Gardening Phase 2

We've had so much fun with our backyard garden!  It's definitely been a learning process and somewhat hit or miss as far as what will work and what won't, but we've had fun and, most importantly (for me anyway), been able to enjoy the great outdoors on a fairly regular basis.  The girls have learned how much hard work it is and that a lot of labor comes before you begin seeing results but we have all really enjoyed watching our little garden grow.

Unfortunately we've had some slightly unwelcome guests

(at least in my opinion...)

Remember our kittens from last year?  Same time of year, same story.  We found a litter of 3 in our yard in early June.  Fortunately, this batch vacated on their own and we didn't have to repeat the whole herding cats experience (that you can read about HERE).  Unfortunately, they managed to trample all of the sunflowers as they started coming up and almost completely destroyed the pretty little row of peas we had coming up in front of the tomatoes.  

A few pea plants survived.  One is apparently of the climbing variety (do I sound like I know what I'm talking about?  Don't be fooled....), and has pretty well wrapped itself around the cherry tomato plant behind it.

The morning we left for our summer of travel (more on that later), Maddie went out to water and discovered a handful of peas on the vine.  She was thrilled!  (and also slightly disappointed that we were leaving right when the garden started producing...)  She did snap a few pics with my iPhone...

We've also discovered the fun of embracing the local weeds wildflowers in our garden.

These little white flowery vines started popping up all around the lemon tree in the center of the yard.  Since it was in an area where I didn't really plant much (or maybe I should say where the flower seeds I planted didn't come up), I just let them grow.  

My little gardeners hard at work...

They helped me plant the olive tree beside Naomi and 2 grapevines that (hopefully) will grow up along the trellis.

Then it was time for swimming!

Things are growing, growing, growing...

Zuchini

Ground cover with little pink flowers...

(Gonna have to get more of this- it's so easy and so pretty)

Tomatoes.  Maddie counted about 50-60 tomatoes right before we left.

Our grape tomato vines were growing like crazy.  I'm going to have to figure out a better system for letting them climb if we do those again.  

Below I have them rigged with an unused rake and some rope once they far outgrew the stakes I bought

Oh and then there was this unknown vine that popped up a few weeks ago.  I vaguely remember planting seeds in this spot- no idea what it is though and it was just starting to flower when we left...

Hopefully our house sitters have enjoyed the fruits of our labor this summer while we've been gone!