by Hope
Sea Cadet built me a raised bed garden this spring. And I have been having a blast planting in it and watching things sprout over the last few weeks. Every morning when I take the dogs out, I weed the containers and review what has changed over night. It’s especially fun to see the seeds pop through the dirt…and I was smart enough this year to make a chart of what I planted where.
I’ve got two tomato plants, 1 pepper plant, cantaloupe vines, cilantro, green onions, summer squash. loose leaf lettuce and fall gourds coming up. And, of course, a variety of flowers! It is beautiful and I am so proud every time I pull into the driveway. (I’ve also got a pecan tree and fig bush, but neither has produced anything in the two years we have lived in this house.)
It’s been really great of our landlord to give me free reign over the yard. While I know the food we are growing won’t save us a ton of money over the summer, it will be a nice supplement. And there is just something magical about growing your own food.
I’m looking forward to spending a few hours outside this weekend, literally tending to my garden. There’s just something calming about getting my hands dirty.
Do you have a summer garden? What are your favorite and easiest vegetables to grow?
Hope is a resourceful, solutions-driven online business manager with over two decades of experience helping clients streamline operations, manage projects, and grow their businesses through digital marketing and technology.
But life has a way of rewriting your plans.
A year ago, Hope made the decision to move in with her aging parents full time – a season she wouldn’t trade, even as it came with its own financial and emotional weight. Earlier this year, she lost her mother, and is now walking the tender, disorienting path of grief while learning what “forward” looks like from here.
Hope came to the Blogging Away Debt community in 2015 as a single mom raising five foster and adoptive children. She’s written through job changes, financial setbacks, and the bittersweet transition to an empty nest. Her kids are finding their footing in the world now – and so is she.
Rooted in faith and fueled by the same perseverance she’s brought to every hard season, Hope is ready to face her finances with fresh eyes and an honest pen. She believes that clarity, courage, and community can change the trajectory of anyone’s story including her own.
She lives in Austin, TX with her dad, loves adventures with her dog Addie, and is figuring out, one step at a time, what this next chapter is meant to be.
I don’t have a garden, but I do understand the thrill and accomplishment it can bring. Any update on your landlord selling?
I agree, something magical about growing your own food. I planted my first garden last summer and loved it. Loved getting my hands dirty. Enjoy it!
There is NOTHING like eating vegetables that you have grown – NOTHING tastes better 🙂 I normally have quite a large garden with tomatoes, peppers, peas, green beans, zucchini, etc. but I am waiting on a knee replacement and my daughter just moved out of state, so it is just a little to much for me to take on right now. The first season AFTER my knee replacement – back in business!!!!
Check out onehundreddollarsamonth.com. She’s a blogger who focuses on frugal living and is a master gardener. She has great ideas and suggestions. I think you’ll find her way of life to be inspiring as you continue this journey.