For the past six years we have planted a tiny garden in our backyard. It is lots of fun for the kids (i.e., ME). We plant squash, eggplant, cucumbers, basil, rosemary, dill, jalapeños, tomatoes and bell peppers in the spring, and collards, kale and green onions in the fall. All we need are some chickens.

Speaking of chickens, isn’t funny how everything “southern” is cool now? What was once redneck is now refined. All the hipsters are flooding the farmer’s markets and have coops on the stoops of their walk-ups. Fancy restaurants are serving grits, y’all. And it is socially acceptable to say y’all, y’all. And all the fake southern accents… I do declare. What’s next… Mud bogs, moonshine and marrying your cousin?

It’s a strange world in which we live.

When I was growing up, my daddy would plant close to two acres every spring and fall. That is like 26,798 raised beds. I hated picking peas and butterbeans. The only thing that was worse was shelling them. I remember the day my daddy brought home the electric pea sheller and set it up on our screen porch (and I don’t remember much). All this to say, I AM NOT A POSER.

Who would have ever thought someone would use the word poser and pea sheller in the same paragraph? Lawd.

Anyway, we planted the garden and it has done remarkably well despite our absence this summer. (The key is Black Kow, lime and fertilizer. I used organic fertilizer because I’m practically a hippie.) (Oh, and planting tomato plants the size of small trees.)

It was way more fun to play with the stuff we pulled up than to help.

Taking a break to enjoy the redneck pool party…

Actually, the plants have done too well and are crowding each other out. I really need a couple of more beds. Or 40 acres and a tractor.

I love cherry tomatoes and thankfully there are plenty to make my favorite salad and snack. I also added some to my avocado toast and it was delish. Can’t wait for the big tomatoes to get ripe for BLTs and tomato tarts.

Have a wonderful weekend. Y’ALL.