Laugh if You Must (Part 1)

In my post-college years, I can recall taking several training course where we explored the different personality types.  Me, with my list making tendencies, clearly leans toward the "Type A" category.  So it should come as no surprise to you that when we began discussing our garden plantings that our list of potential vegetables got a little long.

Then the perfectionist part of me jumps out here and there.  I can almost look out my back window and see the massive garden plantings all in straight, healthy, bug-free, and weed-free rows.  The biggest obstacle to completely believing the vision is that the stronger part of me is a realist.  I know that I may have a piece of paper and badge that says I am a Master Gardener but the truth is I have never planted a garden of any real significance.  My knowledge of the cause of blossom end rot on my tomatoes does not help me from finding it on my tomatoes every time I have tried to grow them (only in containers on the porch because our previous home was in the deep shade).  Let's face it, I'm more of a flower girl.

Yet my husband has a passion for healthy eating and his city upbringing has given him a quaint view of the rural farming life...even if we are only experiencing it in a scaled down version.  His enthusiasm has fueled my own and soon the list required a second piece of paper.


Here was the original plan for the garden ~

     asparagus
     beans
     broccoli
     brussel sprouts
     cantaloupe
     carrots
     cauliflower
     corn - sweet and ornamental
     cucumber
     gourds - small, mixed and bottle
     lettuce - iceberg and romaine
     peas - eaten in pod
     peppers - green, red, and chili
     potatoes
     pumpkins - extra large and medium sizes
     raspberries
     strawberries
     sunflowers - mammoth
     tomatoes - regular, Roma, and cherry/grape
     watermelon

I ran to three different garden stores before I found all I was looking to add to the garden.  Of course when presented with all of the choices at the store I might have added a few extra that we had either forgotten about or just looked fun to try.  I also picked up ~

     cabbage - early and late varieties
     spinach
     peppers - yellow and purple
     sunflowers - an interesting red/white variety that will look great against the barn
     celery
     peas - kind you shell
     Swiss chard - my sister swears by this as an alternative to spinach

Now, for those of you that have planted and tended a large garden before you knew what you were doing, I will pause while you gain control over your laughter...