Some days my animals reign over my kingdom. All my life I have done things a bit differently than others. I guess in many ways I have led my life according to my own drum beat. Perhaps that is how at this point in my life I am living with 14 animals; three divine dogs and eleven curious cats! (read more)

Written July 12, 2012, posted July 25,2012

Easier and more fun than you think!!!

It has been a while since I have posted a blog about my garden, but not due to inactivity here at Paradise Ranch.  Lots of friends visiting and consistent comings and goings.  I think the last time I posted I was beginning a vegetable garden that was promptly eaten by rabbits.  They had quite the salad bar, and undoubtedly invited over neighborhood friends to finish off the lettuces.  The snails also feasted on leaves from other veggies.  But ah ha.... I credited a solution by putting up a rabbit fence and sprinkling on some "slug-o" around the seedlings. I replanted everything with the help of a dear friend visiting me from San Miguel, Mexico. Together we created a wonderful new garden with lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, squash, beets, broccoli, beans, peppers and lots of herbs. We also added lots of animals statues to guard the garden and add their wisdom.  Colored solar lights that shine all night add a feeling of magic and a finishing touch.

I then put up a snake fence around most of the perimeter of my property, which became mission critical after my Welsh Terrier went after a baby rattlesnake.  The baby rattlesnakes are the most dangerous because they strike randomly.  Thank God another good friend was here at the time.  After several unsuccessful attempts at my screaming at my dog, my friend threw his glass of wine on her, and she jumped back and the snake scurried away to hide. Since my Welsh Terrier Baley is a ratter by breed, she has an instinct to capture and kill anything that moves.

That was it for me.  I immediately decided that it was time to get the snakes out and protect my sweet animals.  So after many trips to Home Depot, I bought snake wire fencing and hired a wonderful man named Angel to install it.  Seemed rather fitting and just the man I needed. 

To date I have harvested lettuce, onions, beets, beans, and herbs.  Here are some pictures of the garden during the day. It is so satisfying to be able to go out and pick my own vegetables for meals.  I also harvested peaches from my tree and made a delicious peach pie, my first.  Everything  you hear about home-grown fruits and vegetables tasting better is indeed true.  Plant them with loving care and taste the difference! 

If I can do a raised bed garden, anyone can!