Growing up, Dad always had a garden...still does!  I swear the BEST tasting veggies came from his garden.  The tomatoes, basil, green beans, broccoli, zucchini..oh my!  As a kid, I occasionally helped in the garden by watering and harvesting. As a teen, I was on lawn patrol and getting scolded for cutting heart shapes in the lawn with the mower. LOL. Now it's my turn to "go green" and plant a garden...and you can do it too!  I am confident that Dad's teaching and osmosis will guide me. I believe children especially love to get messy, dig in the dirt, plant seeds, water the plants, watch them grow and gather the fruits.  I believe it is good for your body (working with the earth and digesting homegrown veggies), your soul ( digging in the dirt to find yourself), and it will save on the grocery bill to-boot!  I am hopeful that this experience is a wonderful teaching/learning moment for me AND the kids. So I've heard of the "pizza garden", the "salad garden", the "squash garden"...but I've got my own idea... a "Frosty Garden" (please hold the mother nature kind of frost).  Well, that's because I don't know if I have a green thumb but I DO know that I have a Roy G. Biv thumb. First of all, I found a sunny spot in the yard.  I have a southern exposure.  The soil is thick like clay.  My friend Pat Genran of GNO Landscaping built a raised garden bed out of timbers. It is 6'wide by 24' long.  When my hubby saw it he said, "OMG honey you made me a Bocce Ball court, awww you're the BEST!"  And then I had to break it to him that, no, it wasn't a Bocce Ball court (not the right size) but a vegetable garden.  His reply, " Oh, darn!" (He did ask Pat if we could extend the timbers and make it regulation size ball court...if the gardening thing doesn't work-out.  And Pat said YES.  Really?) The soil has been tilled and a nice layer of rich organic matter has been added to the top.  It was fun watching the guys layer the dirt...reminded me of frosting a cake.  The next step is to install an industrial-strength-bunny-protection fence.  I have painted colorful posts and Pat and I will attach the mesh fence. Stay tuned, that will be the first indication that it is "Frosty". IN the meantime, I started some plants indoors from seed and visited my fave garden store to buy some already started. I made a map of how I will plant.  I have a lisA fRosT signature must have...Giant Sunflowers.  Tomatoes in a variety of colors & tastes. Green Beans, Sweet Peppers, Leaf Lettuce, Eggplant and Swan gourds ( I will plant them outside of the garden),  In my pots I will plant Basil and Oregano. I can't wait to "Frostisize" it with my NEW garden stakes and bird houses (they will be for sale on my website and in my "little" studio in June). MOSTLY, I am looking forward to a good salad, a good meal on a beautiful summer night with family and friends.  AHH... pure bliss!!!  (I hope you stay tuned to watch this unfold.) Happy Gardening...xox lisA