Spring Flowers

Isn't this a gorgeous flower?  I bought dahlia's for the first time Friday and have them planted in an old whiskey barrel along with white geraniums, petunias, and some flowering vines.  The dahlia stands out but of course the geraniums have not opened yet.  Hopefully they will not compete with each other but will compliment each other's beauty.

So far, our garden is flourishing.  I pray we get just the right amount of rain at just the right times during this year's growing season.  With the economy the way it is, we are really depending on our garden to stretch our dollars by reducing our food bill each month.  A few months ago, while it was still considered winter around here, I happened to purchase some radishes and was appalled at the price.  They are so easy to grow and one plant will generally produce way more than a family can eat.  It got me thinking about our usual gardening approach. 

In the past, we've grown only tomatoes, peppers, and herbs.  Maybe a few other things but not a large variety.  I started thinking about things that grow easily, like radishes, and decided to look for recipes that utilize these types of vegetables that I usually only use for salads.  One thought led to another and we decided to plant a huge garden this year with a lot of variety.  My son and his wife have been helping and L-rd willing, He will provide both families with plenty of homegrown goodness on our plates this summer.  And to give credit where credit is due - my husband is the main labor-force behind our gardening efforts.  I admire and advise but he mainly does all the work since I work full time.  It's a good partnership and I try to pull my weight by mowing the grass every week.

I hope to post pictures of our garden's yield and will also share recipes using this produce.