My first garden was 5 years ago, in this house. The spring after we bought it.

Our neighbors helped us rototill the plot of our yard I was going to use and then I raked it and got it ready for planting. Which I didn’t really know a thing about – by the way. My grandma has amazing gardens in Washington and I always just kind of “did it” maybe that means I have a green thumb, but really for me – gardening is a bit of zen in my day. A little bit of art, a lot a bit of seeing God’s amazing handiwork – and it feeds me on a level that chocolate never will.

After I planted the garden in rows and had my “walking paths” down I pretty much just watered them all the time. ALL the time. I didn’t read anything about gardening – but I did get a few tips from our neighbors who are mostly self-sustaining on their own, she’s an amazing resource.

I had no idea this would happen. I had no plan for how to use all of this. Had never canned in my life, had a 4 month old baby and was a stay at home mom for the first time in my life. This was my introduction to gardening. My first year was the best year so far. I’ve had gardens every year, save for last year, and now I have wonderful garden boxes to keep pests away.

This year we added fruit to the mix. And more pollenating flowers for the bees. Which brings me to this:

I think I’m going to be a bee keeper. Yup. I’m just starting the research and fascination with them, I’ve gotten a few books that delve into this more and more and it just sounds like fun. We could make our own honey – and apparently have way more than we need, and then we could use the beeswax for all kinds of things.

Not sure if I can make good on this endeavor anymore this year, but next year I think I’ll be a very happy hive-host.