Growing a Garden, Sawdon-Style

We decided to be ambitious this year.  We started a garden.  I'm not entirely sure what prompted us to do this:  not a single one of us has a green thumb.  In fact, I have been known to kill plants...repeatedly.  A serial plant killer, if you will.  Also, as we do not have a fenced-in yard, we can rarely go out to do anything because it takes more than one adult to keep track of my clan.  It is a two-chaperone field trip just to head out to the back yard.  However...we now have a yard with pumpkins, tomatoes, peppers, chard and basil attempting to beat the odds and grow. 

First there was a matter of tilling up some earth.  Luckily, my husband's grandfather happened to have a rototiller.  He, along with my father-in-law, arrived at our house with the device...and the men set to work.  This was comic genius.  My husband, bless him, has never really done any gardening before, much less used such a device.  I don't know what was funnier...him trying to use it...or the fact that his grandfather, a few feet away, was giving him specific instructions...which he ignored.  So, my children come by it honestly.  My father-in-law just looked on and smiled.  Finally, Grandpa took over...and I have to say, I was pretty impressed...that man has some energy! 

The next day was planting day.  This, too, was interesting because our plants were already half dead from waiting so long to plant them.  The boys wanted to "help," so I gave them a couple of little shovels and let them go to town.  The girls were arguing because as the older girl tried to dig a hole, the younger girl was digging next to her...and throwing the dirt quite forcefully in her direction.  After taking care of that near-disaster, I turn to see that Connor had gotten into the bag of manure...and was throwing it...which confirmed my suspicions that he truly is a monkey. 

The plants are in and watered.  We'll have to see if they make it.  They will probably have to endure some neglect at times...and invading toddlers.  Let's hope they are stronger than the houseplants.