Saturday, July 14, 2012

Patio Garden - Update - Early July



Here's a funny story... I don't know if I posted it last year, but I made a compost bin out of one of those 13 or 18 gallon rubbermaid bins. Yep, I drilled a ton of holes in it, and started to fill it periodically with greens (fruit and vegetable scraps, grass cuttings from my parent's lawn), and browns (leaves, newspapers, cardboard). It worked for the most part. There was definitely a learning curve of how much to add and when. However, I don't get much sunlight on my patio, so the bin never really heated up like it should have. I got some soil out of it by the end, and I put it in my pots and out beyond our patio...

Well, I want to say that I dumped the bin contents in the fall... or early winter. Apparently some of the seeds from the items tossed in the bins fully decomposed, because I have a tomato forest beyond my patio, tomatoes growing out of my blueberry plant, in my star jasmine, and a couple other empty pots AND a strawberry plant in the little black pot! The 2 biggest and strongest of the tomato plants are behind Johnny. They are definitely taller than 6ft tall now! These photos were taken at the beginning of the week. And the plants aren't 6 feet tall because they are extra super awesome - it's from the lack of sunlight on my patio and they are reaching for whatever light they can get. But yeah, they are still awesome. :)

I do have to say my patio garden this year, is almost all by the will to survive. There was no new plants that I grew from seed or bought from the nursery or Home Depot. The story on the gladiola is that was given to me by my father in-law and I had it in this bin in my house for many months, thinking - I'll plant it soon... well it wasn't until it started sprouting inside our apartment - with no water and practically all shade!! So, I stuck him in the ground and look at him go! :D Then there's the little succulent - in the same pot as the strawberries. Johnny and I found him as we were walking back from taking the trash out. He was lying on the sidewalk! I thought, "hmm, I wonder if he will survive if I replant him." Well, it's been about a week, and he's alive still!

The jalapeƱo plant is actually from last years seedling. So, he's still producing! :)

Well, that's all I have to report for now! I should grow something else... maybe cucumbers. However, I don't want to do too much more, cause we'd really like to find a house in the next month or two... If you could keep that in prayer, that'd be great. We are month to month and don't want to pay that much for much longer. Thanks!

So far summer has been great. This past weeks weather has been awesome! We had great, great beach weather on Tuesday, then Thursday's beach weather was SUPER cloudy and cold. We brought sweatshirts and a blanket. :) Later that night, it rained!! Like a lot of rain! When was the last time it rained July? However, because of all the thunderstorms we have super humid weather! I know it's nothing like the midwest or east coast gets, but it's enough. ;-) 

That's all for now. Thanks for listening!

Johnny Boy and the super tall tomato plants, the gladiola, jalapeƱos, strawberry and the little succulent.
7/9/12


Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Happy 4th and 6th of July!

Hope you all had a wonderful 4th of July!
Our 1st - 4th of July was spent at Calvary Chapel Softball's Firework Stand off of Harbor and MacArthur in Santa Ana. The fundraiser was a HUGE success!! We are so happy with all the support that we received from our softball family, KWVE and its listeners, and all the random people that came to our booth!! We had such a great time! I can't wait for it again next year! Seriously, on Friday I was having firework-stand-withdrawals. True Story.


So since we missed the actual 4th of July, we celebrated with the G's and Mary on the 6th. :-)

Happy 6th of July!! Looks like Vader and Ironman were put in time out. HA!

Johnny and Anth looking on, Oooo fireworks!, Ed jumping over the fireworks like Jack Be Nimble, and Marcos and Ed lighting more fireworks.
Ooooo pretty fireworks!
Some of our youngest fans :)

Alumni helping out at the firework stand! You girls are awesome!

The Big Bang sold on July 2nd to this awesome couple from Calvary Chapel!

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Happy Anniversary! and an awesome stache.

On Monday we celebrated our 7th Anniversary! So blessed!! Crazy how time flies! I guess I'm realizing that more and more. Time doesn't move as slow as it did say in college, high school, or elementary school. Especially elementary school - that felt like two life times! ha! Trying to enjoy my time and life as much as I can, while I can - because I don't want to look back saying I wish I did more or spent more time with family and friends.

So we are super practical with our gifts - most of the time. For instances, my vacuum died 2 days before Valentines - and that's what I wanted. :) Poor Marcos got flak from a ton of people, but I reassured them that it was actually what I wanted. 1st anniversary we got a HP black and white laser printer. He is still here with us today. :) Mr. HP LaserJet 1022. etc. etc. So for this year, we got a little Weber BBQ. Smokey Joe. Keeping a super low profile on our patio. So BBQ and our special dinner place and call it two thumbs up. Oh, and a Crayola white board. Love it! :)

However, the thing that truly made our day was 1) Marcos had the day off! and 2) Johnny and his new mustache. HAHA HUH-LLLARRRIIIOUS.

That's all for now.

OH, and I hit a homerun tonight!! :) Doesn't matter what league, division, or type of softball... it still feels good. :)



Just the facts, ma'am.

My studs.

Friday, June 15, 2012

Last Day of School and 2nd Recital

Today is the last day of Pre-K for Johnny! We are so amazed at how quickly he has grown up! 
He just completed his first year at Pacific Conservatory with his 2nd recital! We're so proud of him! 

Here's to summer and many more goofy adventures!

- LO


Johnny's 2nd recital
Pacific Conservatory


Last Day of Pre-K! Holding his beginning of the year photo.


What a silly boy!

Trying on Mickey's R2-D2 hat


My Goofy Boy having fun at Disneyland!



Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Gardening Season is back!

Wow, sorry for such a long gap in postings! Last post was in October about how the growing season was ending...

Blogging is back. Much goes on hiatus during softball season. For those who don't know, I'm an assistant coach for Calvary Chapel's varsity softball team in Santa Ana. And I absolutely love it! We had a fantastic season this year. Continuing our Orange Coast League Undefeated streak to 4 years! The girls are awesome. We are losing 3 seniors this year. :-( We are super proud of them and look forward to seeing what God has for their lives as they continue on with college. :-) If you haven't checked us out yet we are on Facebook, Twitter, and our own website. ALSO! If you buy fireworks for 4th of July, come by our stand at Harbor and MacArthur in Santa Ana. We are doing our first softball firework stand as a fundraiser! Super excited for it. It'll be here before I know it!

 So now that softball is over, I have begun my annual post-softball season apartment cleaning, and blog post! ha! It seems to go that way each year.

On to gardening!! :-D I planted a handful of seeds in my in-laws garden again in May. Hoping to go back to their place and see how my little plants are doing. I have a little Garden Diary that I write down what I planted and when. I try to put in little updates on what was worked/grew or not, often writing suggestions down for next time, or just some random thoughts that I might have. However, one of those most recurring thoughts is - I want a bird. :-) Ha!

Well, that's all for now until more photos are taken of the patio garden.

Ciao Bella,

Lindsey


Potato #5 tag
My adopted garden at my In-Laws
 :: created from a stick that I cut down and a folder label ::
Photo credit: Marcos O'Rourke

Potato Tags and Gloves on a hay bail