5/27/10 - There is Light!

The lights look pretty good if I do say so myself. :-)

And they hold up in rain, too!

5/27/10 - Let There be Light ...

Today I went out to buy a new hose. The other hose had to have been older than some of these kids. NO kidding. And it leaked like crazy. It was time to invest in a new one. It was a roll-back deal at $13.99. I couldn't help but get some solar lighting while I was at it. (It's like grocery shopping when you're hungry!) Another roll-back! $4 each ... so, I got 4. (I got three of the crew to do the math!)

I know I should have waited for the kids to get off school, but I couldn't wait. I went ahead and assembled them and got them positioned. As the plants grow, I'm sure we'll move them around. I also hooked up the hose.

I'm looking forward to seeing how bright the lights are tonight.

<==== Our red pepper is getting bigger!

5/26/10 - Maintenance

Yesterday evening, my little friends came over to check things out. I've established (with them and their parents) that they are welcome in my backyard anytime to work on the garden. Work meaning checking on plant status, watering, weeding ... that sort of thing. There has been a little apprehension in just coming back, though. It is nice that our kids respect other people's property and all ... but, with this project, I want them to take ownership. We're figuring it out and it was great for me to hear a little rap on the sliding door (that Bogey can't hear!), letting me know that they're back there.

An interesting thing (that I wasn't really counting on) is that Bogey, my almost 15 year old Bichon Frise, who has a hard time seeing and virtually has no hearing, ALWAYS seems to notice when our little gardeners are in the back alone. He barks like crazy and gets all worked up. I guess it's keeping my little guy alert and doing his "job". The kids don't pay much attention to him. My old dog has kind of gained a status in the hood in that everyone just kind of "admires" his crankiness.

A "rule" has been established with Project Big Hugs: the kids have to wear some sort of shoe when in the back. (The person who built the planter didn't realize that some of the screws were too long for what she was drilling!) So, in the end, the cool little ledge that was inadvertently created, has several ares that are sharp (where I attached the feet). If they're wearing flip flops, crocks, or sneaks, they're fine ... but, bare little piggies are not allowed. It doesn't seem to bother anyone and it doesn't feel like a traditional "rule" at all.

5/25/10 - Growth Update

The garden in growing as fast as weeds ... kind of like the neighborhood kids. It's crazy. The rain we've had has helped a lot, too.

Before we planted our box, I handed out sunflower seeds to the gang. I put a couple in a small pot and they are making their way to the sun. As far as I know, these are the only ones growing.

The pumpkin and watermelons were planted and then lots of rain hit. It looks like something is eating on the pumpkin. I heard these plants are slower growing than some of our other garden goodies. I will have to learn patience ....

The eggplant has some flowering spots. Very exciting.

And our red pepper is growing visibly by the day!

Before we know it, I'm not going to get much light from those back windows. :-)

After I took these pictures, two of the gang that live next door ("Daris" and "Alex" - brother and sister) came by to check on things and to pluck any unwanted growth/weeds. They visit on a regular basis to check on our garden's progress. By the time I got my camera, they had finished what they were doing and were off playing with the rest of the group in the court.

By the way ... the kids made up "blog names" so that I can write about them and still protect their identity. This post finally gets me up-to-date with Project Big Hugs' story.

Much more to follow ....

5/20/10 - Planting Watermelons and Pumpkin

I posted some pictures of Project Big Hugs on Facebook and I got a post from a friend telling me that she had some seedlings that she's love to donate to the project. (HOW COOL!) She had offered us pumpkin and watermelon seedlings. The gang was excited to hear of our new found fortune!

I picked up the seedlings on 5/15/10 (a Saturday). She had a pumpkin underway and three watermelons. She also gave me several sweet basil seedlings (you can never have enough basil, if you ask me!). Not only did Project Big Hugs score BIG TIME with our new seedlings, I got to hook up with some dear friends that I hadn't seen in a while. Life is good!

The gang was lean this weekend (with sports and prior engagements) and then it rained on and off (mostly ON) for the week. But, on Thursday evening (5/20) before dinner, we were able to get these guys in some dirt and on their way to growing.

5/15/10 - HOT STUFF

Right after I built the planter box, I met a "seasoned gardener" and asked her how to keep away critters. She suggested crushed red peppers. This surprised me ... but, it sounded easy enough. So, my friends helped sprinkle our line of defense. We later noticed after several days of rain, that our peppers were growing mold. We all decided to ditch the red pepper flakes to avoid the mold. (We don't seem to be attracting any critters anyway ... so, no need.

Our first signs of veggie growth (red bell - a bit out of focus, but it's better than nothing and my only gauge for growth). It's amazing how fast everything grows with water (we had what seems like a week of rain). So far, the kids have only watered once.

Before long, we're going to be cooking!

5/9/10 - Planting Day (Happy Mother's Day)

Before we started to plant, the gang added some more personal touches to our box. (Bogey is watching!)

Once everyone was ready, we were off. I think these pictures tell the story.

We're all excited to see how the veggies and herbs grow.

In the back row: We've planted two bell peppers (red and yellow); four tomato plants (two cherry tomatoes, a roma tomato, and a fun stripped tomato); and an eggplant.

In the front row: two cucumbers; two squash (zucs); an okra; lemon thyme; several varieties of basil (Thai, sweet, and purple); cilantro; and rosemary. In other pots (in shady areas), I planted parsley and arugula.

5/8/10 - More Personalizing.