Is it possible to garden, raise new puppies, have a life, and be sane too?

Wow! I can't believe that it has been almost four months since my last entry in this gardening blog. The time flies so fast! It has been a very hectic time - we have been trying to get seeds started and plants established before the REALLY HOT weather moves in. It's June, and there have already been many upper 90 degree days since the first of the year. I fear that it's going to be a HOT & STEAMY summer! In addition, we were crazy enough to adopt two puppies, after not having had any pets for many, many years. What were we thinking!! It's like bringing home twin babies - double pleasure, but, also double TROUBLE. All of this activity has been going on, while we are still strying to do the ordinary, normal, everyday tasks of life - working, eating, sleeping, and all the other stuff that fills your day.

The puppies, Rusty and Smoky, are adorable. Not well-trained yet, we are still working on that. They have their own blog: A PUPPY'S LIFE (THE ADVENTURES OF RUSTY AND SMOKY).


As if I didn't already have enough to do, I started a blog for the puppies. I felt compelled to do it, since I have not found many blogs on puppies or dogs. I know I would have probably found one to be helpful and fun. Especially when you have not had a pet for awhile, it helps to know what things to expect. Anyway, that's another project I'm working on. And guess what? The puppies love organic veggies. they have been disciplined more than once for tearing down sweet pea vines, which they then hide in their dog house to chew on. More about them at their blog: A PUPPY'S LIFE (THE ADVENTURES OF RUSTY AND SMOKY).



Getting back to gardening, I can truly understand why some people don't bother, even when they have the space and free time. It takes dedication, hard work, time, and patience to have a garden. (We are finding out that it takes the same requirements to raise puppies.) When you work, have a family, and a busy schedule - that's even more so. Yet, I believe that the benefits outweigh the effort required. So, that's why each year we buy out time to plant a garden. I know for sure that our home-grown tomatoes are tastier and healthier, than those bland-tasting mushy ones in the grocery store that may be from half way around the world. I applaud all the home gardeners of the world, for their devotion, dedication, and determination!!

Oh, and yes, I am making a sincere effort to become regular in my garden blog postings.

(The pictures that follow are of some of our spring bounty, in various stages of growth, that we enjoyed looking at, and of course, EATING - sweet peas, greens, turnips, rutabagas, broccoli, and more.)