The Garden

This being our second summer in Portland, I'm exceptionally aware that nirvana will end. The rains will come. E is already looking forward to them. I, on the other hand, am trying to suck as many moments out of our yard as humanly possible. We'll be in the attic crafting quite enough this winter....

Fortunately, the kids Love being in the yard. Seemingly above all else :). Thanks to Superman and Grandpapa's back breaking work, we had a fall garden to plant. I know nothing about fall gardens. We don't do fall platings in NYC. Here? There is a twelve month harvesting season. I kid you not.

Come to find out, there is also a large caterpillar, aphid and leaf miner population. All of whom seemingly descended upon our fall babies.

Ugh.

And while Zia absolutely Adores playing in the yard (and is putting fewer and fewer pieces of gravel in her mouth, knock on wood), she Most Adores doing whatever I am doing I the yard. Alas, I did not lay the stepping pavers through the veggies for 8 inch long legs. And I planted seedling all around said pavers. So as her short, fat legs follow mine, her delicious feet lay fallow wide swaths. But it's damn cute watching her try to step big and stay on those stinkin pavers ;). She really does try!

As well as tries to help weed. Alas, she randomly plucks :). It amazes me to watch her mimic. Last week, she squatted right down beside me as I thumbed through the mint, squinting for caterpillars. Every day since? She has squatted beside the mint, muttering a call to the caterpillars, thumbing the leaves, searching for something she doesn't even understand. Babies are so cool :)

Except when they are trying to climb the back fence to get to the neighbor's chickens. Or eating non-edible berries, dropping from the neighbor's tree. Or digging glass out of the dirt. Or digging cat poop out of the sand. Sigh.

P, meanwhile, has been working on an enormous hole. Just perfectly treacherous for a toddler to toddle around :). And feeding the caterpillar for which he and Sophie (neighbor) share custody. And climbing the trees, always Almost dropping onto little toes. And... torturing his little sister.

One could imagine that amidst so much help, I could find it difficult to catch caterpillars and wage war on aphids and water the seedlings. One would be right. Thus, our first foray into the brassica family has been a rocky one. My dreams of canning the excess have been replaced with slim hopes for a few nibbles.

The garden's saving grace has been Aunt Alicia. If we get a single brussels sprout, it will be thanks to her. She often glides out about the time I'm chasing Zia out of the garden with my last ounce of patience and calms the children so that I can finish my rounds. Zia positively lights up for her. And it's a well established fact that Phoenix would prefer her spend the Entire Day with us, Every Day. I share my children's sentiments :)

Hopefully, we'll also have a large bounty to share :). I've just gotta gets some more ladybugs...

Random pics of backyard time. And P, (finally finding a purpose for that huge hole;) burying his time capsule.