Gardening Magic

How many of you here, by a show of hands, are gardeners? In addition to flowers and such, do you grow your own vegetables and fruits? Isn’t it magical? You put a seed or a seedling in the ground and give it a bit of love and attention and voila! you’ve got good food for the next three seasons!

We’re just mad about our flowers. The Knockout Roses particularly make us smile all summer long. We just put out five more of them. The gardenias, hibiscus, dahlias, hydrangeas, and all the others make our little kingdom prettier and give us joy. But, this article isn’t about them.

However, nothing makes me smile like coming into the kitchen with a basket-full of tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, peas, and such. Somehow, the fruit from the kitchen garden has an explosion of taste that “store-bought” vegetables seem to lack. It’s good to know that when we sit down to eat our vegetables, they were just in the ground or on the plant just a few hours ago.

As you can see in the picture below, I’m trying a new (to me) technique for keeping the tomatoes upright. The classic tomato cages might be alright for a single specimen, in a pot, but they haven’t worked well for me in the garden. This technique is called Florida Weaving. Check out MIGardener on YouTube and he’ll show you all about how to do the Florida Weave. He’s my go-to for gardening advice.

I’ve just realized that when we put out the peppers, we neglected to put out the banana peppers I like so much. I use them to make my world famous (yes, world) “Aunt Nobie’s Stuffed Peppers”. I pickle them after I stuff them with sauerkraut and put them in jars for winter enjoyment. I reckon I’ll be off to the nursery as soon as I post this article. Thanks to all of you for making me remember that! These are jalapenos and poblanos in the picture below. They’re thriving quite nicely, aren’t they?

The radishes didn’t germinate very well. I’ll be replanting them quite soon. I do like the sharp, spicy taste of a nice cold radish. And, it’s an excellent side with nearly everything! They also make a nice addition to a garden salad.

We’ve got two kinds of peas growing here. One is a snow pea and the other one is a round, green pea. Bless me, I can’t remember his name. Name, or no name, they’ll taste mighty good later this year!

Additionally, we’ve got grapes, peaches, pears, apples, blueberries, blackberries, and figs scattered round about the kingdom. The apples and pears aren’t quite ready to fruit, and neither is the fig. But the peaches! Oh my, the peaches are abundant this year!

I sure hope you’ve enjoyed this abbreviated tour of our gardens. There’s lots more, but I’ll save all that for another time.

Do you have any gardening secrets that help your fruits and veggies flourish? Any that you’d like to share with me? Let’s talk about them!

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Now, let’s talk about New Yesterdays. I want to get it in your hands as soon as possible. You shouldn’t be left out of the story! Shoot me an email (theolbigjim@gmail.com) and I’ll make sure your copy is in your hands soonest possible. I’ll even sign it and tuck in a wee bookmark. Of course, you can also go to Amazon and get a copy. It’ll cost you USD $5ish over there. I’ll give you a $2 discount and pay for the shipping. How’s that for a deal? This is for a limited time. Offer expires 31 May.

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I thank y’all for coming around today. I hope you’ve enjoyed it. If you have, come back again and tell your friends and neighbors about me. Y’all come back real soon; okay?

About Ol' Big Jim

Jim L. Wright is a storyteller with a lifetime of experiences as colorful as the characters he creates. Born and raised in Piedmont, Alabama, Jim’s connection to the land, history, and people of the region runs deep. His debut novel New Yesterdays is set in his hometown, where he grew up listening to stories of the past—stories that sparked his imagination and curiosity for history. Today, Jim lives in Leeds, Alabama, with his husband Zeek, a tour operator who shares his passion for adventure and discovery. Known affectionately as “Ol’ Big Jim,” he has had a diverse career that includes time as a storekeeper, an embalmer, a hospital orderly, and a medical coder. There are even whispers—unconfirmed, of course—that he once played piano in a house of ill repute. No matter the job, one thing has remained constant: Jim is a teller of tales. His stories—sometimes humorous, sometimes thought-provoking—are often inspired by his unique life experiences. Many of these tales can be found on his popular blog, Ol’ Big Jim, where he continues to share his musings with a loyal readership. Jim’s adventures have taken him far beyond Alabama. For seven years, he lived in Amman, Jordan, the world’s oldest continuously inhabited city. His time there, spent in smoky coffee shops, enjoying a hookah and a cup of tea while scribbling in his ever-present notebook, deeply influenced his worldview and his writing. When Jim isn’t writing, he’s thinking about writing. His stories, whether tall tales from his past or imaginative reimagining is of historical events should read from his past or imaginative reimaginings of historical events, reflect a life lived fully and authentically. With New Yesterdays, Jim brings readers a rich tapestry of history, fantasy, and human connection. Visit his blog at www.olbigjim.com to read more of his stories, or follow him on social media to keep up with his latest musings and projects, one of which is a series that follows Bonita McCauley, an amateur detective who gets into some very sticky situations. His book, New Yesterdays, can be found at Amazon US, Amazon UK, Smashwords, and Barnes and Noble.

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