Behind the Fence

This is the view from my kitchen window.

I love looking out on our backyard in the morning when the sun is just

coming up over the mountains. The sun shines through our huge old walnut

tree that provides welcome shade during this long, hot summer.

Behind that white picket fence is our vegetable garden.

There's also an old chicken coop that was here when we bought our lot.

It's barely standing and when it rains the roof leaks but we're going to try to fix it up enough 

so that we can keep it.  A project for when it isn't quite so warm.

We have a compost pile next to the coop.  It makes great compost out of 

leaves, lawn clippings and kitchen scraps.

We put an old Adirondack double chair back there.

I love little spots in the garden to sit and read or dream and plan. 

We've been collecting fallen branches from our big trees to use in our fire pit this fall.

The mister built a couple of boxes this year.  We weren't sure if

there would be enough sun for vegetables since this area is in shade 

until about 11:00.  If they do well, next year he'll build a few more.

He also decided he'd make his own upside down tomato planter.

We've already harvested a few tomatoes from it.

The pumpkins are spreading out.  The grandkids like to pick them

and take them home when they're ready.  And of course they're

great for fall decorations.

Last year I canned 30 pints of green beans.  This year we have lots

of leaves and no blossoms.

Is it the heat?  Is it the shade?

Tomatoes and yellow crookneck squash in this box.

All the planting, weeding and watering is finally paying off.

The harvest has begun.