Garden Bounty

Ok, so in actuality, my garden has not provided near the bounty I expected for the amount of work, time and money I put into it but I hardly expected a perfect harvest in my first garden.  Regardless, my garden has provided some bounty and I'd like to share it with you.

Let me begin by introducing you to my new acquaintance.  I say acquaintance as we are far from friends.  This little guy was munching on one of my cherry tomatoes and had gotten huge before I knew to look for him.  He is about 2 inches long and has a scary looking spike that is apparently harmless.  I have since learned to look for evidence of these guys before they get so large. 

You may remember this sunflower that was a beauty of my garden which I didn't even have to plant.  I was so looking forward to some sunflower seeds but after this picture was taken, this baby started wilting and produced no seeds.  :-(  I ended up pulling it.

I had high hopes for this little butternut squash but it has been stunted at this size for weeks now and I don't think it is going to make it.

But onto happier subjects.  This is the second heirloom tomato my plant produced.  It was soooo delicious.  I literally stopped buying tomatoes and thus eating tomatoes because the ones you get in the store and even most of the ones from the farmers market just do not taste like tomatoes.  This is what a tomato should taste like....wow I wish I had one now...

Here is the above tomato along with some cherry tomatoes and some green beans.  I didn't think the green bean bush was ever going to produce but it just lately has started.  I think it is due to the fact that we have had such a mild summer so far.  Hopefully things will explode now that it is finally getting hot around here.

And finally a dinner using my garden bounty.  Garden burger, Trader Joe's soy nuggets, cherry tomatoes, heirloom tomato and green beans.  YUM!