Being stuck living with my in-laws is always a total bummer. We have no other place to live so there is no choice in the matter.
It happened a few times before like three years ago when we returned from six months in Mexico totally broke. But after two months we broke free, found a job and got an apartment of our own.
Another time was when we lived in Montreal the first time around, and moved back to Ontario where they lived at the time in order for Marc to donate his kidney to his father. It was brutal then as well. We found jobs working as new home construction laborers and got an apartment. We moved out.
Another time was when we quit our jobs as superintendents for a building. We quit on the spot because of a new manager that was making our lives more miserable than it was at the time. We had to go to my in-laws this time again. An apartment was part of the deal so if you quit you move. We gave two days notice.
This time we mean it when we say it's the last time and I hope I never have to eat my words.
There is one thing that is a little redeeming and that is the fact that they let us dig up a small garden. This is a rental property so we should have asked the landlord but he hasn't said anything.
The warmth took a long time to show this spring. I planted some seeds that I thought would never pop up. I planted some plants that I purchased and I planted a couple of herbs that were given to me by the neighbors next door. The little old Italian lady gave me seeds and some other things. The little old German lady gave me a little bit of stuff. She does a lot of work in her garden and it makes mine look like a joke.
I will take you through anyway because I want to share what makes us really happy.
This is one of two romaine lettuces that I purchased at a garden center. They were fairly small when I got them and now they are huge. I actually cut the leaves off one of them so there is only one left. The German lady says you should cut the whole plant because when it regrows it's bitter. I don't care so I left the center of it. I only wish I had several more. I just can't believe how awesome it is. I paid three dollars for each plant and when I got it home I wondered why I did it. I could just buy it at the store for the same price. Now I see why. It's fresh, it hasn't been sprayed and I can regrow it, I hope, anyway.
Some of these chives were purchased at the garden center. They looked sad for the longest time. The others were ones that I dug up from a ditch in a public area. I have been chopping them down for the last while and they seem to still grow so we're happy. I planted some by seed and they didn't show at all.
I bought four small cabbage plants that seem to be growing quite well but I questioned why I did that. A cabbage makes one cabbage and it will take until the end of summer before it's ready. so I will end up with four cabbages after all that.
This kale had us very worried for a long time. I grew it from seed and it was at a standstill because of the weather. When it finally popped up it was slow growing. We were sure it was a royal fail. What was the most heartbreaking was that the flea beetles started to feast on it. The kale is one of the most important items in the garden for me.
Last week I realized that the kale was quite a bit bigger. I decided to try some in a salad. I didn't care about the holes from the beetles.
I was so thrilled to discover the best kale I have ever had in my life. It was tender and tasty. I realize there is enough for us and the beetles as well. My mother in-law offered to spray it with Raid. She sprays Raid when a fly gets in the door. It makes me crazy.
My leaf lettuce was grown from seed. It has taken very long to look like anything. We didn't think it was going to make it. I still wonder if it will ever get to be big enough to cut from.
The cucumbers were purchased from the garden center. They were quite small. At the beginning they started getting brown around the edges and they looked sad. The German lady said we are over watering so we stopped watering more than once a day. Marc has a joke that she's trying to sabotage our garden so hers will remain the best in the area. I don't believe she would do that. I just think she cares. The cucumbers just lately are starting to have flowers.
I was amazed to see that there was the tiniest little new born cucumber the other day. What an uplifting sight.
I worry that the soil is not good for these plants. The German lady makes fun of our soil saying that it's clay. We did fertilize one time but we don't know what to do anymore.
These beans are a variety that I planted from seed that the old Italian lady gave me. She and the German lady share the yard but the German lady does pretty much all of the work. The Italian lady takes care of her mentally handicapped daughter who is already around sixty. The two ladies are both in their late seventies or early eighties and are very active,
There are several types of beans that I planted randomly. I really was certain they would never come up. One day they started one by one.
One of the best things the Italian lady gave me were the basil seeds. I love basil so much. I didn't believe they would come up and after they did, they stayed the same tiny size for so long. Now they look like basil. The lady recently dug up one of her basil which are bigger and she gave that to me as well. I have never been so thankful.
I bought a mint plant thinking it was the kind you use for salad and cooking but it was spearmint which is more of a toothpaste flavor. I will make my own toothpaste with it and I also make tea with it.
This is marjoram that the German lady gave me. It didn't do well but I have faith that eventually it will flourish.
A few weeks back the German lady was getting rid of some of her dill, She picked some and gave it to me. I asked her if I could have some with a root and she said I should just plant it from seed because in no time the plant will be really big and take over the garden. She said it will be a nuisance.
Weeks have gone by and the dill plant looks like a little failure. We joke about how it's taking over the garden like she said. It looks worse now than it did. I haven't even picked any.
The Italian lady gave me an oregano a couple of weeks ago. I was so happy. I was going to buy a plant just before she gave this. It's pretty small and not growing fast but it seems quite healthy. I can pluck a few leaves here and there.
These tomato plants were from a garden center. There were quite a few. I planted them quite close together so I was worried they wouldn't grow.
I am finally relieved to see that they have flowers. I hope they turn into tomatoes eventually.
This hot pepper plant was purchased from the garden center. I tried growing hot and sweet peppers by seed and it just didn't happen. Not one came up.
I didn't think this guy would make it after I tripped over it last week.
I purchased this one sweet pepper plant as well and last week a flower gave birth to a new born pepper. What a glorious moment to see that little thing. It grew a bit overnight. It has around ten other flowers on the plant.
Last but not least, the apple tree in the yard seems full of apples but over the years they have not been eaten by anyone when we didn't live here. The folks said they all have worms and fall to the ground and are too sour. I don't care. I will climb up and pick them, cut out the worms and enjoy the gifts that the tree brings. There will be apple everything this year.
I know it is a silly little garden to people that have lush real gardens. This is our first attempt and I have to say that I could just live off the land if it were possible. To me this is what life is about.
Well that's the end of the tour and if you made it through this far thank you. I remind myself of those friends that invited me over to their homes and asked me if I wanted a tour. I had that happen all my life and never understood why with the exception of a friend who just had her house built and finished by her husband.