Finally, a garden

 

I mentioned a couple months ago that we got a late start on our seedlings this spring. But with hours of work over the past few months, year three of growing our garden is underway!

In May, we bought a small electric rototiller, which did a good job mixing fertilizers into soil for our buckets. I still haven't mastered the learning curve to operate it!

Sam cleaned out the water pipes for the buckets to sit on. 

Then we started filling them with soil.

Evenings were cooler for these jobs. We planted peppers, okra, carrots and tomatillos in the buckets. 

Over in the raised beds, I spent a couple mornings planting tomato seedlings. 

And harvested the first few radishes. 

In early June, I planted a few flowers in pots for Mom Virginia's deck and yard. We have to share with rodents, rabbits and deer, but still have a few blooms to enjoy. 

Cucumbers and green beans took off immediately.

I forgot to take a photo, but this first cucumber grew to 6 or 7 inches before we ate it. Very tasty!

The spinach plants have provided a few small meals. I read that spinach does better in cool weather, so this is a pleasant surprise. It's definitely not cool out here!

Sam's next big project was drip irrigation. 

Where did he learn how to set up this stuff?! I think he's self-taught from the days when he bought his first house (at age 23 and single) and put in landscaping and a couple garden beds.

He's amazing! Once again, evenings after sundown are the best times to work. It's been a record-setting June this year. 

After the automatic system was done, I covered the soil and water tubes with straw. The plants and roots don't appreciate boiling water coming through the pipes!

Things are finally looking good.

Sam also put up shade cloth, which helps cut the heat.

Sam needs shade, too! At the walk-up window at Native Grounds Coffee Stop in Benson. 

A few other updates: a couple weeks ago we finally finished cleaning and detailing the Honda and it sold almost immediately. Goodbye, Honda Fit! We enjoyed knowing you! (Until we had to drive it on our dirt roads.)

Also a few weeks ago, Sam engineered the installation of a swamp cooler in our 5th wheel trailer. We love those things during the hot dry months. 

I had a birthday and Sam brought me beautiful flowers.

He helped me pick out my first real pair of cowboy boots and we went to a steer roping event at Arena Bar! It's a small town where this attire isn't uncommon! Thanks to Faye for the cowgirl shirt. I had fun with it. 

Sam's had several procedures done on his back, and his volunteer drivers always get a free lunch. The ablations seem to be helping his longtime pain.

He drove a bus full of kids to a water park last week and was drafted for further duty making sure the kids didn't drown. I would love to accompany him on these trips, but duty calls, as they say.

I do get in on our weekend visit to May at Benson Donuts (best donuts ever). Lately we park the car and walk a mile or two to get there!

One day we used the newly installed outdoor tables and umbrellas at the coffee shop. So cute.

The other day in Costco Sam (literally and intentionally with his cart) ran into our longtime friend Kate. It was great to hear how she and Phil are doing. 

He was buying supplies for our week's vacation in the White Mountains! We drove up yesterday, stopping to enjoy the scenery and relax.

Salt River Canyon is always beautiful.

And a pullout closer to Show Low on the Apache reservation. 

We also saw a lot of forest fire damage in the hills and along the river valleys.

We made it and we're going to enjoy the forest and cooler weather!

Hurray for vacations!

I sold a painting!

I got a call yesterday from Endeavor Gallery, where I have 3 paintings on display, saying that several tourists came in on their way to Tombstone and one of them bought this painting! A total stranger! 

I am so thankful for the half dozen family members and friends who have been kind enough to also want a painting of mine, but it just feels amazing that someone walked through a gallery and looked at 100+ pieces of art, and chose mine! I never thought it would happen. Endeavor Gallery post

The gallery wants me to bring down a replacement, so I'm taking my barrel cactus. 

On the subject of art, Sam has also gotten creative lately. He took this photograph of dappled light on a folder several weeks ago.

Then he cropped it and added his considerable artistic touch. What do you think? (I think it's pretty cool!)

Sam drove the 8th grade class to a year-end field day at the park a few weeks ago.

 

The kids had a lot of fun. 

On the last day of school, Sam went all out with a new mohawk. Thankfully, my hairdresser Debbie did the hair part. Sam found Benson Bobcat cutouts and white, red and blue spray. I only had to apply the paint. Everyone loved it.

The hair style is catching on! One of Sam's coworkers got a mohawk, along with his two young sons.

Sam continues to win votes for best bus driver. No surprise there!

That evening was the 8th grade "promotion" to high school. This year Sam had eight 8th graders on his bus, so we wanted to be there.

The following evening was high school graduation and Andy's daughter (of our favorite restaurant, Mi Casa) was salutatorian and gave a speech. 

It ended with fireworks, which were great!

We've had a few visitors lately. Ben and Kathy drove down for a few days and it was wonderful to visit and see them in person. 

The best times were a couple of leisurely walks, just like old times when the whole family got together. 

Some things never change. Which is good.

We also had a visit from Wayne and Maxine, friends from the RV resort where we used to live. 

They're special and it was fun to show them our ranch. Maxine left me a few plants; thank you, Maxine!

We have a funny story about Mom. Don't let her know we told you. Oh, wait, she won't remember anyway!

One of her daily snacks, actually the only thing she still makes for herself, is bread and jam. Last week she ran out of jam and went searching the refrigerator for a replacement. 

Sam keeps a few condiments in Ma's fridge that only he eats. Mom pulled out this squeeze bottle of habanero honey mustard. Sam says it is so hot he can't eat much of it. She generously topped her bread with it and began to eat. I came in halfway through and her eyes were watering. I told her she didn't have to eat it all, but she kept going. Her only comment was, don't let any small children get ahold of this stuff!

Needless to say, Sam's hot sauces are now hidden on the bottom shelf, including this one with an appropriately descriptive name!

I hope to show you our garden in a week or so, but meanwhile I've made a few friends lately on my morning walks. 

These two handsome dudes live on a back road without much traffic and were very curious about me.

This jackrabbit let me walk close by him before he bounded off.

The lone deer, on the other hand, was very skittish. We know there are deer around, but we rarely see them, so it's a treat. 

We hear our quail a lot, and often see them as well. This is a scaled quail (Sam's "spirit animal").

I'm sure you can see the resemblance. 

Have a great summer, everyone. I hope to see you again soon.