Summer Jack-O-Lanterns

This is why we don't carve pumpkins in July:

I asked Gavin if the pumpkin was just sad because there were no trick or treaters coming around, and he said, "No, its just hot and it needs water."

I guess Gavin is getting a little old for the pretend stuff.

Gavins Post

Gavin is going to have a go at writing the blog today. Enjoy:

The leaves were dying, so it was time to pick the pumpkin and the watermelon because they looked ripe. We used a knife because the pumpkin was too hard to cut with scissors.

Today what I want to do with the pumpkin is carve it into a summer jack-o-lantern.

We are going to share the watermelon with our neighbors Mrs. Dailey, Mrs. Smith and our family.

The pumpkin is 10 inches tall and 23 inches around. I wanted it 23 inches tall and 30 inches round, but I am still happy.

The watermelon is 29 inches round and 10 inches tall. I like it that size and it look delicious.

This mornings nonsense

This mornings nonsense included sweet Lily "feeding" Dean some of her yogurt. Really it looked more like she was doing his makeup. Either way they were both laughing their heads off so I had to grab the camera and capture the moment.

I've also gotten a few requests to see what the garden looks like, so here are today's pics after I added a little patriotic decoration to celebrate America's birthday.

I agree with everyone who has been telling me to add some more color, problem being that funds are tight at the moment. I will be heading to a nursery sometime this weekend to find some bright, discounted flowery things. If you can see in the pics my gladiolas are almost gone for the year, and the corn is already half picked and will be ready to be ripped up soon.

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY EVERYONE!

Say What?!!?

I did not win June's Yard-of-the-Month Contest. I really don't understand exactly how. Well, maybe I understand, but I'm a sore loser so... whatever, here are the photos.

This is a pic of the "winning" yard. This is the sign that belongs in front of my yard.
The winning house has a beautiful patch of green grass, and some flowers and flags.
This is my neighbor Susan's house. Gorgeous full flowers, patriotic decor. I think her house is MUCH better than the so-called winner.

But really, I think the sunflowers I've grown I should be at least in the running.

July's judging starts on Monday, so hopefully my neighbor or I will win. There are a total of 4 chances to win, I guess June just wasn't my month.

Yard of the Month Contest

Call me lame, but I really want to win. Here's what I'm talking about:



" Picerne Military Housing and the Fort Bragg Garrison will recognize a Yard-of-the-Month in your neighborhood from June through September... Each Neighborhood Yard-of-the-Month Winner will receive a recognition letter from the Fort Bragg Garrison Commander, a Yard-of-the-Month sign to be displayed in front of the home, recognition in our monthly Picerne newsletter and gift certificates and/or prizes valued at $50! "


" There are four chances to win (one winner a month), one winner per neighborhood (10 neighborhoods on Fort Bragg), and one overall "Yard of Excellence" will be selected each month from the 10 Neighborhood Yard-of-the-Month winners. The overall winner will receive an additional gift/prize valued at $50. "



So, since I really have been working hard on my garden this year, and because I am really competitive, I have added a few "special touches" to my yard. Things like an American Flag, a "United we Stand" sign (from Gavin's room), and I rearranged a few little things.



Here is what the garden looked like today, after I heard about the contest:




The sunflower on the far left is about to hit the roof! Hopefully it flowers soon.
I added a (tiny) American flag, can you find it?

I think one of the reasons I might not win anything is because there aren't a whole lot of flowers, mainly just fruits and vegetables growing. Brandon offered to sabotage potential competitors, but I don't think that would be very fair. Anyway, wish me luck! And any ideas on improving what I've got please comment and let me know!

How Does Your Garden Grow?

One of the things I really want to teach my children is that food does not come from the grocery store. We really want them to understand that food is grown from the Earth and that we must take care of the world so it can take care of us. So we started a garden (mostly) from seeds. As of right now things are really starting to take off. We have already picked and eaten a few green beans, and we have one tomato growing on the vine.

From the left sunflower, bushes, corn, green beans, gladiola, pumpkin. After the sidewalk tomatoes in pots, a coconut tree from gramma Sylvia, California poppies, jalapenos, squash, watermelon, more tomatoes, more sunflowers and cantaloupe.

Our lone tomato. (so far)

Lily standing next to one of our sunflowers. (grown from a seed!)