Growing things

There are lots of things growing around here. Here's my favorite:

I like the little boy, too.

 But seriously, I love this cushy green play mat of a teeny backyard. 

I plop Peter down in the middle of it every day when I water all our little springlings. I love it; he at least likes it. We are starting our third summer in this house, and finally we have our little yard and garden.  Since we're going all out with a bunch of veggies this year, and don't have a ton of space, I created this little map for our planning--gives an idea of what we're working with:

The view from our stairs:

Add this one to the left of the above, and you get the full panorama.

And here's a closer look at the dirt. Several weeks ago we sowed some seeds and...

Little beans are emerging.

Cilantro and wee green onions...

Our radish patch:

Our mint, and a few others that I salvaged upon digging it all up after it took over the world, as--I found out too late--mint is wont to do. Anne, one pot is yours. 

Sugar snap peas, seen here in our raised bed, will be growing up a trellis on the side of the chimney.

The Malabar Spinach (which will grow up a trellis on the side fence) and sweet peas have yet to show themselves. Here at the kitchen window in a punctured ice cube tray are cherry tomato seedlings and the beginning shoots of the red pepper seeds I kept a few weeks ago after sautéing their mama.

 And yesterday we used up a groupon on the rest of our crop: A green pepper plant, lots of varieties of tomatoes, and--leave it to Tom--5 types of basil.  

HOORAY for tomatoes and basil. So that's what we're working on this spring. I can't wait until Peter is old enough to sow and water his little seeds, wait patiently, and be thrilled when they finally emerge. I'm grateful to, and in awe of, the Author of Life who, in power and gentleness, makes little plants and little boys grow.