There's a Melon in the Lilac Bush.

There's a melon growing in the lilac bush. It's about 6 or 7 feet up. I'm not even sure if it's a pumpkin or one of the melons I planted. I tried to wind it out and bring it safely back to the ground, before it rolls off and smashes in the neighbours side yard... but it was wound to well around the bush to do it and not lose it. The pixies and I laughed while poking at the vines with a big plastic hockey stick before giving up.

In other garden news... I pulled a PILE of green tomatoes off the vines. They are SO heavy with tomatoes of all different sizes, that even the cages aren't supporting them anymore. These guys are huge, and my big plan is to make some chutney with them - apples and raisins and other good things in there. I'll have to also get my canning books out, and see what it'll take to jar that concoction. There are just SO many. These are maybe a quarter of what's growing out there, although the rest are smaller.

And, the two pumpkins that were about the right size (small sugar pumpkins) turned orange some time over the weekend. I'm thinking about making tarts with them, but I might also just take out the yummy and freeze it until I can get around to doing that. I've never frozen fresh pumpking before, so again, I'll be getting out some books.

This vine, with the big pumpkin (the first one I found, in the middle of the dang yard.) has some powdery mildew going on, after the weeks of humidity we had. It also didn't help that they are right on the soft lush grass. As soon as this pumpkin is off, I'll be taking off these leaves, and hope the others have a chance to finish before they get it.

I pulled 4 more cucumbers out of the garden. There are 4 zucchini that I spotted that are ready to eat as a veggie (although I'm sure if I leave them for 2 more days, they'll be monstrous.)

Also, there were another handful of baby carrots (My sweetheart looked at them last night and said "Are they supposed to be THAT small?" Well, It's hard to tell from the tops how big they are, so I pulled a few 1" guys with the 4" guys. Whoops. Still, I'm proud. I didn't think they'd come up.

I've lost my little paper that had all the weights and amounts, to keep track of what the garden ended up being worth this year. I'm sure because this is the first year, I'll be at a loss, measuring the cost of setting it up, hours maintaining it, and the yield.

Still, It's meditative and rewarding for me to go out and see FOOD. Next year, I'm sure we'll break even :) Although I've got plans for more boxes next year....