So fall is almost here. The summer flew by. We now have a kindergartner in the house, and I feel like where did the last five years go? I didn’t expect to be quite so emotional about the whole thing, but it’s a big deal starting school. All my hopes and fears for my oldest boy came to the surface and hit me square in the heart. He handled the first day far better than I did. But enough about my first week of school freak out.

Onto the garden. We just had our first frost of the season, so most of our garden is kaput for the year. We have a lot of tomatoes to process in the next few days, and so far we’ve made freezer salsa and roasted cherry tomatoes. In the past, we’ve canned tomato sauce. We’ve also made loads of pickles this season as DJ experimented with some different recipes.

Over the last few years we’ve expanded our garden area from 9 raised beds to 16 plus an additional area where we had more tomatoes, onions and kohlrabi. (Yes, kohlrabi. If anyone has any ideas on what to do with this, please enlighten me in the comments. I tried some kohlrabi fries that were, um … interesting.) There’s also an orchard, where we have a few fruit trees, which unfortunately didn’t have any fruit this year because of a late spring frost. We’ve fenced off the area for protection from deer, rabbits and mice, but that doesn’t stop the birds from partaking in ripe red tomatoes or the occasional strawberry.

In addition to the aforementioned tomatoes, onions, kohlrabi and strawberries we also grew corn, cucumbers, hot peppers, bell peppers, peas, beans, cabbage, broccolini, horseradish, garlic and potatoes. We used a drip water system on timers that water for about 25 minutes per day.

In a place that is notoriously unforgiving to vegetable crop growers, we’ve had some success, but we still feel like we have miles to go. We are constantly trying to add nutrients to the soil and to lighten it up for better drainage.

While we still feel like novices out here in the desert, we are especially proud of our garlic crop this year and plan to do even more next year. It’s incredibly flavorful and so much better than what we buy at the grocery store.

It is gratifying to grow and eat your own food, but it can also be time consuming and frustrating. To put time and energy into growing something from seed that doesn’t pan out for one reason or another can be a bit defeating. In addition, we’re not always the best at eating veggies before they spoil, so we need to get better about canning and preserving what we don’t eat right away.

On the plus side, we successfully grew sunflowers this year as you can see in the photo up top. After trying to grow them the past two years from seed and having the mice eat them before they even spouted, we finally got smart by starting them inside and transplanting them into a raised bed fenced off with hardware cloth. They were tall and lovely, and I smiled every time I looked at them. I’d say that’s a win.

One thing we’ve added this year is a cover crop. Once we pulled the garlic and potatoes from the ground we planted a mixture of seeds, which includes rye and legumes. Eventually, we will till that back into the soil to restore nutrients to make the soil more productive for next spring. We’re hoping to do that with the rest of the garden once we get the tomato and corn plants pulled up.

So that’s our work-in-progress garden. Scroll through the photos below and tell me about your gardening success stories in the comments.

The last few weeks have been testing my love of snow and winter. At the age of 37 I think I understand why birds and retired people head south when winter descends. Our normally barren, vast landscape has turned from brown to white with temperatures plunging as low as -15. The change of seasons allows for a whole new wardrobe of scarves, hats and layers, but I’m sick to death of my snow boots and would welcome a day in which I could leave my warm, quilted jacket at home.

As the snow slowly melts, it compresses into ice, leaving me “skating” from the house to the dog kennel and from the deck to the car. I can’t count the number of times I’ve caught myself from taking a nasty tumble or fishtailing on the county road despite having 4-wheel drive and going no faster than 25 miles per hour. DJ and I have a standing bet on when the last of the snow will melt. I took March 3 and he took Feb. 21. I’m desperately rooting for him to win that one (but I fear we both may be grossly optimistic). It feels like we’ve had a winter’s worth of snow and according to the calendar, it’s no where near over yet. With that said, the weather has created some breathtaking scenery. So let’s focus on the positive, shall we? Like how much better hot chocolate tastes when you come inside after hours of snow play. Or the fun of building a snowman with a 4-year-old. Or the thrill of holding onto an inner tube being pulled by a ATV. Also, check out these shots courtesy of the lovely weather:

L’il E had a preschool lesson on caterpillars and butterflies this last year. When this little gal attached herself to the side of the house, I decided it had the potential to  be a lesson come to life.

I documented it on my phone, and E and I checked her every day throughout the process. She created a chrysalis.

It took about two weeks or so. And finally, this emerged.

Yes, that appears to be blood below on the side of the house. That kinds of surprised me. Though I suppose most transformations can get a bit messy. When I think about all the transformations in my own life (student to young adult to professional to wife and mom), none of them came without some major emotional upheaval, if not tears and blood. So, you go girl.

After a little research, we determined that this is a Mourning Cloak Butterfly. It’s really quite pretty. Below are a couple of photos I found to show a better view of what the Mourning Cloak butterfly looks like in the wild.

Today I turn 37, and I hope I’m continually evolving and transforming. I want my boys to grow up to be strong and confident. But more importantly I want them to think about how they can impact the world. They need to know that words of encouragement mean something and can leave a lasting impression on others, that kindness is not weakness. In this world that seems to reward brash headlines and snarky tweets, I want the opposite. I want thoughtfulness. I want them to look at an argument from every angle and to appreciate everyone’s hard fought life experiences. Some transformations are more obvious than others, but the internal ones are just as crucial as those stunning external changes. It is so easy to judge and cut others down. I hope in this 37th year to be a positive force that builds you up. Yes, you. I’m talking to you. You are smart and talented and gorgeous. So go out and share your gifts with the world. We need you, and you can do this. Be honest. Be deliberate. Be funny. And be kind. That is my birthday wish.