Adopt a Crop 2010: The word you're looking for is, 'mace'.

Please enjoy the sombrero shadow. It was very warm and sunny.

So, some of you associated these absurd looking melons with an STD or that spiked ball attached to a big stick by a giant chain that warriors in the olden times used to bludgeon their enemies from Middle Earth, but they are, in fact, just melons.

Though you did give me good ideas for how to dispatch with these melons in the event that I decide they're inedible or just too scary to slice into with the intention of eating (recall the concept of lobbing one across the street at the shirtless shrieking neighbor kids)(who are boys - don't be porny).

Regardless of all that, they've now been planted and so, are beginning a life of luxury in my garden next to their friends, the Georgia Rattlesnake Watermelon who, by some strange turn of events, elicited an even worse reaction when I mentioned it to neighbors and passers-by.

And, yes, I do mention my garden to passers-by because what else do I have to talk about? My sub-60 10K PR? Huh. Not yet I don't. At least not officially. But we'll get to that another day.

ANYWAY.

The African Horned Cucumber Jelly Melon, with its Days to Maturity set at Who The Hell Knows because it's not on the packet, will hopefully emerge sometime between now and October so that we can get to know its ripened fruit in the edible sense. Or at least I can get it acquainted with my yet-neglected juicer who still sits on my sideboard as a juicing virgin because WHOOPSY I haven't gotten around to jamming anything in there yet.

Wow. That wasn't appropriate. Enjoy.

And, not to leave you hanging or anything, but while I was out there sowing these very normal looking not-as-tiny-as-the-packet-would-lead-you-to-believe seeds with the watermelon seeds (which are also normal sized), I planted almost the rest of the garden, too.

Including the tomatoes (!!)

So all told, this weekend was alive with the following gardeningblahblahblah:


Seeds sown:
Purple podded pole beans
Lollo Rosso lettuce
Butterhead bibb lettuce
Mexican Sour Gherkin cucumbers
Pickling cucumbers
Georgia Rattlesnake watermelons
African Horned Cucumber Jelly melons
Nasturtium (lots of kinds)

Seedlings planted:
Better Boy tomatoes (2)(!!)
Sweet basil (2)

Seeds yet to sow:
Cilantro

Seedlings yet to plant:
Toma tomatillo
Black Krim tomato
Jalapeno

Don't believe me?

See. You can tell.

Once I get the lay-about garlic and shelling peas out of bed #3, the Yet To Be whatevered vegs will go in. After a turn with the soil amending, of course.

And then I can really heave a huge sigh of relief and sit back to enjoy the world shifting back into balance because you know I get all biggigity while the garden sits empty. I require growing vegetables! It rights the wrongs of the world!

I get very dramatic at planting time.

Which, thankfully, can be swiftly dealt with by way of beautiful weather (hi, I love you high-70s), bare feet, shorts, freshly cut lilacs (thanks awesome neighbors), our first outside dining experience courtesy of Bubba and his grilling skills, blackberry crisp from last year's frozen bounty and good wine-soaked friends draped about our firepit under a full moon.

Oh yes, the world's wrongs are being righted as we speak.