Visit from the granddaughter yesterday

So, the granddaughter (and her mom) came by to visit my garden yesterday. I'd been telling the nearly 4-year old about it for WEEKS and invited her to stop by.  They don't stop by often because our daughter is allergic to EVERY TREE we have in the yard and our dog.  So, they don't stop by often.

I was disappointed.

First, she was wearing... sandals!  Now, we had set this up ahead of time.  I invited her to come see my garden (my attempt to get her outdoors)...and she's in sandals.

This led to:

  (1) She stated she didn't like ants and when she saw ONE ant, she flew into her mother's arms.  Now, remember, she's almost 4...

(2) Her mother then had to CARRY HER the entire time she was here due to the one ant she saw.

(3)  She announced, "I don't like dirt! There's too much dirt here!"  Well, there went any enthusiasm for the garden..

(4)  "I wanna go HOME!"

I gave up.  She did kinda sorta see the garden, but couldn't wait to get out of our yard.  Oh, and she saw "dog poop"!  That cemented the idea that our yard is unsuitable for her.

LOOK HONEY...

You have 300 years of farmers on my dad's side of the family.  You have another 300 years on my mom's side.  (OK...maybe not from my husband's lines...his ancestors were river captains and sea men...He has a LONG Drake line...)

I'm TRYING to educate the grandkids so that someday, if they need to, they can GROW FOOD.  What a concept!

I saw an article on Facebook yesterday about survival skills.  Knowing how to grow FOOD is a survival skill.  My own maternal grandparents had a beautiful garden.  They grew corn, rhubarb, tomatoes, cabbages, green onions, radishes, cucumbers...whatever it was, my maternal grandfather could grow it.  He had a garden at his house and one up at my mom's house.  Grandpa came EVERY DAY and tended her garden. He did this even when he could barely drive and was stooped over. (He lived to be 97...)  He came from GOOD FARM STOCK.  His brothers all lived into their 90's.  (There were 12 siblings).

...sigh...
I shall continue the uphill battle of wits and wills.
~Cheers~
~Cheryl Ann~
Photos:

 That's me on my grandpa's knee up at the garden at my parents' home...Grandma is holding my 1st cousin...

 Me & Grandpa Parks.  I've traced other male members of his line and he was of Viking blood...tall, blonde, blue eyed.  I get my blue eyes from him.  Everybody else in the family has green eyes.  I miss him every day.  He used to take me to the track (Santa Anita), give me $2.00 and I would come home with $10.  I LOVED going with him to the track.  My grandmother's brother was a trainer there and we went to Santa Anita, Hollywood Park, and Del Mar every year during the 1950's and 1960's.

My garden in December. I bought NON-GMO plants ONLY.  None of that GMO crap in MY garden!

My garden February 11th.

  LOOK how the cabbages have grown!  I throw alfalfa (from the ranch) into a bucket, fill it full of water, and then water the vegetables with it.  I swear...they double in size overnight!  They also were planted in plant debris from the cottonwood tree and yard, so there is organic matter beneath them.  Additionally I spread compost around them and dump my coffee grounds once a week around them.  They are THRIVING!!!  And, today they are getting RAIN!!!  Oh, and my tomatoes already have blooms on them.

I shall continue the battle with the granddaughter, but she's a real "girly girl"...sigh...