can't wait to bake it and take it to work for our next 'potluck' night!

Ingredients:

1 White cake mix (box)
1 - 20 ounce can of crushed pineapple
1 cup sugar
16 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
2 - 3 cups powdered sugar (I used 2)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

Bake cake mix according to directions on package.  Poke holes all over the cake with a fork or butter knife.  Combine pineapple (with juice) and 1 cup sugar in a sauce pan.  Bring to a boil.  Simmer for about 5 minutes.  Spoon pineapple and juice over the cake.  Spread the pineapple out evenly.  In a large mixing bowl, cream together cream cheese and butter.  Slowly add powdered sugar.  Beat until smooth, adding in the vanilla extract.  Frost cake and top with pecans. 

Refrigerate the cake.  Cake is best prepared in the morning and served in the evening or the next day.