Garden in Full Bloom,( with a little help from my friends.)

Zucchini, green beans, tomatoes, Bok Choi, green peppers, cucumbers.
I've had a difficult time with the cucumbers this year.  My sister in law said , I am not to plant next to the zucchini. SO , I bought plants instead of seed this time and planted them in 3 different places to see where they will bloom.  Pictures below.

                        When I first started the garden the grand kids were around. Such a fun experience.

   Raspberries...they look nice here, but I don't get a big harvest. Maybe its too hot?                                      
                                                 Do you grow Raspberries??
                                                 How is it going for you???

Some of the harvest, it's SO colorful.

                                               

 I cover the tomatoes with a net to keep birds and critters away.

                                                     

                   If you look closely there is a bee in the flower. Bees are SO important to a garden.

                          On my second and third try.....the cucumbers are finally growing.

             Lettuce took awhile to catch on , they are doing well now. They HATE the heat in So.Cal.

            Basil is really going crazy now. I love Caprese Salad, fresh tomatoes, basil and mozzarella.
                                I make sure to snip off the flower on the basil so it keeps growing tall.    

                          #2 area- I put MORE cucumbers around the yard. Determined to have them grow.

                                                        YAY! I have one pear!!

                                              Who's been eating my grapes!! UGH!!!
             What should I do...??? Any suggestions! I may just put a net over these too!

                                                     My beautiful little helper.

         She makes sure she waters the garden in her cute little scarf dress from her other Nana.

                    Hangin' by the garden. Great lessons in growing for the children.

 My grandson LOVES to help grandma pick the "bad boys' or weeds. He is digging

                                                         the digging!!


Hope you enjoyed the pictorial of my garden and family. Have a wonderful full harvest summer!

Expanding my Organic Garden

Looking back!!!

Seem SO weird this post was made so many years ago!! My garden was just a baby then.

I love this garden now. Will show you the updated. Also take a look at my Instagram. I have posted there a

updated few photos.

                                          Finished product!!! 

This took almost a month to prepare. I am going to share the steps to my expanded

garden.

I used this organic dirt to fill my old garden beds and my new 12' by 4' .

 I needed 10 more organic bags.

                                  

We cut out 12' 4' area in the yard. It sat for a week and the weeds started to come out. I wanted this so I could use the black material over it to help kill the weeds naturally with the hot sun.

I bought this black material from Big Lots for $6. This is a special material that will help kill the 

weeds under it. The sun beat down on this for a week until I put the new dirt on the top. The top soil rests for a few days. (thats just what I like to do , no scientific data on that)

                             In the meantime I started my organic seedlings in organic soil.(carrots,beans,lettuce,cucumbers) I was SO excited to find organic plants at Whole Foods. Not ALL Whole Foods have them.  I found Bok Joi, peppers, Basil, radishes, beets, cucumbers, artichokes and zucchini. Before I knew Whole Foods was selling organic plants I bought 2 tomato plants from Home Depot. I planted some flowers that are a natural bug deterrent. I have ordered asparagus from a catalog. (link below) I don't know a lot about growing asparagus but excited to learn.

I will keep you up with the progress of my garden and post more pictures as it matures.

I have SO much room in my garden now and so excited to fill it up. 

What are you planting in your garden?

Bought my raised bed from: gardeners.com

I also buy seeds and other supplies from: 

www.burpee.com

Home Depot

Big Lots

www.TerritorialSeed.com

www.cooksgarden.com

Spring at the Getty,LA- with the family.

I LOVE the Getty, LA.  They are having a special viewing of " The Women in Blue Reading a Letter" 

This will only be there until the end of March. So ...of course ...I HAD to make it over to the Getty to see this beautiful painting, on loan from Amsterdam.

I studied this when I was in art school and never thought I would see it. I think that is why I was filled with emotion when I got to see it in person. 

 It was smaller than I had imagined, still thrilling.

The light is coming from a window you can't see, but you know is there! I wonder what she is so intent on reading? 

The MOST famous painting at the Getty is the , Irises, by Vincent van Gogh 1889

Ballet Dancer-  Edgar Degas 

Waiting- Edgar Degas, about 1882

The Milliners- Edgar Degas

Young Italian Women at a table- Paul Cezanne , French about 1895

title unknown- La Promenade- Renoir- 1841-1919

Wheatstacks,snow effect, morning- Claude Monet, French Impressionist-1891

The Portal of Rouen Cathedral in the morning light- Claude Monet-1894
" Everything changes, even stone" -Claude Monet

Spring- 1894- Laurence Alma-Tadema  1836-1912

beautiful detail

View of the Grand Canal and the Dogana- Bernardo Bellotto- about 1740

Rembrandt

The BEST part of the trip was being able to spend time with my children and husband. We made a day of it. Church, with my husband and daughter singing " The Prayer", lunch, Getty and dinner. Perfect day!!

Byron and Rachel Talbott

  If you don't want to be a grump...make it to the Getty, LA

The gardens, surrounded by water!

NAMM show 2013

                                   NAMM 2013

My husband and I go to the Namm show every year.  It's great to see all the new instruments, friends, and have a couple of coffees! We walk around and visit the many booths.

 My husband is a sax player and Yamaha sponsors him. SO...our first stop is the Yamaha division.

We visit with a friend from many years ago that now works for Yamaha.  Good times!

 Amazing display of strings!

Woodwinds  and Brass galore!

                         

 My fav display are the Daisy Rock guitars for girls. Such a great way to inspire girls to start playing seriously. These guitars are studio quality.

 Alfred music sent me a free copy of both of these guitar method books. One for the girls and one for the guys.  I am so excited to be teaching beginning guitar to about 30 students. These books have been so helpful.  ALSO love that I get to teach them "Stairway to Heaven"and "Ode to Joy". I got an app for my iPhone so I can tune all of the guitars. I really suggest this to assist in tuning your guitars.

  A WALL of amps....a sneak smile :)

                                   

More percussion instruments than you have EVER seen!

 They had tons of recorders in every color. I loved this one.

Support your local music store when buying instruments, books, and misc music supplies.
 In my area are Sam Ash,Guitar Center, and Baxter Northrup.

Smile and the world smiles with you!
Thanks
Avah