Change Is In the Airformerly "Lydia's Latvian Blog."

I know some of you actually are interested in how my balcony container garden is doing… so here’s an update & some pics. (Click on the pictures to make them bigger.)

This is my second radish planting. The first crop did pretty well. I think it was still a bit too cool when I moved them outside. I read that if they don’t have enough water or heat they get really spicy. Good thing Chris likes spicy radishes! He ate them all though, so we expanded with this planting, to the hanging planter, too, which first had a green bean in it, that broke & died, and then flowers that never took. The radishes are doing well though.

I have 5 green bean plants. Here you can see 4, with 2 of them back to back. I have my first flowers on these, even since I took the picture! They’re on the pallet because, even though you can’t really tell, the pallet is at an angle so the ones in the back can get a good amount of sunlight without being shaded.

This is the end of my spinach. I was so happy it did much better this year than last. It’s just starting to bolt, since it’s much warmer now. I plan to put in a second crop in September or so. I wish I had planted more of this, but we’re getting enough for a small salad for one of us about every other day.

My tomatoes are coming along as well. I had thought I was going to lose them because they ended up having some strange colored leaves on them, looking dried out and dying. I was told it was probably some kind of disease, as tomatoes get diseases easily. I thought to pull them up, but decided to wait and see what happened. I’m so glad I did. They’re rebounding nicely. I actually wonder if it was a bit cool on some of those nights for them as well. They’re just starting to get some flowers on them, though they’re not open yet. These are a kind of Roma tomato, I believe. They should still get another foot or so taller, but all 3 plants are doing well.

Then there’s my little grape tomato plant. I had planted a few of them in this window box, and have narrowed it down to this one and 2 smaller ones on either side. (You can see one to the right.) Those may come up as well. Not sure yet. But the big one has a few yellow flowers opening up and I’m so excited! This plant might get a little bigger… they say 1-2 feet tall.

And then there are my cucumbers. I did a little experiment. I grew 3 plants (in 2 pots) mostly outside and one plant inside. This is one of the outside ones. You can see the other pot with the 2 in the back. They just now are getting some tiny, tiny cucumber buds on them and have just put out it’s first runner. It’s so cute! They’re slow, but they’re coming along. I’m sure the not hot weather here doesn’t help anything.

And then there is my indoor plant (which, incidentally was moved outside today). This thing got to be about 4 foot high and we determined it HAD to go out. The top was starting to not get enough light anyway. Plus, I was hand pollinating all the flowers. So, it’s now outside on the balcony, climbing across the railing. It has a number of flowers and I hope that the hand pollination worked! It’s also amazing to me that it grew this tall so fast. 21 days ago it looked like this:

So, that’s it! I’m really happy with my garden & the decision to do it. It’s been fun and rewarding as it’s been a very dry spring here and there are rumors of even higher veggie prices come this fall because of it. Yea for my little garden!

Sometimes I wonder about how often God laughs at me. Not in a mean way, but just gets a good chuckle out of the things I do. And then I wonder how often he does things to make me laugh or make me deliriously happy, just so he can laugh once again.

If you haven’t read the previous blog, please take a moment to scroll down and read it. Then return. See, that didn’t take so long. :) You are now aware of my deep seeded love of bacon.

To some, one of the defining traits of a missionary is one who gives up everything that they have and love to further the cause of Christ. I would both agree and disagree with that, but this is not the issue here. I have experienced that to some degree, especially when it comes to bacon. You would think that a country where pork is a staple of their diet, you would have bacon by the truck loads, but no. There’s no bacon here. I think it’s because they don’t smoke anything, except fish. (Yuck.) So, all kinds of cuts of pork, but no bacon. It’s been a very sad experience, and has been noticed by many of those who know me well. My nephew has been known to remind my mom that when I come to the US to visit, we need to have BLTs! Ahh, teach them young, I say.

Today I was walking through the grocery store to pick up some things and, lo and behold, it was as if I saw a bright light shining down in the salami section of the refrigerated foods aisle. I looked down, and there it was. I let out an audible gasp and could hardly believe my eyes.

BACON! They actually had bacon in my grocery store, imported from Spain! I was thrilled and it took every ounce of energy I had not to pick up 10 packages and put them in my basket! (It was easier to resist the urge when I noticed the price. Geesh.) So, one day soon (like tomorrow!), we will be eating the delicious bacon. Chris and I are debating over if we should have BLTs or bacon & eggs. I’m ready to just go fry it up and eat it plain, with nothing else to dilute the wonderful taste! BACON! Oh, how God loves me, and I’m sure he’s getting a good chuckle out of me. :)

PS I just noticed that it’s good until July 4th. Hmm… coincidence in honor of my American upbringing and the only place I have enjoyed bacon up to this point? You never know! *HA!* Like it would last anywhere CLOSE to that long in this house!

Please, take my advice. If you ever go to the store and, in a moment of weakness and longing for the wonderful taste of bacon, see this…

…walk away, quickly! Do not consider it and do NOT buy it!

Trust me, I’m all for bacon. I consider it one of my favorite foods and believe it should be it’s own food group with a minimum daily requirement! I was hopeful, (or more accurately, desperate) when I found this. Being a somewhat adventurous (again, desperate) person, I tired it. I love bacon and I love popcorn… but this… this was an abomination to all things that salty and smoked of the pork and or popped corn variety.

To this day, 2 weeks or so later, my microwave still emits a “bacon bits” type smell when turned on, despite thorough cleaning.

You have been warned.