What a Mess

This morning, I awoke to BEAUTIFUL weather! The nights in Louisiana are turning cooler, so the mornings are very pleasant. I made a quick judgement call, and I sent the kids out the door. Originally, I had a full day of school planned, but since we don't get mornings like this often these days, I decided to postpone school until this afternoon. They were more than happy to head outdoors!

And with the kids outside and the baby asleep, I thought for a moment about getting some much needed housework accomplished, since we are having company in a few nights. But the day was calling me! I just couldn't stay in when the day was so beautiful! So after a quick peek at the sleeping baby, I took off to my garden.

My garden is my favorite place to be when I'm outside. It is one of my great loves, my place of solitude. But as of late, it has been less than inviting. It is nearing the end of the summer growing season, and my plants were showing their age. Many were overgrown and brown. Weeds had grown nearly as big as some of the plants. (OK, maybe I'm exagerating just a bit there.) It was a MESS!

So today, with the weather so favorible and such a nice breeze blowing to keep me cool, I took my scissors and went to work. First, I cut all the overgrowth. Then, when I got to the point of actually seeing my tomato cages again, I was able to cut all the string I had used to hold up my plants. I yanked weeds from their happy homes. And I ripped up all the dead plants that were no longer needed in my garden. What a MESS!

But now, I have most all of my raised beds cleaned out and ready to start refilling with fall veggies. I am already envisioning the salad that will come in just a few short months. And low and behold, as I was cutting down dead tomato plants, I happened upon a few new tomato shoots that had sprouted off the base of my original plants. So I carefully pulled dirt around them, and, if they live, I will soon have more tomatoes this fall. Yes, tomatoes will grow until the frost, if the heat of the summer doesn't kill them. So in addition to my fall lettuce, I may just have some tomatoes to go on my salad!

Not all of my plants have died. I still have 3' tall pepper plants. I have green bell peppers, purple bell peppers, red bell peppers, long sweet peppers, and some other kind that I can't remember. They are going strong, and if I keep them watered, they will make well into the fall. Also, I have perennial plants, like asparagus and onions, that will grow all year, die back in the winter, and start all over again next spring. So I do still have some beauty in my garden, even after cleaning out the mess.

And then, since the baby was still sleeping, I even had a little time to get to my herb garden. I pulled weeds and grass from around all my beautiful herbs, so you can actually tell what they are again. There was only enough time to do about half of the bed, though. The rest will have to wait until another morning.

All in all, today was a great day. My garden isn't the big MESS that it was, and I am looking forward to replanting in a few weeks. It was a GREAT morning!