Rare Roots, and Strange Fruits

08/10/2026

🥒 LOOFAH COUNT: 14… OR 15?! 😂🌿

I tried counting all the loofahs hanging out in the garden, and I think we’re at 14 or 15 right now! Every time I look through those vines, I swear I find another one hiding. 👀😂

And they’re still blooming and growing, so who knows where this count will end! 💚

08/10/2026

🍉 Watermelon update!

I officially have six watermelons growing now! It looks like almost all of them are going to be the yellow-fleshed variety, but I'm pretty sure the one that's closest to being ready is an orange-fleshed melon.

I'm trying my best to hold off harvesting it until the weekend so the grandkids can be here for the big reveal. There's nothing better than cutting open a watermelon and finding out what's inside together!

Stay tuned... the watermelon surprise is coming soon! 🍉💛🧡

08/10/2026

🥒 Some veggies just sneak up on ya!

I could've sworn I'd checked these vines yesterday, but somehow this serpent melon was hiding in plain sight! One day it's nowhere to be found, and the next it's stretched out through the leaves like it's been there all along.

The garden always has a way of surprising me. What else do you think is hiding in these vines? 🌿

08/10/2026

I've officially lost count of how many birdhouse gourds are growing on the trellis! 😄 Some are tiny, some are huge, and every single one seems to have its own unique shape and personality. It's been so much fun watching them grow and change every day.

08/10/2026

Fresh butterfly pea tea straight from the garden. 💙🦋 Add a splash of lemon juice and watch the deep blue color transform into a beautiful purple! 💜
Not only is it fun to make, but butterfly pea tea is also packed with antioxidants.

08/09/2026

Today's Harvest 🌿

Today's harvest is looking extra colorful! Fresh cucumbers, purple podded beans, and those beautiful red long beans all picked straight from the garden. It's hard to believe these started as tiny seeds just a few months ago. 💚

What's growing in your garden today?

08/06/2026

08/06/2026

Tiny visitor, big fan! 🐝💜

This little bee has decided that my ornamental onions are the place to be. Watching him hop from flower to flower, hard at work, is a reminder that every bloom in the garden is feeding more than just my soul.

The ornamental onions may be beautiful, but to this tiny visitor, they're a buffet! 🌿💜🐝
🐝💜

08/06/2026

From July 24 to August 2... look at that growth! 🌿🎃

It's hard to believe these two photos are of the exact same birdhouse gourd, taken just nine days apart. The little fuzzy gourd that fit in my hand is now hanging heavy on the trellis and growing bigger every day!

Watching these plants transform has been one of the most magical parts of this garden season. Nature never stops amazing me. I can't wait to see just how big this one gets! 💚

Have you ever grown birdhouse gourds before?
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