Ok I started this post about three weeks ago, maybe four. And somehow I didn’t get around to post it, so …

It has taken me almost a decade of being in Florida to get use to the planting cycles. When my natural instinct is to pull out the tomatoes and put in lettuce (maybe) or just be done with the garden, I’m instead planting tomatoes … and herbs and other stuff … just in time for winter – aka our growing season.

I looked at my back yard and the flower boxes this morning and realized they were in terrible shape. We had so much rain for so long that I stopped watering everything and got out of the habit. Well … it hasn’t rained much since the tropical storm and my plants are showing it. I spent the morning cleaning out the boxes – trimming, pulling and just plain getting rid of most of what was there. The cats loved this since the rather large catnip plant had dried out and they got to play in it. All three of them. I created monsters.

But I also looked at the now cleaned out vegetable garden and realized – it is actual the right time to plant stuff! I can try tomatoes and peppers and herbs and … well, whatever I can find and remember to take care of. Bob and I went to Home Depot (because I couldn’t remember if the local nursery has vegetables and if they are open on Sunday) and I stocked up. Four kinds of tomatoes, kale, a variety of herbs and a poblano pepper plant for Bob.  Oh .. and more catnip, but that goes in the boxes. Vague attempt to keep the pets out of my vegetables.

I like it. I bought a bag of new soil and mixed it in with what was left after letting the garden go fallow this year. I made sure to dig down and make plenty of room for roots and I remembered to water. Now I just need the very large, very bright sticky note to remind me to water regularly. I’m super excited at the possibility of going out and picking dinner one night.  Yes, food my food eats, but whatever. I like rabbit food.

Ok – these might be a little hard to see, but Arthas is really such a cute puppy. Yes, he is all black, and that makes getting a good picture hard, but when I get one … such as him trying to lick the silverware in the dishwasher, it is pretty priceless. We also are now full advocates of the food toys – toys that you put kibble in and he has to work to get it out. Rather than downing his breakfast and dinner in thirty seconds, he has his toys down to ten minutes. We found the mushroom and the ball/donut work the best. He seems to like them and I like that he takes longer to eat and has to think. I would love it if I could get Tigger to use one, but he is stuck in his ways and won’t go for it. (I tried)

So the garden … it is growing. The pepper did’t do so well and the rosemary is hanging on at best. But the kale, oregano, thyme and tomatoes are doing great! I’m hoping that soon I will be able to pick my lunch.