Garden 2013: The Pregnant Gardener

So, I've decided to call this year's version of our garden "The Pregnant Gardener".  As you may know or have guessed already, I am pregnant.  I'm nearly 24 weeks along with my 3rd child and I am determined to still have my garden.  The only year I have not had a garden in the past 6 is when I was pregnant with my second child, but that's because he was born at the beginning of June and I was WAY to round to get down on the ground!  This year has been rather slow in coming...about 2 months ago, I weeded all 3 of our garden boxes......our boxes are about 3ft by 20 ft each.  I was still feeling good and capable and was anxious for the spring.  Well, then we had a range of icky and nice weather, but I knew there was still a frost potential so I waited.........well, guess what happens when you have a range of icky and warm days and fertile boxes of dirt?  Unless you are from another planet, then your guess is probably right...stuff grows!  I went back out right after the last frost about 2 weeks ago....and you would have thought I had never touched those boxes.  Devastated much?  Well, there is a big difference in 2 months ago to now......namely a little girl, all curled up and, up until this past week, with her back flat up against my pelvic bone.  Doesn't lend to the ability to bend over for any length of time easy......at all!  There is only so long that I can either hover over those boxes or be in the downward dog position in the grass before I'm just worn out.  So, I have been doing a 5-6 foot section at a time and calling it a night.  I have now cleared 1 2/3 boxes.  Hope to get the second totally done this weekend and maybe the third....maybe.  I have gone ahead and planted things as I have found the good soil again.  Stood up my trellis tee-pee and planted cucumbers which have started to peek through already.  Got some pumpkin plants going and they are about an inch tall now.  Tonight, I managed to put in some sunflowers, beans, yellow squash, peas, and butternut squash.  It was hot, though.  I was never so happy to read on the package of pea seeds "scatter and cover".  Hot damn!  So, there you have it.  The beginning of what I hope will be another successful year.  Learned a few lessons last year about positioning my cucumbers so I can see all the plants instead of going on safari to get them and putting the pumpkins near the outer part of the garden so they can grow out into the yard instead of into the other boxes; creating our own pumpkin maze.  Getting a late start, but our growing season was extensive last year so even get a percentage of what we had last year would be quite the haul!  At some point I'll get some pictures up here, but not until the other boxes are done........how embarrassing otherwise!  Maybe I'll even convince my sister and friend to post some of their pics too since they have quite the produce sections themselves!  Signing off for now.......I'm EXHAUSTED and being kicked!  Happy gardening!

Scary Mou.....umm...I mean Minnie Mouse Cake

So, my first cake to sell..........disaster.  Supposed to be a Minnie Mouse Cake

Rectangle cake and I also made a round cake to start with.

cut out the top piece and set it with the circle on a platter....so far so good...

face on......not too bad.  color was good.  then i tried to cut a corner and bought pre-made black icing.  bad idea.......it was like tar and looked like it to.  by the time i got to the finishing touches, i was tired and DONE.  and Scary mouse was born.  brace yourselves.

Yikes.