The new side garden in late May

We've been slowly plugging away at the last things to get done before the baby arrives and full summer hits. Mostly that has been gardening and pig stuff outside, although there has been a fair amount of work inside too, slowly getting Little M moved across to her new big-girl room and all that that entails, along with converting her old room back into a nursery for a newborn (goodness pulling her long outgrown 0-3 month outfits out has been fun - they are all so little and cute!!).

Here is where we are today on the new side garden though, with the new herb area, the newly enclosed garden shed, and the pig gate all installed! The only other additions that I hope we will get to in the next week or two is extending the herb area for the dry beans to go in there, and planting pumpkins and perhaps squash down in the far end with all the pig manure spread over it. Other than that, its just the pigs' electric fencing to get figured out up here before the baby comes!

the mister built me a nice gate to keep the dogs out of the garden

Little M's sunflowers

the pig gate got moved from the old pig area down to the new pig area, just waiting on electric fencing now! This area makes me smile every time I look at it - hose nicely wound up, chair to sit in, lilac in the planter...

The compost bin with herb area behind it, and a pile of moldy mulch hay from the farmer next door

The herb area with herbs transplanted up from the lower garden herb area - oregano, dill, garlic chives, common chives, and a lavender). Need to start some more herbs (basil, thyme, sage, cilantro) but not in a rush about it. They are surrounded by the hoops from some old barrels that were on the porch when we bought the property.

My new garden shed! It is so nice to have the tools so close to the garden, before, they were in the carport, on the other side of the house from the garden area. This spot works quite well when it suddenly pours down rain!

outside of the new garden shed, see the chicken peeking out at us!

Garden shed, pig gate, and garden from the pig area looking in.

Looking from the end of the garden up towards the coop. Peas, 2 rows of strawberries, and a row of raspberries on the right, herbs and space for dry beans to the left of Little M. I love this new space!

Of course there is still a fair amount of work to get done in the main/old/lower garden, but all of the soil has been turned over and most has been raked flat. Corn and beans need to be seeded; squash, cucumbers, and zucchini need to be sprouted and planted; and peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, and cauliflower need to be hardened off and planted. But the weather is looking rather wet and cool until after the long weekend, so I expect those things will get rushed in at the last minute next week or the week after shortly before I head to Spokane with Little M to await the baby's arrival!