summer 2014 highlights

it's a bit late for a summer highlights post, but in my mind the season is still coming to a close. when the garden gets put to bed for the year is when it will really feel like fall, i guess.

this was the first summer our space truly felt like a garden. there was so much out there, and so many things popped up that i didn't even plant! (thanks to self-sowing flowers). we had beginner's luck with kohlrabi, growing enough to preserve for winter, and we finally grew decent cucumbers! finally! only took six tries!:)

many days were spent with my friend's children at the park and we saw so many cute animals. though our patio was finished last summer, this year it felt more complete with the addition of a bistro set and hanging flower pots. little toads came to visit, and john and i enjoyed relaxing out there, playing rummy 500, a card game our grandmothers taught us both when we were kids.=)

the herb garden flourished on its own and i dried so much that i don't think i'll be needing to buy seasonings or tea for a while! lemon balm, red clover, parsley, rosemary, pineapple sage, thyme, oregano, basil, spearmint, plantain, coriander, dandelion, goldenrod and i even managed to cut a little catnip before kati and the neighborhood cats ate the whole plant, again.

that's what happened the last time i planted catnip. i tried being sneaky but kati found me. she ate most of the the plant within a day but since then i've seen little green leaves coming up. hopefully third time's a charm with the catnip!