A Little Dirt Won't Hurt

I believe I have previously posted about the Terre Haute Community Garden and my cousin, Judie's involvement in it as a charter member. Well McKinley enjoyed visiting and playing in the garden last year, so this year she again signed up for two fun plots for all of us to use together. We have been so very busy and have only had a chance to visit once when we planted some great veggies and herbs. In the meantime, taking a cue from Family Fun Magazine, McKinley and I set out to make these adorable plant markers/garden stakes. Ours vary slightly from the magazine's, but I think they turned out perfect! Instead of using old caps (because our local recycling places do not accept caps, so we have to throw them away) we used craft foam, milk jugs and flower picks (in place of floral wire...which definitely stands up better to the Indiana elements than the flimsy floral wire as suggested by the mag).

We finally finished enough of the stakes to take a nice bunch of them out to the garden...and how cute they are peeking out, like little colorful bees, from the dark dirt and green plants! McKinley definitely felt a sense of accomplishment and pride in seeing the plants grow and putting our cute little stakes beside them. At the end of our time there today we even discovered a little friend among the beautiful lettuce: a sweet little ladybug (look closely in front of my fingers!). If you know me, you know I love ladybugs and think of them as a little sign from God that my grandparents and my Dad are watching over me from heaven. There's a whole history to this - including the day Cary proposed, the two ladybugs that were resting on our car when we got back in...they were watching! Anyway, today I'm sure that was my Dad. It has been a wonderful time lately...which I will share soon, but it was my sign that he was there, was happy for us and would always watch over whatever we do! Deep for a little ladybug...humor me.

We have a few more stakes to make and a few different plants to get in the ground, but all in all, today was a great learning experience for McKinley --- and fun too! Not to mention the fact that there is a railroad crossing nearby and a train passed while we were toodling in the garden! I have a feeling I'll never have to beg him to go there...

Aside from the Community Garden, together Cary, McKinley and I planted a few things in our own back yard. A few posts down from this one (back in April, I think) we started some seeds together. They quickly sprouted and threatened to take over my kitchen, so out they went! We are eagerly watching a few sunflowers, a couple of watermelon plants and an already vining pumpkin take off for our viewing pleasure. McKinley LOVES to go check on his little plants, where we also placed some of our little bee markers so one wouldn't forget where they were when mowing/weed eating.

Can't wait to see the yummy goodness we reap from this year's garden!

Lynn