green things

In the spirit of Earth Week (and living in the country and trying to save some mulah), Britt and I planted a vegetable garden last week. We started everything (except the tomatoes) from seed in peat pellets in our garage about a month ago. Some things just didn't make it though. Luckily, however, most did. So after Britt used the tiller (thanks to our wedding Lowes giftcards) we put everything in the ground. He dug the holes, I filled them with a little miracle grow potting mix, and then we both planted the little veggies. Since then we've been watering like crazy and I've used some Miracle Grow once.

Here's what we're expecting to grace our kitchen in June/July:

6 Corn plants (although my kids at school say corn doesn't grow well around here...)

12 Cabbage plants (red and green)

18 Pepper plants (jalapeno, banana, and bell)

18 Tomato plants

6 Pea plants

6 Bean plants (Britt did the beans/peas and didn't label, so I'm not sure what type)

6 Okra plants

5 Carrot plants

? Eggplant (again, Britt didn't label, so we'll be surprised)

4 Cucumber plants

6 Squash plants

the pups and ruby

the view (and other things)

Our view from the back deck. In the winter, when the trees are bare, you can see much farther.

how we got here

Since this is the first time I'm writing--correction--blogging, I figure that I should explain just how Britt and I became "newlyweds in the country." We didn't start this way for sure. Britt and I met in the spring of 2005 at the "dog park" in Birmingham. We both had new puppies, Tonka (mine) and Chloe (his). By the fall we had become close friends, and soon Britt started walking me home from the dog park. In October, we started dating--and the rest is history!

In December of 2006, Britt decided to apply for a job with 3M in Guin, Alabama (northwest corner). Honestly, I didn't think he'd get it--he didn't have much experience at that point. But what did I know? They liked him! In January we started looking for a new place for Britt to live. This was hard! We finally found a house to rent that would allow the pups. After Britt signed the lease, we headed back to Birmingham. I cried the whole way home-little did I know what Britt had in mind!

When we got back to Birmingham, I was sleepy and ready to hit the hay. Britt said he had one more thing he wanted to talk to me about--and then he was down on one knee! I remember that I couldn't stop laughing. I was so surprised.

We bought our first home together in March 2007. When Britt showed me the listing, I didn't even want to go look at it. What did I want with a two bedroom house way out in the country. But when we saw it, we were in love!

So, now we live in a two bedroom house on forty acres with a gorgeous view from our deck. The house is definitely designed for people who love to be outside. We have a great wrap around porch and a huge deck. And windows and french doors galore!

Our puppies love it and it's growing on me :) There's a lot to get used to when you move from an apartment in Birmingham to a house in the country. Things like pump houses and well water were all foreign to me. It takes 20 minutes to "go into town" and the grocery store doesn't have common things like avocados, wheat hamburger buns, and orzo pasta. There is a Wal-Mart in the next town, and they have a decent selection--still no orzo. And there's definitly not a Publix, Fresh Market, or Whole Foods anywhere around. Oh, our county is also dry--so no booze either.

So that's how we got to be "in the country"--we became team davis in November 2007 when we had a beautiful wedding in Birmingham and an awesome honeymoon in Jamaica :)

For now, we're just enjoying being newlyweds and finding out what it's like to live in a town with one red light--seriously, just one.