I'm thinking...Mojitos...with Muddled Fresh Mint all Summer!

I've said, on occasion, that I wish I lived on a farm, ate from my crops and lived a simple life. Entertainment would be hikes, and swims, and time in a boat. It is comments like these that make my mom say "who the hell raised you?"

Although I do mean it when I say, it I know it will likely not happen. I would be lying if I said I didn't love city life, too.

But, for a long time now I have been wanting to start a vegetable garden. A mere compromise of my extreme lifestyle desires.  Since I have a bit of a black thumb and very little free time, the idea of a garden seemed most ideal in my head. In my head my veggies were fresh, my salads were tasty, and my herbs were fragrant.

Then I met a friend who's Nebraska farm upbringing makes her a bit of a know-how when it comes to gardening. She offered her assistance and her knowledge.  I offered my credit card and my husbands brawn.  And, 6 hours later we have a 6' x 6' vegetable garden in our backyard.

Todd was happy I bought arugula plants for him (I don't love it) since we did make him dig up our fresh and beautiful grass with nothing but a pointed shovel.  I also bought three different types of tomatoes, 4 different types of peppers, romaine, broccoli, strawberries, zucchini, snap peas, green beans, and a bunch of herbs, amongst them, mint.

I bought this mint for no other reason but one sniff of the fragrance and in my mind's eye I was drinking mojitos with muddled fresh mint (ALL SUMMER LONG) and I was ready to leave the nursery for the state store to purchase a case of Bacardi.  I didn't.  Instead I stayed focused on the task at hand.

The garden is planted.  It rained, consistently, for ten straight days afterwards so I am just now needing to start the daily hose down.  Let's see if my black thumb can at least change purple on its way to being green.

As of this posting the herbs are doing fantastic, and are ready for mojito making.  Or, mint juleps.   The arugula is in critical condition and I am hoping it didn't take offense by my earlier, I DON'T LOVE IT comment, and one of the romaines may have died before it even got started.  But...so far, so good.   Harvest is in several weeks, and we will be serving up some fine veggies.  And, mojito's, of course!