Waiting for This...

It's hard being patient, isn't it? My impatience shows itself clearly when it comes to gardening. I always want to pick the produce the first day it looks ripe, but we all know that everything stays sweeter the longer you leave it on the vine. Well, I have been staring at these beautiful red blackberries as I water them every day, anticipating the day that they are sweet, delicious and black. Last year the plant spent all of it's energy expanding it's roots and branches and this year we have been rewarded with bucket loads of berries on this plant!

So, if anyone has any tried-and-true good 'ol recipes for blackberry jam or blackberry pie, or any other great blackberry recipe, send 'em my way, because I will be in the kitchen with loads of blackberries this summer!

Spring and Garden Plans

Although the weather doesn't feel like spring here with a crazy winter-ish storm we are having right now, my husband and I have been making our garden plans for this year. My mom sent me a really good issue of Martha Stewart Living (March 2011), which was a special gardening issue, and it totally gave me gardening fever! We are considering:
-Tomatoes (we prefer heirloom varieties)
-Green pole beans
-Snap peas
-Lettuce
-Carrots
-in addition to maybe basil and parsley
We also have a blackberry bush. That's pretty much all we can fit in our small yard. Do you have any plans for a garden this year and if so, what will it include?

"When you eat the labor of your hands,

You shall be happy, and it shall be well with you."

Psalm 128:2

The photo above was our garden last year.