Lawdy, it’s hot!
If we don’t get some rain soon, I think we are all going to melt. Not to mention the garden. Oh, the garden is taking the heat.
My sweet parents have been gardening probably 50 years or so, close to it anyway. I can’t remember a time when they did not have a garden, it’s been a ritual around our house forEVER. Growing up, part of me and my sister’s chores was to go and pick out the rocks in this back yard garden, which were plentiful back then, to make way for the garden. We thought at the time we were being harshly mistreated, having to work that garden. We were convinced the rocks were multiplying. As soon as we picked up a bunch of them, more were in their place, it seemed. But, this dirt finally got in shape and ready to grow some bountiful produce for our family. And truth be told, we didn’t have much to do with this garden producing at all. The total credit goes to our parents.
It’s been producing a whole lot of years now. This little 1/2 acre lot has seen some delicious fruits and veggies in its time. We used to live next door to this house and just over the fence there was the original backyard garden that fed our family. 
My sweet, 84 years old in July daddy still lives for gardening. It is what keeps him going and gets him out of bed every day in the spring and summer months, tending to his plants and coaxing them to grow some delicious stuff for us. 
Here he is just a few weeks ago, hoeing those weeds tirelessly, keeping the rows clean and neat so that when the bounty comes, he can get in there and pick. 
This is one hard working man, that daddy of mine.
His hard work paid off and just about 2 weeks later, the garden looks like this. Quite a difference from picture #1 up there. 
The tomatoes are looking good and these are what concern me the most. I love me some fresh tomatoes, as do so many of my friends and family. We live for the first tomato sandwich of the summer. Can’t be beat! Sometime around July 4th, we should have our tomato fix. 
Daddy has muscadine grapes growing in the backyard, which get ripe in late summer. Is this a Southern thing or do ya’ll know what these are? I’ll have to show them to you when they get ripe. One is a black skinned fruit and the other a golden green fruit. I used to love to eat these, but not so much anymore, although they are really sweet when fully ripe.
Although they have HUGE blueberry bushes growing up at their NC mountain house, he also added some blueberries to the backyard here in Georgia. You can’t have too many blueberries and these are finally taking off and are loaded this year.
Dad loves figs too and planted 3 fig trees, which are now humongous and have taken over the backyard. This one is loaded. 
I wish I loved figs, but sadly do not. Daddy will make up for my lack of fig love by eating a boatload of figs when they get ripe. I do however, love fig cake. I can see some of this delectable stuff in our near future. 
Another huge fig tree helps shade the backyard, my dad’s swing in particular. Anyone else have an old clothesline in the backyard? Back in the day, my mama hung up all our wash on clotheslines. I can still remember that and did not enjoy that chore either. Hanging or bringing in! Give me an electric dryer any day. 🙂
His swing is nestled in the front of the fig tree and is his favorite spot to relax.
I almost cried at leaving behind the huge blackberries that we planted in Alabama last year, but my daddy dug several of these small plants up when I moved and here they are, looking good. Next year, they should produce many berries. We all love blackberries, so it was a no-brainer to bring some of these to Georgia. 
Finally, I brought my Meyer lemon tree with me that I got from Petals from the Past last fall and it’s got some babies growing. I’m so excited! Not sure what I’ll do with them, but it’s fun to see citrus growing in the backyard. 
Even though we desperately need rain, this is the bounty picked this week and hopefully the first of many meals that our family will eat this summer of fresh veggies from the garden.
We will be frying, sauteeing, casseroling, and who knows what else with this squash and zucchini. 🙂 Fried squash is my fave. All of this was picked last week and we scarfed it down.
Added by popular demand!
Mom’s Fried Squash
She puts about a pint of canola oil into a deep pan for frying. Use whatever pot you have that can be heated up to medium-high heat. You want that oil hot, but not too hot! She slices up the squash first and salts them, let them sit for a bit for the salt to bring out some of the water. Mix up self-rising flour and buttermilk into a light batter. Dip the squash in that batter and fry them, baby!
That’s it! They are SO good.
How about YOU? Are you gardening this year? Tell me what you’re growing.
I’ll have plenty more garden stories to share with you later.
Your dad’s garden looks incredible. You can tell that he spends many, many hours hard at work at it. Enjoy all of its bounty this summer.
My dad and grandad each grew gardens similar to what your dad does. I miss those days! I live in town and have a pretty big garden for this area, but nothing like your dad or my parents had. Luckily I have a friend with a huge garden who generously shares with me!
Iknow all about what you are talking about, either firsthand or thru hearing mom & dad talk about it. I LOVE tomato sandwiches, too, but I love tomato biscuits even better. Homemade biscuits, tomato, salt & pepper. It just doesn’t get any better than that!
Mmmm, tomato sandwich… *drool*. When I was growing up my Dad would grow his tomato plants behind my grandmother’s pool and we would all be so excited for the first ripe picks for the season. Now that I live in the south (and love it, b/c i swear it’s in my blood) I’m more than happy with a nice sized Green Tomato that I can fry up… yum.
Love your blog and will be following! *hugs* ~Melissa, SoChick Handbags
Your daddy reminds me of my late father in law. Working out in the garden is what made him such a strong man and he lived to be 96. Would have lived longer I’m sure if he hadn’t had such a horrible accident with fire in the garden ten years earlier. He was wanting to burn off part of the field and if got out of hand and got his shoe on fire on his fake leg(another story) so he couldn’t feel it until it got up high and he realized he was on fire. Both legs had to be amputated up as high as they could go and he survived beating the ten percent chance they gave him. I know it is because he had worked very hard his whole life. Sorry for the long story. Those vegs look so good and yum for fried squash.
My grandparents had a huge garden that was probably more than an acre just as you drove into our small town. I can’t even tell you how many times I drove by to see both of them out there working, giving a huge wave as I was coming or going in my busy teenage life! My dad always had a big garden, and I never was too excited about all the chores associated with it either (and our long, long clothesline…although as windy as it is in Nebraska, sometimes the first ones would be dry by the time you got to the bottom of the basket!)
Will, the owner of Oakton (the 1838 house on Kennesaw Ave) has a plaque on his gatepost that says “Although I am an old man, I am but a young gardener”. They have a booth at the Farmer’s Market, btw….so if you go, be sure to stop and see what’s for sale, it’s different every week.
That is one incredible garden! Your Dad definitely has a green thumb. That fig trees are the largest I’ve ever seen in my life! They definitely don’t get that big here in NY!
Such a wonderful garden! My dad also still loves to tend garden. Their in Georgia, too, and their persimmon trees are just bursting with fruit. Up here in NY, I’m growing tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, kale, grapes, and strawberries. We also have some wild blackberries in the back yard. I can’t wait to start harvesting, too. Thanks for sharing your daddy’s garden.
Both of my grandfather’s had gardens and this brought back such fond memories. You’re so lucky to have both parents. God bless your parents.
Thanks for sharing — a great garden but better yet — the fried squash looked terrific. I just love fresh veggies from the garden.
My Dad would have been 84 this year and I was blown away by the pic of your Dad leaning on the hoe with his hand on his hip – reminded me so much of my Dad! I wish I had more pics of him doing what he loved. Oh-he was a pastor, too:). I enjoy your blog!
My mother loved gardening, but I never have. My husband spent a couple summers with his grandparents on their Alabama farm and grew to love gardening. Here in the suburbs we don’t have room for much, but he did plant two raised gardens. Squash, zucchini, peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers and herbs are doing well.
I have a question about your fried squash. We fry squash as well, but we use a cornmeal coating. We even have pictures of our boys the first time they ever tried it! It is one of our very favorite summer dishes.
My question is what is your method for frying squash?
I dont do the hot either.
You have a really nice garden.
I cant keep a flower bloomed so I know for sure me and vegetables are out of the question…lol.
Rashon aka Mr. Goodwill Hunting
http://www.ilovethrifting.com
Rhoda, These are wonderful photos of your family home. I can’t tell you what the picture of your daddy in the garden does for me, and the fig tree in the back, OMG. It was such a blinded sided blast from the past. You see its like my daddy. He loved his little garden and fig tree. You are truly Blessed to have your momma and daddy in good health in your life. I miss mine so much and your brought sweet memories with this post.
Your momma’s food looks out of this world good. Nothing like southern cooking.
Thanks for the memories.
~Emily
The French Hutch
Hi Rhoda,
I love hearing about your “sweet” daddy. His garden is labor of love and the rewards are truly a blessing. You are so foruntate to still have both parents.
Hugs,
Connie
Sounds as if you and I had similar upbringings Rhoda…except we lived in the hills of North Georgia. My sweet dad loved gardening too but is bedridden now and my mom has a big garden that she says is her stress relief. I looked at all outdoor work as torture and would clean house and iron to keep from having to work in the garden. When I went to nursing school in Atlanta, my thoughts were,’now this is where I was supposed to be!!! I loved riding the Marta and shopping on Peachtree Street. 🙂 Thanks for sharing pictures of your daddy’s garden….looks like you all will be enjoying a bountiful harvest!
Rhoda, I bet you are loving those fresh veggies! We went to the farmer’s market last Saturday. I came home and cooked cream peas and squash casserole. Yummy! Enjoy your time with your parents. What a gift.
Look at those maters!!! We were just saying the other day, we didn’t think we would see “real tomatoes” by the 4th of July this year.
Your dad is an inspiration, Rhoda! Of course, you already knew that.
Thanks for sharing. Your precious father reminds me of my daddy, whom we lost in 2006. His specialty was rows of wonderful corn. He loved to give it away too!
I also loved seeing the fig trees. The birds around my house know the exact day our figs are ripe and start chowing down! They think the yummy fruit is just for them!
Rhoda, I so enjoyed reading this post!! Your Daddy is a hard worker and the bounty you will have all summer long will be delicious. It reminds me of my grandpa, he could grow anything and always had a beautiful garden not as large as your family garden but full of the same stuff. Enjoy all those delicious veggies, Kathysue